We did not realize that Good Friday and the following three days were holidays in Australia so we had a hard time finding any rooms for our two night stay. The Lodge in American River was very adequate for our stay. It was located next to the river where a flock of Pelicans lived. American river is close to the Ferry landing but quite away from the National Parks (about 2 hours). We went on the night ride to look at kangaroos, penguins and other night critters. The staff at the hotel were very helpful. The buffet breakfast was not worth the money in our opinion but there aren't many alternatives in the area. You should obtain a view of the river if you have a choice. The room was quite expensive for its quality but since it was a holiday it was understandable.

There's not much to choose from on KI, and the KI lodge is probably as good as any. The rooms are very large,clean, but dated -- cheap furniture, worn carpets, tiny bathroom. There was no hot water for one night during our stay. It's rated a 3-star hotel, and I think that is quite fair.
The staff, however, was friendly and extremely helpful. Our agent had booked us for a nocturnal tour on arrival, and they took the initiative to change it to the following night, understanding that we were arriving so late that we would not have time to check in and have dinner. Dinner in the lodge's dining room was quite good; breakfast is ordinary at best. In the end, we spent very little time in our room -- we were touring the island all day (and one night). That was probably the best experience of Australian tour -- spectacular scenery, lots of wildlife, and a knowledgeable guide that was booked through the lodge.

I'm not sorry we stayed here, but might suggest you take a look at the newer Ozone as well.

If your looking for somewhere to relax & enjoy the beautiful scenery, this is the place to stay. We booked a Superior room (2 nights stay) for a little extra, has great views of trees, lagoon, birds & own balcony (on inspection, even the standard rooms looked to have good views of lagoon too, but no balcony). Superior room had been recently renovated, very nice, neat & clean, not over the top flashy, more modern basic with good comfortable colour choice & comfy bed. Bathroom very modern & clean. Had dinner at lodge restaurant, absolutely beautiful setting, very romantic, great lighting & top quality food. As for the service, it was second to none, from check-in, to restaurant service, we were made to feel more than welcome & even felt spoilt at times. Location for us was perfect, 30-40min from Penneshaw ferry terminal (great if catching early ferry home) & about 140km from Admirals Arch (110kmh speed limits :-). No need to go to Kingscote for Pelican feeding, short walk down the road is boat ramp & wharf, lots of Pelicans waiting for fisherman to return at end of day. Also, there is a great walk to old Fish Cannery, not much cannery left, but the walk back along the beach very nice at end of day (some rock scrambling req'd). Lots of wallabies around @ night to see. Overall, Kangaroo Island Lodge is highly recommended place to stay & set in beautiful, peacefull area, we loved it.

What an amazing resort. The room, the service, the food were all impeccable. We were on a 3 day package which included breakfast. We also ate our dinners in the restaurant, which was great, though there were not a lot of other options to eat at this particular spot. The view out our deck to the water was beautiful. Don't miss the feedings of the pelicans each morning! Great walking, hiking, exploring on the island and all kinds of wildlife to be seen. This is a very unique and special retreat.