This resort is underrated, in the sense that there is a lack of reviews of the place. This review and accompanying photographs is my attempt at informing others who are interested by the resort, but unsettled by the lack of information, because the property is worth a visit.

To start off, the “Resort” title is fairly used, as the place is a bit of a destination itself. The property has The hotel itself is showing its age, but has also been given some renovations. I have included pictures to give you an idea of the overall design. Most of the common area feels like a dated doctor's office with its colour scheme and florescent lighting, but the updates are nice, particularly the newly-renovated restaurant. The rooms are far from what you’d expect from a name-brand hotel, with ill-fitting laminate countertops, patterned bed covers, and generous use of harvest gold, but if you leave your upper-midscale expectations at home then you will be perfectly fine. We requested a room on a high floor with a view of the lake, and they honoured both for us. We were quite thankful for this gesture because the view was lovely. It was so nice to wake up to warm sunlight and a picturesque view. On the topic of warm sunlight, I recommend keeping the curtains closed because the radiant heat of the sun that is so nice at the beach is too much for the room’s air conditioning to handle. The beds are comfortable enough, and have a fluffy mattress pad, which is nice for side sleepers like myself. The bath robes are a nice touch, and are of high quality. We did not spend much time in the room, but the room was adequate for the time that we did.

There are three food and beverage options on site: a concession-style café by the pool, a lounge, and a surprisingly good restaurant. The buffet breakfast was included in the rate and a variety of cold and hot options, the latter of which appeared to be prepared fresh each morning. The selection of breads was great. I highly recommend the white and dark swirl loaf. Dinner on our second night was a little disappointing (I do not recommend ordering the pizza), but that is only because dinner on the first night was so good. For the first supper, I had the Chicken Parmesan. The portion sizes were very generous, and my entrée tasted great. The dessert was excellent and well presented. The view from the restaurant is excellent. The setting sun and changing clouds were a wonderful accompaniment to the meal. In general, the food is pretty good, which is nice because the options in town are very limited.

Finally, the reason to visit: the lake and its salt water. The resort is right on the waterfront. The beach is relatively small, and the other businesses by the beach are a bit on the trashy side, but it is a lovely place to spend time. The weekdays we spent there were relatively quiet and we had space to sit and relax. The lake really lives up to expectations. The floating sensation is so relaxing and unique. I could honestly float for hours. The water is not the cleanest, but is relatively warm and must be experienced at least once in a lifetime. If one takes a walk down the street, one comes across a playground that has been consumed by the ever-rising waterline, and a small home business that rents kayaks, paddle boards, and canoes at really good rates. The mineral pool and spa at the resort is included in the price and is also a worthwhile experience. The water is much warmer and cleaner than the lake, but offers the same health benefits and floating sensation. There is a hot pool and a less hot pool, the latter has a deep section. The experience was lovely and I wish I had spent more time in the pool. Having unlimited pool access included in the room rate is an excellent value, and together with the lake make the resort worth a visit.

Manitou Springs Resort and Spa offers satisfactory rooms, good food, excellent pools, and a fantastic location, all at fairly reasonable price. The resort is a destination in and of itself, and is most likely the best place to stay when visiting the incredible Little Manitou Lake. I will definitely be back.