Limited WiFi and TV; a great chance to lose the grind and noise behind, and catch up on reading, naps, trips to Ironton, Caledonia and the Abbey.
Food is WONDERFUL, hors de vours are unique. Planning a return trip next year.
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My husband and I rented a king hillside cabin for a long weekend. The cabin was rustic and comfortable, with a king bed, sitting area and screened porch. Breakfast and dinner are included at the lodge and the food is very good. They made sure I had gluten free options at every meal. The lounge and dining room are so inviting, with sofas, chairs and an outside deck. Blaine manned the office and the bar and did a great job at both places. Our server (sorry I didn't get her name) took great care of us at every meal. Also, the lodge is dog friendly so we were able to bring our dog, Luna. She had a great time too!. This is a wonderful place to unwind and enjoy nature.
While the cabins are very rustic they are comfortable ( good air conditioning for a hot weekend) but we stayed on our screened porch almost the entire awake time. No internet or cell coverage except at the lodge. Lovely salt water swimming pool and our favorite is always river sitting. The food is wonderful and we loved it. If you want to unplug and recharge this is the place.
When I tell you I just spent the most amazing 4 days at the best vacation/retreat spot near by I've ever been to I'm am for REAL. The Wilderness Lodge is only 2 hours from St.
Louis on The Black River.
The entire place is small enough to easily walk around yet you have so many things to do. Mini golf, zip lines, pool, hot tub, play ground, rec room, bar, library, and a ton of stuff we didn't even get to. Laying on the hill at night and looking up at the stars was so so cool.
All of our meals were provided. Everything was homemade and DELICIOUS. We brought our own snacks, beer, and soda for during the day and after dinner. We also had light appetizers like crackers and cheese or hummus and pita before dinner every night which was lovely. Sack lunches were an additional fee but well worth it. And they packed gourmet sandwiches and snacks each day. Better than I would have done for sure.
The waitstaff was incredible. Accommodated every single dietary need and had meals prepared as needed for those specifics. I have been on a couple cruises and have stayed in some nice resorts and I would choose the food we had at this lodge over any of those other places. Without a doubt.
They set us up for our float trip with the near by float company. You have free access to a beautiful swimming area on the Black River at the campground 30 seconds away. Our cabin was cleaner and cuter than any hotel. Our wrap around screened in porch even had adorable day beds and David slept out there a couple nights and loved it. I enjoyed the AC in our cabin and there was a fireplace that would have been so cozy in the winter.
We spent most of our time in and around the main lodge area. They have a cash bar. The pool and deck area were perfect for a bunch of kids to play while the parents hang out. The center of the resort has the pool, lodge, mini golf, volleyball, fire pit, play ground, hot tub, rec room etc. We felt totally fine letting our 8yr old and up age kids roam around without supervision.
The only wifi was in the lodge area and it wasn't great but after the first 24 hours I didn't really miss it.
They housed 60 people, each in their own family cabin, and we didn't feel at all crowded.
You MUST go check this place out. We are already planning a trip back for another float trip.
So glad you all were able to get together! It was a long time in the works, but you made it :) Hope to see you guys again in the future (and I LOVE that you took advantage of the outdoor daybeds!! He embraced glamping for sure!)
This lodge was cool. Pretty much exactly what to expect when taking a trip like this. The beds were very comfortable and everyone was very nice.
On the other hand I am appalled by the god that was served. As you can see we were served baked chicken, string beans and mashed potatoes. Oh and for appetizers there were crackers and some kind of questionable dip that looked like cottage cheese. Any way back to this “baked chicken”. It was RAW. Period. Nothing baked about it. MAYBE boiled but as you can see this chicken was not baked. The smell it’s self when i lifted the skin made me want to vomit. I thought it was a joke! The meat was slimy. The mashed potatoes had onions in them too much butter. Making my son gag and the other saying Im going to puke. The green beans were hard, could have at least steamed them. I’ve never had chicken like this in my life. All I could do was laugh. Someone could be sick. But it won’t be me bc I did not eat it. The cook should be fired immediately, and the manager for that fact. I still can’t believe it I’m glad I took a pic no one would believe me. Oh and no you don’t have a choice for dinner. You eat whatever they serve. Thankfully we packed snacks and left the next day.
We are sorry to hear that you did not enjoy dinner during your stay. The meal you are referring to Friday night was homemade pimento cheese and crackers as appetizers, a wedge salad with sliced farmers market tomatoes, and a vintage recipe of Ms. Hullings spring dressing, roasted chicken thighs with green beans, whipped potatoes and Black River sheet cake with ice cream. In reference to the chicken, the only way to be sure chicken is safe to eat is to cook it to an internal temperature of 165 degrees, which we do. Color does not indicate doneness. Chicken bones and skin, particularly in younger birds, are more permeable which can allow the bone marrow to leak into the meat, producing a pinkish color. As the food is made from scratch, we can guarantee that there are no onions in our whipped potatoes. During dinner service several staff members, including myself, checked in to see how you were doing, at which time you stated everything was going well. Had our staff been alerted to your concerns we could have responded to them in person to better your meal experience. At checkout you explained your early departure was due to your 10 month old having trouble sleeping, and expressed your desire to return when your 10 month old was older and sleeping better. Having little ones ourselves, we happily waived any early departure charges, and we will stand by that. We did find the left behind children's blankets you contacted us about, and, for your trouble, will pay the shipping to return those to you. We wish you well in your future travels, and hope they one day bring you back to the Ozarks.
Our family had such a wonderful stay at the Wilderness Lodge. We will be making this an annual trip!
The cabins were very comfortable and so homey with all the antique furniture and wonderful decor. The rafting and kayak trips on the Black River were so much fun. There were so many great available activities for kids and adults alike. And lots of hiking options near-by.
The breakfast and dinner that was included was amazing. Was not expecting that level of cooking.
But the best part was how friendly everyone was making you feel a part of the "family". Such a wonderful trip!
Thank you so much for the kind words- we hope your future travels bring you back to visit with us again!
