We got a cottage room for $260 per night. Upon entering we were immediately grossed out. The floors hadn't been vacuumed, the bathroom was absolutely disgusting with pubic hairs on the vanity and toilet, gross stuff stuck to the floors, and toilette paper in the toilet. So we didn't even bother bringing in our stuff and went to the manager, who was very nice and sent housekeeping over. We sat in the blue heron lounge waiting.
When we went back it looked slightly better however the bathroom floor was still dirty. The closet floor had dead bugs and debri. There were coffee rings in one of the coffee cups. We began to wonder if the sheets were fresh, as there was actually debris under the covers. There was a large buildup of dust on the valances, shades and fan. It was so disgusting we actually considered eating the 1100+ dollars we spent on our 4-night stay, and going elsewhere. The floors were still not adequately vacuumed. There was thick dust all over everything including the walls, ceiling, valances, lamps--EVERYTHING! I took a rag and got a bunch of it myself. After I finished the rag was black. We never bothered unpacking our 3 suitcases, because it was just too disgusting, and we were afraid of bedbugs.
Aside from the absolutely unsanitary condition of the cottage, the place looked like it hadn't been updated since the 1970s. The vanities and closet shelving was very beat up and dated.
The resort does have a lot of redeeming qualities, though. The location is right in Teton Park. The lobby is very large with copious amounts of comfy seating and tables, and a view of the Teton Mountain range that simply can't be beat by any other lodge. The outside seating area is great to hang out, play cards, have a drink, and take in the magnificent vista. The pool area was also very nice. The rafting/lunch excursion we went on was well done, and our guide, Matt was great at what he does and very entertaining. The lodge offers a bunch of different excursions. The staff was very nice and very accommodating. The food and drinks were OK, but not great. All that said, it was really hard to get past the unsanitary, outdated cottage.
I would like to address the management/executive staff directly, in hopes that they may make improvements.
Cleaning issues/suggestions:
- The perimeter of the floors were gross, with thick buildup of dust and debris.
- The corners of the room and under the tables and chairs were equally gross.
- The valances, walls, rafters, and lamps all had dust and cobwebs.
- The ceiling fan had a quarter inch of dust on the blades.
- The vent cover of the fan in the bathroom had so much dust buildup, I'm surprised any air could escape. It was also extremely noisy and needs to be replaced.
- The bathroom has mildew on all the grout, and the shower also has mildew.
- The closet shelving was dirty.
- The stone entryway was never cleaned during our entire stay. The debris that was there upon our arrival was still there when we left.
- There were cobwebs, dust and dead bugs between the windows and the screens.
- The coffee cups and glasses were not clean. We wound up hiding cleaning and hiding them from housekeeping, so we didn't have to clean them every day.
- The coffee creamer was rancid
- The lobby was almost always dirty with debris all over the floors and tables. Only time it looked somewhat clean was early morning.
I suggest you hire a housekeeping quality control person to randomly check rooms after they have been cleaned. Also, you should consider assigning at least one person to continually clean the lobby throughout the day.
The cottage has great bones, but needs updating in some key areas. Amenity suggestions:
- Update the dilapidated bathrooms, vanities, and plumbing fixtures.
- Update the dilapidated closet shelving
- Update the entryway and bathroom flooring with a grout-less alternative such as marble tile or laminate.
I gave this lodge a 2-star rating, but it could easily become a 3-star with resolution of the cleaning issues, and a 5-star with the resolution of the cleaning issues and the updating of the worn out, dated amenities. Doing all the above would transform the cottages into high-end units, which would command higher rates, and improve guest satisfaction. We own a rental property in the Pocono Mountains, and I can tell you that updated amenities is second only to providing a clean environment, which is paramount. Our cottage had neither of these attributes.
I truly hope this helps improve the lodge accommodations, and also hope it helps others, when planning a trip to Teton. read more
