Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Starved Rock Lodge

    3.4 (209 reviews)
    Open Open 24 hours

    Services - Starved Rock Lodge

    Hotels

    Venue rental

    Starved Rock Lodge Photos

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Starved Rock Lodge

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    John M.

    We didn't stay at The Lodge but we wanted to have lunch in the dining room. When we arrived there was a pretty long line to be seated and people were saying service was slow. We walked around a little and found an outdoor patio. It was a seat yourself place but most tables were not cleaned and it looked like they only had a few servers. Prices were very high in our opinion and selections were limited. The vegetation was so high around the Verandah Restaurant you could not see the river or any of the limestone rocks. We decided to leave and drive to North Utica which is only about 3 miles away. Enjoy the many trails within the park but The Lodge in my opinion is just a tourist trap..

    Pool room
    L N.

    Love the trails and the property is stunning. We stayed at the lodge for two nights, in the hotel (wing?) side. We reserved a room with two queen beds- the room we got had two very small beds couldn't have been any bigger than a full size. The beds must be tremendously old because they are so loud to sit down let alone lay down and turn, the springs make a lot of noise. The pillows are round like balls and not soft. The beds were a disappointment overall. The wood accents in the room are beautiful. But the room is tiny and cluttered with furniture. For example, one wall is the AC fan, then a dresser with TV on top, then one chair pulled into a table, then a small fridge with a microwave and coffee maker on top. The chair was tucked so tight between the furniture there was no way to pull it out to sit down. The coffee maker is placed with the water cover propped open to hold the coffee packets, and as a result the water section is filled with dust. The bathroom is old as well, but finished with a doctors-exam room style metal shelf and mirror, and just nothing special about the bathroom at all. Appeared clean, but a cold blank canvas. Overall, they should really invest more money in their rooms, particularly the mattresses and bathrooms and declutter overall. The wood features are perfect but the rest really ruins the experience. I really like the cafe near the main entrance, the coffee and food is pretty good and the people are very nice. The restaurant is ok, but very over repriced. The food is just ok, we like the food in the cafe better. The kids had a lot of fun in the pool. Adults enjoyed the pool and sauna. Long story short, I will never stay at the lodge again. It was very overpriced for the lower quality of the stay. We will go back to our routine of driving in for our hikes but going back home and saving our money.

    Annette M.

    Classic Illinois tourist lodge with an old time rustic cabin feel. There is a cafe for ice cream and snacks, a full service restaurant and a bar with outdoor seating serving bar food like burgers. Beware that you will pay premium prices for slow and mediocre service. There are quite a few art sculptures, paintings and photographs to enjoy throughout. They do have accessible ramps to enter the lodge.

    Still Austin Bourbon pairing dinner at Starve Rock
    ja.kub. s.

    Had an amazing bourbon pairing dinner at the starved Rock Lodge Kristen was our server and it was just an excellent evening out. Highly recommend the lodge for food and drinks.

    Chicken quesadillas at lunch
    Frances B.

    I'm shocked by the negative reviews. Perhaps it's worse on weekends or peak season. But I just went during the week in April and was overwhelmed by how wonderful everything was. I arrived at 1p and they were able to check me in early. I stayed in the lodge side which was built in the 1930s. It's cheaper because the rooms are smaller but I found the room to be quite large, with a mini fridge, microwave, full sized dresser, two good sized nightstands, a table with two substantial wooden chairs. A long, narrow closet large enough for my suitcase although there was so much space in the room, I left the suitcase out and still had room to set up my yoga mat and walk around the mat. The view from my windows was beautiful although not a lot of natural light gets in, adding to the dark lodge feeling. There is an overhead light plus several lamps so I found I could make the room brighter than most hotel rooms. Bathroom was a bit small but had a full sized tub and a ledge for toiletries. Shower pressure was adequate on 3rd floor. Bed was relatively firm but not uncomfortably so. Four pillows of different thicknesses were supplied, none of which were amazing. The only negative of the room was the coffee. Only one bag of coffee was there which was ok since I was one person staying only one night. But the coffee could only make one small cup (about 4 or 5 oz) at a time and the taste was incredibly weak. I am not picky about my coffee, but this was bad. It had the weakness of a mild black tea. But overall, room was great - clean, spacious, quiet. The rest of the lodge is wonderful too. There's a seating area near the check in which is also near the little cafe which has ice cream and some quick serve items for lunch or breakfast. The other side of the lodge has a large seating area with enormous windows, near the restaurant. I had lunch and dinner in the restaurant and was impressed with the service and quality. At dinner, I started alone but a conference had two tables on the other side of the room. The attendees thought I was part of their conference. I wasn't but we were the same profession, by chance, so they invited me to join them. Even though I'd already started with one helpful server, and moved to a different server, the transition was seamless. And even though they were dealing with a large group of about 25 people with people coming in at all times, the servers were friendly and efficient throughout. Several of us commented how impressed we were. I had the chicken sandwich which was good if not exciting. The amber house beer was excellent and the woman next to me loved the house cab. Two people had the veggie burger and liked it. A couple people had salads which were large and fresh. The swimming pool area was tremendous. Warm and beautiful. Wall to wall windows make it quite bright inside. And the ceiling being wood connected it to the lodge feeling. There are several tables and chairs, plus lounge chairs. A large sized hot tub and a little kiddie pool, gated off to protect kids. The pool itself was huge and warm, with both stairs (with railings on both sides) and a chair to get in. Also showers, lockers (bring your own lock), toilets in the pool area. And a dry sauna. The other reviews made me wonder if I should stay elsewhere. But my experience only made me regret not staying longer. I'm already sad to be home and can't wait to return for a much longer stay.

    Shower grout falling apart
    Katie S.

    I really set the expectations too high, I really wanted to love and get past the horrible service and condition of the room & Veranda ( Bar) but next time we'll stay somewhere else .The room was average , when you take a shower you also take a bath( see pics) We stayed for 1 night ,room 223 and total $201. We were ignored at the bar , asked twice for the tv to be changed ( manager and bartender asked us what channel so they could change ) we asked twice for mayo for our dried microwaved burgers . We wanted to order more but the bartender ignored us and even the manager in stripped pants walked around like it was busy . Working in the industry , you had 2 couples and a single guys at the bar . You weren't busy

    Outside
    Steve A.

    Classic old lodge is the best way to describe it. It may have an old musty smell, but that helps one to think about the history and the stuff that's gone on. Starved Rock State Park is best known for waterfalls. Many people come from far away and choose to stay awhile. Those people usually will stay in this lodge, which has seen better days but is still a nice place. As I have never stayed here, I can't comment on the rooms or what the beds are like. I can talk about the rest of the stuff. The lodge is pretty big and is where people come for events and things. Last time there was a wedding party taking up space inside. There's a restaurant with a pretty decent menu. Also important for those looking for bathrooms. There's few bathrooms outside the lodge in the park. Also come here to pick up a map. These show all the trails and sites. Good starting point for going off exploring. It has rules about the parking lot that only lodge guests can park here overnight. The signs say they will tow you so be aware of this if you'll be here for whenever.

    Dinner (Walleye & Pot Roast) was great - service was wonderful. Our server JoJo made our evening memorable. Breakfast server Jennifer crushed it. By herself with 4 tables - never missed a beat. Coffee cup was never empty. Room was fine. Prices fair Very impressed. Larry

    Chicken sandwich and Mountain Dew & coleslaw
    Joy E.

    This place is overpriced and understaffed. Went here after our hike and regretted it. They served a burger with no frees for an exorbitant amount. Don't recommend. Pay your staffs and teach them some customer service. Stop charging people extra based off of their seating location that's ridiculous.

    Eric B.

    Really neat experience. Old timey sorta lodge experience with decent amenities. Just not the sort of historic and, well cool experience you find in many state parks in the Midwest. The room was nice enough... a little noisy at night, but had the right vibe and ambiance. The lodge is situated in the middle of the park with well groomed trails running thought out the part. The restaurant was descent, something for everyone... with a more casual coffeeshop off the lobby as well. This was a last minute stop for us at the end of a weeklong road trip. It was nice.

    See all

    1 month ago

    We love staying here. Love the hiking and the lodge and the restaurant and entire atmosphere.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Dave S.
    48
    46
    278

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of John M.
    231
    759
    5132

    2 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Jenny R.

    Jenny R.

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Jenny R.

    Jenny R.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Friendly staff.. relaxed atmosphere. Pool was perfect for the grandkids.. restaurant was great .. traditional ' home cooking '

    Business owner information

    Photo of Jenny R.

    Jenny R.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of L N.
    0
    2
    10

    7 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Jenny R.

    Jenny R.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Food and service were great. I would definitely go back again soon. Take a few friends and enjoy your time there

    Business owner information

    Photo of Jenny R.

    Jenny R.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Jenny R.

    Jenny R.

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Katie S.
    109
    37
    37

    2 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Jenny R.

    Jenny R.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 6
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 1

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    The waitress was very attentive and kind. The service we received was excellent and the atmosphere warm from the beautiful fireplace.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 2
    Love this 5
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Jenny R.

    Jenny R.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Eric B.
    34
    721
    1894

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Allie P.
    349
    274
    249

    2 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Jenny R.

    Jenny R.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Jenny R.

    Jenny R.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Kari B.
    63
    505
    203

    3 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    3 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Jenny R.

    Jenny R.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Chet P.
    13
    72
    17

    3 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Jenny R.

    Jenny R.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Jenny R.

    Jenny R.

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Sesa M.
    2
    48
    44

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 2

    2 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Jenny R.

    Jenny R.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Adeana S.
    49
    46
    122

    3 years ago

    Very good food, service could be a tad faster but still doesn't turn us off from going back. Sunday brunch is very delicious

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 6

    Ask the Community - Starved Rock Lodge

    Review Highlights - Starved Rock Lodge

    The pool and hot tub are available to people who are staying in the cabins/lodge which is heavenly after a long day of hiking.

    Mentioned in 18 reviews

    Read more highlights

    Camp Aramoni

    Camp Aramoni

    (22 reviews)

    Warning: Do *not* go here for a glamping or couple's retreat trip. It is nothing more than a…read moreglorified wedding venue. Frankly, this "camp" made no sense to me whatsoever. You're paying $500+ per night to be in one of eleven tents/cabins that are all tightly squished together in a row. Zero forestry separating them. Zero privacy unless you're hunkered in your cabin. Zero feeling of seclusion. Zero feeling of wilderness or camping vibes. If I am paying this much for a "luxury camping experience", I expect at least part of that value proposition to be not seeing my neighbor 20 feet away from me when we're sitting at our fire pits as you would be at a basic campground like Starved Rock. Their marketing materials claimed the Flora and Fauna cabin is "surrounded by forest" and secluded...but it's on the same silly strip of road, in the same row of cabins just 10 to 20 feet from the neighboring cabin. It just so happens to be the one on the end. I would feel less compelled to leave a negative review if Aramoni wasn't straight up lying to customers in how they describe the property.

    Great experience. I did not know what to expect with a glamping experience. It definitely lived up…read moreto that category. We did 3 nights/4 days. The location was secluded but not in an eerie way. The tent was right up my boogie alley. It had all the amenities you'd get at a nice hotel. It was far way from your neighbors to not feel too close but not too far where you felt too alone. The breakfast and dinner were really good. Especially the breakfast burrito. We also got the private lunch picnic package and it was right near the lake. It was really hot and wound up raining out last day and a half but it was worth it. We plan on returning in the fall.

    Starved Rock Lodge - hotels - Updated June 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...