Mixed feelings on the new updates. Unlike some of the other grand mountain hotels, Eagle Mountain…read moreHouse could always be counted on for the true, antique quaintness of an old world resort. Stained glass windows, creaky floors, real keys and locks for the room doors, the beautiful old elevator, antique knickknacks and signs everywhere. It was time travel in a beautiful old lady of the mountains.
The good; still have the real keys for the room doors. Removing the old lobby rug to expose the beautiful wide board floor, the updates to the dining room do look very nice and plush, although I missed many of the old, wooden signs that used to adorn the walls. The bar looks new and refreshed, with excellent service.
The bad; what amounts to white washing the first level of the beautiful old staircase by removing the old, dark stain and varnish, and replacing the stained glass window favor of a plain, square sheet of glass. Changing the old library off the main lobby to turn it more into a meeting room. It has had all of it's book shelves, books and games removed. The old brick fireplace in the lobby is still there, albeit painted black.
The main part of my rating of only three stars has to be the dining. The food has definitely taken a turn for the worse. You could always count on great meal in the restaurant, whether there were 3 people eating, or 300. Starting with an awesome breakfast buffet, and ending with a very pleasant dining experience, the food was always top notch.
Now, the breakfast buffet has been replaced with a fixed menu, with the quality of food being only so-so, and delivered cold. The dinner was, at best, mediocre, with a so-called rib eye steak served that was over 50% fat and gristle, tougher than nails.
Fix the food issue. Bring back the breakfast buffet and the old chef. Make the old library a library again, and you will be well on your way to getting 4 and five star ratings again
