Crater Lake Lodge

Update: Upon heading out for sunrise…. 6:30am…. A couple was waiting to check out and no one was at the front seat. They said they were waiting 15 min already! That’s a definite negative . Our stay was exactly as expected. You can’t beat the location. I’m not a camper so this was it! It is historic and has a historic feel from the moment you walk through the doors . With that said don’t expect to walk through your room door and be wowed with modern amenities . I was expecting exactly what I got … yes there was some wallpaper peeling but honestly it did not make a bit of difference to my stay. Beds were comfortable. Shower pressure great! Room clean except I was slightly taken back by the shower liner being hard water stained and showing signs of mold. (Update from my daughter: dead bugs in the window sills). Right off the lobby, they have a nice set up showing the historic timeline of the hotel , the location is fabulous, the atmosphere and ambiance great and the porch overlooking the lake just seals the deal. Some might say it is expensive but I think it is a fair price. You definitely need to make dinner reservations ! A MUST. Not because the meals our exceptional but more so it’s the only game in town except for quick counter service down the road . I will say the wait service was friendly , attentive and good.

We really enjoyed our stay at Crater Lake Lodge, with a few caveats to keep your expectations in check. Please know that it's located in the middle of nowhere and hiring an army of seasonal help has been a challenge for the lodge for over 100 years. There are articles from the 1930s complaining about it. Which means you may wait an extra half hour past your dinner reservation. But every single person was very friendly and helpful. And we enjoyed our dinners. It's fun hanging out with all of the other travelers at night, sharing a cocktail, then walking a short distance from the lodge into complete darkness for an amazing star show in the sky. Had to deduct a star due to the cleanliness (or lack thereof) of the room. The carpet hadn't seen a vacuum in weeks, and there were hairs in the shower. Still had a good time.

Great campground. Site was clean when I arrived. Bear proof food locker provided. Roomy and mostly level sites. Water and washrooms available. Showers in “the area” were not functional? It was the last week for the campground to be open, “to be fair” I’m upgrading the service review to a 4 from a 3 as the staff kindly replied to my review in a timely, professional manner. A lot of dogs barking, people whose horns beep when they lock/unlock their cars, constantly. That’s why I usually disperse camp to get away from the city-its who are unaware of their noise pollution and apartment guard dogs on watch to be sure their car isn’t jacked in the campground😝 Otherwise, a very nice campground.

Overall a cool historic building that’s a good day stop. The lobby and restaurant are nice and have been kept well. I wouldn’t recommend staying a night though. Right off the start the front desk girl, Camron, was pretty rude and unfriendly, I get hospitality is a difficult job, hopefully it was just a bad day for her. Thankfully all the other front desk staff, as well as the dining staff, were great. I’ve stayed at the Timberland Lodge and the Mount Washington Hotel both of which are very old, historic lodges and they were spotless inside. The rooms in this place were crazy. Mold and mildew all over the bathroom and tub and massive black dirt stains all over the walls, peeling wall paper and you can hear the fans choking just looking at them. Thankfully we only stayed one night. I heard people complaining about the conditions of their room and the staff gave a quick response so you get what you get there. I would recommend grabbing a bite to eat at the restaurant and hanging out in the lobby but I wouldn’t recommend actually staying there.

If you go to Crater Lake then stopping at the lodge is almost mandatory. It's beautiful, it's historic and it's a great place to just unwind. Most of the lake side rooms have a nice view. Restaurant has great food and the lobby is relaxing. It really is a gem of a place. The park service has done a great job with this property. If you have been to the Lake Quinault lodge you will love this place too.