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November 2024 by Barbara B
My husband and I, along with two other couples, booked the 3-day weekend wine and dinner package. This package included a small hot breakfast delivered to our room each morning, as well as a 3-course dinner on Saturday night with two wine pairings and a dessert wine. The cost of this package was nearly $1,200.00. Given the price, I had higher expectations.
Starting with breakfast, which was adequate, the only option for coffee was a K-cup type machine in the room, providing exactly 6 cups and 6 coffee pods. There are no local coffee shops, and the hotel restaurant does not offer additional coffee in the morning. While we could have requested extra cups and pods, I believe a lodge at this price point should offer coffee and water in the lobby for guests. Large carafes of both should be available all day, as even Holiday Inns provide such amenities. The lodge provides 2 bottles of water per room for the entire 3-night stay. Given that the main attraction of the area is outdoor activities, it would be reasonable to expect guests to need more than 1 bottle each for 3 days. On Saturday, I requested more water at the front desk but was informed that no additional bottles were available and that restocking typically occurs on Sunday when guests check out. However, I was able to obtain extra towels from the front desk, as only 2 towels (along with 2 washcloths and face towels) were provided for the 3-night stay. Considering the presence of a hot tub and shower, it seems logical that guests would need more towels. The rooms are nice with a very comfortable mattress, and the hot tub and fireplace make it very cozy. However, the bathroom is dated as well as the bedroom furniture. In fact, I had the same bedroom suite when I graduated college 28-years ago!
We had a delightful dinner upon checking in on Thursday, with the food being quite tasty. However, Saturday's wine dinner was a disappointment. The meals seemed pre-cooked, reminiscent of wedding food, and lacked innovation. Having dined at the lodge seven years ago, I was expecting the same exceptional quality that had previously impressed me. I'm uncertain if there has been a change in the chef or ownership, but I felt slightly embarrassed as I had highly recommended this weekend to my friends, praising the food. My husband was mortified to discover a long hair inside his mashed potatoes. Since he is bald, we knew it wasn't his. We discreetly informed our server, who apologized, but there was no attempt at service recovery. My husband ended up ordering and paying for several more glasses of wine in an effort to forget about the hair incident.
Lastly, as I mentioned, we booked this trip with two other couples and ended up making a few new friends at the lodge. On Friday night, six of us were in the pool room chatting with the door closed, and we were given a 15-minute warning to go to bed shortly after 10:00 PM. On Saturday night, eight of us were in the pool table room playing cards with the door closed, and at 10:45 PM, we were again told to go to bed due to the quiet hours policy. While we understand the purpose of this policy, it seemed the staff member was eager to leave, especially since we were in a closed room and not making much noise. When we asked if any other guests had complained, the staff member replied, 'not yet'. We also noticed a group of four women quietly talking by the fireplace in the great room who were also asked to retire to their rooms and were refused additional firewood for the fireplace.
While we thoroughly enjoyed our weekend and the scenic beauty of Cook Forest, I would hesitate to recommend Gateway Lodge until the service level aligns more closely with the pricing.
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October 2024 by JJ Pino
Wonderful place!
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October 2024 by Christi Angeletti
So very disappointed with the lodge overall. Wine and dinner package, A complete disappointment. A small 2oz pour of 2 wines and not enough food for a complete meal. We were told we needed to go to bed at 11:45 at night Fri. And Sat nights!! Only 2 bottles of water for the 4 day stay, absolutely no housekeeping, had to empty our own garbage, but the room was initially cleaned. Won’t be returning. Not recommended for more than 2 people. If at all.
Nearby activities: Great hiking trails in Cook’s Forest
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October 2024 by Rodger and Rebecca Hutzell
Beautiful room. Quiet location. Excellent breakfast delivered to room. 100% recommend!
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October 2024 by Kelly Smith
We can not wait to come back!
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October 2024 by Amanda
Beautiful & rustic. Attended a Mother's Day brunch, it was so well put together & tasty. Hope to visit again!
Noteworthy details: Peaceful.
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September 2024 by Keegan Schoch
My wife and I visit the restaurant every year on our anniversary (part of our honeymoon was spent at the Gateway Lodge, which was also fantastic). The food is high quality, locally sourced where possible, and perfectly prepared. There is also a great selection of drinks with a knowledgeable staff. We love the location and the Lodge is beautiful.
Highly recommend!
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August 2024 by paula breuer
Enjoyed a wonderful evening at the Gateway Lodge restaurant. Extensive wine menu, small menu but excellently prepared. The staff is knowledgeable and attentive. Our favorite restaurant by far.
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August 2024 by Justin Brownlee
My girlfriend and I just spent the weekend at the Lodge. I was totally blown away by the service and kindness of the staff. The food at the restaurant was phenomenal. I ordered the steak and she order the smashburger. Both were cooked perfectly and the flavor was top notch. The wine expert was very helpful when choosing a wine. He chose the perfect wine for our dinner. We will definitely be returning very soon. On the second night we ordered the pizza and it was delicious. The location is far from the normal tourist traps and we enjoyed every minute we could.
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August 2024 by David Lane
We did not stay but ate at the restaurant. After being away from the area for a while, we decided to try the food. The word of mouth told us the food was wonderful. The menu was full of descriptions that made it sound exotic. The table ordered the pirogies and wild boar sausage with a description to match the wild boar sausage. What was delivered was kielbasa and pirogies with sautéed onions. The greens and protein was ordered with steaks. Last I checked, medium well should not have ANY pink in the middle. This one was still red when sliced on the greens. The marinade for the meat was almost non existent and offered no taste to the meat. After hearing how good the food was, the entire table was disappointed that we all had such an experience. The staff was courteous and friendly and well versed in what the menu said we would get but failed to explain what would be served. Save your money and find a cheaper place for the same quality food.
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July 2024 by Kiki Maru
When you arrive at the place, knowing where to park is super confusing. I was honestly expecting to crash into someone as I anxiously drove my vehicle around to find anywhere to park on their narrow driveways.
The lodge itself is beautiful and stunning, until you get to the rooms. The rooms are outdated and have this strange stench to them, like dirty feet. Maybe my blankets or the carpet wasn’t vacuumed idk. The shower was unpleasant to look at, and by morning I had a few small red clusters of bumps which looked awfully like bed bug bites. Let’s rewind. Front desk. The lady there acts like she doesn’t wanna be there, in fact she wasn’t there for a good 10 minutes. I had to go LOOK for her. But what I found was a rude lady who gave off the impression that this is a terrible place and I should go.
Management wasn’t much better, if that was even a manager I spoke to, her name was Anna? Ann? Amy? It’s one of those.
The resteraunt was also disappointing, bland, overpriced food.
Here is my advice, stick with Hilton, stick with 4 seasons. But don’t fall for the “scenery” here because you will not feel welcomed by the staff, and you’ll probably leave with a bedbug.
Rooms: 1.5/5
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July 2024 by leah hood
My husband surprised me with a Fireside Suite for our 5th anniversary. I was instantly enchanted as we pulled up the driveway. The lodge is gorgeous and our room is absolutely perfect. This is such a cozy, peaceful getaway. The rain derailed some of our hiking plans but we still found so.e fun places to explore and spent our evenings soaking in the jacuzzi tub next to a beautiful fireplace. Even though I know there are other rooms nearby, stepping out on the balcony feels like we are a million miles away from everything. Thank you so much for helping us have a perfect 5th anniversary.
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July 2024 by Mike Wilson
Nice cozy place for the location, courteous staff, comfortable but not the cleanest. Price could be better. Idk where we went wrong with a nights stay but $300 per night is a bit obsessive considering that’s half most people’s mortgage for the month. We can do better. At that price you should be able to eat off the shower floor but that doesn’t look very appealing? Theirs no outdoor lighting or signs at the door entrance, Parking lot needs marked so people don’t park however they please, with a disability we found ourselves parked at the very furthest corner of the lot.
Edit: So you’re calling me a liar? I stayed there last night room 108 - 6/21/24 let me take down the stars I’ve given. People ask fro an honest review and get called a liar. Hears a picture from our stay just so y’all know we just didn’t get online and make things up. I gave four star, now we’ll never return.
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June 2024 by Brian Sharkey
My girlfriend and I had a great experience. Our main goal for our trip was to visit Cook Forest State Park and we needed somewhere to stay. Beth was very friendly and helpful from the moment we walked in the front door. The location is great if you are trying to explore Cook Forest State Park. There is a restaurant right in side of the hotel which is very convenient and breakfast was provided each morning. It was delicious. We definitely highly recommend Gateway Lodge!
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May 2024 by Warren Clark
A storm prevented us from landing in NYC, and diverted us to Pittsburgh. We were bummed at first, because all of our plans were sacked. But we decided to make lemonade out of the situation. We found the Gateway Lodge online, and it looked like fun. We absolutely loved our stay!! We decided our plan B was better than plan A. We loved the great rustic log lodge atmosphere-- a cozy real fire burning in the great room, and a wonderful romantic room with a fire, a spa, and a balcony. Cookies and creamy milk in our room upon arrival added to the warm welcome. Dinner was delicious, with prompt and pleasant service. The entertainment was fabulous! Thursday April 4. I've forgotten his name, but he was incredible! What a concert! We couldn't believe our good fortune to have found this wonderful place. We forgot all about our other planned vacation, and felt like this place was an unexpected treasure.
