Crystal Cove Bed and Breakfast

We arrived, checked in by phone, and found the key waiting inside the unlocked room. The website gave us the impression this would be a romantic, luxurious stay, but we were really disappointed and wanted to leave right away. Since we’d paid for 11 days, we felt stuck. They recommend travel insurance, and canceling within 30 days of your stay means you’re charged for the whole visit. The location is quiet, away from the strip, but still close enough to get places quickly, with restaurants nearby. Parking was confusing: we first pulled into the lot behind the sign by the main house, while the actual lot is in front of the sign. It was especially hard to see at night in the rain. The honeymoon room is at the end of a gravel path. The room had a nice king bed, one chair, two nightstands, and a dresser, but no vanity. The shower was for one person, and the jacuzzi tub wasn’t very clean. The grounds looked like they hadn’t been landscaped in a while, although we enjoyed seeing deer most mornings. There’s a snack room with snacks and cold drinks, but the food looked like it had been sitting there a while. They also have a restaurant in town, which we didn’t visit. Breakfast was delivered to the room between 9 and 10 on the days it was served, but ours came close to 10 and was cold. I told them we didn’t want breakfast for the rest of our stay. There wasn’t a good place to eat except on the bed, in the one chair, or standing. The patio was too chilly. On the first night, the toilet wasn’t flushing properly. No one is onsite, so communication is by text or email. They came to check it and said they might need to move us if they couldn’t fix it. We were out most of the day, so it didn’t affect us, and they did manage to repair it. I asked for extra towels by text or email before breakfast, but they didn’t arrive until sometime that night, which we only realized the next morning. It feels like this may once have been a romantic, luxurious place, but it’s gone downhill. The reviews we read praised it, and none mentioned the one-person shower or lack of a vanity. I only found a negative review after we were already there. I know a room shouldn’t make or break a vacation, but this one really got us down.

The area was quiet, away from the Branson strip, with no traffic or crowds, and cafes and restaurants were within driving distance. The bed was comfortable, the hostess was kind, and complimentary snacks and drinks were in the building by the parking area. She could only be reached by text, though, and there was no hostess onsite. We were the only guests for one night. The door was unlocked when we arrived, and we were asked to leave it unlocked when we left. Across the street, the house had piles of trash bags in its front yard. The honeymoon suite didn’t feel luxurious. It had one armchair, one bedstand, one dresser, a sink without a vanity, and a stand-up shower for one person. There was mildew around the shower and on the AC vent, flies kept coming into the room, and an active spider web with an egg nest was beside the jet tub. The walkways were gravel, which could get your clothes muddy in bad weather. Breakfast came in a bag with takeout containers, and there was no table or chairs to eat at. We stood by the little dresser. The patio wasn’t a good option either, with flies and mosquitoes out. We skipped the second breakfast and asked that it go to someone who needed it more, then stopped at Billy Gail's on the way home. For a romantic getaway, the room lacked the amenities of a honeymoon suite and felt like a motel room. I honestly didn’t feel safe, even with my husband being a LEO. He took precautions and made sure our room was secure.

We spent five days at Crystal cove for our honeymoon and had a wonderful time. The cabins were beautiful and comfortable, and the tub was outstanding. We used the jacuzzi about twice a day. We also tried the bedjet and slept so well that we’re thinking of getting one for home. Breakfast was always good, and their restaurant is worth trying too. The loaded baked potatoes were out of this world. I bought the book the wife wrote and couldn’t put it down. The peaceful, beautiful setting was one of my favorite vacations. I loved having coffee in the morning and seeing deer each day, and even got to see a white squirrel for the first time. We’re already talking about returning for our first anniversary.

We shared three separate cabins or rooms with friends, and the accommodations were excellent. The location is near the end of a road that had little traffic while we were there in October, so it was very quiet. There’s a shared “Wash House” open around the clock with soda, water, Keurig coffee, and snacks. We spent each night by the large fire pit, using the provided wood and catching up until the early hours. We also cooked a seafood boil in the parking lot and ate on the large deck, another nice amenity. Breakfast was delivered to the door between 9 and 10 each morning, except Monday and Tuesday, and the rate is lower on days without breakfast. We stayed Friday through Monday, and the Saturday and Sunday breakfasts were delicious. We highly recommend Crystal Cove and will be back.