The Boardwalk Inn

The location is good, but the place is a dump. Low ceilings, shabby hall carpet, smelly rooms, and junk around the parking area. There were lots of sketchy people hanging around in pajamas. The “complementary” breakfast was laughable, I challenge you to find actual meat in the sausage gravy. Don’t do it!

After a long drive, I was glad I’d booked a room here. It was clean, the price was great, and the service was good. Thanks to the location, we could walk to lots of fun things to see and do.

I wouldn’t recommend it. The key cards quit working on us multiple times, and the beds were very uncomfortable and need updating. The yard and property don’t seem to get much maintenance. The pool is a long walk when you’re staying in the second building, and there’s no shade.

The location is excellent, right on the Branson strip near a drive-in movie theater, and the staff were friendly, though clearly overwhelmed. I stayed in both buildings on the shared property, the unrenovated Boardwalk Inn and the renovated Suburban Studios. I first saw rates on third-party sites, but when I called, the manager said those sites were overbooking and guests were being turned away. She offered an early check-in in the older Boardwalk Inn, saying it was unrenovated but clean, and I appreciated her being upfront. It looked dated but seemed clean at first. That night I saw cockroaches. Around 6:30 a.m. I tried calling the desk, then went to the lobby and found an emergency number on a sign. I woke a staff member, who said the manager wouldn’t be in until 7, but no one appeared in the lobby then either. Other guests were wandering around confused, looking for breakfast that was supposed to be in the Boardwalk Inn, but it didn’t seem set up or refreshed. I didn’t hear noise or smell anything from other guests during my stay. Later that morning I called again and spoke to someone claiming to be the manager who wasn’t, and eventually moved to the Suburban Studios side. That room was cleaner, with newer furniture and a bigger fridge, and no roaches, though there were stray hairs and outdoor bugs. The deadbolt didn’t work, and the doors opened straight outdoors, motel-style, which felt less secure. You could hear every noise, and the weed smell was strong. When I returned the keys, I finally met the actual manager, who was handling everything from management to housekeeping. She said they were severely short-staffed, which explained the inconsistent service. The pool looked like it had several patch jobs, and even the renovated building needs upgrades, especially the bedding. There’s easy access to attractions, but the upkeep, staffing, cleanliness, and security problems mean I probably wouldn’t stay again. With investment in renovations and personnel, the property could be a gem, but it’s not there yet.