The Lodge Hotel and Banquets

The front desk staff were really nice, and the location was great. But the building, especially the rooms, was in terrible shape for $150. Signs around the property ask guests to excuse the mess because of remodeling, but that doesn't explain how rundown everything is. I even saw workers, or possibly workers, checking the empty rooms with outside entrances for vagrants. If they repaired the place properly with qualified people, it could be great.

Paula at the front desk made a huge difference for us. She was kind, thoughtful, and kept us informed. My adult son and I have service animals, and she helped get us settled, alerted housekeeping, arranged help moving furniture to fit my physical disabilities, and sent someone to bring our luggage up. She also found us an outside room near the elevator. It was peaceful, and when a nearby room got excessively noisy once, staff responded quickly and enforced the 10pm-7am quiet hours. Our renovated room was fantastic: spotless, with bright white, neatly arranged linens, and clear signs that housekeeping had gone above and beyond. The beds were super comfortable, the room was quiet, and there was plenty of hot water and good water pressure. It had accessibility features including grab bars by the shower and toilet, lower beds, and a counter low enough for someone using a wheelchair but still convenient for others. Staff also kept our room and the common areas clean. The pool and jacuzzis in the center were relaxing, and we appreciated that the hotel separates families with small children from other families and guests. A future renovation is also supposed to include a block of rooms designed with service animal travelers in mind. The hotel is under renovation, and that was posted on its website and discount sites and apps, so people should calm down with the nasty, spiteful reviews. Even during the work, I'd recommend staying here. Service was what I'd expect at a luxury hotel, and the staff were polite, helpful, and respectful. Paula is an absolute gem. Getting around St. Louis can be challenging without your own car or money for Uber or Lyft, though buses stop nearby. Doordash, Uber Eats, and the companies' own delivery services are easy to use; drivers will come to your room, but it's better to meet them in the lobby. We had an excellent week, largely thanks to Paula's help, kindness, professionalism, and communication. I recommend this place completely, and we'll absolutely stay again. The amenities are nice, the staff are professional, and the rooms are comfortable and accommodating at reasonable, budget-friendly prices.

The pool was the only part that looked halfway decent. The lobby smelled funky, the place had no curb appeal and looked like it should be condemned, and my room was extremely outdated. Even the bathtub was more gray than white, and it wasn't clean. I didn't touch anything. I left right away and never came back. This felt like a total bait and switch, and I wouldn't recommend it to my worst enemy. Stay away at all costs.

An older man who worked there tried to enter my room while my two kids were asleep. Thankfully, I always lock the door. I'm not going back to sleep here. Be careful going into rooms when you don't know what's behind the door.