Cypress Bend Resort a Wyndham Hotel

The room was quiet and the location worked well. We also liked the pool and enjoyed the walking trail. But this was a much worse stay than when I was here six months ago in the same type of room. I paid over $1300 for two suites and expected blankets and pillows for the pullout couch. The desk had just one blanket and nothing else, so we had to buy our own. One room had a full trash can when we arrived, and housekeeping never came to one of the rooms I booked.

We still had a good two-night stay, and the kids loved swimming from the outdoor pool through the glass wall into the indoor pool. From our room we could see the gardens full of lilies, part of the golf course, Texas across Toledo Bend, and a small island. The problem came when our group of four adults and two children tried the hotel restaurant. We weren’t told when ordering drinks that the grill was tied up making 200 burgers for a wedding, and the wait was an hour. We paid full price for the drinks and left. The hotel should have planned better for its other guests while hosting the wedding.

The room never really cooled down until about 1am, and it smelled musty, like mold. It was dated, with peeling paint in the room and lobby. The shower water felt oddly soft and soapy. Even the water looked like something I shouldn’t drink, though it was clear. Getting to the room set the tone. The elevator was out, no cart or help was offered with our bags, and the hallway AC wasn’t working in the heat. There was no cell service, and the hotel WiFi was down too. At 9:20pm I tried to get dinner, waited ten minutes for someone to notice me, then learned the kitchen closed at 9:30, despite the website saying midnight. I ended up with Cheetos from the front desk. The next evening I arrived at 8:45, but the kitchen had closed at 8:30. Families were still waiting for food, and I was told orders didn’t start until 7. For Memorial Day weekend, staffing and timing felt poorly planned. Breakfast was another mess. The buffet had no plates, and the server got an attitude when I asked for one. Nobody had told me it wasn’t complimentary, but a server later chased me down saying I hadn’t paid. The website says breakfast is complimentary, and the server complained about that wording too. I had hoped to relax by the pool Sunday. Instead, it was packed with kids, people playing music on speakers, and pop-up tents. I’ve never seen a resort allow that kind of setup. The front desk looked like an abandoned building, with part of the ceiling appearing to have caved in. The door was locked when we arrived, with a sign saying no rooms after 10pm. It was 10:03 and my room was prepaid. A woman let me in and checked me in, apparently handling the place herself. The computer wasn’t working, so she managed to get me a key using her phone. The hallway looked like a work site, with ceiling tiles down and doors propped open. There were cars outside, but I didn’t see anyone else. The room had a power strip by the TV that could probably run power tools. A tree air freshener was stuck in the AC vent, though I can’t comment on the smell since I have no sense of smell. There was a steady drip in the bathroom, but the shower worked and had both hot and cold water. The floor and sheets seemed clean, and I slept well in the bed and pillows. The cold AC in the room felt like walking into a surgical suite, especially compared with the warm building. I even checked the refrigerator stains because they looked like a bad attempt to wipe off blood, but there was no severed head inside. I asked for a late checkout to get some work done. The woman said that was fine, then told me not to come to the desk in the morning because I wouldn’t find her and didn’t need to. Maybe she was a vampire. In daylight, I saw how overgrown the landscaping was, and how run down the exterior looked. The first-floor windows were blocked by the plants. The same closed sign was still on the front door, which was locked, so I slid my room key card through the gap. The place is run like a bad 9-to-5 job, and the attitude made that clear. Wyndham needs to send management to train the staff and fix or update the property, or shut it down. They call it a resort, but I’d rather have camped than deal with this again. The best part is I never have to return. Save your money and go elsewhere. Even a Rodeway Inn I stayed at last week was more accommodating.

I’m here around 10-12 times a year, and the views are a big draw. The heated indoor/outdoor pool and hot tub are nice, the bar is good, and the restaurant is great. The spa, though, has never been open during my stays. There’s no room service, and catching the restaurant while it’s open can be tricky. Some rooms have had AC that didn’t work right, and the rooms are a little dated, though not as much as some people say. It’s still a great place to check out.