Hotel Azure

I’ve stayed here many times and loved it. The rooms are super clean, the staff are really friendly, and there are good restaurants right beside the hotel. For the price, the hot tub, pool, gym, and game room are great to have. They also offer an Epic pass holder discount during ski season.

For what it costs, I can’t recommend Hotel Azure. The central location is what you’re paying for: the lake is across the road, and you can walk or bike around. But the high room rates, extra taxes and fees, and especially the expensive dog charge make the stay poor value. The marketing also left a misleading impression, with generic stock pictures mixed with night shots and vague wording about what’s included or available. At check-in on Saturday afternoon, both guys at the registration counter seemed more interested in their phones than in helping me. I felt like a five-minute interruption to their screen time. The paperwork and spoken instructions came across as an if/then threat rather than a welcome. Neither wore a hotel-branded shirt or name tag. A street-branded hoodie, generic button-down, shorts, or a T-shirt seemed acceptable. We were first assigned room 312. It smelled off as soon as we entered, so we reported the fragrant carpet by the balcony door and asked to switch. Room 359 in the back building was much better: cleaner, a little newer, and quieter from the road. I’d avoid the building closer to the four-lane main road. Don’t pay extra for a lake view either. You mostly watch cars, squint through the trees, and catch only a glimpse of the water. Even in the better room, the air filter was dirty before it was replaced, the fridge barely kept food cool, paint and drywall were peeling in the shower, and old caulk remained on the floor after the toilet was replaced. There was shampoo and conditioner but no body soap. The lobby smelled like an old hospital, and the elevator doors looked like a post-apocalyptic getaway screen. The property needs a tremendous amount of care. The buildings are neglected, rotting, deteriorating, and rusting, enough that you may need a trip to the local ER if you’re not careful. Carpets in the common areas and guest rooms need a deep clean, everything needs scrubbing and shining, and the grounds need serious weeding and cleanup. Some small projects need finishing, some staff could benefit from customer service training, and the amenities need servicing. This isn’t just a list of post-winter chores. The extensive remodel happened years ago, and now things are broken, peeling, and worn out. Even replacing the outdoor welcome mat would be a simple place to start. There’s no on-site food included or available, so you have to go to a local restaurant. We recommend Element. Bowling hours are limited, and it’s expensive at $45 an hour for one lane. The hotel doesn’t provide water access; you have to cross the street, and water sports launch farther down the road at the harbor for an extra cost.

Oscar and Riley were nice when I checked in for my one-night stay on Sunday the 28th. My room had a balcony overlooking the reception, parking lot, and lake, plus the microwave, fridge, and coffee machine I needed. It was an easy walk to restaurants and stores, and the beach and lake are just across the street. Parking was free. The place may be a little dated, but the room was clean and the bed was comfortable. Internet was so-so, so I used my own. I didn’t have time to try the swimming pool or the top, and though I heard the two restaurants were good, I walked into town instead. I’d stay again.

We were stuck here because of the snowstorm and road closures, but I’d advise people to stay elsewhere. Parking is extremely limited, the furniture is scuffed, and the bathtub leaks. The valve is so complicated that it made it hard to get a good night’s sleep. The hotel is overpriced for what it offers, and breakfast or a happy hour would make more sense at that price. It could also use a sauna. The hotel complex itself is nice, and they offer a discount at a nearby place to get food. They lost my reservation even though I had an Expedia confirmation number, costing me an hour. If a business wastes your paid time off, remember that your time costs three times as much and deduct that from your stay. They say they stop serving coffee before 11 a.m. because of liability, yet the walking areas and parking lot weren’t kept clear through the winter. Snow wasn’t properly cleared around the property. Some lights were out, and a fire extinguisher was missing its glass, among multiple safety non-compliances. They offered no flexibility over any of these issues. As a person of color with a disability, I felt they applied a double standard. Staff threatened to call police if I used the outdoor hot tub after 10 p.m., even though I had fallen because they hadn’t salted the sidewalk and walking areas, which felt like laziness and greed. White guests could stay past 10 and drink liquor. I was prepared to be evicted and show other guests how discriminatory they were toward people with disabilities. I said I’d file a health department complaint so they could be fined, and bring a lawsuit. I’d rather go to a better hotel than deal with the inconvenience of suing them. The hot water in the shower was scalding and could leave you permanently burned. Pet or service dog rooms should be soundproofed because barking is inevitable, especially during a medical emergency, and staff called me about other people’s dogs. They should offer smartphone keys, since using access controls with gloves on is a nightmare and a waste of time. The toilet paper is cheap and thin, so bidets would help. There aren’t enough towels for the pool, and guests need bathrobes for that area.