Took the family on a trip to Sandpoint, Idaho and stayed at the Edgewater Resort on the shores of Lake Pend Oreille. There were good points - and not so good points - to our stay:

GOOD POINTS:
Location - Location - Location!!
Tucked between the lake, the city park and downtown, you really didn't need a car to explore the best of Sandpoint from this hotel. If you (or your kids) like trains, you'll love this. Trains pass by the hotel throughout the day and night. Fortunately, the way the rooms are situated keeps the noise down so you can sleep.

The Staff was great!
Very helpful, friendly, responsive and courteous.

NOT SO GOOD:

The Rooms: These were very basic rooms (more Motel 6 or Super 8 quality than anything else with the exception of the lakefront balconies). The molding was peeling from the interior and exterior doors. The beds were comfortable though.

The Halls: The hallway was lined by a bank of glass windows that really heated up the halls to the point of being uncomfortably hot. Staff members or guests opened up these windows to let fresh air in. Not such a good idea when you have a two year old who tries to step through an open two story window. There were no elevators and being at the end of the hotel - it was a long walk to the lobby or an ice machine.

The Restaurant and Lounge: Only got into the Restaurant and Lounge for a few minutes to get an order to go (to our room). The location was nice (lakefront) and the price for the food was what you would expect from a hotel restaurant. The food we ordered was okay. We found better places to eat in town. Some brochures we viewed stated a complimentary continental breakfast was available. We found out at check in this service has been discontinued.

We would possibly stay here again - due to the staff and location. On the other hand, we may try somewhere else. Our experience has left us undecided on this one.

I stayed at the Edgewater for 3 nights in October 2004. It has a great location on the lake and is walking distance to downtown. The staff are friendly and helpful. My room was in the annex, the construction shabby and the decor dated. (The door didn't match up to the frame so it rattled every time a neighbor's door shut.) Request a room in the main building. (I spied newer bathroom fixtures in a room on my way to the ice machine.) At times the train noise was startling, but I got used to it quickly. I had dinner in the restaurant one night: a great buffalo burger and dessert. Great location and staff, but nothing special about the hotel itself.

Although this hotel has a great location, right near the city beach park, it was a little run down and not very well appointed. Some of paint was flecked off of the strip of wood on the sink in the bathroom. The office where the breakfast is served is little without much room to sit. This motel does have a nice (but small) pool and jacuzzi tub. The front desk clerks were friendly and quickly responsive. So, it is a bit of a mixed bag.

The Edgewater is our family's top choice for our summer getaway. It is located adjacent to the City Beach Park and a small marina. Although it is a Best Western - not the Ritz, its location can't be beat. We prefer the ground floor rooms because our kids can walk in and out from the patio door to the beach and lawn. Also, the indoor pool and hot tub are on the ground floor, so our kids can migrate from the pool, to the room, to the beach.

The hotel offers a simple breakfast buffet each morning in the lobby, and there is a patio grill/bar overlooking the water. It is very close to town and everything is within walking distance. The train depot is a few hundred feet away, and trains run through Sandpoint every 20-30 minutes, so be prepared for train noise from anywhere in town. The rooms at the hotel all face toward the beach - away from the depot, so the train noise is less in the room.

Overall, it is a very relaxing, low-key vacation in the great little town of Sandpoint.