My family and I stayed at Loveland Heights Cottages during our summer vacation to Estes Park. Upon arriving the fist thing we noticed was how run down the place was. The cabins needed some very basic repairs, a decent coat of paint, anything just to make them seem a little more appealing. The owner greeted us and showed us to our cabin, and he was walking around barefoot! We weren't expecting a concerige, but how hard is it to put on a pair of shoes?! The inside of the cabin was fairly clean, although the bathroom was disgusting. There was mold growing along the base of the shower, paint peeling, pretty gross. The location, right on Lake Thompson, was definitely the high point. They provided BBQ grills so we spent one evening grilling burgers and listening to the water. All in all you basically get what you pay for. Loveland Heights is definitely affordable, but don't expect much.

My family and I were looking for somewhere to stay while visiting the Estes Park area, so after comparing prices, we made reservations for Loveland Heights Cottages. The week before we left for our trip, I read the review that a man had written just weeks before. I have to admit that I was unsure about keeping my reservations after that, but we pressed on and went to Loveland Heights despite that bad review.

The first cabin we viewed upon arriving at Loveland Heights was not what we had in mind, but the host was very kind and showed us a different cabin. The second one was more along the lines of what we were wanting so we made ourselves at home. The cabin was very clean, had nice hot water that stayed hot for even the longest of showers, and DID have a working stove! We ended up staying a day less than we had planned for (traveling with kids can make things tricky that way) but the hosts were very friendly and let us change our reservations. My favorite thing about the cabin was that it was right on the river. I opened up the window at night and listened to the river as I was falling asleep. There was a little heater in the cabin to keep us all warm.

Bottom line is, the only reason why I wouldn't stay at Loveland Heights Cottages next time, would be so that we could stay in the actual Rocky Mountain National Park. If you and your family are looking for a Ritz Carlton or Hilton fancy type lodging, then you really ought to look somewhere else. But, if you are looking for somewhere nice and clean and warm to stay, along with a great view of the Big Thompson Canyon and River, than look no further! Bring your fly fishing gear and head to Loveland Heights Cottages! The value and courtesy of the hosts were worth the stay!

We booked a 2 bedroom cabin at Loveland Heights Cottages because the price seemed reasonable, and the photos of the cabin on the property's website made it look fairly attractive. Among the features that we liked was the availability of a deck overlooking the Big Thompson River, and a river walk on the grounds. The cabin included a kitchen. That was important to us because we wanted to cook our own meals, and didn't want to grill for every meal!
When we arrived on Tuesday, July 5, 2005, the owner/manager showed us the cabin before we checked it. It seemed a little more "rustic" than we antcipated. For example the closet off the front bedroom had unfinished walls--exposed studs with no drywall on the closet side of the wall. And the kitchen was somewhat basic. But we were satisfied enough to register and unpack. Then we made a trip into Estes Park to purchase groceries.
Upon returning to the cabin, I started to check out the burners on the gas range. It turned out I should have done that sooner. One burner did not light well. Two other burners lighted well enough--but the pilot light serving that side immediately went out. I went to talk to the manager. He came to see if he could adjust the pilot light, but was not able to do so. (He began by trying to convince us that if we kept certain windows closed to reduce the cross-draft, everything would be all right. We told him that this solution was not acceptable to us. The cabin was quite warm before we opened the windows and we knew that we needed the ventilation. Too, we didn't trust that this would be enough to keep the light going.)
The owner left and came back in a few minutes to say that he had not been able to schedule anyone to check the stove until Friday. Then he ordered us to pack and leave. We told him that we needed to keep some food in the refrigerator and freezer while we scouted out another place. He said that if we did not leave within one hour, he would call the police to evict us!
We were fortunate to find accommodations for the night a short distance down the road. We were able to leave well within the one hour deadline. The owner refunded our deposit and payment. But our experience was unpleasant enough that we won't choose to give the property a second chance.