Allerton Park & Retreat Center
Allerton Park & Retreat Center
4.5
8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Monday
8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Saturday
8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Sunday
8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
About
One of the 7 Wonders of Illinois as designated by the Illinois Bureau of Tourism. Away from the distractions and noise of city life, enjoy luxurious surroundings in a century-old, Georgian-style mansion with gleaming floors, marble fireplaces, and elegant furnishings. Expansive windows offer picturesque views of a reflecting pond, natural meadow, and 1,500 acres of peaceful forest filled with deer, birds, and other wildlife.You will find this enchanting setting just 25 miles from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign—an easy drive from the University’s Willard Airport and a simple excursion from Chicago, Indianapolis, St. Louis, or the Quad Cities. Plan your next meeting, conference, retreat or wedding at Allerton Park and Retreat Center. We look forward to welcoming you soon!
Duration: 2-3 hours
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.5
140 reviews
Excellent
93
Very good
33
Average
6
Poor
1
Terrible
7
Shawn S
Bloomington, IL67 contributions
Aug 2021
We held our family reunion at the Allerton Retreat Center over the weekend. I cannot say enough good things about how comfortable it is. The Center provided for our game playing, song singing and fun loving group. We had access to the whole main floor of the mansion and our rooms were very comfortable, clean and we had so much room to spread out.
SO much better than a hotel conference room and about the same price.
In addition, the grounds of Allerton Park are extensive. We had a scavenger hunt provided by the Center and all participants had a great time looking for the answers in the formal gardens. It's a great place to take a walk alone or as a group.
But above all, the staff and crew at the Retreat Center were so friendly, accommodating and helpful. They worked with us above and beyond the call of duty. Thanks Allerton Team for a very successful and fun family reunion!
SO much better than a hotel conference room and about the same price.
In addition, the grounds of Allerton Park are extensive. We had a scavenger hunt provided by the Center and all participants had a great time looking for the answers in the formal gardens. It's a great place to take a walk alone or as a group.
But above all, the staff and crew at the Retreat Center were so friendly, accommodating and helpful. They worked with us above and beyond the call of duty. Thanks Allerton Team for a very successful and fun family reunion!
Written August 16, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thomas D
2 contributions
May 2024 • Friends
Was here 51 years ago with boy scouts to hike the trail of the fu dogs and experience cicadas at the best place ever. It's beautiful and happy to see it here.
I don't know if they allow camping in Allerton Park anymore, as boy scout we were led to believe it was a privilege earned for having respect for the land.
Great place to experience cicadas!
I don't know if they allow camping in Allerton Park anymore, as boy scout we were led to believe it was a privilege earned for having respect for the land.
Great place to experience cicadas!
Written May 2, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jude H
3 contributions
Aug 2022 • Couples
We stayed at the gatehouse and it was lovely! Everything clean and well kept! Staff was exceptionally helpful, bringing us extra pillows and ice. I offered a tip and she said “no not necessary “ I would advise bringing a power strip and/or extension cord, outlets are vintage too, except in the bathroom! But it worked out for us because I brought a power strip! Tv is antenna but you can hook up a laptop. Monticello is about 15 minutes away with shopping and great eating places!
Written August 14, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
rward2121
Englewood, FL158 contributions
Aug 2021
This is affiliated with the University Of Illinois, so one would think that they would be honest about the conditions of the lodging. The room we were in was NOTHING like the photo on the website, which is my primary complaint.
The room was in disarray - there was one bedside lamp (which didn't work), and it had a very long cord that was stretched out to another wall. We had to plug it in another outlet across to the other side of the room, creating quite a tripping hazard if we needed to get up in the middle of the night. The outlets were not working, possibly a safety code violation that should be reported to the county inspector.
The room was obviously not attended to in some months, as there were leaves packed in between the room window and the outside window, sort of what you'd expect to see in a haunted house.
There was no remote for the television, but there was nothing able to be tuned in on any broadcast, so it didn't really matter. We called for a remote. A young man brought one and it seemed like he wanted a tip for his trouble.
There was not adequate water pressure in the shower.
The price was not reflective of the low quality of this lodging - it was possibly among the 5 worst we have experienced in our 45 years of marriage. I would compare the quality to a $39.99 room at a no-name hotel off a highway somewhere.
The Internet they claim to have didn't work, even though we were supposedly connected to the system. When I called the desk, her response was "we are in the middle of the woods". As if I was an idiot for expecting Internet? Again, false advertising if they are claiming to have it as a featured amenity.
So sad to have to report this, but people need to be aware of the truth if the U of I is not going to be up front.
The room was in disarray - there was one bedside lamp (which didn't work), and it had a very long cord that was stretched out to another wall. We had to plug it in another outlet across to the other side of the room, creating quite a tripping hazard if we needed to get up in the middle of the night. The outlets were not working, possibly a safety code violation that should be reported to the county inspector.
The room was obviously not attended to in some months, as there were leaves packed in between the room window and the outside window, sort of what you'd expect to see in a haunted house.
There was no remote for the television, but there was nothing able to be tuned in on any broadcast, so it didn't really matter. We called for a remote. A young man brought one and it seemed like he wanted a tip for his trouble.
There was not adequate water pressure in the shower.
The price was not reflective of the low quality of this lodging - it was possibly among the 5 worst we have experienced in our 45 years of marriage. I would compare the quality to a $39.99 room at a no-name hotel off a highway somewhere.
The Internet they claim to have didn't work, even though we were supposedly connected to the system. When I called the desk, her response was "we are in the middle of the woods". As if I was an idiot for expecting Internet? Again, false advertising if they are claiming to have it as a featured amenity.
So sad to have to report this, but people need to be aware of the truth if the U of I is not going to be up front.
Written September 12, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Isabel Q
3 contributions
Dec 2023 • Couples
From 9:00 pm to 10:00 pm, next door was slammed closed too loud and a guy opened our locked door around 9:00 pm. He quickly shut it off after I shouted, hey. What a night, during the opening of the Glow. Very frustrating.
Written December 1, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ForTheLoveOfTravel
Palm Springs, CA376 contributions
Jul 2023 • Solo
Since I was little, I have been going to Allerton Park. Thousands of pictures. Hundreds of walks and bike rides and events. Gorgeous and serene. It’s quite different now as to the 70’s. I love having a cafe/bistro to quench your thirst. Special drinks. Food is delightful and simple. Tons to see and absorb. Lasting visions will explode your mind.
Written July 25, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nikola P
Boston, MA5 contributions
Jun 2015 • Couples
My family and I were invited to this "hotel" for a wedding this past weekend (June 20, 2015); we were each booked a room ($100/night, per couple), and after looking at the pictures on the website we thought we had gotten a bargain. The beds looked very spacious, the rooms elegant, filled with olden furniture, etc. However, when we arrived at the mansion we were told our "rooms" were down a path to the side of the house. We assumed this was where the other guests where, so we followed the path...to a small, squat cinderblock prison in what I can only describe as a swamp. The air was swarming with mosquitos, and the outside path and foyer crawling with bugs. We opened the door and entered into a room that was not possibly more than 10x10, excluding the poor excuse for a bathroom. Had I been 15 years old and at summer camp I would have liked it - but for a wedding it was a literal hellhole. My parents were beside themselves, as were my brother and I and our girlfriends. There was only one mirror in the bathroom, and not even a full-length...how is someone supposed to prepare for any event without a full-length mirror in which to see themselves? Perhaps you think I'm vain: think again. The beds were terribly hard; before we'd been there for an hour we'd killed several bugs and spiders, as had my parents. There was NO thermostat, and the cinderblock walls kept the rooms very, very cold. The bathrooms were prison washrooms, and extremely small. After the wedding that night we checked out as soon as possible in the morning just so we could avoid the bugs and disgusting feeling of the rooms.
I strongly recommend that if you are invited to an event at this place you book a room at any local hotel or motel, for even the closed Chicago slaughterhouse stockyards would be preferable to spending just one night at The Allerton.
I strongly recommend that if you are invited to an event at this place you book a room at any local hotel or motel, for even the closed Chicago slaughterhouse stockyards would be preferable to spending just one night at The Allerton.
Written June 22, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Gayle D
missouri3 contributions
My daughter planned her wedding here months in advance, made a 3 hour trip back to the site a month before the wedding just to make sure all the details were finalized. Got to the site the day before the wedding and rooms were overbooked so they had spread the wedding party out over two buildings, which we weren't prepared for. Gardens were not well maintained, so many of the pictures they had planned to take had to be scrapped. And, after paying a hefty fee to rent the sunken garden, the photographers' assistant had to fend off a tour bus full of people from walking right through the wedding...no signs, security guards, ropes....anyone could walk right through during the ceremony. As we were trying to get checked in, the desk clerk asked if we just wanted to cancel and go somewhere else...the day before the wedding! Very unprofessional!! Might be an okay place to walk through or have a picnic, but I wouldn't depend on anything that it takes the staff to manage.
Written June 28, 2010
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
B P
Chicago, IL1 contribution
Jun 2015 • Friends
June 20, 2015 overnight for wedding. Stayed in Evergreen Lodge. This place is more rundown than the website pictures would lead you to believe: (1) cell service spotty at best (2) strong musty smell in cinder-block room (3) room temperature very cold and no thermostat (4) could not adjust blind- wand missing (5) dead bugs on floor and nightstand (6) dirty floor (7) moldy shower stall (8) sink requires you to stoop over to reach it and it leaks (9) faucet handles very hard to turn (10) toilet tank leaks (11) small vanity mirror and no full length mirror (12) no chair in room (13) open dumpsters less than 50 yards from door (14) wait staff tried to remove plate while still eating dinner (15) asked for a particular wine- bar tender said they were out of it then turned and walked away (16) all clothes must be dry cleaned to remove musty odor (17) formal gardens contained very average plantings and needed tending. All this for $90/night. Absolutely dreadful.
Written June 22, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Smythe77654
Algonquin Provincial Park, Canada202 contributions
Allerton Park is a lovely place for a day trip in central IL. Statues are located in the woods, so you can take a hike and see much great outdoor art; a novel experience for certain. Hiking maps are available at the main tourist info house, as are bathrooms. No restaurants on site, so you will want to bring picnic food or stop in the town of Monticello (apprx 5 miles from the park) and pick up some food (The Brown Bag is a Monticello mainstay for take out food for years, but is very highly overrated in my experience; it serves mundane sandwiches that would be reasonable to bring to the park, however). The main conference house, Robert Allerton's mansion, is only open on special occasions and for events, so you can only walk around it. The grounds are nicely manicured, and if you wish to hike this flat park, it would take approximately three or four hours to see the entire park, usually from well-trodden trails. No major bodies of water (other than the pond outside Allerton's house), but a calm and serere feel. Large fields reasonable for kite flying. A zen experience can be had in the Foo Dogs garden, and a pretty renovation of the arena-like sunken garden is underway. The sunseeker Indian statue at the end of the park is the centerpiece, and the large round drive and grass around the monolithic statue is a superb place for reading a book in the summer sun. Enjoy drive to the park by mapquesting Monticello,IL.
Written April 1, 2007
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
What restaurant options are available for breakfast and dinner if staying overnight at the Retreat Center? Do the guest need to drive off the property? Thank you.
Written January 17, 2020
I will be visiting my sister near there in the spring. We are looking for something to do. So does this place have daily rates just to visit? It looks very pretty.
Written January 26, 2017
Hi, Sharon! Thanks for your inquiry, and we're so glad to hear you will be visiting Allerton! The Park is open daily and free to the public. You are welcome to enjoy the 14 formal gardens (with sculptures and statuary throughout), hike the nature trails, and explore the grounds. We have a Visitor Center with maps and information. It is normally unstaffed but a volunteer is usually there on weekends. If there is not a private event taking place, you are also welcome to walk around the first floor of the Mansion. You can check out our website for more information and upcoming special events! Thanks again for your interest!
Written January 26, 2017
There is no information on the Allerton website or on this website as to rates and availabilities at the retreat. Is it open to the public or just groups? Why aren't rates published
Written August 8, 2015
Hi Paul. You can call to inquire about availability and rates. As for why the rates aren't published, it has to do with event scheduled and large group events.
Written August 9, 2015
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