We absolutely enjoyed our trip. But going back we would be aware/warn our future selves: Service in the main dining / casual area (Jefferson bar area) is shockingly bad. And since it’s really the only option, it was a hard pill to swallow. One night took 75 mins to get our order after putting in our order (a burger and a steak sandwich—I do not exaggerate, and we were not offered any manager apology other than we were told it was because the wait staff in the main dining area kept stealing the plates from the secondary dining room - WT heck?). However the food itself was quite good. But be ready to wait wait wait. Breakfast buffet and service was amazing (that staff should work the dinner shift instead). Pics on website of the rooms are a bit misleading. They show pics of those overstuffed chairs in every picture, but they are not even in a delux room...rooms are sparse but clean, mattresses are quite old. However it’s a grand dame of a property- a little worn but still extremely charming and very clean. Staff was mostly super friendly (Especially the activities outfitter check in, the ice rink attendant, ice rink bartender, bartender in lobby bar, and the breakfast buffet staff were great), as was Travis who gave our son a snowboard lesson. Younger of the two seating hostesses in the Jefferson was rude, and the staff that checks you in at the lodge for your lift tickets were undertrained, understaffed, and pretty rude each day. People were extremely late for their time slots in many cases because they were so ill equipped. Game room is a blast (but they need to fix the bowling game -it was stealing people’s money left and right and broken). Snow tubing was fun and were nice guys running the slope. We will go back for sure - just will look to book not a holiday weekend/less expensive time to go, because for over 3k for 3 nights (after meals and drinks and activities), the missteps were pretty big- especially the horrid $100 two hour dinner that ruined an otherwise great day)...without the misses we would have felt fine about the price.…
This was our first time at the Homestead and we were very happy with our experience. It’s a very impressive and historic property and they’ve done a great job with keeping guests socially distant and safe. Masks were worn by everyone, tables were space out, and some facilities and dining that couldn’t be done safely have been limited or temporarily discontinued. Does that mean you shouldn’t go? That’s up to you but we didn’t feel cheated out of anything nor did we feel uncomfortable in any situation. They’ve done a great job with their “soft open” and it’s a great alternative to simply being closed. Our room was upgraded to a very nice suite which had plenty of room and were clean. I noticed that both rooms on either side were purposely not booked for safety purposes. We had reservations at Jefferson for dinner and had breakfast there each day. It was great food and the staff were courteous and always in mask. They had a nice taco event on the porch one night which was fun. We didn’t do the spa although it looked great. Having a massage while wearing a mask didn’t interest us but I suppose it could work. A highlight was the gorge hiking tour with Brian. He is an amazing guide and person. Others have commented on his humor which is just wonderful. We learned a lot and really enjoyed the beautiful scenery. Omni - don’t raise the price, but you really could charge more than $30 for a 3 hour experience. In conclusion, this is a very special place. There are some rough edges here and there with the building but for us that’s part of the charm of staying in such a grand historical resort. We did not expect the interiors to resemble a Ritz 5 Star resort, and in fact that might have looked out of place anyway. The Omni is busy with remodeling and I’m sure they will upgrade some dated wall paper and carpets here and there. We have experienced their work at their Bedford Springs, PA property so we are encouraged. In summary, it’s a great resort on a great property and you’ll have a fun time. …
I would definitely highly recommend this place! Pros- We took kids skiing and the conditions were great . Plenty to do for everyone in family. The service was absolutely amazing!! From the bellman..shuttle drivers.. waiters...bar tenders..managers... They were all so amazing!!! We did tubing, skiing. Skating. Spa .wine tasting .cornhole tournament. Bourbon tasting. And more!! We went with our friends.. 4 adults 6 kids from 6yrs to 16 yrs and they all enjoyed it! Cons- They only thing that I could say was not enough food options ... especially for kids however it’s because of Covid they don’t have all their restaurants open. However they were so amazing and made special flatbread pizzas for our kids one night.. they went out of the way to accommodate us! Sweetest people ever!! The rooms are definitely old.. but clean. I believe they were going to do remodel but covid hit so it’s on hold.. So much to do here! It was a lot better than expected! …
I was not a hotel guest but I had day passes to the spa. My friend and I had a weekend planned at a cabin near the Homestead and were hoping to take a dip in the hot springs at the Serenity Garden. A few weeks in advance I called the spa and asked to book pedicures (spa treatments get access to the spa facilities) and to my surprise, non-guests cannot book spa treatments in advance. I was told to call back on the day we wanted appointments. Who ever heard of a hotel spa that doesn’t allow non guests to book appointments?! It was so bizarre. Anyway, I called the day of and there were no pedicure appointments but were were able to purchase day passes to the spa which cost $110 for 2 people. We arrived to the spa in afternoon and we’re given robes and slippers. On the hotel website there is a specific link to a food menu for the spa. When I asked about ordering food the attendant looked at me like I was crazy and said I could buy snacks at the little gift shop. I purposely didn’t eat lunch so I could eat on site! Omni- please make a note on your website if there’s no food available. Not cool. Anyway, the geothermal pool in the Serenity Garden was relaxing, the water temperatures was warm. But the walls and bottom were covered in slimy algae which felt gross and was slippery. The water was clear but there were small bits of algae floating around. I’m not sure if that’s how the geothermal pool always is or because we’re went in winter, but it didn’t feel clean. The spa steam rooms and saunas are closed right now, and I didn’t think the day pass was worth the money we paid. …
In Spite of Covid and the limitations- the staff and hospitality were excellent! Great meals in the Jefferson Restaurant and Woody's. Kids had a blast skiing, tubing and s'mores express. Thank you for a memorable family experience!! Can't wait to do it again. Betts W. Mcgurn
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim Your Listing