Grand Bear Resort at Starved Rock

We recently stayed at Grand Bear Lodge near Starved Rock with our kids, and overall it was a really fun experience for families. The location is fantastic if you’re planning to hike at Starved Rock, and the kids absolutely loved having access to the pool and water park area. It definitely made the trip exciting for them and gave them something to look forward to after a day of exploring. That said, when we looked a little closer, the property could use some updates and deeper cleaning in certain areas. We noticed some damaged areas around the lodge, including windows that looked like they needed repair. The pool itself was fun for the kids, but the floor looked pretty brown and could use a better cleaning. The bathrooms by the pool were also quite dirty, especially the floors, which was d

We’re on a family vacation and began our trip with two nights at the Sable on Navy Pier, which was an excellent experience. Unfortunately, that made the contrast with our stay at Grand Bear Lodge very clear—and not in a good way.||Check-in was fine, but issues started almost immediately. We booked a kids’ suite with bunk beds and there were not enough blankets for everyone. When we contacted the front desk, we were told there were no additional blankets available. We also did not have enough washcloths or soap and had to go down and ask for basic supplies.||For a resort that’s only about 20 years old, the property feels very worn. The overall atmosphere reminded us of an aging carnival cruise ship—busy, chaotic, and poorly maintained. Kids running around is expected at a family resort and

I would never return to this place. While I’m glad my kids were able to have some fun, my overall experience was extremely disappointing. I booked a villa from Friday, February 27th through March 1st for $629 plus a $300 security deposit. From the start, there were issues. Guests aren’t allowed to purchase wristbands on Saturdays, so if you arrive late Friday, you can’t access the water attractions the next day. Not that it mattered much — the water was dark and looked filthy. The villa itself had no hot water. I had to boil water so my kids and I could wash up. There were bugs everywhere (ladybugs and lightning bugs), and the refrigerator looked unclean. I started reporting these issues on Friday the 27th, and as of March 4th, I still haven’t received a call or email back. The front desk

It was bad nothing open in the whole hotel. No stores or waterpark and not told in website ahead of time

Update: I recieved a voicemail from the hotel telling me that even after check out we would be allowed to use the pool until it closes that day. That is not what we were told when we checked and had to purchase VIP even to get access to the pool before 4pm. I have no idea what to believe anymore. Staff needs better training. Rooms are small tv is small everything is closed no one looks happy. The pool was fun. Probably will not return Had to pay for the VIP passes otherwise we were not able to swim in the water park. We bought water park passes which are only good from 4pm to 9pm and then for 10am to 11am the next day. We were not allowed to go into the water park unless we paid an additional 70$ for VIP passes this way we could check in a 1pm and go into the water park a few hours earli