Clean, but the bathroom was incredibly small, wedding party was loud on a Friday night, but they took care of it once I called. Bed was comfortable, but I would avoid the 1st floor. Staff seems only somewhat interested. Thank you for taking the time to leave us an online review. We appreciate your feedback. I want to apologize for the noise you endured during your stay but am happy to hear it was taken care of as soon as you called. We look forward to having you stay with us if you are ever in the area... Travelling through the area and without reservations, I telephoned then stopped at this hotel. Front desk personnel were courteous and prompt to assign a very nice room to me. The hotel has great curb appeal and the inside was just as nice as the outside. Enjoyed the indoor pool and the complimentary breakfast in the morning. I have never been... Thank you for taking the time to leave us a review with such positive feedback! I have shared your comments with my staff, and they join me in thanking you for your kind words.

We take pride in our hotel and the services we provide and we are so glad you enjoyed your stay. We are looking forward to... I called 48 hours before my stay. This was not my first hotel choice. Others were full or no adjoining rooms. Do you have an indoor pool? Is it up and running? Book two rooms two nights. Get to hotel and see sign on desk that says pool closed until further notice. Edwardian Bedroom Furniture For SaleI have my grands...Hampton Bay Outdoor Furniture Warranty Thank you for taking the time to complete an online review regarding your recent stay with us. Boerboel Puppies For SaleAllow me to apologize on behalf of our hotel for failing to meet your expectations on your recent visit. Guest satisfaction is our top priority and please feel free to get in contact with me to discuss this further.

So woken up at 8:30 in the morning by construction workers on a lift drilling and priying god now what off the outside by our room. If that wasn't bad enough, they where screaming to one another. Mind you this is at 8:30 in the morning! Then when went to breakfast which wasn't that bad I heard a man yelling... Thank you for taking the time to complete an online review regarding your recent stay. Allow me to apologize on behalf of our hotel for failing to meet your expectations on your recent visit. We are at the ending stages of our renovations. We sincerely hope you will give us another chance to provide you with the superior service and... Had a great time! The hotel was very clean and up to date. The staff was one of the most friendliest we've ever experienced! Everyone greeted us and they were able to get us in our room a little early! The bed was even comfortable, but i recommend bringing your own pillow still. The price was also great! Thank you for taking the time to leave us such a great review.

Your positive feedback serves as encouragement for our team. We are happy you enjoyed your time at our hotel and appreciate the recommendation. We hope your next visit is even better than your last. No ice bucket in room.... (not a huge deal, used coffee pot) USED bar of soap on sink... Breakfast was sub par... I will try one of the other hotels next time I'm in town for business. Thank you for taking the time to complete a review regarding your recent stay.We take your feedback very seriously and I will be going over these items with our staff. We sincerely appreciate it and hope you will give... History: Built in 1995, renovated in 2004 Location: North side of Interstate 80/Ottawa interchange, with other commercialized areas (Sears, Hampton Inn, gas station, Taco Bell, etc.) Interior Decor: Old Holiday Inn Express furniture sets. Exterior Apperance: 3 story ordinary mid-range motor hotel. Outside view from the room I stayed at (300): Parking lot, Sears outlet and Hampton Inn....

Thank you for taking the time to leave us a review. We appreciate feedback from our guests. I want to thank you for choosing the Holiday Inn Express Ottawa, IL for your lodging accommodations. If you are back in the area we would love to have you back. I love this hotel, the staff are amazing! They go over and above the call of duty and all look like they have a great time working together and working at this hotel! Rare to find that now days! We stayed there for one night while attending our Christmas party for Skydive Chicago. I will give the cons for the... When I'm in Ottawa, Illinois, this is the only place I will stay. Shaunna and Julie are just the best. They will bend over backward to make sure that you have a pleasant stay. If something is wrong with your stay, just tell them and they will work to fix it. Breakfast selections are more than adequate. “All Good Except the Breakfast” Thank you for taking the time to to leave us a review with such positive feedback!

We will be going... My husband was asked to work for his employer at a different location then normal. We called straight to the hotel and did not book through the chains 800 number. We booked a king room with a pull out. The staff have been super helpful in making out stay comfortable. Our dog was even able to come with us because...We are happy you enjoyed your time at our hotel. We hope your next visit is even better than your last. We enjoy it when our guests are able to travel with their fur babies. Starved Rock Lodge and Cabins were built from 1933 to 1939 by the Depression-era Civilian Conservation Corps and then were listed the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on May 8, 1985. By the National Register’s criteria, the Lodge and Cabins are considered significant in the area of architecture and entertainment. Click here to watch a video on Starved Rock State Park (produced by the IL Dept. of Natural Resources). In 1835, Daniel Hitt purchased the land that is today occupied by Starved Rock State Park from the United States Government, as compensation for his tenure in the U.S. Army.

He sold the land in 1890 to Ferdinand Walther for $15,000. Recognizing the potential for developing the land as a resort, Walther constructed the Starved Rock Hotel and a natural pool near the base of Starved Rock, as well as a concession stand and dance hall (pictured here in 1905). The French and Native American heritage of the region also drew visitors to the site. Walther set up a variety of walkable trails and harbored small boats near the hotel that made trips along the Illinois River. Visitors could also visit nearby Deer Park (modern-day Matthiessen State Park) situated a few miles to the south. With the growth of competitive sites, Walther struggled to keep the complex economically stable. In 1911, he sold the land to the Illinois State Parks Commission for $146,000. The Commission was initially headquartered at Starved Rock State Park after the land was acquired. The state acquired 898 acres and opened Starved Rock State Park as a public facility in 1912. During its early years, Starved Rock State Park was directly accessible only by railroad.

Visitors had reached Starved Rock by rail and ferry since at least 1904, while the property was still a Walther-run resort. Between 1904 and 1908 more than 160,000 people used the ferry that connected Starved Rock to the electric railway line. In 1912, the year the park was opened to the public, attendance was 75,000. By the 1930s, other state parks were opened in Illinois but Starved Rock State Park remained the most extensively used park in the system. Starved Rock Lodge and Cabins were designed by Joseph F. Booten and constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps. The Lodge has a central lounge, known as the Great Hall, hotel wings and a dining room wing. On its exterior, the Lodge is primarily constructed of stone, unhewed logs, clapboard and wood shingles. Booten’s design intended to impress upon visitors the idea of a “woodsy retreat.” This is seen in the way he designed round log purlins whose unevenly hewn ends extend beyond the Lodge’s eaves. Surrounding the Lodge are 16 cabins: two large cabins separated into four units are just west of the Lodge while the other eight cabins are situated across a steep ravine, known as Fox Canyon.

The cabins are constructed of unhewn logs with random corner notches and sit in heavily wooded areas meant to evoke a “camping in the woods” feeling. The 16 cabins and the Lodge cover an area of 17 acres. Despite the changes through modernization, the Lodge still retains much of the charm its architect intended. Native Americans have lived within the park since 8000 BC. The first inhabitants were called the Archaic Indians. Through the centuries, Woodland, Hopewellian, and Mississippi Indian cultures have flourished in this area. The culture of the historic Illinois Indians is well known because they were written about in the diaries of the first Europeans that inhabited this region. In 1673, Father Jacques Marquette and Louis Joliet founded the Village of Kaskaskia on the northern bank of the Illinois River. The French called the village “La Vantum.” The ever growing village had a population which fluctuated from 1,200 to 15,000 from 1673 to the early 1700’s. The Kaskaskia village was an unusually large Indian concentration.

Its size increased rapidly due to the influx of other Illinois Indians and related Algonquin tribes who were under the relentless attacks of the Iroquois. The leading Indian tribe of Illinois, The Kaskaskia, were a people of medium build with long legs, and tattoos covering their bodies. They were primarily hunters, focusing on bison, wild turkey, bear, elk, deer, raccoon, and beaver. They also gathered food and had a simple garden-type agriculture.  It was the women who were farmers; planting maize, beans, melons, and various vegetable crops. A prime area farmed in this immediate area was Plum Island, the large island that can be seen when looking off Starved Rock onto in the Illinois River. During the summer, the Kaskaskia stayed near their gardens, but after the harvest and storage of the crops they left to hunt, traveling to the south and west where the climate was milder and game more plentiful. Their homes were formed with a framework of two parallel rows of saplings bent together and tied at the top, to form a series of arches.

The homes were roofed and floored with mats made of rushes which were referred to as “apacoyas.” Inside were fires for cooking and storage pits. Six to twelve families were housed in each structure. The utensils and tools used were made of wood, bone, stones, and shells. The Kaskaskia had simple pottery; copper and iron utensils were still unknown. The French missionaries were active in the area until 1700. French trading rights were suspended in 1702, causing Fort Louis to be abandoned. The Kaskaskia Indians lost their military protection and source of trade goods from the French, so they decided to follow them south. They moved their village to the mouth of the Kaskaskia River and called it “Rounesac.” In 1764, the population of the tribe was 600 and rapidly declining. After losing their land rights along the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers, the survivors of the Illinois Nation moved to Kansas in 1832. Today, the survivors of the Illinois Indians live in Oklahoma where they have been incorporated as the “Peoria Tribe of the Indians of Oklahoma” since 1940.

Most tourists during 1911 traveled to the park from the Chicago area on the railway that ran on the North side of the Illinois River. The passengers would then take a ferryboat across the river to the South side of the park. They came to see one of the first state parks designated for recreation. The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) built the present-day Lodge during the 1930s; its white pine logs were brought from Indiana. Besides building the Lodge, the CCC built many stairways, shelters, and bridges in the park. Our present-day park has seen a lot of changes over the years. Numerous additions have increased the park to 2,700 acres. Nearly 16 miles of well-marked hiking trails lead guests to 18 canyons and rock formations found within the park. Guests can hike the trails, camp, fish the Illinois River, cross country ski during winter months (at Matthiessen State Park) and enjoy other special events throughout the year. In 2007, Starved Rock State Park was chosen as one of the “Seven Wonders of Illinois” through an online voting contest sponsored by the Illinois Bureau of Tourism and ABC-7 TV in Chicago.

In 2011, Starved Rock State Park celebrated its 100th Anniversary. In 2012, Starved Rock Lodge & State Park were named the #1 Fan Favorite Attraction in the state. The social media-based Facebook contest was launched by the Illinois Office of Tourism. The competition began with 64 nominees, which included great places like Brookfield Zoo, Downtown Galena and the Museum of Science & Industry. Starved Rock Lodge & State Park took the prize because it has the best combination of: outdoor adventure, family fun, architectural wonder and a rich history. Nestled in the flatlands of Illinois, the canyons and bluffs are quite unexpected. The panoramic views of the Illinois River Valley will leave you with a lasting memory. Starved Rock is an experience that we want to share with everyone. Each season offers a unique kind of beauty so visitors return again and again, often more than one time within a year. The beauty of winter and ice falls, eagles in flight and snow-cover canyons is every bit as stunning as a seasonal waterfall active after a spring rain.

Also in 2012, all of the guest room furniture was upgraded. The new, hand-crafted additions included headboards, side tables, chests of drawers, plus guest room tables and chairs. Made in Illinois from reclaimed barns and 100-year-old hardwoods, the new furniture is in keeping with the mortis-and-tenon style just as the CCC crafted. In 2013, new tables and chairs were created by the same company for the Main Dining Room, Porch and the Back Door Lounge. Over two million people visit this National Historic Landmark each year. Please help us to preserve and protect this precious natural resource. In 2014, Starved Rock State Park expanded, increasing from 2,700 acres to 3,205 with the purchase of the former White Oak Campground. In the summer of 2014, Starved Rock Lodge was name the “Best Lodge for a Meeting” in a contest launched by Midwest Meetings Magazine. In June of 2014, a new kinetic sculpture was installed in front of the Hotel entrance of Starved Rock Lodge. To book a room in historic Starved Rock Lodge, please call (815) 667-4211 or click here to check availability online.