Paddletail Lodge — Hotel in Crystal River

Review of Paddletail Lodge in Crystal River, Florida

Paddletail Lodge, formerly a Best Western, has been reimagined into a charming, manatee-themed resort that truly embraces its location in the "Manatee Capital of the World." From the moment you arrive, the manatee accents throughout the property make it clear you’re in a special place, surrounded by the natural beauty and wildlife that Crystal River is known for. The hotel’s prime waterfront location is a standout feature, offering stunning views and easy access to the water. With its own docks and an on-site water sports company, Paddletail Lodge is perfectly positioned to be your home base for exploring the area.

The rooms are basic but functional, with comfortable metal-frame beds, a 42-inch TV, a mini refrigerator, and a microwave. While the accommodations are no-frills, they’re clean and sufficient for a comfortable stay. One thing to note is the lack of USB plug-ins, so be sure to bring your own power cords and adapters. The room won’t wow you, but it gets the job done.

The breakfast offering is unique—a brown lunch bag containing a muffin, a bottle of water, a breakfast bar, and a fresh orange. While it’s not the hot breakfast buffet many travelers might expect, it’s a thoughtful touch and better than nothing. The coffee in the lobby is weak, so you might want to skip it and opt for the pay coffee service nearby or explore local breakfast spots, which are plentiful and delicious.

One of the highlights of our stay was the exceptional staff, particularly Stacy at the front desk. Her warm welcome, personalized recommendations for dining and activities, and genuine care for guests made a huge difference in our experience. She went above and beyond to ensure we had a great stay, and her enthusiasm for the area was contagious. I made sure to commend her to the hotel supervisor because staff like Stacy truly elevate a guest’s experience.

The hotel amenities include a pool and hot tub, as well as a covered outdoor seating area by the docks, which is perfect for relaxing in the evening. However, be warned—if you’re visiting in February like we did, the biting midges (locally known as "no-see-ums") can be relentless after 4 PM. Bring insect repellent (locals recommend Captain Ron’s) to avoid these pesky little biters.

The absolute highlight of our trip was the manatee snorkeling tour arranged through the hotel. Swimming with manatees and exploring the crystal-clear waters of Three Sisters Springs was an unforgettable experience and a must-do for anyone visiting Crystal River.

Overall, Paddletail Lodge is a solid choice for travelers looking to immerse themselves in the natural beauty and manatee-centric activities of Crystal River. While the rooms and breakfast are basic, the hotel’s location, friendly staff, and access to incredible water-based adventures make it a great value. If you’re coming for the manatees and the outdoors, this is the...

Rooms were to be expected. Service was not. Absolutely astounded that when we were double booked (I called once in Nov to book) That the manager accused me of booking 2 rooms several days before our arrival on a the new Wyndham site in order to skirt paying the original price.

Astonishing how she handled this. When we arrived the young lady even said that it had been happening all week since they transitioned to Wyndham and she had been cancelling double bookings frequently.

We arrived late. 10pm with leftovers and dessert that we had to leave outside because our fridge did not work. Didn’t have time to deal with it in the middle of the night as we had small children with us.

Our swim experience was pretty terrible also. It was 37 degrees. I called to reschedule and they talked us out of it saying it was ideal conditions and that the kids would be fine (6 and 8yo.)

They were not. They were freezing. Our captain did a great job with them, doing everything he could to keep them warm and positive. Our instructor gave us no instruction prior to entering the water, other than the “rules” surrounding encounters.

We were never asked to stay in a group. In fact when we hit the water they sent us out on our own. At one point an instructor from another company began yelling at us to go back to our group, which we were never with from the start. Then ours began being very rude to us. At which point we got out. It wasn’t fun anymore.

Then we were told there were showers available to clean up afterwords. This was important as we had a flight later in the day and had to check out of our room by 11.

Said showers were filthy. So bad the kids refused to use them. We were forced to pay the hotel $50 to shower in our room.

This level of service was beyond disappointing. Our Manatee adventure was ruined and a lot of money wasted on travel and a...

Upon check-in, we were greeted with friendly faces, even at the late hour we arrived. We were given a welcome list of fun things to do, and favored restaurants to try. We were also made aware of a grab-n-go breakfast and the hours of the coffee shop in the lobby. Excellent, friendly, welcoming service. Then we got to our room, being able to park less than 10 feet from our door. The room was quite spacious and well-appointed. Less than a 2 minute walk from our room was a lovely view of the harbor area, the pool, and the office/lobby. We did book a swimming with the manatees tour/trip through Paddletail (reviewed separately) that exceeded expectations! The lodge seemed to be under new ownership, and they are doing a great job! You can tell there are some wonderful changes being made, including a new building that I would love to come back and see! The coffee in the mornings was hot and to our flavor preferences, especially the chai latte! Overall, I couldn't count anything that was dissatisfactory enough to mess up our trip, though I would like to suggest to the hotel that a comfortable chair/loveseat would be a nice addition to the room for some lounging in the evening (we were seldom in our room, but when we were, options were limited). Also, the bathroom had lower water pressure and it took a minute for the water to heat up. The wifi was quite slow as well... Now, I am from a rural area in Northern Michigan so it didn't phase us much, but is just a suggestion to get that looked at, because they may be mechanical issues... Overall, we LOVED our stay, we LOVED Crystal River, and we enjoyed every second of our vacation! We are hoping to return to Crystal River and Paddletail soon! Adding a pic of the view from the dock area at...