The Osthoff Resort & Spa — Hotel in Elkhart Lake

Our experience at the Osthoff was sub-par to say the least. I wish I had spent a little time reading the reviews before our departure. It amazes me how a resort that is supposed to be as prestigious as this one, has such awful reviews, most of which revolve around the customer service experience. I would highly suggest reading through the Trip Advisor reviews prior to booking your stay.|Our main issue was with the check in process - which many other travelers have also experienced issues with. We had arrived in Elkhart Lake around 2:00 in the afternoon to enjoy the scenery and downtown area. Upon our arrival, we thought we would check in with the front desk to see if our room might be available sooner than 4:00. Sadly it was not, but as frequent travelers, we had expected it might not be - this was not a big issue for us. We had mentioned to the young women working the front desk that we did have dinner reservations at 5:00, and we really would appreciate the ability to check into our room promptly at 4:00 to get ready. She assured us our room would be ready by 4:00 if not earlier. She offered to text us if it was available sooner than 4:00, and mentioned we could come back for our keys, or use the App to get our room keys issued. We downloaded the app, in hopes that it would save us time. We did not get a text that our room was ready earlier, and for the life of us could not figure out how to link our reservations with the App to try to finalize our check in and get our room keys, so we headed back to the front desk at 4:00. Our room was still not ready. A different young man was working the front desk, and said we would get a text when our room was ready. We mentioned we had dinner plans at 5:00 and desperately needed to get into our room to change prior to leaving for dinner. At 4:45 we checked in with the desk again. Our room still was not ready. We shared our disappointment with the young man working and had explained the only reason we had booked the room was to allow us some time to change and get ready for our dinner plans - since we were not able to get into our room, we asked if we could cancel our room (we live only an hour away, so staying after dinner was not absolutely necessary). The young man working was completely rude to us, regarding our request, and just kept on repeating that the check in time was listed AFTER 4:00pm so we had nothing to be upset about. We explained that the young women working earlier had told us it would be ready no later than 4:00, but he insisted that there was no guarantee, and we were just out of luck - in a very rude and condescending tone. We preceded to our formal dinner plans in flannels and sweatshirts since we had no place to change. As soon as we left the parking lot of the hotel we got a text saying our room was ready (this was about 4:50) We continued to our dinner reservations - so we would not be late. This definitely put a damper on our trip, and dinner reservations, this was our anniversary dinner with friends that we had planned - and we looked like crap!! Had the young man just taken some time to look or ask while we were there, I am sure he would have seen the room was ready. It was obvious he did this after the disagreement we had, and it was far too late.|Our room was OK - nothing large to complain about, it was just how our check in situation was handled, and the rudeness of the staff we encountered. Customer service skills were sub part to say the least. Check in disasters seem to be a regular thing at this resort. It is sad that their policy doesn't guarantee a check in time, and that some people don't get to their rooms until well beyond 6pm -- that is extremely late in my opinion and for the price you are paying to stay at a resort like this. You should be able to check in at 4pm - giving you ample time to enjoy the resort for the evening. Sadly, I do not think we will...

I wanted to give this place a better rating but it's just down to the details. It's a wonderful property on Elkhart lake. And the resort harkens back to a grandiosty of days gone by. But it is in need of a desperate renovation. The dark woods and lodge interiors are grand in the elk room but look closer and you spot cobwebs in corners, old white kitchen fans going in different directions at different speeds with years of dust on them ruining the decor. Doors with hardware falling off, worn and stained mossy green carpet, yellowing wallpaper in the halls. I want to love this place. But it needs TLC. Arrival in the high season was chaos. 2 check in folks at a tiny area with super long and heavy couches eating up valuable lobby floorspace. Not a valet in sight. Not a parking spot in sight either. Check in spots for 15 min should be blocked out so you don't need to trek to the main door. The resort has three wings: one center one and two that flank the pond. It's quite a long walk to the farthest rooms on the flanks. We recommend checking in, grabbing the car and parking it on the lots on the far side of the flanks. There are doors and elevators. If you are on the first 2 floors with half floors marked R it can get confusing, but take your time reading the elevator menu, it is accurate. We saw plenty of older folks getting lost and then angry, but instructions are clearly posted if you'd stop to look. We stayed on the 4th floor closer to Lola's end facing the parking lot. Our balcony was quiet and we didn't miss the lake view, just walk on down and enjoy the actual lake area. Our room was enormous. A suite really. Very pleased with it, carpet was in ok condition, furniture was a bit dated but less worn out than main area pieces and comfortable. Bed was amazing but pillows were way too fluffy. Your head just sank all the way down. The jetted hot tub was fantastic and the bathroom was nice. Granite countertops throughout, the grout could use a power wash but no mold in the separate shower. The aspire toiletries are super nice and they refill daily. Overall a 90s contemporary warm vibe in the suite. We loved renting kayaks and checking out the lake bar for happy hour. However the grassy picnic area down by the lake is small and when two groups plop down all their stuff and camp out all day using the two grills you feel run out. The resort is family friendly but it should also be couple friendly. We felt spaces were overrun with children at all times. Some board games and cards for adults to enjoy with drinks from the bar in the elk room would have been nice. The bars were excellent and drinks were well priced and poured strongly. The pools were the biggest con. We couldn't enjoy any of them. The outdoor pools are full at all times with kids and tons of floaties and balls. The indoor pool had the same issue. The no diving rule is disregarded and kids spend all day jumping in over and over. The hot tub at one point had 12 oblivious (and clearly drunk) adults drinking and 6 children all under the age of 7 jumping back and forth between the pool and the hot tub. Gross. Some nice quiet adult only time would be nice. I didn't come to vacation with your cannonball loving 6 year old, so I shouldn't have to wonder why no one is watching him ,stopping his dangerous behavior and explaining that the pool does not solely belong to him. Overall it was a great long weekend with just a few frustrating moments. Perhaps it's the nostalgia that keeps people coming but that will fade when all you smell is stinky old carpet the minute you enter. The facility needs to be brought into this century ASAP and needs a...

Upon arrival while we were a little early the entire hallway of where our room was located was lined with dirty sheets and garbage as far as you could see.

I suppose being early maybe this could be justified, but then later realized we were as far as possible from the spa, restaurant and seemingly in the south entrance wing where the carpet so dirty and old. Why we were not in the newer remodeled area i do not know. There couldn't have been more than a handful of people booked here off season and on a Sunday through Tuesday visit, so I don't understand.

Staying with the room, again with location and so few registered why they choae the room next to housekeeping suite where you can hear all kinds of noises and even feel the vibration on the wall.

Then there was the hot tub. My main reason for coming here was relaxing and hot tubs to help alleviate some aches from stressful living and body aches. The south entrance hot tub is beyond what I would consider relaxing as it is looks so worn down and dirty I wouldn't dare enter it.

Having researched the resort in advance, i knew of the spa and chose this stay for that reason. While going for a couple of apa experiences with hopes of getting my relaxing there learned those hot tubs (inside and out) were also not functioning properly and water was barely luke warm. Couldn't use them either during our very brief stay in the spa. While trying to relax around the hot tubs since we couldn't use them realized they must be responsible for the heat in the room as well. Needless to say it was simply too cold to hang out so we left.

Thought we would go to the main hot tub bybthe pool, onmy to learn they put up caution tape around it and chairs blocking its use like a construction site Clearly this is a sign that no hot tubs should be used here.

Then for dinner at concourse, why is the advertised online menu different than the actual. While there were still a couple of choices seems it has been slimmed down from what is on internet. Not a huge deal since we are here only two night, but beyond that would have become problematic as the whole town has limited options. It seems they have since corrected this since my complaint.

While we could not make it out, there is some kind of sour smell we had to continue to walk through by the spa in order to get to the restaurant. Is it the carpeting or salt room?. We just didn't know and thought it could be the salt room experience and therefore opted to not use that as well.

While the staff were very pleasant, the resort itself was lacking and not even meeting the basics of a resort spa experience.

I do not recommend this stay, especially off season. If you choose to try them out I would be sure to inquire the basic services are operational before you book. Also, find out where your room is located as the newer section is nice whereas the unremodelled section is very old. Wouldn't plan on hot tub usgae!!

Worst of it all is I that when I contacted them to discuss these details, I did not even get bothered respect of a call or email, only a large charge on my credit card for my stay.

I have photos but not sure how to post them here while on phone. Look for those on my other social...