McKeever Lodge — Hotel in Hinton

This was our second visit to McKeever Lodge at Pipestem Resort State Park. This time, there were six of us, and we stayed in a cozy, three room suite #237. The people who work at the resort are top notch and friendly! The lodge was opened in 1970 (we looked it up), so it is old. Our particular suite was very musty in two of the rooms, and luckily our particular bedroom wasn't very musty. There was plenty of room for the six of us to have our own privacy. There were 2 flat screen TV's in the suite, and the full bath was very big and nice! The room seemed clean enough, (although we did see a couple of teeny tiny ants around the microwave). It was wonderful to wake up in the morning and look outside our balcony door and see deer eating. We saw two directly outside. I opened the door to take a picture. One of them ran, but the other deer looked at me, and then started eating again. There were so many deer that we saw when riding through the park, and this resort has so much character! One does have to look past the worn carpet and the thin walls. We could literally hear every step the people above us made on the night before we left. But, we would definitely stay here all over again. The character of the lodge and the views are jaw-dropping. They also do a nice job of giving little extras like Keurig coffee pods for the Keurig, oatmeal soap, and free coffee in the lobby. We had the breakfast buffet in the Bluestone Dining Room. The food was lacking, but the view was amazing! There are nearby restaurants which serve dinner. They are a little hard to find although they are basically directly across from the Pipestem Resort entrance. GPS had us lost! I can recommend the BBQ chicken, pork, and ribs at Brandon's BBQ and Grill, along with the scrumpious and delicious blackberry cobbler with vanilla ice cream! There's also a restaurant called The Oak which was in the same little upscale area across from the park. It looks nice and apparently is fine dining. I also recommend climbing the Bolar Lookout Tower inside the park. The walk up to it wasn't too bad, and the view is beautiful. This is fun for teens too. I also want to mention that the housekeeping staff quickly brought extra towels up to our room, and I had the privilege of talking with several of the front desk staff and the housekeeping staff. They were all extremely nice! My son said he bought a delicious pizza at one of the cafes at the resort, and he said he saw a movie playing in one of the large conference rooms, but I'm unfamiliar, so ask the front desk if you're interested. There's a nice little giftshop in the lobby. There's so much for younger kids also, especially during the warmer months....splash pad, miniature golf, etc. The nature center was open, but we didn't have time to go. Just for informational puposes, there is another state park which has a waterfall called Brush Creek. We weren't able to go, but it's closeby and would be another fun outing while staying...

If you go to this park and lodge with the knowledge that it is a STATE PARK and not some 5 star Sandals all inclusive resort.....then you'll be happy with this place. I equate it to an upgraded Motel 6 but not quite a Holiday Inn Express if that makes any sense. Yes, it's a bit old but that's part of it's charm. Our room was clean. The beds were comfortable. The view was insanely spectacular (we were 3rd floor back side) You won't get that view for the price anywhere else. I promise you that. Keurig coffee in the room. No microwave, no fridge. Decent TV. The indoor pool, sauna and locker rooms were clean. The front desk clerks, especially Lindsay, were great. The dining facility at the Lodge was reasonably priced and had better than expected food. The restaurant at the bottom of the tram was GREAT! Really good food, although a bit pricier. There is a game room with video games, ping pong and small pool tables. Some things to know: a) bring cash - a lot of the activities like mini golf and kayaking were cash only. Also, don't expect to walk to a lot of these areas. You will be driving to some of the activities. b) There are 2 different places to stay (3 if you include the campground). The lodge and the cabins at the bottom of the tram. The ones at the bottom of the tram are only accessible via tram. That line to get up and down can be long as they only run about 10 cars (at least when we were there). It is $7/adult to ride the tram UNLESS you eat at the restaurant or are staying at the bottom of the tram. c) there is a bunch of hiking trails but they are NOT beginner trails. We took our teen boys out to County Line trail and it was VERY steep and rough. Sneakers didn't cut it. Hiking boots. BUG SPRAY is a necessity. d) There is NO OUTDOOR POOL anymore. We were really disappointed in this and hence the 4 star review. There was no mention of it on the website but they filled it in to do a splash pad. Apparently, the lake is going to be the outdoor pool in the future complete with inflatables and such. e) 2 golf courses, executive 3 par short and an 18 hole. I don't golf so can't speak to it but they looked like they were in good shape. f) They have disc golf, tennis courts, volleyball, paddle boats, kayaking and canoes (Some cost $) g) they do have horseback riding. Reservations strongly suggested. We did a 1 hour tour. It was our boys' 1st ride. Really enjoyed it and the girl (Can't remember her name) did a great job with the group. Horses were uber docile and we didn't really have to do anything...they knew the trail and the routine. Overall we had a nice long weekend here. It can get pricey if you eat all your meals there, but honestly, there's not much else around. By the time you go find a fast food joint, you'd have wasted gas and time. Just eat at the lodge or bring a cooler for stuff....

Came for a girls weekend and we loved it. This is a state park lodge - so it’s not high end luxury, but we will be back. |1- staff is outstanding. TY Dorothea at front desk!|2-views from dining room and the back deck or stunning. |3-there is a gas firepit in front in the courtyard. Ask front desk and they will light it for you! Our room was right there - we could walk right out and enjoy the firepit in the evenings. Loved it. |4- Buffett only in dining room but we enjoyed it. |5- good drinks in Black Bear lounge|6- THE SPA: this was such a nice surprise! Prices are reasonable and the spa is really relaxing and nice. Had a great pedicure with my BFF. Thx Hannah and Natalie. This spa is a real gem.|7- wish they would go around and keep up with the dusting (photos of WV celebrities- frames are dusty as well as other spots) and the cobwebs around scenic windows - especially outside on the balcony near front lobby. |8- it’s a state park lodge. Not perfect - there are spots and areas that need minor attention, but it’s worth it!|9- a lot to do|10- drive to Hinton and eat at Lucky Rivers Cafe for lunch. Stop at Bluestone Lake pull off for photos on the “Almost...