Westgate Branson Lakes Resort — Hotel in Hollister

Here’s a detailed breakdown based on my stay, covering the check-in process, outside amenities, room experience, and check-out.

Check-In Process

Pros:

Easy & Quick: The check-in process was straightforward, smooth, and didn’t take much time, making arrival stress-free.

Beneficial Hours of Operation: The reception’s hours made it easy to check in without worrying about a tight timeframe.

Friendly Customer Service: Staff at the check-in counter were welcoming, which set a pleasant tone for the stay.

Free Activities: The resort offers several complimentary activities, adding some bonus value to the stay.

Clean, Nice Lobby: The lobby was well-maintained and inviting, giving a good first impression.

Indoor Pool: A bonus, particularly for rainy or colder days, as it provided a nice relaxation spot regardless of the weather.

Outside/Parking Area

Pros:

Clean Parking Lot: The lot was well-maintained, and navigation was straightforward.

Easy Condo Location: Clear signage made finding our condo simple and hassle-free.

Convenient Elevator Access: Elevators were easily accessible and efficient, making it convenient to get to our unit.

Clean Stairway: Well-maintained and tidy stairways were a nice touch.

Simple Condo Entry: Gaining access to the condo was a breeze with the easy-to-use tap key card system.

Cons:

Cramped Parking: The parking spots were narrow, which made parking a bit tight, especially during busier times.

Outdated Trolley Carts: Trolley carts for luggage were old and difficult to handle, which made transporting luggage more of a hassle than it should have been.

Inside the Condo

Pros:

Fantastic Lake View: The lake view from the condo was stunning and really added to the overall ambiance.

Modern Updates: The condo had an updated, modern appeal that made the space feel fresh and inviting.

Double Sink: A convenient feature that added a touch of luxury to the bathroom.

Spacious Shower: The large shower provided plenty of room, making for a pleasant experience.

Comfortable Bed: The bed was cozy, providing good rest during the stay.

Bright and Lots of Plug-Ins: The room was well-lit, with plenty of outlets and USB ports by the bed, which was convenient for charging devices.

Modern TV with Cable: The flat-screen TV with cable channels added entertainment options.

Equipped Kitchen: The kitchen was clean and stocked with dishware, allowing for basic meal preparation.

Nice Dining Table: The wooden dining table and chairs were solid and visually appealing.

Cons:

Cheap Coffee Pot & Packaged Coffee: The coffee setup was basic, featuring a low-quality coffee pot with packaged coffee, which fell short of expectations.

Worn-Out Couch: The couch was a major downside—it was stained, frayed, and had a college dorm vibe that felt out of place with the rest of the decor.

Dusty Window Area and Bed Frames: Dust was noticeable around the window area and bed frames, indicating that cleaning could be improved.

Filthy Shower Fixture: The shower fixture was unclean, which detracted from the overall bathroom experience.

Temperature Control Issues: There was no A/C option, and with the temperature set at 70 but constantly at 76, it was uncomfortably warm.

Noise from Above: The noise from the floor above was quite noticeable; every step seemed to resonate, which was annoying and impacted the tranquility of the space.

Check-Out Process

Pros:

Quick Check-Out: Checking out was quick and straightforward.

Cons:

Early Check-Out Time: A 10 AM check-out felt early, especially when compared to standard times in many hotels.

Rude Front Desk Staff: The front desk staff were dismissive when asked if the key could be left in the condo, which ended the experience on a slightly sour note.

Overall Impressions

The lake view and easy check-in/out were nice, but the uncomfortable room temperature, noisy neighbors, and cleanliness issues were disappointing. For the price, it might be worth checking other options unless the lake view is...

Several reasons this wasn't a good stay. We checked in late and were given the key to the wrong room where someone else was already checked in. It was 25 degrees outside and to expedite getting into the room, we loaded a cart with our many things for the week and made our way to the door. Luckily, the top hasp was on the door and we couldn't open it. Otherwise we could have entered and been inside where someone was. My fiance' was there alone when she first tried to open the door and wouldn't have been able to tell if someone was talking to her once she entered. You can fill in the blanks of what might happen in this circumstance and completely understand why she was frightened. This was the ideal trigger to set the tone for an unpleasant week.

I posed the issue to the night security guard, who tried to contact a supervisor. No one answered and no one was available to help him find a solution. It was discovered we were supposed to have been placed in a room two floors down. The security guard talked to someone who educated him that he could use a wristband to let us in.

The room was honestly dirty. The next day when we opened the door and a breeze came in, globs of hair blew from under the furniture. In the daylight, the floor appeared dirty and smeared.

The windows are so poorly insulated and ill fitting that I was kept awake all of one night when the wind was stiff. The sounds of whistling from the windows was LOUD.

Upstairs from us was some creature. Whether it be a child or an animal, it seemed like constant movement and you could hear every step, jump, run, hop, skip and plop. It really sucked.

The first full day of our stay, I was expecting to work from my room. I set myself up with my computer and found it very difficult to work or hear myself think. Outside, there were workers on a manlift which was kept running the entire day. They were operating a saw from the manlift, so there was that noise as well. To add to this, there was a bulldozer in the lot next door operating all day. It was obvious that no thought was given to the guest experience in planning any of this work.

Half of the time, the front door wasn't fully closing. When the wind picked up one night, I believe the door was blown open. We were frightened the whole trip and no one bothered to contact us.

Twice the front desk person told us the manager would contact us. He assured us that they would make things right. During our week stay, they never bothered. Still noone has bothered to contact us about the incident. When I asked to speak with the front desk manager upon checking out, we were told they weren't available. I asked to get the phone number for their supervisor and I was told that manager didn't have a phone number. I was further informed that I would need to call the front desk and be transferred. It was sickening the level of disregard we felt during our stay. After I asked for the supervisors' phone number, the manager there came out. They didn't say a word about the incident or actually, anything.

We left disgruntled and feeling nothing but lack from the experience. It was certainly not the relaxing, inviting, warm experience we expected. What we did feel is that our vacation took place in a work zone and that there was zero attention paid to the guest experience. We looked forward to a relaxing break in a hot tub and alas, there was none available. It pains me as I look for the positive in every situation, but this was disappointment after disappointment. We felt like the resort was drunken lipstick on a pig. Old and worn, getting a fresh coat of paint and Ikea furniture makeover. ...

This was originally booked through hotels.com. Which appears that they have either dropped that reservation or removed it entirety from my account.||We stayed over the weekend checking in on Friday after a 4 Hour drive to arrive at the front desk at around 8 PM to be told that there was going to be a $50 additional fee no problem. It would've been helpful had that been disclosed at time of booking but OK here's $50 "cleaning fee." This after being told they don't "service" the room.||And then this is where the interrogation started they asked us three times if we had a boat, a trailer or a dog . No we don't have any of those things and don't own any of them either and finally we were told to go pick up our parking pass from the concierge.||So moving over to that desk after they dump four or five pieces of paper on us to get the parking pass for a gated community, now another 10 minute presentation on why we should sign up for breakfast and get a timeshare presentation .Mind you it's 8 o'clock at night. We just drove four hours, been working all day. Haven't even seen the room yet, but they're already trying to get you to sign up for a timeshare. The only way this guy would be quiet is if when I told him we already owned a Disney timeshare and then his attitude and demeanor changed Immediately .||Fine let me get the parking pass so I don't have to come back up here again since it seems like everything in the first 30 minutes was bait and switch.||Well, the real bait switch was about to come when behold we get to the raom and of course it's on the first floor and a complete obstruction by brushes, bushes, and trees of a lake that I have paid extra to view. Not to be out done with that. They have now placed us right next to some loud air conditioners that sound like a 747 going on and off every time those things kicked off in the 86° heat. Not exactly the view that I had paid for or the quiet and peaceful place that I expected to stay at.||The room was clean, well it didn't have any salt and pepper shakers or any other basic necessities, One might find or expect in such a place There was one package of coffee that had leaked all over the place. ||The whole resort is really about trying to engage you somehow with all of these sales presentations and the myriad of trips that housekeeping must have to make in order to get you such a basic thing as coffee and a salt and pepper shaker.||And finally, listening to a baying beagle at 2 o'clock in the morning. Sounds like fun for you, then perhaps maybe this is your place! If not, then don't bother complaining to management because according to hotels.com who called on our behalf about the cleaning fee and the view problem, the manager was not going to be moved, and of course, they never did respond whenever we asked to speak to them.||We've been going to Branson area hotels for about 25 years. I've stayed in many places in that area and further south and Arkansas. This was easily one of the worst...