The Historic Park Inn Hotel — Hotel in Mason City

I had previously visited the hotel, but did not stay there. This time (Sept 2025) we stayed for 2 nights. At first everything was great, a good check in, the room appeared to be pretty nice at first. The shower handle was loose which made it was difficult to make it go all the way to the hot and then to turn off. There were no extra pillows or blankets in the room, those had to be requested. We were woken up by a guest at 2 am walking around above us. Our room phone randomly rang around 7 am with beeping on it.

The restaurant is not great. Especially the staff. You would think the locals would know about this, as they do, and be in there and have it packed? Especially on a Saturday night? Nope. One couple was in there. They left, and it was just us, then as we were about to leave 1 couple came in. That was it. Between 6 and 7 pm. As soon as we sat down they asked if we were ready to order..? They did that to the third couple as well. We ordered a cocktail and we heard the manager? telling a new employee, "We can never get that ingredient in so just forget it". What was served was just horrible. It didn't have any alcohol in it and we sent it back. It was dreadful. As stated, we were the only couple in there at one point, and the staff just stood talking to each other watching us. One staff member was saying she was already a great aunt, and something about kids and if they get someone pregnant she wasn't having it. Something along those lines. Real classy talk around your only 2 guests. The professionalism and training isn't there, at all. On the salad was a cheese cracker? It was chewy like an old piece of rubber and should have never been served. The other food was okay, nothing special but it worked. Another odd factor, was this was a Saturday and people kept walking by outside, and when we went outside we saw all the restaurants in the alley by the bank were packed with people. So why weren't they in the hotel eating? Because they know better.

We went downstairs to check out the bar and the bartender just glared at us and handed her son a soda. He thanked his mom for it. The vibes of the staff were just dreadful.

On the morning we were leaving, a staff member tried to come into our room, and didn't knock. She said, "My bad! I thought this was empty". When we did leave and gave the front desk person our key, she didn't say anything. I said, "do you need anything from us" she said, "no, you're good." That was it. No, "How was your stay?" "Thanks for visiting!" "Please come again!" nothing...

The building itself is amazing. It speaks for itself. The staff and restaurant need a lot of help. I can't imagine it is easy to find people in this town, but the ones you have should be property trained.

There are delicious places to eat in Mason City. Do your research and find those and eat there. I'm not sure why Wright on the Park doesn't seek out the best places to eat in town, make a deal with them (give them cheap rent) recruit those places to come operate their restaurant. This places needs people, vibrancy, excitement.....

Architecture, unlike other forms of art, can transport the voyeur physically into the piece. Looking at a Monet or a Van Gogh a moment of shared feeling or consciousness is possible, but is not quite as immersive as feeling the leather beneath my as I type and feeling the warmth of the sun through the stained glass decades old. What is it that makes art emotive? What is it that seemingly connects millions around the globe to experience something transformative? It is impossible to understand this with any simplicity. It is not meant to be explained. It is intended to be felt.

Many architecture tours tend to keep the bounds between the visitor and the building defined with red velvet ropes. Sure, walking through the space is being a part of it, but it isn’t that same as walking in, unpacking a suitcase and freely wandering the halls finding the perfect space to write. This freedom is part of the experience that can be expected if staying at the Historic Park Inn.

The front desk staff is amateurish in their positions; they did not offer to assist my mother or me without luggage and did not even bother to hold the door. The "amateurness" is contrasted heavily with the demeanor of the room and bar staff; service is simply not the reason someone would choose to stay. They are wanting to stay, for a brief moment, to see what it was like to look through the eyes of Frank Llyod Wright and that is what it is. One element that stands out is the similarities between this hotel and the design of the Winchester House (also, worth a trip).

For this tour, I stayed in one of the suites, room number 306, and found that the furniture was reasonably comfortable, but arranged in a way that was not congruent with the ideals that Wright employed in his designs. Meaning that the windows and view were not the focus of the room, rather the televisions; this arrangement seemed almost blasphemous. Additionally, the furniture is worn and sun bleached more expected given the price, history, and star rating. The bed was nothing special and was a standard firm spring coil mattress with a deflated pillow top. Not the worst of hotel beds, but not the best. The bathroom is spacious but very average. The tile is what appears original while the vanity is a later addition and does not match.

Wheelchair and walker access have been accommodated, but are not convenient. A steep ramp off the lobby with manual access doors with what should be expected of anyone visiting a mobility impairment. The halls are wide enough, and some ramps have been added for guests to have access to social areas, like the ladies parlor, but once again are only manual access. I would imagine this might require assistance, which is not ideal. Another access quandary is the numerous balcony sitting areas that are locked and remain so even during the middle of the summer. When I questioned this, I didn’t get an answer.

Overall, it’s worth staying, but be prepared for below average beds and confused front desk staff. Happy...

I have never slept better in a hotel. The mattress was very comfortable. My room was situated in such a manner that I had no one next to me or above me. It was QUIET. The blinds adequately filtered out light. People go to this hotel to appreciate the architecture. AC worked very well on hot days. There's no pool or anything here to appeal to kids. Thus, the clientele seems to be the over 50 crowd, making it pretty peaceful in the middle of the week. No one is running through the halls or screaming in their room. (I can't speak for a weekend stay.) I like kids, but this would not be a place I would choose to stay with them. The community has taken a great interest in preserving this hotel. The property seems to be greatly valued and financially supported by the town itself, which is not typical for most hotels. It seems to be very well maintained. There are many hidden architectural gems in the hotel. I was pleasantly surprised that parking was free (not typical in downtown hotels). If the street spots are filled, there is additional parking on the west side. The hotel will give you a parking tag, so you can disregard the time limits mentioned on the signs in the street. Housekeeping was on its A-game. My room was cleaned every morning. The maid even picked up an earring I'd dropped on the floor and put it on the desk. The front desk staff double as concierges, and were quite helpful. The area is very walkable to restaurants. One minor negative is that there's a very nice balcony on the second floor with comfy seating. The door to the balcony seems to be locked and unlocked inconsistently. The balcony has a great view of the park. My friend and I wanted to sit out there the first afternoon we were there. The door was locked. That evening, a couple was sitting out there, so someone had obviously unlocked it at some point. We were in the adjacent ladies' lounge, and an employee asked the couple to vacate the balcony around 9PM so it could be locked for the evening. The next afternoon, we were sitting in the same lounge when another couple tried to use the balcony, and found it locked again. We think that it gets locked at night for safety reasons, and staff forget to unlock it the next day? I would...