Crater Lake Lodge

If this place was plopped down anywhere else, it’d get really bad reviews but, the amazing, beautiful, magical lake outside the windows saves it. The lodge is OK. The rooms are tiny. The windows in the rooms are even tinnier. The restaurant is pretty good. The main «sitting area» is nice. The biggest problem is the employees; you never know if you’re going to get one who wishes you weren’t there or one who does. Luckily, there are more of the latter.

Wow, such a surprising disappointment.
People wait years to get a room overlooking this amazing lake, so I was thrilled when we got a room the same week we wanted to go… with two days notice. NICE…
We get to the Lodge and it was all we hoped for. The staff was nice and our room was ready on time. Nice…
We got to the room, dropped our stuff and headed out to explore. One can’t go wrong taking the time to experience this amazing wonder.
After our hike we grabbed a rocking chair and just continued to enjoy the view. Ordered a couple drinks and a cheese plate and began our wind-​down. The items were a bit over-​priced, but not more than expected.
We went back to the room to grab a quick shower… which flooded the bathroom floor… uh, housekeeping… There was a lose part on the shower head that was blowing mind-​numbing amounts of water everywhere. Tell me, how do they clean a room and not notice something this major? Oh wait, given the ‘film’ on the glasses in the room and the broken screen, obviously that question answers itself.
On our way to dinner, which we had to make a reservation for, we stopped off at the front desk to ask them for fresh towels and to let them know there was a flood, and could they fix it. Again, the amazing gal at the front desk said she would get maintenance right on it.
Dinner… Oh geeze… We were waited on but a great guy named Arthur, he was great at his job. It wasn’t that busy, but service was slow. We ordered an muscles to get the evening started, and a bottle of wine. Those came without a hitch, although the wine had a 200% mark up… high for even the best of places. Oh well, it was good anyway. We ordered dinner, and it took a while but it got there. My husbands meal was ok, duck, one piece cooked perfect, the other over-​done… but mine… of course, right… a steak, ordered med-​rare… came to the table very well done, everything else on the plate was cold. so I let Arthur know, he apologized and went to get a plate done right. 2^nd plate comes, yes, my husband is almost done with his meal at this point… and it is raw… I am not talking a little pink, I am talking full on, barely skimmed the fire, raw… Not a chance I am eating that. Again Arthur apologizes and returns it to the chef. By now the husband is all done, we are 2 hours into this adventure of a meal and I have lost my $ 40 a plate appetite. Whatever, pay the $ 100 tab for dinner and lets go enjoy a much needed sleep.
ERRRRRCCCCHHHHH… this is the WORST bed I have ever slept in. Neither of us got any rest, and by morning we just wanted to grab a shower and get outside and enjoy some trails. I go to the shower, reach in to turn it on… ARE YOU KIDDING ME? The fix for the shower was to remove the head and leave it on the ground. Oh yes, I got to shower with a handheld shower head.
Time to scoot out of here… same girl at the front desk, so I quietly tell her about our evening and the SHOWER fix. She too apologizes and take $ 50 off the bill.
Think we will get some breakfast before we go. It was ok, but not a $ 12 meal by any sense of the word.
All in… $ 300+ for the worst over-​night experience we have ever had.
Best part… we can do Crater Lake again and sleep some place else… reminding ourselves to pack a lunch.
On a completely different note: I over-​heard many employees taking about the company changes and how many of them weren’t going to be coming back next season. That might explain a few things… but my pocket-​book didn’t think that mattered!

Booked a room two weeks in advance but was told that we got lucky. Checked in at 4p and the dining room was packed. We sat outside and had an appetizer instead (casear salad, bean quesadilla, and crème brûlée for dessert). Spent $ 44 on appetizers including pale ale beer and amaretto sour. Expect x2 of the cost if dine inside the restaurant.
Beautiful lodge with breathtaking view of the Crater Lake. Room was small for the price but we were outside most of the day. Did I mention that the view was breathtaking? It’s a slice of heaven and we were in for a treat.
The breakfast we had in the dining room was ok. Our kids on the other hand loved their pancakes and couldn’t get enough of it. Our waiter was very friendly and tend our needs in timely manner.
Mosquitoes, Mosquitoes, and Mosquitoes. This was the only downfall during our stay in the Lodge. On our next visit, an insect repellent spray will be a necessity.

Horrible restaurant ok rooms. Made a dinner reservation a week in advance and they couldn’t find it when we arrived. Had to wait an hour to be seated and when we asked who didn’t show up for our original reservation time they found our reservation because our name was misspelled. Food was not good. Meat was over done, potatoes and veggies were cold and we waited an hour after being seated to get our food at 10 pm. All of this for $ 50 per person. I will never stay here again. This has to be one of the worst resorts ever. Make it a day trip. Don’t even think about staying if you need to eat here. There is nothing else near here to eat. You are stuck with over priced badly prepared food and incompetent service. The manager was completely unhelpful.

4 stars. The verandah offers the best views of Crater Lake — no question about it. One of the best places to photograph the lake or if you are interested in photographing the star trails at night — the verandah is a good option. This is a historic building, so expect things to be from the past — no telephone etc, but that is expected. The room was comfortable and fairly clean. Taking a star off, since the tub was a little dirty with a big ball of hair in it.

Nice accommodations for a national park. The rooms are small but you’re probably not planning to be in the room very much. The bed was comfy. We had breakfast in be dining room, which was good. The only complaint was the hostess and dining manager wouldn’t write down a list for people waiting for tables, and wouldn’t acknowledge people waiting in line to check in. That was weird. Overall a good place to stay — you can’t beat the view of the lake from the deck!

Full bar. Seated a crew of 8 just before closing. Great atmosphere and friendly staff. If you get out this was I suggest stopping in. Did I mention the fact Crater Lake can be seen from the dining room?

We came in on the north rim road. Highly recommend that you drive it during the daylight. The area become pitch black at night. Many areas of the road have no side rails.
We were able to change our room to the main lodge. So thankful. The front desk staff were friendly and helpful with all questions.
The room is small but it is enough. The only complaint, if you are on the first floor. You must inspect the bathroom curtain. Our was not long enough. So there was a good inch to two gap on the bottom, with clear glass on the other side. Do understand the rooms have NO tv!
Neither of us were real hungry. At night, you can get salads, soups or a quesadilla in the great room without dinning in the main room. Drinks too. Dinner is reservations only!
They offer free coffee and tea in the morning.
They offer wifi. Not the fastest. We were unable to watch YouTube videos about the crater without it crashing a few times.
They do offer a ton of board games and card games at the front desk. So put down the electronics and play a game. We enjoyed Battleship! :)

Location, location, location! The lodge has a beautiful view of the caldera and the lake and that is why you should stay here. Rooms are small and heat isn’t strong enough though. The lounge and common areas are a bit cramped and tight on seating, so if you come during high season, better hope the weather is nice so people can spread out more and enjoy the outdoors. Food was just okay and service was hit and miss. Definitely won’t be able to check in early so plan accordingly. If you come to the lake you should definitely stay here, just don’t expect too much other than amazing views if the weather is nice.

Gotta say I expected more from this place because of the prices they charge. First off we arrived early at noon & were told to come back at 2:30 pm. We toured around in our car for a couple hours & came back at 2:30. We were told rooms weren’t ready and that check-​in was at 4:00 pm.
We stayed around in the great room & lobby. We saw some people getting their room keys at about 3:15 pm. I was in view of the people at the check-​in counter & yet they didn’t call me. So after about ten minutes more of waiting I went up & asked for my room keys & they said, «Oh yes, we just got a call from house cleaning & here are your keys.» They knew I was there, why didn’t they call me over? Room was $ 230. a nite.
We get to our room & check it out. One drinking glass was very unclean. I took it downstairs, gave the glass to a man at the check-​in counter, as there are no phones in the rooms. I asked to have housekeeping replace the glass & he said he would do so.
I went to our room some time later & two housekeeping women were just arriving. They placed a extra towel that I asked for & I had to remind them of the fresh clean glass. I told them the other glass was dirty. They seemed totally surprised. I described it to them & they didn’t seem to believe me. As I walked out they were whispering something & then I heard laughter. I couldn’t believe the lack of maturity. Where are they «Xanterra Concessionaires» finding these employees?
Breakfast: Some people working the check-​in we’re working breakfast. We get seated & were greeted promptly by our waiter. We ordered & waited 15 – 20 minutes. Meanwhile the people who came in after us were being served. We got our food five minutes later. My wife got a fruit/​yogurt parfait which she liked. I got the Crater Lake Benedict which was overcooked & the potatoes were old & cold. I sent it back & when I got it back it had only one egg instead of two. I guess I took too big a bite when I originally got my order to see how my small eggs were cooked. The chef determined
I had eaten my portion of eggs already
without thinking I had to wait for my cold overcooked breakfast.
Dinner: This was a total turn around. You need reservations. We had reservations & were greeted nicely by the hostess and we’re seated with a view of the lake. The wait staff came by promptly, as did our waiter. We ordered mussels, ham/​bean soup, lamb chops cooked perfect. Our wine was excellent! All the food was delicious. We ordered crème brûlée & coffee & it was nice. All in all dinner was excellent! $ 180. plus 20% tip.
You could say there are inconsistencies with the staff & the preparing of food. In a place like this, with what they charge, the whole experience needs to be well coordinated. I think staff needs to be trained to greet everyone properly and the food has to be delicious all the time. We probably won’t be back because there is so much of the world left to see. Happy trails to all.

We stayed down at Union Creek resort but wanted to get an earlier start to the day so came up to the lodge for breakfast (opens an hour earlier than Beckies).
The food was standard. We had the Crater Lake Breakfasts which seemed pretty standard as far as a large cooked breakfast goes.
Highlights
— the biscuit and jelly were superb
— the service was really great
— obviously the view is the most amazing of any breakfast anywhere
I would definitely come back here again, mostly as a result of the good service and the view.

We showed up at 3pm on a Sunday in September and got a room because of a cancellation. Lucky us! Huge room on 3^rd floor on the back side was fine for us. Dinner prices were in line with big city prices and the food did not disappoint. Slept well. Those that complain about no AC have obviously not ever stayed in any lodge in any National Park… Time your visit for spring or fall and you’ll be just fine sans AC. Smaller crowds too.

It is difficult to give a fixed number of stars for the Crater Lake Lodge. If it was located anywhere else in the world it would really only deserve two stars despite the great staff in our opinion. The rooms are outdated. The beds and pillows are poor. The brass finish on our bathroom faucet was mostly worn off. However, everything was clean and well maintained.
The reason people stay here is obviously for Crater Lake and it is difficult to beat the convenience and the amazing surroundings of the lodge. If we had to do it again we would stay at the lodge. There are rocking chairs in the back with an incredible view. Food at the Crater Lake Lodge Dining Room was very good — especially for a park — and service was excellent despite a new hostess on duty who did not seem to understand customer service. Service at the dining room and great hall were excellent.

Stayed at the Crater Lake Lodge, OR, had to book the room in 10 months in advance. Room had a fan, no A/​C, no fridge or microwave. The lakeside view was amazing.
Went to the restaurant for dinner, ordered the citrus Duck and it was delicious. Crispy skin and juicy meat. GF had filet mignon and crab cake. For desert we had Crème brûlée for her bday. Everything was yummy.

This isn’t really a critique, but more of a head’s up for potential Crater Lake lodge customers. My family and I went here for a 2 night vacation. We planned and booked this place a year in advance. We had an okay time, but were pretty disappointed with a few things. We got a deluxe room on the second floor (supposedly) with a lake view.
Things you may want to know first:
1. In our room, there WAS a view of the lake if you consider hanging your head out of a kiddie-​corner window on the side of the room a view (sarcasm intended)
2. No AIR CONDITIONING. This is huge. We went in July, and although it’s 10 million miles up in altitude on the mountain, it still gets hot. The room didn’t really get cool of until 4am in the morning, even with windows open and a fan blowing. My wife, my daughter, and I didn’t sleep much in the heat. So prepare for sleeplessness.
3. No coffee maker :(
4. Room seemed really small for the price. A small love seat would have been nice to put our 7 year old on instead of blankets on the floor. We had 3 young kids, and stated so on the booking.
5. Lodge restaurant WAY overpriced. The most inexpensive dinner runs about $ 28.00.
We chose to forego dinner, but had breakfast instead. The menu prices were a little more reasonable for breakfast.
6. Mosquitos are ruthless and plentiful! This is not the fault of the lodge, but it’s something you should prepare for.
The good stuff:
1. The lodge and restaurant are beautiful and very clean.
2. The staff is friendly enough.
3. Wifi (although very slow)
4. Crater Lake
5. The breakfast was tasty, and the portions were also good.
6. Our room was super quiet with a comfortable bed. Good blankets too.

We did not stay at the lodge overnight but we did have breakfast and dinner in the dining room. We walked right in for breakfast but had to make reservations for dinner. Breakfast was pretty generic, eggs, bacon, and fruit, but it was good. Everything was prepared just right, and we had nothing to complain about. For dinner, I had the portabello entrée and the friend had the salmon.
Both dishes were excellent but it was an expensive meal (breakfast seemed more reasonable, FYI), which is to be expected given the lack of dining options in the park. The next nearest place to eat is either at the Rim Village Café, which is mostly grab-​and-​go type fare or the Annie Creek Restaurant in Mazama Village. The food at the lodge is definitely better than either of those places.
The weekend we were here, the weather was pretty nasty but when the fog lifted, the view was spectacular. The lodge is beautiful and cozy inside. There’s also an area off to the left when you walk in, a small exhibit where you can learn about the history of the lodge. That being said, this isn’t the only spot with spectacular views if you’re willing to drive around the lake.

Three stars for the view. 1 Star for the food. Couldn’t stay — learned that 8 to 12 months lead time is necessary to book a room. Ok — the rockers on the back are fantastic to sit and enjoy. Just realize that the metal «fence» — (for safety?) is reminiscent of watching a starry starry night from your jail cell. Can’t you do that with plexiglass? Just Sayin…
Anyway — the food. Too late for lunch, too early for dinner. Appetizers and soups on the deck is the only option. Clam Chowder. Little flavor and over cooked — potatoes were mushy. Fruit/​Cheese plate. OK — but really? 4 Keebler crackers is all? Really? Strawberries were borderline. Edible, but barely. Grapes were inedible — old — soft. The birds enjoyed them while we waited for the server to pick up the plates — that was fun to watch! Chicken Quesadilla ok… not much flavor … but would have been better had it made it out side right after coming off the grill.
$ 40 for so-​so food. Bummer. Not once did staff ask how the food was.
View was fantastic — visit with other guests and visitors from Germany was enjoyable. Glad we brought a bottle wine. You can enjoy your own on the outside deck without a corkage fee. Score!
Yes … we will be back. For the view — air — sun — and rocking on the deck!

The lodge itself is great. It is exactly what you would want out of a lodge at a National park. Rooms were expensive, but the location was prime. When we booked the room, we asked about differences among the rooms, and they suggested a great one – large with amazing views of the lake (221, if I remember right). They had all of the amenities that you would need and none that would detract from the park experience (no TV, radio, but did have free WiFi). The view from the lodge is quite nice and it looked like there were trails and other viewing points nearby.
The reason for the slightly low (3-​star) rating relates to the restaurant within the lodge. The food there was subpar and did not taste fresh at all, though the cost was very high. The entrees that we tried (bison meatloaf and a fish special of snapper that were both around $ 30) were relatively bland and unremarkable. I couldn’t tell that the meat used in the meatloaf was bison, and the fish, a Snapper dish, tasted primarily of the seasoning used on it. Also, there was a steep corking fee of $ 15 per bottle and a fee to share an entrée ($ 5, I believe). The dessert we had was a three-​layer chocolate cake that tasted like it had been frozen. It was dry and unappealing. The problem is that there are really no other dining alternatives nearby. With a monopoly, they will continue to make subpar food at high costs.
I say all this not to rant, but just to recommend that anyone staying at the lodge try hard to bring their own cooler and bags of food to avoid having to eat at the restaurant. You will save money and won’t be disappointed.
As an aside, the boating and Wizard Island tours were great. Everyone should visit this park and stay at the lodge at least 1 night (but not eat at the restaurant until they shape up).

After making our reservation one year ago, we were stoked to make a quick visit to Crater Lake Lodge!
Our drive from Portland was about 5 hours. That was 2 hours down I-​5 to Eugene, then 3 hours of lots of up –and-​down along the mostly lonely mountain highways. I suggest getting gasoline and food near Eugene, before you leave the I-​5 area.
Check-​in was excellent and warm! Our room was larger than I expected, and very nice. The room cost $ 223.99 + tax $ 20.16. We had room 301.
The views of Crater Lake are just fantastic! The lake is such an amazing spectacle, it makes you just stare at it constantly! Simply walking along the walkways along the edge of the lake is really something. Bring binoculars if you have ‘em.
We only had one meal during our brief overnight visit, dinner. The prices are somewhat high, but we thought the vegetarian items were very good, I also had an excellent shrimp cocktail that was perfect. The service was friendly and had it together! Our total for dinner for 2… $ 80 plus tip.
Don’t forget that it can get really cool up here. Temps were down to the 30’s at night, this was July! We also found many mosquitoes when the sun went down, so many that we went inside, to watch the stars out our windows!
We thought we’d enjoy the veranda area, which is rocking chairs that overlook the lake, but this area seemed much like a bar to us. Which is cool if you like bars… it’s a fairly trafficked public place to sit.
Checkout was also uneventful.
This is a great experience!
Here’s a live photo of the lake:

During our return visit to the Crater Lake Lodge, we stayed the night. I made a one night reservation months before when we were planning our October trip to the «nearby» Oregon Shakespeare Festival. All we had to do was drive over to Crater Lake from Ashland (via Medford and Prospect) and then drive Home (via Klamath Falls) the next day. It also turned out to be the last weekend that the Lodge was open for the Season.
I reserved a Deluxe Lakeside Queen (with Shower Only). The Room itself was a 3 Star experience at best. It was small, the bed was way too soft, and there was a fair amount of noise from the Lodge’s observation deck directly below. It wasn’t the kind of room that you would want to linger and settle in. Desk service was also slow, inefficient, and with the exception of the guy who took our bags to the room, surprisingly disengaged. I guess I expected a little more customer service for this rare premium Lodge opportunity.
On the other hand, the Lodge’s Livingroom (especially the Fireplace part of the Lounge) was comfortable, cozy, and relaxing, with the handsome interior architectural accents. Gayle loved it. We also enjoyed several relaxed conversations with various other guests and agreed that this setting would be even better if it was snowing outside. So why isn’t this place open in the Winter?
Then there’s the Neighbourhood and the stunning Lake view out our window and on the Lodge’s deck. I’ll never get tired of the blue water contrasted against the walls of the caldera and Wizard Island. We’re not sure when we’ll be back this way again, but Gayle and I both agree that our short stay at the Crater Lake Lodge was worth the splurge, warts and all.