guest post by Rebecca We took the kids to the Great Wolf Lodge in Grapevine, Monday, for a little Easter Octave vacation. Great Wolf Lodge is a resort hotel geared toward families -- and it does very well.
We thought it would be a fun mini-vacation reminiscent of the trips to the Airport Marriott my parents did with my brothers and me.
(editors note: they were fun)
We drove up to the large Lodge entrance and the kids were coming out of their seats with excitement. As you walk in, there is a huge fireplace in the lobby with fantasy-land caricatures that make you feel like you are in an enchanted wood. And then you see the immense indoor water park . . . and this is only the beginning!
We went to our cabin-themed room which had a smaller room for the kids with bunk beds, twin bed and their own TV -- it looked like a log cabin. I think we would have been apoplectic if we had been to something like this as kids -- the closest memory I have to being this excited about somewhere we stayed is of an Embassy Suite in San Antonio and riding the glass elevators up and down. The kids were out of their heads with excitement which was worth the trip in itself.
After getting settled in the room, we visited to the water park. I was worried it would have an overwhelming chlorine smell because it is indoors. But it didn't, it was great! They must have good ventilation because it didn't smell like chlorine at all. There was a kiddie pool, where we spent most of our time, that resembles an enormous playground. It has large slides, water guns and a very large bucket of water that dumps water every 15 minutes or so. The water park also has large tube slides, appropriate for an adult or teenager, a lazy river, and a wave pool.
It was great. I was very pleased with the number of lifeguards, free use of tubes, and life jackets for the kids. The water park is only for guests so it makes for a great atmosphere -- everyone is on vacation.
There are many other indoor activities available and activities geared for the "tween" crowd, such as an arcade and a magic quest game that can be played throughout the hotel like a scavenger hunt. I think you compete with other guests.
The only thing that we would have liked was room service because the kids ate pizza and we were wanting something to enjoy after they went to bed. There are restaurants in the hotel, but they are expensive and not very good, so we ordered PF Changs to eat in the room.
All in all I would definitely recommend it especially if your kids are between 6 and 14. Our kids were a little young to enjoy all that they had to offer, but we will definitely be back!
3 comments:
I'm glad to see a post on Great Wolf Lodge - thanks Becca! We've gotten a flier or two this past year & have considered it for birthdays. If you don't mind my asking, what did it set you back for 2 adults & 3 kiddos? I take it you stayed 2 days, 1 night? I think our boys, @ 10, 8 and going on 6 would be @ a perfect age to enjoy it & take advantage of all the amenities...
The cost is really not too bad if you consider how much it costs just to go to Hurricane Harbor for a day! Our room was $239.00/night. You could save money if you ate breakfast somewhere other than the hotel. You get a great value I think and your boys are the PERFECT age to enjoy this.
They have fridges in the rooms. We recommend taking breakfast food and snacks and wine for the adults...:-) We missed roomservice as well. :-( The magiquest game throughout the hotel was supper popular with my two boys ages 7 and 11. We went before the outdoor part was open and look forward to going back now that that part is open.
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