Timber Ridge Lodge & Waterpark

Reviews

• MW

  Matt W

  4 days ago
  2.0
  We've been here a few times in the past with great experiences. This most recent visit was ok except for a few major issues. Issue #1, the door for entrance 5 was missing the outside handle to get back in. This was awful!! You literally couldn't pull the door open to get back inside! (Was freezing cold out too). Luckily within a few minutes, someone walked out to let me back in. The fireplace in the room was broken. Pieces were falling off it. The prices of food in the waterpark are very high and most of the inflatable tubes were almost all flat. I asked someone to pump them up and she looked annoyed at me asking/speaking up. The pullout beds in the rooms should also be banned & burned! Absolutely horrible to sleep on! The waterpark was also dirty... You could tell regular cleaning was only getting the obvious stuff around. Look closely and you'll see dust & dirt. Honestly, I'm not sure if I'll bring my family back anymore. It's not what it used to be which is a shame.
• SC

  Shakeila Coleman

  Feb 16, 2026
  1.0
  During my recent vacation, I experienced several unpleasant encounters with the resort staff. On February 13-15, I was made to feel uncomfortable throughout my stay. On February 14, I was unexpectedly informed that I had to leave my room due to my service dog. Subsequently, I was charged a cleaning fee, which I found contradictory to the previous statement. I inquired about the discrepancy, but the staff provided conflicting explanations. One employee claimed that the cleaning fee was for the dog, while another asserted that it was for smoking on the balcony. Furthermore, I was locked out of my room three times. Additionally, the resort required me to authorize an unfamiliar card, resulting in six separate charges between the two cards. Four charges were made on my husband’s card, each with a different amount, while two charges were made on my card, both for the same amount. Despite being assured that authorizing my card would not incur charges, I was charged twice. I also encountered a supervisor who displayed inconsistency in her responses. She provided conflicting information and even inquired about the purpose of my service dog, which is illegal. Given these experiences, I am determined to refrain from returning to this resort and will not provide any further financial support. The outdated rooms, subpar food, and unprofessional staff are unacceptable. It is imperative that all employees undergo comprehensive retraining to ensure consistent and courteous service.
• JH

  James Hawks

  Feb 15, 2026
  1.0
  I was with a group and we had reservations for the weekend in January where the high temperatures were in the negative double digits. On the Friday we were scheduled to visit, I couldn’t get my car to start due to the temperatures. I called that morning, knowing I was past the cancellation window, and asked if they could make an exception or if I could get a credit towards a future stay. I offered to schedule to stay while we were on the phone. The person said he would speak with management and follow up. He never did. I have since called four times and was provided the ‘manager’s’ email address. I reached out via email twice. Still no response. This is horrible customer service. Even if they aren’t willing to offer a refund or a credit towards a future stay, they could at least have the decency to call and tell me that.
• SL

  Sam Lawler

  Feb 9, 2026
  2.0
  Giving 2 stars overall as our experience was ok-certainly far from great. Honestly would have rated leas but the lunch we had a The Grand Cafe with Liz and Tricia? (May not be the right name) was the most delightful dining experience I’ve ever had and the food was exceptional. -the hotel is absolutely showing its age. Not a huge issue overall and the room was clean. But things like ripped/dirty shower curtains are unacceptable. The pullout couch is also awful. Our 4 year complained about their back the next day I can’t imagine an adult on this thing. -apparently we came during a “slow time” which was never communicated. This was a problem as the gift shop/coffee shop/ice cream show was closed our ENTIRE STAY. People were trying to give vouchers away the whole stay because they couldn’t use them. They also closed the main resturant down with no signage or warning. Not shocking at this point was the pool hours had also changed from what the website said. If this had been communicated, we would not have stayed. -pool resturant is basically gas station quality food and resort prices. Awful no other words -for being the “slow time” the pool was still packed. Largely due to the fact there is a pool for infants that’s maybe 6” deep, a pool with 1 slide that is 3’-4’ an a lazy river. This place is shocking small we couldn’t even keep the kids( 4 & 6) busy for more than 2 hours. Some of the rope climbing floating pads have degraded to simply foam- not even a fake log anymore or the sides are completely disintegrating. In our 2 night stay we spent 4 hours at the water park and that was plenty-not in a good way. Bathroom was also located across the hall, into the cold every time. -additionally why they chose to close and clean the pool bathrooms as soon as they open(1 hour after website stated time) will continue to baffle me. Forced everyone into a single stall family bathrooms AND the bathroom were still disgusting the entire time. -our “birthday package” was and 8.5”x11” computer paper with our kids name in clip art and 8 balloons. What a joke. -Also do not have the wrist bands with room keys/cc attached. At least offer the same amenities as other resorts in the same price point. It’s such a pain to carry around room keys, credit cards and ids. At this price point go somewhere else. We took a gamble and usually go to great wolf lodge in Gurnee. They have 4x the pool and the activities making it at least worth it - no matter if it’s 5 guest or 500 there’s no lack in experience. Trying to post this review while still at the resort and the WiFi is so terrible I’ve simply switched back to wireless. Don’t make plans to use a device of any kind. TVs are also the mercy of cable and don’t offer Netflix etc login. I don’t think I’ve looked forward to ending a vacation before this one. Perfect if your expectations that of a hotel 8 with a water slide, not eating here, and a short stay. I could go on and on and about expectation not met.
• RS

  Ry Snow

  Jan 24, 2026
  2.0
  This is long winded…but there were just so many things that just kept adding up. Really not impressed. Especially for the money I spent on the room, compared to the rates I see for every other weekend..? Nothing seemed to be run well and no one seemed to have answers. Workers shared the same elevators to get to the waterpark and rushed in and out ahead of guests constantly and they were all so dirty. My hallway had two huge red dumpsters in it and a maintenance cart the whole time we were there, and the door was open to a storage room the whole time. So of course my two year old tried messing with them every time we came and went. The room really wasn’t too bad, the walls were super banged up and damaged but it was all tolerable. We were told we didn’t need a reservation for breakfast and then were asked if we had one when we got there and had to wait 20 minutes while there were 5 dirty tables and an open one sitting there. While we waited for food all the dirty tables still stayed like that while so many staff just seemed to do random things, and more guests had to wait at the door. Then an order at our table wasn’t even put in so she just canceled it and didn’t get anything. However the food was very good and portions for adults and kids were perfect. There absolutely needs to be a capacity limit to the water park. There were waaaaaay tooooo many people there for the size of the place. There was an employee present as you walk into the waterpark, but they didn’t actually monitor any wrist bands, rooms cards or towel colors, so there was a constant flow of people who could have been anyone and not just guests. I didn’t even wear my second day wrist band and no one cared or asked. The huge birthday parties with gift tables and food tables and use four or five e round tables… didn’t allow for anyone else to have tables or chairs. So there wast anywhere to put our stuff except corners on the floor. There were a good amount of life guards walking around, but not enough behavior correcting. The lazy river was chaotic. The hot tub was alllll kids. All kids, never with their parents. Splashing around and being obnoxious, despite all the signs. The staff even walked over on their rotation looked in and never asked the kids to leave. There wasn’t a nice calm spot for babies to wander in the water because of the damn bucket dropping. When loading my car the parking lot was over flowing and cars were parked up on curbs because there were so many people. If you use the water park after check out, you have to pay for lockers if you want them, which are no bigger than a purse. And I watched somebody pay for a locker at the kiosk, open it and there was somebody else’s stuff inside already..They took it all out and threw it on top and used it themselves anyway..So none of it is secure. The “locker rooms“ and bathrooms were outside of the waterpark for some reason. Like you have to leave and go into the regular hallway where activity tables and arcade is.. but they were damp and cramped because there were, again, way too many people there. And there was always a line to use it as well as the bathroom in the hall way. I was using the locker room changing the first of the three kids with me since we had already checked out of the room..I was told to leave by the cleaning personnel because she closed it down to clean. So we grabbed our stuff and left, but she put her cleaning cart in front of the door already and locked the wheels so I couldn’t get out. I had to ask her to let me out and then we stood outside for over a half hour while she cleaned, and there was a line out into the hallway, waiting for her to be done..on a Saturday while the waterpark was as busy as I said it was with all these birthday parties there. The tables in the hallway that are advertised to be used for crafts and other activities were all taken up with peoples luggage, swim stuff and birthday stuff. The place gives a bad look, being associated with Grand Geneva. The place absolutely needs a management change and employee overhaul.

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