Big Cedar Lodge

Last January my guy and I decided to take a trip to Big Cedar Lodge. I had never been there before and he had been there once many years ago and decided that it was time for a return visit. Even though it was January and we knew we couldn’t go hiking or spend time outside, we thought it would be the perfect time to spend some time indoors catching up on reading or in my case knitting. The common areas in registration and in the lodges were very inviting with overstuffed couches and tables and chairs. We spent an afternoon at one of those tables in the registration area in front of the fire, playing cards and drinking wine. (Shhhhh….not sure if that was allowed!!) We arrived on a Thursday and it snowed that night and so our car stayed parked the entire weekend until we went home on Sunday. There is a very efficient shuttle system within the park. Be sure to download the app so that you can make use of that system. A shuttle will pick you up from one spot and take you to another spot. The longest we waited for a shuttle the entire weekend was seven minutes. We found the bus drivers to be courteous and full of information. I’m not sure if everyone does this, but we always tipped our drivers a buck or two every time we got on the shuttle. We ate every meal on the property and yes, it did get to be pricey, but we had some really good meals. For breakfast we went to Truman and lunch was at a different spot every day. You can see my review of Osage, which was our favorite meal. Be sure to make reservations before you get there. Although the property was not very busy the weekend we were there, I suspect that the restaurants fill up quickly during peak season. I should mention that our room while comfortable, felt outdated and I wasn’t really happy with the bathroom set up. The wall that divides the bathroom from the sleeping area does not go all the way to the top so I didn’t feel like you get much privacy. There’s a window with a curtain so to get more privacy you have to make sure that the curtain is pulled. I hope that at some point if the rooms are remodeled, they take that wall all the way to the top. But the bed was very comfortable, and I liked having a fireplace in the bedroom. And because it snowed, we could not go out onto the balcony, but I’m sure when the weather is nice. It would be a nice feature to have. My favorite thing about the weekend was the spa. We tried to get a couples massage, but were not able to because everything was booked so we had to do separate massages within an hour of each other. The staff was wonderful and the facilities were clean and comfortable. Be sure to call ahead for a reservation because they book up quickly.

Great beds and love their soaps and shower gel ..it is on the priceier side but worth it ..the restaurants are awesome .delicious ribs and love the breads ..we always book ar devils pool for dinner our first night in branson

I booked a 2 night stay for my husband's birthday using the winter sale discount/off season stay (as we would not be able to afford the full price stay during more popular dates). We stayed in Falls Lodge, in a Premier King room from Feb. 25-27th. When I booked there were options to add sweets and blankets and gifts to the room but I didn't really see anything that was worth the cost for us. I rec. a welcome call from the concierge prior to our stay and I asked if I could have a small birthday cake delivered to the room, they said that would be no problem and it would be around $35 and the kitchen staff would send me an email with details/receipt. I received no further communications from the concierge or kitchen staff and when I called to see if I could pay ahead of time since my husband was putting the incedentals on his card and I didn't want to ruin the surprise they said they will be discreet at check in but would not let me pre pay. FYI about the incedentals for anyone planning to book, it was a $200/night hold ($400 total) which was more than our room cost, so plan accordingly if you need to use a different card than you booked with as it won't fall off for a few days. (We're not rich, so this trip was a splurge.) Moving on to check in day...I received a call in the morning offering early check in for a fee, we passed as we were going to explore the property first. As we drove in we were greeted by some very friendly deer. We did arrive a few hours early though and went to the front desk just to get some information and they let us check in early without a fee. Once we drove up to the lodge we unpacked the car and headed to our room - 393, the second I opened the door there was a plumber laying on the floor of our room fixing a leak in the jacuzzi. We were both surprised. He told us our room was supposed to be decommissioned and the front desk was aware. So he called the desk and sent us back to check in, meaning we had to repack the car and drive down the hill, they apologized and assured us our room would be ready by 4 and gave us a $25 game voucher for fun mountain. My husband was not happy about this because after driving several hours he wanted to rest in the room but we headed to fun mountin anyway, played bingo for free (we were the youngest couple there) and then ate at fun mountain. The food and service was top notch. We were told we'd get a call from the front desk when our room was ready and never did so I called the desk and they said we could head to our room, (another fail in communication) but the room was cleaned up and ready this time. The cake I ordered was sitting on the desk in the room and looked great, they also added a tiny cake that said best wishes and we had 2 free waters in the fridge and a basket with free cookies, popcorn and gummy worms. The rest of our time we explored the resort, we played mini golf, ate at Devil's Pool/Buzzard Bar twice, listened to great live music, ate breakfast at Truman

Extremely disappointed in what was meant to be a high-end stay. After spending several thousand dollars, our reservations were mishandled multiple times — including both our room and dinner. After the second room mistake (which cost us our two-bedroom cottage), I had to ask Shannon for any recognition of the inconvenience; she then offered a 10% discount. On the third issue, Shannon assured us we’d be moved to a comparable cabin — instead, we were given two one-bedroom cabins. When Adam took over, he refused to honor the discount and offered only a $200 food credit. Meanwhile, Courtney tried to frame a $2,500 private dining room as a favor. The only sincere apology came from the front desk operator. Communication, organization, and accountability have been unacceptable. Guests deserve better.

This is a beautiful property & one we hope to visit again when we have more time. The staff is friendly, but not very helpful. Emphasis is put on the mobile ap, rather than personal recommendations, which is a bit disappointing... We didn't want to spend time exploring the ap (which we had already looked at when trying to book) we wanted someone with experience to give suggestions for us to do during our less than 24 hour stay (that didn't happen). Weather cancelled our golf cart tour (nothing they can do about that) but there was nothing else anyone would suggest (again, we were directed to the ap) so we went to dinner at the Buzzard Bar. Food was good, service was friendly, and they had live music later in the evening. Welcome basket with popcorn and cookies was too tempting not to try (even though we don't typically eat this stuff) and was delicious! We got a couples massage in the morning, and were both asked about any problem areas, or areas to focus on. We both stated our lower backs were sore and needed attention. The relaxation was nice, but the areas that needed attention got the LEAST amount and if your going to ask, you should definitely try to give more attention to the specified areas! The amenities were great and as with the rest of the resort, it was beautiful! We had breakfast at the Truman Cafe, which was delicious! The coffee was good and the service was friendly! We would like to come back when we have more time to explore and do more here for sure, but will use trip advisor for recommendations and plan in advance, rather that rely on staff (no help) or apps (overwhelming amount of info) at the location upon arrival.

Johnny Morris and Big Cedar have mastered the art of hospitality. The moment we venture down the scenic drive, I can feel myself starting to relax. Just returned from Big Cedar after my 4th annual visit. This trip was a girls’ trip to celebrate my mom’s 80th birthday. We stayed in a 2 bedroom lakeside cottage and enjoyed not having to drive as the shuttle service took care of all transportation and we ate all meals on property which added to the relaxation. After returning from an incredible meal at Osage, we walked into our cottage to see it tidied and beds made, etc. As a mom, I truly appreciate Big Cedar’s ability to pamper in an unpretentious and seemingly magical way. Our cabin was spotless including even the glass shades on the outdoor light fixtures of our cabin along with the ceiling fan on the cabin porch - no dust, no cobwebs. This incredible attention to detail is seen in the service, design, and overall curation of the entire Big Cedar experience (I wish I could bottle up the smell of the registration building). People talk about their “happy place” and for me as a middle aged mom, Big Cedar is it. I have visited the JW Marriott in Marco Island, Jumby Bay in Antigua, and Tryall in Jamaica…and honestly, Big Cedar’s Midwest friendliness and masterful design outshines them. I fall more in love with Big Cedar each time we visit. Can’t wait to return!