Our last major Ohio road trip of the summer, Burr Oak Lodge, was the ideal way to round out the season. A Great Ohio Lodge, its beauty and amenities are definitely worth writing about. Here’s my full take and honest Burr Oak Lodge review.
Disclosure: I was hosted by the fine folks at Burr Oak State Park Lodge to give you the scoop on what makes it so fun for guests. All opinions are my own!
It’s seems like it’s been a couple of years, but it’s only been a season since I started visiting and reviewing the Great Ohio Lodges. Each is super cool in its own way and is similar in class but with a unique spin on vibe. So, making my last GOL visit at Burr Oak was ideal.
It was as calm and soothing as can be (we stayed during the week) and allowed my teen daughter and I to kick back, relax, and just take in everything the property had to offer for a couple of nights. Here’s what you can expect when you visit.
Burr Oak Lodge Review – The Basics
There’s nothing basic about a Great Ohio Lodge, and that’s truly the case for Burr Oak. With 38 guest rooms it definitely is on the smaller end for accommodations but that’s not a problem. If you’re wondering where it sits around large Ohio cities, it’s 1 1/2 hours southeast of Columbus and three hours east of Cincinnati.
The property has 50 guest rooms, each with an almost cabin-like look. We loved our two double bed room with an additional set of bunkbeds that allows up to six guests to sleep comfortably. Check-in time begins at 4pm and, on busier days, they definitely hold onto that time.
As with all Great Ohio Lodges, check-out time is no later than 11am so rooms can be cleaned for the next guests. And, if you like planning well ahead, reservations can be made up to 12 months in advance.
As for pricing, summer and holidays tend to be more expensive off season. But, make sure to look for deals before you book.
Burr Oak Lodge Review: Amenities
Around the property you’ll find badminton, basketball, and tennis courts (simply ask for rackets to use). There’s also shuffleboard and horseshoe close as well. For the kiddos, there’s a nice sized playground with climbing sections.
But, if you’re really up for fun, check out the 18-hole mini golf course. We happened to visit on hot, humid summer days, so waiting for the sun to start going down was a better time than the sweltering midday.
What about swimming, you ask? Burr Oak has a gorgeous indoor pool for guests. Additionally, you can take a 20-minute drive to the beach area and it’s a beautiful, short road trip.
As for hiking, you’ll find 40 trails around the property and at Burr Oak State Park. We’re light hikers, so we took the Storybook Trail. There are several small stops with giant book pages and it was absolutely adorable. It just opened this past May and is in partnership with Dolly Parton’s and the Ohio Governor’s Imagination Libraries. Encouraging a love of reading the story (I won’t ruin it for you) features cute forest animals and how one small thing can cause a huge ripple in nature.
Burr Oak Lodge Restaurant
For our stay, the Cardinal Dining Room was opened for all three major meals and we’ never tired of it. Always taking a seat near the window, the hummingbird feeders kept us entertained until our food arrived.
The Burr Oak dinner menu was creative and had offerings for just about everyone. If you’re not a meat eater, try the Veggie Burger – my daughter really enjoyed it. As for lunch, it was a paired-down version of dinner but still had a ton to offer: salads, soups, appetizers, and dessert.
If I had to choose one thing off the menu as a standout, it’s the General Tso’s Cauliflower. Listed as an appetizer, it was delicious and is large enough to make for a full meal. I’m not a fan of cauliflower, so that’s definitely saying something.
With all Great Ohio Lodges you can order pizza, something that I’m truly grateful for. There are nights when, after a long day, I simply want to stay in the room and watch tele while eating. And that’s where a to-to pizza comes in super handy. The pizza at Burr Oak is very, very good if you eat it hot.
Burr Oak Lodge Guest Rooms
We had an upgrade to a lower floor, king bed suite during our visit and it was ideal. Having spent the previous four nights in the same room, I took the king bed and gave the pull out sofa in the living area to my teen daughter which she was thankful for. We each had a flatscreen television, again ideal for the ease of watching two different satellite channels.
Additionally, we had a mini fridge and microwave – perfect for leftovers. There was also a coffee maker in the bedroom, a big help in the mornings.
Our king suite had two bathrooms and I wasn’t mad about that at all. My on suite bath was a large, tiled shower, vanity, and toilet. The Kid’s, on the other hand, had a tub/shower combo, vanity, and toilet. At home, we only have a single bathroom, so having two was a luxury!
One of the big perks of having a lower floor room was instant access to the paved patio area leading down to the lake. Additionally, we didn’t have to walk through the lobby to get to our car in the parking lot.
Burr Oak Lodge Freebies
In addition to the courts, hiking, pools, and fire pit, there are some nice freebies that provide for a better value:
- Free parking
- Free wifi
- Free Coffee in the lobby
- Board Games
- Learning Center
Parking – there’s plenty of it. And the wifi was decent given we were pretty far from the main lobby area. I loved sitting out on the giant porch overlooking the outdoor pool and rocking in a rocking chair with my laptop.
Additionally, there’s always free coffee in the lobby and boards games to play. The Learning Center is super cool and made for kiddos but we learned a ton about the woodland and water animals that live around the lodge. There’s even a giant tree in that highlights tree creatures.
Burr Oak Lodge Review: In a Nutshell
There’s always the question of, “Would you stay again even if you had to pay for a room?”. When it comes to Burr Oak Lodge, the answer is a happy yes. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay. I think the property is ideal for a long weekend or overnight visit, for sure. If you want lower crowds, visit during the week.
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