GoodNamesWereTaken1
November 11, 2024
When you first spot the resort in the distance, it rises above the landscape, larger than life. Unfortunately, the property ultimately fails to exceed the "Wow!" from the curbside and is rather hallow within that expansive shell. Let me begin with the good. The front desk staff are truly warm and engaging individuals. Eager to exceed your expectations, they are a pleasure to work with. I also communicated through the messaging system in the Bonvoy app and my questions were answered very promptly. My wife was at the Gaylord for a conference and we chose to bring our children, 10 and 14, for the resort water park experience. When a winter storm hit after arrival, we weren't worried about the isolated nature of the property because, after all, we were at a resort... Right? Not so much. This is not a fun place for kids. When we settled into the room, we looked around for an events schedule, a list of things to do at the resort... All we found was marketing material boasting about how much there was to do. All the outdoor activities, including the lazy river and outdoor pool, were closed off. By chance, we found a single page photocopied activity schedule near the indoor pool.. with no real explanation about what the activities were or where to go. We stuck around the pool when bingo and trivia were supposed to start and they never did. My kids were excited to read that there was an arcade room, but less than enthusiastic when we found out that it was a cramped space with 3 rigged claw machines and two video games. What a let down. The pool was clean, heated, and the only amenity that they enjoyed. Note that the outdoor pools were closed the whole time we were there as the pathways were not clear for the patrolling lifeguards. The rooms are well appointed and nicely themed for a rocky mountain resort. There was a pungent air freshener used that was a little off-putting when we first arrived but we got used to it. We had paid for a mountain view room and, though we did overlook a rooftop with ladders and junk piled up, we could look sideways to see some mountains. This may have simply been the block of rooms sectioned for conference attendees, but I had envisioned the mountain view upgrade as being a little more head-on. We are at both the Fortunate Prospector and the Mountain Pass sports bar. The Prospector was well themed as an English pub but, like most things at the Gaylord Rockies, was all show and little substance. The menu is extremely sparse, but does fish and chips and burgers well. The Mountain Pass was equivalent to a freeway-adjacent chain restaurant with hit-or-miss offerings. My wife's Caesar salad came without dressing and my son's burger wasn't made the way he had requested. Easy fixes, but it was questionable detail for the high prices. On our last day, the storm broke and we were able to explore the grounds. There are rabbits scattered around the property and my children had a great time tracking them down. They weren't the only