Typical for this chain, we had a fun stay, but everything other than the pool costs a mint (food, activities, lockers, etc.). The pool area layout is more like a maze here than other locations, but that's just something to get used to, not a complaint. Most of the staff were friendly and helpful, with exception of the despondent/disaffected dude at the pool towel station. We may stay here again sometime given a decent deal.
Park is nice rooms are nice. Food and concessions overpriced. Food is average at resturants, food court is better. They tell you when you call to book the water park is only for hotel guests, but while we were here youth group sports teams were in and out all day running all over and out of control. Only hotel I've ever been to ever that you can't get a cup of coffee anywhere before 630. Was told well u can brew it in your room. I told them I have four other people sleeping still and they said "well then you'll just have to walk then"
Took the family here for my youngest birthday. We had a great time. They have done a fantastic work after taking over from Key Lime Cove. We stayed there many years ago under the old name and we're very disappointed. Great Wolf Lodge entertained the family all weekend long. Oldest has decided he wants to go there for his birthday as well.
Very nice environmemt, significantly more kid-focused than designed for adults.
DONT WASTE YOUR MONEY! Okay so upon arrival at the resort the guy at the door was very friendly and helped with all the bags. When we got to the room we were impressed for the first 10 mins. Then it was just like any other hotel. No latch on the bathroom door. Bathrooms were big. At the waterpark it is setup that u have to use a tube for everything and if u don't then trust and believe u will get yelled at. All in all, defiantly not worth the price at all. Hotel rooms are very noises and we were all the way at the back of the floor and u can hear the elevator ding every 20 seconds
Was here last year and again this year. Love that there are activities for EVERY age. Staff is very friendly and helpful. Will be back again!
It is a very nice hotel and the water park is fun for kids of all ages. Visits during the week are pretty good because it isn't that busy either.
The GWL in Gurnee is fairly well organized and offers an abundance of activities on top of the main water park attraction such as an arcade, an indoor climbing/obstacle course and a virtual fantasy adventure. The water park itself is clean and well maintained and has options for toddlers to young teens. There are sufficient lifeguard services, towels , locker rentals and showers. The hotel itself is average. There is quite a bit of tollway traffic noise for rooms on the west side. Staff are generally helpful. Dunkin Donuts on site.
Warning: long review! We visited for one night on a weeknight for a family getaway with two small children (3 & 5). Thursday night we arrived around 6pm and checked in. We had a suite with a bunk bed area for the kids which had a big sticky spot in the middle of the floor, but the rest of the room seemed to be pretty clean. We changed and enjoyed the small kid area of the water park until closing at 8pm. The kids thought the water was a little cold but still had fun with the small slides. We showered and went on a hunt for snacks at 8:15 which were very hard to find! There are some vending machines but no where is open except Ben & Jerrys (yeah, that s a big no to my kids before bed!). We were able to sneak in to Barnwood before the kitchen closed for a pretzel, wings, and fries, milks for kids and beers for us ($50 later...) which were actually quite good. That night I was up all night with crazy itching all over my legs - which were the only parts I had in the water. I m an avid swimmer and never itch like this so I m assuming the chemical use there in the pool is intense! Friday morning we threw most of our stuff in the car and went to a Cracker Barrell nearby - we spent about $15 less than we would of had we decided to eat at the hotel. Then we went back to the hotel and spent the entire day at the water park. Check out was at 11 but we could still use the park for the remainder of the day so we did! The kids had a blast and my husband and I enjoyed taking turns for the big slides . None are terribly scary but they give a good thrill. The food at the park is OK - mostly chicken fingers, pizza, hot dogs, burgers, salads, etc. so not a ton of choices if you don t like all American food. They also have two bars but we chose not to drink in the park. The restrooms are just kind of standard pool restrooms. Everything is wet and there is hair and stuff in the drains. Not super nice but similar to public pools? They have showers and changing stalls. They also have lockers for rent for $15 which we didn t use (we had a backpack with our stuff we just covered with towels on a chair). One thing I didn t know is that if you want to swipe your wristband to make purchases you have to preload a credit on your account when you check in. No one told me that at check in so we never did- just used a debit card everywhere. After we left my daughter complained of the itching on her legs to the point of tears and I have it as well. I m assuming we are just very sensitive to the chemicals in the pool. We brought our own beach towels which I would absolutely recommend - just easier and nice to take them back to the room. The hotel has a lot of other activities besides the water park - an arcade, ropes course, mini golf, bowling, MagiQuest, and Build-A-Bear but we didn t do any of those. They would probably be worth it if you buy the package ahead of time as they all add up (except bowling, I think that was only $7/game). Overall it was a very fun little trip away and I think we would like to do it again sometime!
My grandkids had a blast,never had so much fun,great place
It was great it was awesome how the lines were short at the water park
We went for my daughter's 9th birthday and she and her friends had a blast! There were lots of fun activities for the girls to do throughout the day and they especially loved the balloon animals.
The staff was very friendly and helpful! We needed an extra cups and coffee and they have us more than enough! We were pleasantly surprised at the quick response to any requests we had, too!
I was a guest here when it was still Keylime Cove and loved it and now after the redesign, I love it even more. The rooms are great, staff is fantastic and the overall atmosphere is warm and comfortable. Definitely interested in coming back and would recommend it any day of the week.
A shadow of Wisconsin Dells. Under- teenage kids would have a blast, while not so much for grownups. Food choices are quite limited, the only breakfast options are either a huge line in Dunkin Donuts or a buffet-like place on the 1st floor, again with very limited menu, no 'healthy' choices, just carbs and fats :) Same for dinner. The only bar was fine but there's nothing choose from, take it or leave it. So for a good meal you'd better go out, luckily the area has enough to offer.
Awesome 'upgraded' family suite with kids den, great 8pm story time in the main hall, glad we didn't miss it. The waterpark seemed understaffed, perhaps because of the off-season (end of Feb) there could be more attendees on the slides. It was very chilly in the restrooms, not sure why would that be.
I'd rate it as 3.5 out of 5, we had fun but next time, especially when the kids get older, will take a long ride to upper state
It is very clean, laid out well, technology friendly. Check in was a breeze. The hotel sends you a text and you can communicate with the front desk via text the rest of your stay. There is so much for kids of all ages to do, beyond the water rides. Magiquest, mini golf, a ropes course, rock wall, and several food options. We are in a room with a den for the kids. This gives everyone a little more privacy. There are standard in room amenities-fridge, coffee make, soap and lotion. It has been a fantastic experience.
Nice rooms. Friendly staff. Food is pricey and not that great but not terrible. Waterpark closes pretty early, 8pm during the week, 9pm weekends. Then not lots for my tweens/teens to do when the waterpark is closed. All in all, a great option for a quick getaway close to home.
My wife and kids all enjoyed our stay with no issues. We'll be back again next year!
Relaxing and fun not as big as the one in Ohio but still a good place to relax.
Great time with the family. Fun waterpark, and arcade
My daughter nearly drowned here while celebrating her 7th birthday. A lifeguard allowed her to go down a slide that she should not have been allowed down. She exited the slide into water above her head and was completely panicked and flailing. She was yelling for help and the lifeguard at the bottom was oblivious to what was going on. I pulled her out myself, shocked I asked him, "didn't you see her?" He said, "yeah, but you were already there". He told us where the life vests were and left unconcerned. We went upstairs and told the hotel manager. He called the aquatics manager to come up. They gave us a certificate are for two free ice cream cones.
Their inexcusable oversights about killed my kid, but hey ice cream fixes everything. LAME.
Our room was modest, but CLEAN. Which is more important. My family was there for an impromtu vacation and I was very happy with the results. There is only one thing I could say that was truly bad. The quality of the food versus the amount of money spent for the food was awful. If you are paying $10-15 for ANY full meal. It shouldn't taste like it was frozen. There is a sense of professionalism that erupts from your business if you strive for quality. The room service, the lifeguards, the security and the amenities were amazing and deserve to be commended. The food though, it was awful.
Disappointing. No adult amenities such as hot tubs, dingy rooms that are dark, no exhaust fans in rest rooms, no windows that open for fresh air, hallways for some reason smoky or foggy. High priced for half of what great wolf usually offers at the other facilities we ve been to in the past. Step it up great wolf!
Extremely friendly staff! Very accommodating for child with food allergies! Great beds! Amazing shower in the room! Adjoining rooms for larger families!
Kids had a blast playing Magic quest in the resort. It kept them busy for hours. Friendly atmosphere and staff. Would suggest one looks for deals and promotions. It can get pricey depending on your length of stay.
Clean rooms and friendly staff. The water park had lots of options for kids of all ages.
Kids had a blast! Very clean and the food was good. Very controlled environment and the amount of life guards on duty made us feel safe
The people were absolutely amazing. Very helpful. James and the manager Kori in the arcade really made our visit worthwhile. Rooms are very crisp, clean, and comfortable. Biggest problem were the prices. EVERYTHING was overpriced and the discounts they have are helpful, but overall its WAY too expensive. Our one night stay was over 500 dollars with only 2 kids. So, if you wanna have a blast and don't mind going broke have at it.
We have come here on a 4 hour drive from Michigan for a traditional winter vacation 4 years in a row. This is the first year and maybe last year we come due to; the water park is falling apart more and more each year and i always get the same answer of next year its being taken care of but this year my son and daughter had their foot caught in broken plank boards in the kiddie area, there is rust and missing parts exposing bolts, and everything which we wanted to due is closed due to "cost savings" such as funnel fries and sharkies.
Bed bug infested!!! Went last Christmas with my family and it was a bed bug in the bed and when we tried to tell management they basically tried to make it seem like we put it there then we had to leave all our things couldn't take anything but phones while they moved us to a new room at 5am...Only reason i give it two stars is because the kids had a really good time overall but they really need to get that problem under control..And for those who dont know this place use to be Key Lime Cove which who also bed bug problem!
To see my daughters eyes light up with happiness and joy is more than a enough for this momma wolf!
Tons of fun, activities, and adventures for the little ones. What more could a parent ask for?
We will definitely be back soon to see Violet again and also dance away with our bubble makers!
Had to wait 45 mins for room while other people walked in and got theirs before us. Rude and disorganized. Will not come back here again.
Is the best place for family time in Chicago me and my family spend amazing time together there
The hotel room was clean and comfortable. The Waterpark is nice, but I wish it flowed better between the different areas. It's hard to keep up with kids of multiple ages with the partitioning.
Kids had a great time with their birthday package which includes cake, separate bunk beds and tv just for them. Great time!
Thanks for hosting my classmates from out of town for our 30th reunion!
Kid s had fun at the water park. But, for the price of the room.. All other activities should be Free! Very expensive
The new Great Wolf Lodge in Gurnee is a nice place for a weekend trip. We had a group of 8 and spent 2 nights. The kids were all 9-10 and they never ran out of things to do. There's several things to do outside of the water park so when you are done swimming for the day you can have dinner either at the lodge or there are plenty of great options in the area. The housekeeping staff was great and responded quickly when we had a complaint. The front desk was very helpful when we had questions. If I had any complaint it might be that the beds are the greatest.
The new Great Wolf Lodge in Gurnee is amazing! Much nicer than Key Lime Cove.
My daughter loves this places we took her for her 3rd birthday It was hard to get to go to the room for naps and bedtime
A little expensive but great for a day trip! There is no hot tub so I took a star but fun slides, nice kiddy area, and a fun wavepool!
Great experience. The rooms were clean and comfortable. The resort has everything we needed. The staff was friendly and helpful. The water park was well staffed. Our family had a great time.
Great experience for the family. Only downfall was our room was not ready at the 4pm check-in. Definitely would recommend for a family getaway
Great family fun for young kids. The 5 yr olds loved it. This is a mini indoor water park. There are enough slides for limited family fun, but not much else. No hot tub and limited food and beverage is a bummer for adults. The facility is nice and refreshed and the staff is great. We went during a school week and had the place to ourselves. We will still make the trip to the Dells for full family fun time, but this will do for a quick overnight winter break close to town.
Over crowded, waited until 430pm for our room which still had trash everywhere and no sheets on the bed. For $500 we were pretty dissatisfied. Will not return.
We had a blast. Decided to visit before our calendar filled with sport activities. The waterpark was great and the Magiquest game was much more entertaining than we thought it would be.
THE WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE ON THE PLANET. Stayed in the Presidential suite and WAS TREATED LIKE SCUM. NOBODY ANSWERS THE FRONT DESK PHONE BECAUSE THEY ARE ALL ON THEIR PHONES ON FACEBOOK! WHAT A JOKE!!!
This place is SO much fun for kids.....and adults lol! So much to do for everyone! Highly recommend the adjoining rooms for bigger groups!
People are getting so snobby. There isn't anything more fun for the price or better around than this place. It is well maintained. The hotel rooms are a little ugly but you only need a clean place to sleep. Being mildly inconvenienced doesn't mean it isn't fun.
I wanted to share my experience with you. I decided to bring my family and myself to the great wolf lodge in Gurnee IL. Check in was 4pm on saturday the 10th. We were celebrating my sons 5th birthday with a few others.
What an experience. Arriving at my room at roughly 4pm the room was still not ready. We waiting around in the hall and told the gentleman to take his time. Shortly after he came out and told us out room was ready. As i was sure the room would be up to specs, i didnt even bother checking and got to loading the fridge. A member of your staff came into the room questioning us... who told u the room was ready? basically why were we in the room. Very rude and unprofessional! She cleared the room and left. A gal in my party starting bringing to my attention how the room wasnt clean, and there were spots in the night table. I started looking around and this is what we saw: a dirty coffee pot, sticky marks on the night stand, drips down the front of the dresser, mirror was dirty, hair in tub, hair and dirt on floor, dusty everywhere, nasty spill marks on the couch and hand print marks on the door handle. (I have photos) I was beyond taken back. With covid going on, the fact that i had not taken my family much of anywhere since march and i was trusting great wold lodge to keep me safe during this pandemic. Gosh all of that has me thinking, did i even make the right decision, as i was also interested in a water part in pewaukee wisconsin.
I called the front desk, they said they were sending a manager to the room. 20 min go by, no manager. I call again asking to speak to a manager. They told me there would be a wait and that if i wanted to speak to someone immediately to go down to the front desk!!!! W.o.w. ok so i did.
Spoke to a manager, he was nice and friendly. Seemed like a good manager.
Changed my room. Offered a discount.
Headed up to 2nd room. By this time its 530, park is closing in 2 and a half hours, we are obviously on a time limit. The overall appearance of the room was ok, that is what i told housekeeping. Looking past the overview. The bathroom of the 2nd room had hair and build up in every corner and hair on the shower curtain. Something ive never seen at a hotel. I just felt dirty the entire time i was there.
All the hallways were dirty, cobwebs and dirty in the corners. No attention to detail in the common areas
After a long evening with the kids at the park and dinner after, i called the front desk at 5 minutes to 10 for a few extra pillows. 1030 rolls around no pillows. I call back they forgot. They order 4 pillows again that show up at 1055.
We woke up at 6am to the alarm going off when we didnt even order an alarm.
I am so beyond taken back at the experience i had, honestly i cant say that myself will ever revisit. I am aware that the family who came with me, will NEVER visit the gurnee lodge. Nothing like the experience i has in the dells.
Paid 399 per night during grand opening and the room didnt even have microwaves. (website said they did). Had a 2bedroom suite. Checkin was smooth.Elevator stopped working 3 different times while here. Room was nice but previous person staying in it left dirty diapers under the sink.(we were returned $50 for this issue) 2nd day here everyone went to the waterpark early but when we returned to out suite no one keys worked foe the room.(the guy at desk didnt activate our wristbands for 2 night like he should have. Our suite was 1 of the 3 farthest from the front desk top floor aaaalllllll the way to the end of the hallway. Wristband stopped working twice causing security to be called to get n our room after multiple long walks back to desk. We were told we'd be returned additional $75 for the inconvenience of carrying our things back up n down 4 flights to desk but they only returned $20.
Celebrated two grandkids birthday parties here so far. Kids and adults love the Waterpark
The Great Wolf Water park is very nice for children to play and enjoy to the fullest. The food and drinks are costly except for the pizza it is reasonably priced. If looking for a hot tub not here.
Our second trip to Key Lime Cove.
We tied it together with an outing at Great America. Checked in early and took the shuttle to the amusement park.
Great time.
The Pizza shop could use a quality upgrade. The children's salon is pretty pricey too. $45 for a mani/pedi?
My 4 & 6 year old daughters loved the pampering but it's back to Twinkle Toes next time.
The rooms were very clean and comfortable. The pillows are the worst.
Also, I picked up acute pharyngitis, a respiratory, bacterial infection. Dr said she just treated another patient who had stayed there. Good times.
So much fun! Very much a family environment so many things to do yet its not overwhelming. The check in and out is very easy i only had to text "out" and check out was done! The wristbands are your door key so no fumbling with kids while trying to find it. I live the lazy river and all the attractions. The bed was so comfy i almost booked another night! Very pleased with our stay.
Great place to stay that is great for kids. Only downside is the extra prices you pay for food and activities
Had a fun stay! The only reason I only gave it 4 stars is because there is no hot tub on the property, which I find extremely odd..especially after you're freezing from the very cold water!
Which rooms have a kitchen inside? Searched through all the rooms and could not find it.
Dirty, cleaning crew seems to rush through. Trash left on the floor which was clearly visible.
This place has everything! Good time especially for the kiddos!
Such a fun place for kids in the winter. Nice place to bust the boredom blues.
I didnt visit it before Great wolf bought it and remodel but it definitely has the vibe of a great wolf lodge . So great job on the remodel .
Rooms are nice we had 2 queen beds and a pull out couch so our family fit nicely in there .
Lots of activities to do here besides the waterpark. None of which are cheap but the kids really enjoyed our stay here .
I did see outside that had some charging stations for electric cars which I thought was a nice touch
Lots of fun, kids love it. Water park is great. Breakfast is good, but other meals aren't at the same level.
My second time there first time I loved it everything was perfect second time here water area was cold my kids didn't enjoy the stay ,elevator didn't work won't be coming ever again and the one water slide that is good not working
Lodge is not Walker or Wheelchair friendly plush carpet makes it hard to get around,someone near my room was having a party that didn't stop until after 2am,everything here is a bit over priced and that Paw package is a joke there are no irons, hangers,microwave ovens or laundry rooms. Coffee but no tea really. All the attractions are extra money you're gonna spend.
So much fun, very friendly staff and very helpful and went above and beyond to make our stay great. Only wish some of the materials and restaurant menus were updated.
*Great for kids, Bad for adults*
Tons of activities for kids, but there was only one waterpark area, no hot tubs, and everything closed at around 9-10. Not to mention the wifi was down the whole stay and our room was ready late. The only compensation we got was getting to stay in our room an extra hour. Luckily I wasn't the one paying, otherwise I'd go to the Wilderness Resort in the Dells for similar pricing.
Great family get away spot. The only reason its not a 5 star rating is because everything inside the Lodge was a bit pricey. For example $5 for a 2 liter of Coca Cola.
So much fun!! Our kids had a blast!! The room was nice and clean. The bed was super comfy. The food options were good. We look forward to coming again!!!
Very nice just kinda pricey if you have a big family
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