Chestnut Mountain Resort - Galena (IL)

5 /5 Ilya Kats: Great place to take family and kids skiing with convenient beginner slope access just outside the hotel. The property is a bit rustic, but rooms are very functional and clean, the staff is friendly and responsive, the pool facility is great for kids and adults, pool was warm around 80F. There’s a hot tub and sauna there as well. Equipment rentals are seamless and there’s ski school available for beginners (and private lessons for intermediate or advanced skill sets).

1 /5 Marion Scott: Our family travels extensively both domestically and abroad. We have NEVER been treated so TERRIBLY! We came for a getaway on Christmas Day. The hotel seems dated, smelly and poorly maintained …but whatever…the front desk staff was nice enough until I asked if there was a sledding slope for the kids…She promptly exclaimed that sleds were FORBIDDEN on the property - that would have been fine, but then we said that we would just leave them in the car. She said she needed to put a sticker on the sleds because we might ‘sneak them in to use’ after we said we would just leave them in the car, then she threatened to need to call security on us for not bringing the sleds to the lobby from INSIDE OUR OWN CAR so she could label them as a violation!!! When my wife reacted, the receptionist said she was ‘sorry’ that my wife ‘felt’ accused (like it was OUR fault when she blatantly was implying that we were lying). It was the ultimate gaslighting. We booked another hotel. It was so horrible to be greeted in such a manner on Christmas … we could understand that one person could be having a bad day … but two other staff were there and did NOTHING. When we entered the hotel again to tell them we were going the other lady only said ‘ok’ with a big attitude. No apology, no nothing…terrible that my daughters also had to be subjected to this terrible experience on Christmas Day. I doubt they care: we told them we would write a negative review, they just said ‘fine’. We went to the nearby Wyndham…soooo much better (especially in comparison)…polite staff, clean and bright atmosphere.

5 /5 Ciara Bickline: We signed up our four year old for her first ski lesson and I can’t compliment the staff enough. They treated her like she was their own! Patient, kind and fun! Plus hot chocolate afterwards. Highly recommend for first time skiiers!

1 /5 Ryan Zappen: My girlfriend and I went to Chestnut mountain for New Years. She got hurt at the end of our first day. Thankfully we were lodging there and could get some rest that night. The next morning she couldn’t walk so I went down to the restaurant and asked to bring a plate of eggs up to her. I was told no. I offered to pay extra, not do the buffet, order a meal, etc. I feel like there should be some flexibility on that. I was just told to wait until lunch opened which was in a couple hours. Not the service I expect.