This was the tenth Thanksgiving we have spent at the Red Jacket, and unfortunately is probably the last. When our family first started visiting the Red Jacket around Thanksgiving, the place was a bustling, charming hotel with a family feel. We loved the manager's reception before Thanksgiving and of course the beautiful holiday decorations that went up the day after. It was an enchanting place to be.
This year the hotel was an absolute ghost town. We understand that the MAJOR renovation for the indoor water park is ongoing and drives away families, etc. However, the hotel was still open and should have been operated as such. It was cold and pretty desolate. Service was pretty shabby. There were exactly 6 people at the manager's reception with one server with one tray of pretty nasty appetizers. They were obviously deep fried in old oil. It was depressing. Oh, and no manager. If you have a "manager's" reception, at least have the decency to show up.
I will say
our meals (sans one in the bar) were very nice. The food in the a.m. and the Thanksgiving meal were lovely and so was the service.
Although the hotel has been renovated, the rooms are still a bit dated. Small things like daily newspaper delivery, are not offered any longer. The accommodations are what they are, but nothing special for the price you pay.
Long story short - if you advertise and sell "packages"; make sure you follow through with them, otherwise it is just another night in a cold and quiet hotel. Everything changes, just hate to see it change in this way.
We have nice memories of the Red Jacket, and I hope this water park brings them the business they anticipate. Our children are older now and the water park does not excite them much.
Clearly the hotel is going for the young families, which is fine and I am sure much researched. I wonder if they will loose any conference/social business.
Good luck to the Red Jacket - we will search for the magic at another destination next year!









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