Lakeside Inn - Mt Dora, Florida

Stefania R

La Location sembra quella di un film: Lago, pontile, spiaggetta privata; piante ombrose con sdrai per godere dell'ombra; portico con sedie a dondolo per godere dello spettacolo del tramonto sul lago sorseggiando un drink con sottofondo di ottima musica classica o jazz; pisciana adiacente alla spiaggetta,parco privato... una meraviglia il tutto avvolto nel silenzio interrotto dallo sciabordio delle onde e dal cinguettio degli uccelli. La stuttura è formata da tre edifici disposti a "U" con molte camere che guardano sul lago. Le stanze all'estremità delle dependences hanno una vista spettacolare non avendo nulla davanti che non sia natura. La nostra era molto spaziosa con una vista superba che era quasi un peccato non assistere al tramonto stando a letto e la notte il cielo stellato sembrava entrare nella stanza. Trattandosi di un luogo storico non ci sono luci superflue e l'illuminazione è delicatamente soffusa. Tutti gli ambienti di gran fascino, curatissimi e ben tenuti riportano alla Florida del 1883 e alle personalità che hanno frequentato e reso unico questo luogo.Il bar interno è di vecchio stile,molto ben curato e prima di cena i drink sono accompagnati da musica live. Il ristorante è di ottima qualità ma la cena è possibile dalle 6.30 max 8.00, diversamente si rischia di non essere serviti. La colazione è entro le 9.30 ed è alla carta; anche in questo caso una colazione tardiva risulta impossibile. Da considerare che legni vecchi di pavimenti e travi, così come gli arredi del bagno possono non essere graditi a che ormai è avvolto dalla modernità. La mouquette andrebbe sostituita o comunque tolta e il disinfettante usato è percepibile. Il wifi funziona solo nella struttura centrale e la televisione dispone di pochi canali. Meglio un buon libro se non si sà come passare il tempo con il compagno. La città è appena fuori dal resort: piccola, caratteristica, piena di negozietti da visitare; i ristoranti chiudono alle 10.30 pm. Non serve la macchina che può restare nell'ampio parcheggio a pagamento della struttura. Simpatica la ferrovia con treno rigorosamente a carbone in stile con tutta la città di Mount Dora. Il tutto vale il viaggio,soprattutto per occasioni speciali e momenti indimenticabili

Debbie Stolze

Went for a quick 3-day getaway. This is a very nice historic hotel. If you're looking for new and modern, this hotel is not for you. The lobby is full of rich history from the florida pine floors to the ornate furnishings. The staff is very friendly and helpful. The food is delicious, and it's close to town where you can walk, shop, and eat. You can book a tram tour around town or a boat ride on Lake Dora. We will definitely go back.

Ronnie Sciullo

The location is unquestionably the best. The service staff was friendly, knowledgeable and proactive. Those are the highlights. The rooms in the gatehouse where we stayed need severe maintenance and upgrade. AC works well but room was damp. Tried to put on ceiling fan to circulate air but could not regulate speed…only HIGHsetting worked. Very excited to see table and two Queen Anne chairs. Then I sat in the chair. No support - need to restful and refurbish to make more stable.

Overall decent two day stay but comfort-wise not worth the money

Kathleen Huggins

Twice we have had to evacuate due to hurricanes, most recently, hurricane Milton. Both times the staff bent over backwards to accommodate last minute reservations and length of stay. The front desk staff welcomed us in, literally, from the storm with such warmth and kindness that we exhaled for the first time in the four days leading up to the storm. Our room was clean, bright and lovely with charm. Late in the evening an outside door got blown open but was quickly repaired after a call to the front desk (poor fella battled hurricane force winds and darkness but got it fixed)
The inn provided a free Continental breakfast in their banquet room which was an unexpected treat and also gave us a chance to talk to others displaced by the hurricane. Our stay there was a great comfort during a stressful time. They even gave us a "hurricane rate" for the cost of the room. The hotel and grounds are gorgeous but the really outstanding quality at Lakeside Inn is in their staff. We will never forget their kindness.

ginger m

We booked 2 rooms just a day before our trip. The room my boyfriend and I had was large and had a view of the pool and Lake Dora. It was very clean and well-stocked with towels and other essentials. The bed was very comfortable. My only complaint was beyond the hotel's control: the people in the room next to us were extremely loud while apparently enjoying an intimate evening (that went on for more than 2 hours!) As noted by hotel management, these buildings are originals (i.e. historical/old). We loved the charm and nostalgic feel of the whole place. But the walls are "thin" 🙂

Nannette Abney

This is my second visit to this wonderful property. The location and the service are impeccable. While the rooms are very quaint, they could use a little bit of freshening up. I can’t say enough about the service from checking in at the front desk, bartenders, servers, etc. We were sitting on the front porch in one of the rocking chairs trying to figure out what we were going to do for the day and we called over one of the servers, her name is Lisa and we asked for some recommendations. She not only gave us recommendations. She brought us discount tickets, talked very knowledgeably about the surrounding and was just a delight. We are planning on going back when the weather cools off a little bit. Wonderful place to stay and once again, I can’t say enough about the service at this property.

Q A

Staying at Lakeside Inn is a step back in time. Such a quiet, calm, and relaxing location.

The rooms are neat and clean. The grounds are well maintained. It was very enjoyable chatting with guests on the veranda while sitting on a rocking chair and enjoying an afternoon tea or morning coffee.

We were treated very kindly by the housekeeping supervisor. She is gold.

The front desk personnel, especially a young lady with glasses, needs to be taught people skills. She blaintently lied to several guests who came up to inquire about an Inn service. She did not crack a smile or show any hospitality whatsoever. It was the only part of the visit that we found lacking.

If you visit the Mt Dora area, be sure to stop in and visit the Inn.

Suggestion: The step exiting the main lobby needs a sign at eye level and/or brighter paint to warn guests. Several guests tripped and almost fell on their way out of the Main Lobby because they didn't realize it's a STEP DOWN... it catches you off guard if you are not careful.

Erik

I'll be honest in saying that I really feel bad about
leaving a bad review of this place. I so wanted to enjoy my stay, especially after many people saying this is a must stay when in Mount Dora.

Our first impression of the room was that it smelled of mold. A/C was set on low, yet it was over 80⁰. The view was of an old dilapidated fire escape that you would die from falling if needed to be used. The shower was so small that you would need to step outside of it to change your mind. It took multiple trips to the service desk to eventually convince them that we could not stay in that room overnight. Needless to say, no bell hops we re there to help during our exchange of rooms.
Our new room was better, but mostly because of the working A/C. There are little to no conveniences. Such as refrigerator, microwave, coffee maker. Bathroom amenities are zilch. Not even a place to put a toothbrush or overnight bag. Although they boast of 3 restaurants. All menus are the same. I'm not a picky eater, but I found their menu boring.
My girlfriend and I started a running joke. " You can't make this stuff up."
I have so many more comments about the ridiculousness of our visit. It can only be said that " You can't make this stuff up when it's real.