Originally Posted by e53nyc

Enjoyed a two night stay using points (benefiting from the 20% points rebate promotion). Arrived on property to learn that we would have the entire lodge to ourselves for the duration of the stay. Despite the occupancy level, no upgrade was provided. Being the only guests in house, we really didn’t spend too much time in the room. The lodge is in the process if building two Treehouse suites, which look incredible.

This brings me to the big caveat of my review. After checking in we walked down the hill to explore the property. Upon arrival to the shoreline we were shocked to see that the reservoir was (literally) half drained. In speaking with some of the staff, we learned that there was a dam breach back in early June and it will be quite some time for this to be fixed. Picture floating docks resting on dry land, which is now completely covered with wild vegetation. The GM indicated that there is now a warning on the Hyatt booking page, but that was posted after our booking date. Additionally, if you look at their social media sites they are consistently posting photos from before the dam breach which is quite misleading. Guests beware, if this is a priority.

For our first evening we took a free boat excursion, which now occurs from a neighboring reservoir (also somewhat impacted by the breach). Highly recommend. Other activities include a stargazing excursion (paid), archery (paid) and visiting Bethel Woods. The Rec center offers plenty of rainy day activities, and the gym while compact is still perfectly functional. All spa services occur within your room. The “pool” in front of the main building is decorative only and not for swimming. Kayaks and paddle boards sit down at the new “temporary” shoreline.

The area where the lodge really excels is the staff. They are not polished like a Four Seasons employee, but they genuinely care about their roles and are extremely welcoming. It feels as though you are being welcomed into their home. Jill and Kelly for the evening service are an incredible duo. The food is extremely flavorful and fresh (farm-to-table to a tee). The cocktail menu and wine list were quite impressive considering that everything is included. Dinner menus rotate nightly. The Brunch/lunch menu is the same daily, but checks the boxes. The staff will accommodate anything within reason. We loved all menus.

Long and short, the Chatwal Lodge is a very unique experience and we enjoyed our stay. That said, the current issues with the reservoir cannot be ignored and it is best to manage expectations accordingly. The GM and Guest Relations should be more forthcoming about the state of the current dam breach and shore line. If that ever gets fixed, I would definitely recommend.