Willow Valley Inn & Suites

Came here for a wedding and spent 2 nights. The rooms are ok. Flat panel tv’s (big plus for me), ac didn’t work well, and the iron was broken. Went to the bar at night sat on the restaurant side and got onion rings (awesome) steak and cheese fries (real strips of steak) and hummus w pita (asked them to take it back) then went next door to the bar. Nice atmosphere. I swear they make up the prices. I got 3 beers in an hr and they were all differently priced.
The breakfast buffet was. Not that great. Nothing special. The bacon was good. Eggs are hard to mess up. Sausage not to good. Waffles are eh.
Not a bad place to stay.

My family of three were staying next door at the Doubletree and visited Willow Valley Inn for breakfast twice. This review is for the restaurant only for breakfast.
For breakfast, the Willow Valley Restaurant has two options: pastry and fruit or a full breakfast smörgåsbord. The prices for adults were $ 5.99 for the pastry/​fruit or $ 11.99 for the full feast. Kids three and under are free, or $ 3.99 for age 4 and older.
We had breakfast here two days in a row. Our son is 4. One waitress (a grandmotherly type) didn’t charge us for him even though we told her he was four… she said he could be three that day! The other waitress (a very polite teen) charged us appropriately.
We did the lighter breakfast one day, the full deal the next. The spread was great for the price. The food was fresh and restocked often, the pastries were incredible… the place is known for their bakery. The lighter breakfast included a variety of whole and cut up fruit, cereals, yogurts, and a table of baked muffins, doughnuts, and Danish. The full breakfast added stations of eggs, waffles, pancakes, French toast, a variety of syrups and fruit toppings, along with every possible breakfast meat and potatoes. There was a station of breads and English muffins for toasting, and an omelette station. The full breakfast included a beverage. The coffee was good, although I hate those little plastic creamers… a pitcher of half and half would have been nice.
The service was adequate considering how packed the restaurant was both times we were there. The décor is dated, but the view of the surrounding grounds was nice. We had a view of the duck pond and the Willow trees, very pretty. Afterwards we went for a walk around the pond, visited the playground, and the corn maze.
We would return! A perfect place for families. (It was a noisy restaurant, great for kids, not for romance!)
They do lunch and dinner here too. I imagine it’s just as good with a decent variety of choices.

Very comfortable room, very clean and nice staff.

Stayed here this past weekend with a group. When our tour bus pulled in, a staff member came on the bus and greeted us. She gave about a 45 second intro to the place and then made a quick exit. She told us basically nothing about the amenities, food options, etc… It seemed as if she assumed we weren’t worth a detailed intro (came with a group of mostly elderly people)… She didn’t even ask if we had any questions.
Now to the room… Pretty average and boring. Food crumbs on top of the bed covering… definitely didn’t appreciate that. It seems that there are some more modern looking rooms on the property but we didn’t get one of those. The bathroom was super tiny but it was nice to have 2 sinks. No luggage stands (ended up having to use the chairs as luggage stands so we could only sit on the bed)… very small window… definitely was glad to only be spending 2 nights here.
As far as amenities, had to walk over to Double Tree to use fitness center (given very poor directions to it by several staff members– why not just say «the fitness center is in the Double Tree hotel across the street» instead of «the fitness center is in the next building» — this was confusing, as it seems they were all trained not to mention Double Tree in their directions to it. In general, the place was confusing to navigate and signage was not clear.
Now the food… only had the breakfast buffet in the Family Restaurant (above the bakery) and it was good. Lots of healthy options and the waffles were exceptional. Food was fresh, buffet was kept clean and staff was very attentive.
Location… there is not a lot going on in this area. Glad there was a CVS Pharmacy across the street but no decent food options. In desperation, got a bland piece of pizza from the grocery store next to CVS when I needed a quick snack before dinner.
Overall, can’t recommend this hotel.

I’m a hardcore Hilton brand loyalist — have stayed at many properties both domestic and international. This property was a great disappointment — stayed here over Memorial Day weekend. Every night was a different major event going on in hotel — two HS proms and one wedding reception. The latter was held in the atrium area of hotel so all room guests were «treated» to loud music and DJ blaring until 10:00 PM. Parking was an issue every night in addition to noise level. This place is more like an events center that also has rooms — I wouldn’t stay here again unless I was partying with a group. Quality of property and friendliness of service is the only thing that kept me from rating this a 1.

Double tree resort (lancaster)
EDITED REVIEW
PROS
very clean and modern room.
Price was very affordable especially for a jacuzzi suite.(posted before the credit card statement)
Free warm cookie during check in.
Very nice bar with 2 flat screens.
bed was comfortable.
Jacuzzi was clean as well as relaxing
Mcdonalds, buffet and a pharmacy in walking distance
CONS
Musty and mildew smell in room.
window over looked palm court (no outside view)
weird religious convention taking place with people banging bongos, chanting and such (poor timing on my part)
Location was not as expected and literally in the middle of no where.(golfers paradise)
Broken airconditioner kept my wife and I up all night (high pitched grinding sound and hot as hell in the room:74degrees and climbing)
Bed pillows were flat as pancakes.
jacuzzi had a 15min timer which was located no where near the jacuzzi… Every 15min u have to climb out dripping wet and turn the dial. (i’ve seen this set-​up in other hotels and imagine its to save them $ on electric bills and all but come on !? talk about a pain in the ass
2^nd night stay @ blank on lincoln hwy was far superior.

***Review for Willow Tree Restaurant & Smörgåsbord Only***
As you will see from another review from a girl named Chantell on this review list, we did have some differences about this place.
Let me give myself a little leg up on why you should believe me over her: I was born in PA, lived in the state for 22 years, I have family in Lancaster, and I grew up in a house where chicken pot pie and red beat eggs were common… She, grew up in HI and CA… Need I say more (sorry babe).
Anyway, I REALLY did enjoy this place, as far as a buffet goes… Anything you could think of in terms of country food… 3 different styles of chicken, Italian food, German, Mexican… Fresh cuts of meat off the bone, salad bar, deserts… Just an all around good, home town buffet.
The ice cream, GOOD LORD!
If you live in the area and want a home cooked meal without cooking at home, all you can eat… I would say go here… Or bird-​in-​hand… Also delicious!

***Review for Willow Tree Restaurant & Smörgåsbord Only***
I had a really hard time rating this one. I even got into a rather heated argument with my boyfriend over it.
His stance: It’s Lancaster Cty, essentially in the middle of nowhere. Considering there isn’t much else to chose from in the area besides a few fast food spots, WVR Smörgåsbord should earn a 4 star rating, mostly by default not because they actually DESERVE it.
For some folks, this might be the case. And if you happen to be that person disregard my review and stuff your face with all of the Pennsylvania-​Dutch cuisine you can possibly cram in your pie-​hole.
For everyone else (that actually cares about quality and flavor) this place earns a solid 2 star rating.
Nothing was stomach-​churningly disgusting but nothing really blew my mind either. With the one exception of the ice cream. It was REALLY good. I’m sure it’s won contests and ribbons and awards and stuff.
The rest of the food was pretty run of the mill buffet style and quality. There were a few items I’d never seen before: Chicken pot-​pie (Not the conventional crusty kind but more of a casserole with big squishy noodles; kinda salty but tasty), apple butter and cottage cheese (I like them a lot separately… together… ehhhh) and a few others I might be forgetting.
Besides the food, the service was great, the overall vibe was cozy and the rest of the grounds (from what I could spy out the window) seemed lovely! I also really enjoyed the company of my dining companions (which always helps) so although I had a splendid time overall, I would be hard pressed to openly recommend this place.

Recently stayed here on a business trip. Two nights. I will grade each service/​facility I utilized.
Bar: B
Good selection, great atmosphere. Service on night one sucked, night two was excellent.
Room service: B
Good food. Quick service. Overpriced.
My room: A
Everything worked. It was very clean. Comfortable. Free internet.
Lobby: A
Friendly people and attractive lobby.
Conference rooms: A
Well lit, easy to use climate control.
Service overall: A
Front desk was fantastic.
I highly recommend this place for business or pleasure. Located right on a golf course and in a peaceful area. I’ve stayed all over the Lancaster area and this is one of the better places I’ve been.

We had our wedding here about 1.5 years ago. It was during there switch over into the Double Tree. Everything went well, Chris the catering manager and Sheri are great to work with. For a wedding in Lancaster and this type of establishment the prices are as reasonable as it gets. I saw that shortly after our wedding the prices went up probably because of the new name but the prices are still reasonable. We went back and ate breakfast for our 1 year anniversary and the food in the restaurant was great. I noticed that this is the most expensive stay in Lancaster but our guests (blocked off 30 rooms) had no complaints and were extremely satisfied with all amenities.

We went to the Palm Court for the Sunday Brunch Buffet recently. Thankfully we had a coupon from the Clipper because it is pricey.
Living in Lancaster County you see buffets on almost every corner, but everyone makes the Palm Court into something special. Well I am sorry to say, but it is about the same as the others. Ok breakfast food and basic lunch items like fish or pasta.
Finally, the service lacked what I expected. I know that you should not expect much table service at a buffet but at least they should keep drinks full and have your bill when they notice you may be done. We received neither. The bill arrived 30 minutes after we stopped going up for food. The server had even cleared the table and she still waited half an hour before returning with the check. So, go with an empty stomach and lots of time since you will need it.

We love to go down and stay at this place! The food is pretty good but like all places that have to make a huge buffet, the food has to suffer a little but. But the buffet is really big, they have 2 rows of hot food, and 2 tables of fruits and vegetables. Now I am talking about the huge buffet on the Willow Valle side since they split up kind of last year, it’s complicated. The only thing is, is that the price of the food compared to the taste is not a good ratio. They will make you, for breakfeast, an omlet and other stuff if you would want it personally but it is like $ 20, and I’m exagerating a little on the price but it’s close, for the breakfeast buffet. But the whole Resort itself is beautiful and a fun place to stay with the pools, waterpark, saunas, jucuzzis, pond, tennis courts and it’s close to Lancaster and shopping locations that makes it easy to travel places. The only thing that you could walk to is their Golf Course and maybe a McDonalds, Good Pizza shop accross the highway along with a super market. But other wise I love it and we go down there like twice a year!

This review is for the Upstairs restaurant, with the buffet-​NOT the Palm Court brunch!
the food is bland, the rolls are stale, the desserts are mediocre. The staff is always friendly, but the food isn’t very good.
Palm Court Sunday brunch gets 4 stars from me. Great food, good variety. We enjoy it there. Do not get these two confused, the chef for the upstairs restaurant is not who caters the brunch.

I suppose this place recently became a Doubletree Resort as I booked it through Hilton.
The front desk girl seemed disorganized, but she was very nice. Our room was on the first floor — which is kind of below grade so it felt a little like a basement. The place has a musty smell to it.
The hotel has obviously been recently renovated and it seems they updated what they could without making huge structural changes. The furniture was cheap though and scratched. The mattress on the pull out sofa was about as thick as a sponge and didn’t flatten out well. The other bed had the dreamy bedding and was great.
The kid’s pool area with the slide was a huge hit with our son. It was clean, had an attentive lifeguard and kept him busy for a couple hours.
We left the property for dinner but stayed for the breakfast buffet in the morning. It was bland, boring and tasteless.

The grounds are well kept and the lobby at Double Tree is very attractive. Checking in was difficult as the staff seemed new and had to call 3 people over with walkie talkies just to figure out how many beds were in the room we picked and if the room was ready. They give free warm chocolate chip cookies which are WONDERFUL and help take the edge off of waiting around.
We opted for the dinner and breakfast buffets at Smörgåsbord which offer free dining for the kids. DON’T DO IT!!! Everything is bland, tasteless and tastes processed. Shrimp are hidden in the corner and doused with pepper… the entries are sub-​standard. Everything tastes like it came from a vending machine regardless of presenation. The breakfast buffet featured the same disappointment. Biscuits that tasted old… eggs that lead you to believe are made without eggs. It was the first time I’ve been to a buffet and felt sick from the taste of everything instead of over-​eating.
That said, everyone is nice and the 2-​bedroom suite we had was VERY comfortable and had features upscale hotels/​resorts have.
The pool is «just a pool»…the jacuzzi was filled with some sudsy chemical which prevents you from seeing the water. The childrens pool is fun but it’s hard to keep kids entertained with 2 slides and a few sprinklers.
Bottom line… it’s a nice atmosphere but I recommend leaving the grounds for better food and entertainment.

The Willow Valley Resort has two buffets. One is located at the Palms Court and is typically just setup for Sunday brunch and holidays. The other is the Family Restaurant which is located on the west side of the resort. I believe they serve breakfast lunch and dinner here 7 days a week. I went to the Family Restaurant on Thanksgiving day. It was quite busy and there were a lot of families there.
You will be asked to place your name on a list but the wait was no more that 5 minutes. The have a fairly large dining room and can seat quite a lot of patrons. The buffet consists of 2 salad islands, 3 hot food tables, a carving station and a dessert section.
The first salad island houses all of your dressings (house, Italian, Ranch, 1000 Island, Caesar, blue cheese), lettuce, vegetables, toppings and a couple tossed salads (Caesar, House). Near here you’ll find a counter with wheat and white dinner rolls, butter, jelly, honey and two soups (Seafood Bisque & Creamy Butternut Squash). The second salad island has a few condiments (tarter sauce, cocktail sauce, cranberry sauce), potato salad, macaroni salad, pasta salad, egg salad, deviled eggs, broccoli salad and cole slaw.
The first buffet table has sliced turkey, cider ham, butter noodles, chicken pot pie and carrots. The second buffet table has fried chicken, mashed potatoes, garlic mashed potatoes, turkey gravy, beef gravy, corn and stuffing. There is a small third buffet section with fried shrimp, cocktail shrimp and fried clam strips. The carving station has sliced roast beef and pineapple ham.
The dessert section is fairly large and has tapioca, cherry Jell-​O, chocolate pudding, vanilla pudding, peach pie, blueberry pie, pumpkin pie, apple pie, shoofly pie, coconut cream pie, chocolate cream pie, peanut butter cream pie, red velvet cake, pumpkin cake, carrot cake, chocolate cake, whoopie pie cake, hot cherry cobbler, hot apple cobbler, sugar cookies, chocolate chocolate cookies, chocolate chip filled cookies, brownies and soft serve vanilla ice cream.
I have a much more in-​depth review on my personal blog.

We enjoyed our stays here as a family in the 1980’s (yes, really.). Nice rooms, pools, activities, a family style restaurant. Just fun all around.

Disclaimer: I did not stay here overnight. I visited my aunt and uncle who stayed here with their two young kids, saw the room, the amenities, the pool, the gym, used the wireless internet and ate dinner, so I basically did everything a guest might do, beside sleep!
The place is nice, the kids had a great time, the food was mediocre. The hotel and rooms were clean and the appliances and bathroom were in working order. Parking for guests was easy as they had a large parking lot, and the hotel staff was friendly and courteous.
While in PA, but not at the Hotel, we saw former President George W. Bush which was very cool. He was at the hotel supporting some politician. (yes, I was a supporter). hate me.

This is a place to stay on a spring weekend with your family.
They have great indoor pools, arcade machines, and many things to do. The food is okay, but is not fancy. The bakery has delicious donuts and I always buy a few dozen before going home. They have a gym on the premises as well as the internet.
This a a great place to go when you have children of the elementary school age, as they are sure to have a blast. I would probably would not come here I wanted peace and quiet.

I had heard so much about this place so we decided to take a drive and check it out. After going to some of the other buffet style restaurants I was a little disappointed. The food was ok but the place reminded me more of a high school cafeteria. The best part is the view overlooking the pond and gazebo. If you venture out there watch your step. There is a lot of goose dropping everywhere. Our main reason for driving to Willow Valley was to check out the hotel and facilities. I ‘m glad that we didn’t stay here. It’s not my style. It needs some updating. There also seemed to be a lot of retirees. It is several miles from the attractions on Rt 30.