The Abbey Resort

Our daughter gave us an overnight stay for a Christmas gift and we went this past weekend with them. While the grounds are beautiful, I really don’t think it lived up to my expectations. First of all, my joints ache when barometric pressure is high and that was the case. For the capacity I think it is ridiculous that there is only 1 very small «lift» and it didn’t work and there are stairs everywhere you go. I saw people w/​canes having a much more difficult time than I did and luckily there were no people in wheelchairs. I don’t think it comes even close to being ADA compliant. I’m also 5’2″ and getting in/​out of a bed that is about 40″ off the floor with a 20″ mattress was challenging to say the least! The rooms have no drapes and the outside is always lit, probably due to all the water, so the room was not dark enough for sleeping. We had to pay $ 25/​person extra to use the «spa pool» for those 16 and older. We paid because the free pool was overrun with children and birthday parties. Sadly we didn’t know that the spa pool closed at 8 because we wanted to go back after dinner. The free pool had kids in it even when we gave up and went to bed. I mistakenly had the impression that The Abbey was more of an adult/​couple resort, but I guess people take kids everywhere these days.
One other problem in the spa: the hot tub has an enormously deep last step to get in so I ended up just sitting on the steps for a while. If I managed to get in I didn’t think I could ever get back out — it’s the «short» thing again. And there was some kind of problem in the very middle because several people tripped. Think they need to look into that.
On the plus side the bar and its Happy Hour were the best experience. We enjoyed a nice glass of wine/​beer and some delightful appetizers. The wait staff were friendly and attentive to the overflow group. I only wish that when Happy Hour ended at 6pm they would schedule the entertainment earlier than 9:30 because when you leave to have dinner, there’s little left to do until 9:30. We gave up and turned in early.
The fish fry was okay. We really liked the variety of fish, but the hush puppies and potato pancakes were overcooked and dry.
My overall conclusion is that this place is overpriced and underserved for adults. Add it to your list of expensive family resorts that cater to children but if I still had young ones I’d go to a water park for the money. I don’t see how anyone could think this place is «romantic» or peaceful. Maybe they could limit kids’ activities to before 6pm or have an indoor adult pool like the outdoor one. I think the facilities and atmosphere at the Marriott Lincolnshire are much more enjoyable.

We always enjoy your visits to the Abbey Resort for student council events. They always do a great job working with large groups of teens, the catered food is delicious with attentive service, and the check in process is always smooth and pain free. The rooms are simple, but nice, and mine have always been in great shape (as far as cleanliness and improvements). We will continue to use this venue in the future for our stu co events– and I’d be happy to stay here for pleasure as well if the situation ever arises.

We spent two nights at the Abbey in between Christmas and New Years. We met up with lots of family and had a fun time decompressing from the holidays. The resort was full and the pool was crowded and full of screaming kids but what else are kids supposed to do when there is a horrible ice, snow and wind storm! Yes we were stranded at the Abbey with all the other guests as it was way too dangerous to drive anywhere for about 24 hours! It wasn’t until half way through day two that I realized that there was a magnificent pool and spa area for adults only. You don’t need book a spa treatment for entrance but pay a $ 25 daily fee which I would have gladly done had I bothered to ask questions sooner. The room was clean, the food is OK. We ate breakfast at 240 West and had and the bartenders at the Waterfront were awesome! Kudos to the manager during our stay who had to make some hard decisions when his staff was unable to make it to work due to the storm. I was disappointed to see a lady go off on him because he had to serve. Buffet for dinner because he did not have enough servers. He was so kind and polite despite her persistent crabbing! Shame on you lady! I saw him the next morning and thanked him and made sure he knew that his hard work did not go unnoticed! The girl who worked in the coffee shop was great and was literally there the entire time because there was no one to relieve her.
My teenage daughter and her teen cousins had a great time with the resort activities and the movies in their little movie room. She can’t wait to return next year. Yes, I will be back for the annual family gathering next year but you will find me in the spa reading my book or binging on Netflix rather than in my room or the lobby which actually wasn’t that bad. The only downside was that our room was literally all the way on the opposite end of the resort but we could use the extra walking. I will ask for a room closer to the lobby and spring for a lake view just to up the experience a bit more.

What a great location for a girl’s weekend. Yoga class, sauna, steam room, the Waterfront, pool, etc. There’s so much to do without having to leave the resort! And they have a Starbucks!

If it wasnt for th egreat discount on groupon I dont think this resort warrants the price.
Navigating the resort if you happen to have a room at the wrong end is crazy and the ammenities for non spa guests is minimal at best.
Sadly the location of th eresort dopesnt leave much choice for dining or anythiong outside of the resort. We thought the sunday brunch would bring it around but that was probably the bugggest dissappointment of all. Over priced and very limited food choices for such a well known resort.

My husband and I bought a groupon to go away for the weekend without our kids. We got in on Friday and checked in quickly and drove around to the other building. I don’t like the setup that the doors open to the outside but I assume it’s nice for summer time with the outdoor pools. The room was great, and the bed extremely comfortable. There was next to no water pressure in the shower. I had a hard time rinsing my hair and washing soap off. Everywhere in the resort we had to walk 7 – 10 minutes to get from our room to the pool, restaurants or anything else. We wanted to visit the spa pool but it was booked and we weren’t allowed to visit the pool. The spa locked rooms were amazing just wish I could have shared the atmosphere with my husband. Saturday we ice skated and then went back to our room and laid down for a couple hours. We were woken up to our new neighbors in the adjoining room. We could literally hear everything. I banged on the adjoining door and they banged back and Called me rude… This went on for two hours. I didn’t want to. All the front desk because the women in the room next were yelling through the door and being very rude. We went to bed around 10 and of course the women were loud again. Hoping they would go out I didn’t call down to the front desk again. I fell asleep and the woke up around 7am to the women in the next room wide awake and laughing and yelling. The rooms have no soundproofing. We could hear everything! It was terrible! We definitely will not come back to the Abbey.

We stayed for 2 nights in a queen guest room. The room was clean and the bed was very comfortable. There was a shared balcony, which could be annoying in warmer months when other guests may be utilizing it. If you are planning on staying for a longer duration I would recommend getting a suite, the added amenities will make your stay more comfortable.
Parking was somewhat of an issue. If you choose not to valet, there is limited parking. However, there is no cost to valet other than whatever amount you choose to tip. All and all the staff was very pleasant and provided good service. If you want to enjoy a relaxing, lazy weekend, this place is a good option. If you plan on going out to eat, you may want to consider some of the hotels that are closer to Lake Geneva’s downtown or waterfront area.
Be warned, after spending the weekend with an amazing travel companion, I may be looking back through rose colored glasses.

Check in was easy. Resort was beautiful. Got the deal off Groupon and went for a few days with my family the week of Christmas to do something different. They had a lot of activities going on to interest my 4 yr old but not my 14 yr old. 240 restaurant was nice and scenery was gorgeous. We had a small problem when we checked in about a room upgrade but my reply Danica was awesome and apologetic. I felt like she cared. Overall it was a great mini get away.

My husband and I very much enjoyed our weekend stay here. Our room was very nice, and house keeping did a great job cleaning for us every afternoon. We also took advantage of the café once, which is basically a Starbucks on site! My favorite part, as an avid exerciser, was their fitness center. It was included as part of our stay, and was at least as nice as the gym I pay to be a member of back home. I was very pleased with our stay, and we would go back again!

Check in was smooth, we got this in a Group On. Saturday night stay! Room on the second floor building 5 pool view. Hot tub was great. Dinner at 240 West was good. Staff very friendly, nice & accommodating. One BIG issue… Hawks game was on & for some reason the only channel that did not work was channel 9!!! That was a total bummer!

My girlfriend found a great deal for this place on Groupon. I hadn’t been here since I was probably in High School– I remember coming here for Easter weekend for several years as a kid. This place was always fun when I was younger, I wasn’t sure how it’d be as an adult. I’m happy to say that it’s even better now than it was, and the staff really make this place special.
If you aren’t familiar with Geneva Lake (the actual body of water, not to be confused with the town of Lake Geneva), this hotel is located in Fontana, the opposite end of the lake as the town of Lake Geneva. Personally I like to avoid the circus-​like atmosphere that is downtown Lake Geneva. I live in a crowded city, when I am away I want to be away in the peace and quiet. This property is absolutely beautiful, located right on the harbor side of Fontana. We showed up at 1:00 on a Friday and we figured we’d not be able to check in. As luck would have it, we came on a quiet weekend (end of October) and they let us check in at 1pm– major bonus!
We utilized the spa on Saturday– my GF had a massage done. I opted to pay the $ 25 daily fee to use the «spa» pool and locker room. There’s a free pool (the outside one is always free) and the one by the main building is free. The spa upgrade is worth it– no kids, tranquil, use of the really nice locker rooms, steam, sauna, etc. It was a really relaxing day for us– definitely the highlight of our weekend.
We ate at the Waterfront bar/​grill twice, and the coffee shop each morning. We debated going to 240 West (the high-​end restaurant) but we opted for some of our favorite upscale spots in town for dinner. The food at Waterfront was good, not great. Nice beer selection, really nice servers, and a great view. They had good music on Saturday night, too. Get the BBQ or fish tacos– they are both delicious.
Grounds are beautiful and well-​maintained. There’s definitely a passion here amongst the staff to do hospitality right. Everyone was so nice, they bend over to help you, and I didn’t feel like anything was missing. I’m looking forward to coming back again– either for a couples weekend or a week with my kids in the summer.

I’m leaving a 1 star only because I can’t leave 0.
I stayed over the holiday weekend and forgot a couple items in my room. Promptly called and have called everyday and keep getting sent to a voicemail. No one can even tell me if they have my items (surely wouldn’t a big resort have a lost and found policy) it’s been 12 days and no response. I’m at the end of my road with the lack of customer service. Other then this I had a nice time. This has left me with a bad taste and I reconsidering having my wedding here now. At least tell me if the items were stolen thrown in the trash. Some form of communication.

We spent 3 days here at the Abbey in early August and we had a WONDERFUL time! The service was fantastic. We enjoyed all the pools and the staff went out of their way to make us feel welcome. The indoor pool and the Friday night movie there was so much fun for the kids. Our room was comfortable and clean. My favorite aspect was the poolside grill and bar!
The only negative thing was that the service in their restaurant was a bit slow, but the food was good.
We would love to come back.

I don’t have a lot of complaints, many comments are more fyi. I was fine with this place, just wouldn’t exactly say it was exceptional either. 3 stars says «A-​OK» — that sounds about right. Not sure I’d go back, but not cursing the heavens over wasted time and money either.
We spent an overnight there for a mini girl’s getaway. We were told we were receiving a complementary upgrade to a «pool view» room, so we were pretty psyched about that. There was a pool beyond all the trees blocking the view, I guess. We didn’t pay extra for it or anything so it wasn’t a huge deal, just an odd thing to get us excited about, just so we could ogle trees.
Bathroom was clean and attractive, though the tub/​shower drain was incredibly clogged and took forever to drain. Beds were pretty comfortable and the room was nice. Several reviews mention super thin walls, either we didn’t have neighbors or our room wasn’t bad — one of my friends has a naturally loud indoor voice and no issues, nor did we hear anything from other rooms.
Room comes with microwave and mini fridge (no freezer), flat screen TV. A few websites say it’s a smoke-​free property (Hotels, Booking, Priceline, etc), but there seemed to be ashtrays on all the tables outside of the rooms by ours.
Fitness classes seemed like they were included on their website, but water classes require a daily $ 25 spa fee or $ 50(?) in spa services. Not that we had a burning desire to do water aerobics anyway but we’d kinda hoped to do a group class. Wednesdays, for example, both the AM and PM class is water, so nothing is included just for being a guest. The fitness center itself was decent though, dimly lit but plenty of options. Lots of stationary weight machines, couple of benches and dumbbells, several each of different cardio machines.
We asked for 4 keys which they were happy to do, but 2 of them never worked. And the other 2 randomly stopped working later that day. So after going out for a late night drink, we ended up stuck outside our building at the opposite end from the front desk. They replaced the keys, though only seemed to want to fix 2 of the 4. Oh well, it was for one night and we ended up generally traveling in a pack anyway.
The adult only pool was nice, and often didn’t seem busy. We didn’t realize it would be right next to the kids’ pool, so even if you weren’t in the water with the kids we could still hear a decent amount of kid ruckus, but not really complaining — just something having not been there, we pictured differently.

Just checked in last night. Two strikes already and not even here 24 hours. When we checked in, I asked about the wedding we were attending. The front desk girl (summer help from Wheaton College) never told us to take a tote bag for the wedding guests. A very nice canvas tote bag filled with goodies and breakfast coupons for the guests, by the way. Then we ordered room service this morning for breakfast and I asked for the egg white omelette on the menu minus peppers and onions. It came with peppers and onions! Then it took a long time for them to correct my order «right away». I called the front desk to ask who I can talk to for the room service problem and also mentioned not getting a wedding guest bag, and the girl blamed the bride saying that they couldn’t hand out the bags and they were just to tell guests to grab one. Really? It’s a fail on the registration rep’s part for not informing us to go grab a bag sitting there upon check-​in when she knew we were there for the wedding… especially for spending almost $ 500 for our stay. So never got a bag in the end. The front desk did take away the charge for the breakfast when I called to inform them that room service screwed up and I was still waiting for my meal, so that is a plus for their blunder. The room is a good size but the bathroom tub could be cleaner. There was mildew around the tub… ew! Also, there were no plug-​ins by the night stands or desk for cells and iPads. I plugged it on the floor in the hall and bath, but I like my cell near especially when away from home so I can hear it. Not what I expected from my memory. I give them one star for the room size and a star for trying to make amends for the breakfast mishap and my husband and I not being able to enjoy our room service breakfast together. Another star for managers, Bill & Sara, reaching out and caring that I felt they fell short (see update note). I don’t think I would stay here again unless I have to attend another wedding at this venue. ***UPDATE…Bill, the manager at 240 restaurant called and did offer brunch for my husband and I, or passes to the spa for not meeting my expectations. We were not able to take him up on the offer. Sara called to see if there was anything she could do. Again, she stressed it was the choice of the wedding planners not to have the Abbey give out the gift bags, but again how hard is it upon check in for the front desk to direct the wedding guests spending money at their hotel to take one? I don’t agree with that. Also, Sara informed me they are making it easier to plug in your cells, etc. by your bedside very soon… that’s a plus.

This place is cute w/​all the wooden homely decorations. The beds are cozy and bathrooms updated and real clean. I’m a bathroom person it’s a huge deal to me. Unfortunately it was a rainy Memorial Day weekend so we didn’t get to take advantage of the out door amenities such as the pool, grill, play area etc. I’d honestly make this place a summer home. It’s spacious w/​shared patios through out and well maintained. We ate at the waterfront restaurant that had surprisingly good food! I will attempt to come back again when the weathers more pleasant. You can go boating and other water sports just a few steps away. Cute place, family friendly & worth the 2 hour drive from Chicago!

My wife and I spent a night at the Abbey Resort.
We had a beautiful harbor side room with a stunning view.
The rooms were clean and very comfortable.
The only negative I can make is that the wifi internet kept dropping every 5 – 10 minutes, but otherwise a fantastic experience and we can’t wait to come back.

Not really a great experience here. I actually won the weekend in a fundraiser so I may have been more upset if I had actually paid, but the money went to charity so its okay.
The issues started the week before we arrived. We called ahead to confirm we were getting a king bed room (I am between 6’6 and 6’7 and that is what is most comfortable for me). The person we talked to took our confirmation number and said we would have a king bed. When we arrived we were told that that couldn’t happen and we would have to take the two queens room.
We were told to circle around and park in another entrance by our building. When we got there, there was absolutely nowhere to park. We ended up having to to the front of the hotel and park on the other side of the resort to find a spot.
The next morning we ordered room service for breakfast. It came with no utensils, no condiments or anything. We went to shower and had to call the front desk as the shower would not drain. They said they would send someone during the day. We left to go skiing and came back about 8 hours later. I was not aware that the room was not going to be cleaned (this was not mentioned, but maybe it is the policy there) and the drain in the shower had not been fixed. No one had left us a note or voicemail about either.
I am not sure I would stay here again. There are other nice resorts in the area that are much closer to downtown Lake Geneva that seem like they may be worth the money. We didn’t use many of the amenities (the pool area was decent and clean).
Not sure I will be back.

After seeing The Abbey Resort on groupon several times I decided to purchased it and surprise my hubby of 11.5 years. I packed a bag for the two of us and drove the 1:45 from Chicago to Fontana WI. When we arrived the Abbey Resort look different from most resorts we’d stayed at. Especially the exterior with its «A» shape. Upon check in the friendly Abbey staff quickly took care of us and answered all our questions. Once in our room, both my husband and I were blown away. The room was super clean, king size bed was the most comfortable bed we’d slept on while on vacation, Wolfgand Puck coffee in the room was very tasty and our view was amazing!
On our second day we spent the entire day at the Avani Spa inside the The Abbey Resort. We didn’t received any spa services; but for $ 25.00 per person you can use the spa facilities (pool, hot tub and sauna). Which is worth it if your there for a second honeymoon to unwind from our busy lives. They give you a Avani bathrobe with flip flops, locker to use for the day and a towel. They also offer a variety of cold and hot drinks that you can have at any time and throughout your stay at the Spa. My husband and I had a wonderful day using these amenities. We even ordered our lunch through room service that was delivered to the Spa.
After reading The Abbey Reflections magazine that was in our room, I not only learned the history of The Abbey but that the entire resort had gone under a 4 million renovation this year 2014. This spark our interest to explored the resort. Although my husband and I did not dine in any of their new restaurants (240 West and The Water Front) the menus were appealing. We did have our Star bucks coffee and muffins at Caffe Latte. We witnessed a bonfire outside the resort by the ice rink which was being enjoyed by families with kids making s’mores.
The Abbey was an amazing experience, beautiful resort in Fontana WI on Lake Geneva. This is a must visit resort with either your husband or girlfriends. The entire resort is full of amenities you can use without leaving the resort. My husband and I made a promised each other to visit The Abbey Resort every few months. So happy I was able to surprised my husband with this get away and close 2014 with wonderful memories! Thank you Abbey Resort! See you real soon.

Note for those coming out for the Sunday Blues and BBQ event on the Waterfront Patio.
There is apparently no wait staff service on the waterfront patio where they have musical entertainment. You must order/​serve yourself either at the BBQing station/​bar (limited drink choices) or go inside to the bar and order off the full menu «to go». Further note that the BBQ station accepts cash only.
Normally this would not be a problem but there is NOTHING (that I saw) that indicates that this is the procedure. We sat on the patio for the longest time waiting for service until another patron was kind enough to clue us into the «way».
Having said that– worth the trip for great BBQ and music on Sundays during the summer.
I did not try the BBQ (others in our party said it was good) — I ordered a salmon salad «to go» off the full menu. The salad was crisp and fresh, complemented by flavorful mandarin oranges and a tasty dressing. The salmon was delightful also and the salad as a whole was just the right amount for a light lunch.
The hotel staff was very polite and helpful when I asked for information– and the information that I was given was right on. I felt that the level of staff politeness and helpfulness was on par with much more expensive oceanside resorts.
I hope to visit again and plan a weekend getaway to enjoy the fall colors– I am sure that this is the perfect place for this type of weekend away.