For Immediate Release Media Contact: Pam Jones or Marjorie Beenders
January 9, 2009 Phone: 573-636-8282 « Email: pam@tbmg.net
Lodging Variety Lets You Stay Your Way
at Central Missouri's Lake of the Ozarks
Lake of the Ozarks, Mo. –Some vacationers like to stay in one place when they visit the Lake of the Ozarks; they’re “resort people.” Others simply want a place to sleep, a hotel or motel room. Some seek the home-like comforts that a vacation condo or home offers. Still others like the coziness of a bed-and-breakfast or the nostalgia of a small family-owned resort. And of course RV’ers want to drive up and settle down at a campground. The good news is, with 250-plus economy-to-luxury lodging facilities featuring more than 6,700 units, including 1,700 campsites, it’s easy to stay your way at Central Missouri’s Lake of the Ozarks.
One-Stop Resorts
When you’re on vacation, do you like to dine, sleep, play and relax without leaving the premises? Then the Lake of the Ozarks’ four full-service resorts are made to order for you.
The original full-service Lake resort, Tan-Tar-A opened July 4, 1960 in Osage Beach with 12 cabins. Today Tan-Tar-A Resort, Golf Club, Marina and Indoor Waterpark is the largest resort at the Lake, covering 420 scenic acres and offering 720 hotel rooms, 150 suites and 400 condos. “The advantage of a large resort like Tan-Tar-A is that it’s a destination in itself,” says General Manager Fred Dehner. “You can come here, park your car and not get back in it until you have to go home, because there is just so much to do. Or you can relax and do nothing at all in a gorgeous setting.”
The resort’s Timber Falls, the largest indoor waterpark in Missouri, is a great family attraction. The resort also offers 27 holes of golf on two courses: Hidden Lakes, ranked by USA Today as one of the best 9-hole courses in the United States, and The Oaks, an 18-hole course designed by Bruce Devlin and Robert Von Hagge. Tan-Tar-A’s Windjammer Spa offers massages, facials and full salon services. At the Tan-Tar-A marina you can rent a paddleboat, ski boat, fishing boat or jet skis.
Guests may swim in three pools, go horseback riding or take a cruise on an excursion boat. The indoor sports complex offers billiards, ping pong, tennis, racquetball and basketball courts, and the fitness center has exercise equipment, an indoor pool and tanning beds. Kids age 4-10 love Kids Kabin, a supervised activity program including movies and games.
Tan-Tar-A also features four restaurants, from fast food to the AAA triple-diamond rated Windrose Restaurant, offering fine dining in a sophisticated atmosphere, and the rustic Black Bear Lodge.
Generations of families also have enjoyed the activities and amenities at The Lodge of Four Seasons, an upscale waterfront resort built in Lake Ozark in 1964. The Lodge offers 287 rooms and 50 condo units, as well as Avila at the Lodge, a 146-unit luxury condo hotel that opened the first phase of 36 two-bedroom units in 2008. “Avila is absolutely beautiful,” says Director of Sales Colleen Porter. “Each unit has top-of-the-line amenities and a very clean-line, modern look. It really adds a wonderful asset to the property and allows us to offer a wide variety of lodging to vacationers.”
Outside the rooms there’s plenty to explore at The Lodge, which has received AAA’s triple-diamond rating for many years. You can sign up for a scenic excursion or fishing expedition, rent a boat or jet skis at the full-service marina, and enjoy the cinema, fitness room, trapshooting and take an afternoon walk on the new paved walking paths. Kids can take part in supervised Adventure Club activities and guests also enjoy strolling the grounds, including the beautiful Japanese gardens. Porter notes the new poolside Parrot Bar features a large round bar overlooking the Lake. “It truly has the atmosphere of a very exotic destination,” she says.
The Lodge also is recognized as one of the finest golf resorts in the U.S., with 54 holes on three championship courses. Opened in 2000, Porto Cima is the only Jack Nicklaus Signature Course in Missouri and one of only five in the state to have been recognized by Golf Digest as one of the best new private courses in the United States. Golf Digest also ranks Seasons Ridge, designed by Ken Kavanaugh, as the sixth best public course in Missouri. Witch’s Cove, designed by the legendary Robert Trent Jones. Sr., will reopen in May, 2009 after extensive renovations.
In addition, Spa Shiki is considered one of the nation’s finest resort spas. The serene retreat has been profiled on NBC's “Today Show” and top travel magazines. The Lodge also offers exceptional dining, from HK’s fine steaks and seafood to the more casual Breeze’s and Soleil sidewalk café.
The Resort at Port Arrowhead is another full-service resort in Lake Ozark. Opened in 1963, it offers 207 rooms, including 12 suites, some with Lake views. “The Resort is very family-oriented and geared around kids,” says Lance Utley, director of sales at Resort at Port Arrowhead and the Country Club Hotel and Spa. “People compare staying at The Resort to being on a cruise and we take that as high praise.”
The Resort is well-known for its poolside activities including a DJ, games, food at the Tiki Bar and the popular Saturday Night Dive-In Movie. The Arrowhead activities program is offered daily during the summer for kids age 4-16. Guests also enjoy the two hot tubs, miniature golf, heated indoor pool and fitness room. The AAA triple-diamond-rated Portside Restaurant offers a fabulous Lake view; kids 12 and under eat free. “Guests really appreciate The Resort’s compactness and convenience,” Utley adds. Also we are close to more than a dozen championship golf courses and Lake attractions and we welcome pets, too.”
With its white stucco buildings and red tile roofs, the Mediterranean-influenced Country Club Hotel and Spa in Lake Ozark is secluded and serene, away from the main action of the Lake but close to golf and other attractions. “The Country Club Hotel is just 10 years old and offers more of a retreat atmosphere,” Utley says. “It sets atop the highest point in the area with a spectacular 25-mile view.”
The hotel offers 63 suites and 20 regular guest rooms, many with balconies or walk-out patios, as well as condo-style villas with common areas that easily accommodate families. Amenities include 12 indoor and four outdoor tennis courts, indoor and outdoor pools, and a full-service spa. Guests and locals enjoy the Country Club Restaurant, and starting in January, the versatile pianist D’Vaughn Pershing, most recently affiliated with Andy Williams’ Moon River Theater in Branson, will perform at the Country Club Lounge on Friday and Saturday nights.
The newest full-service resort at the Lake, The Resort & Yacht Club at Toad Cove, opened in summer 2008 and is located next to the popular Horny Toad Entertainment Complex. It offers 116 luxury condo suites with Lake views, fireplaces, flat-screen TVs, stereo and surround sound, Internet access, kitchenettes and more. On-premises are retail shops, a spa and beauty salon, gourmet dining, fitness center, indoor/outdoor swimming pool with a swim-up bar and a sand volleyball court. The Yacht Club has more than 100 slips for guests arriving by boat, as well as pontoon boat, wave runner and parasailing rentals.
The Comforts of Vacation Homes and Condos
Because they offer all the comforts of home—and more--an increasingly popular option at the Lake of the Ozarks is rental vacation houses and condos. One company that offers both is Lake Ozark Vacations-A PMG Company. “We have 3-6 bedroom homes and 1-4 bedroom condos, mostly Lakefront or Lake view, available for a night, a week or a month,” says Director of Lodging Chuck Bowman. “You can stay near the Osage Beach Premium Outlet Mall or lakefront restaurants, on quiet cove or in the woods. Furthermore, our staff will help you arrange for golf, boat rentals, and discount tickets to area attractions.” Family reunion and group planning services also are available, including arranging for meeting space, catering and group outings for golf or lake cruises.
Lake Ozarks Vacations also offers golfers the opportunity to stay right on the course at Osage National Golf Resort in Lake Ozark in brand new 2-bedroom, 2-bath condos, Copper Falls and The Pines, located directly on 27 holes of world-class golf designed by Arnold Palmer. “From the condos it’s an easy walk to the new swimming pool, fitness center and Eagle View Restaurant, which has a fantastic panoramic view of the golf course and Osage River bluffs,” Bowman says. Other vacation condos, cottages and homes are available at other championship Lake-area golf resorts.
Several professional rental home and condo management companies at the Lake have formed the Lake Ozark Rental Association, or LOVRA, which offers more than 500 units, from a luxury condo overlooking the Lake to a private waterfront vacation home with a dock, to a comfy, economical condo, and more. “Renting through a LOVRA member offers a lot of benefits,” Bowman says, “We’re all locally owned and operated, offer 24-hour on-call service and concierge services, knowledgeable staff and more.” The association’s website, www.lovra.com, provides more information and member links.
Back to the Future
Looking for a cozy mom-and-pop resort like the one your family used to stay at? There are fewer of those now at the Lake of the Ozarks but they still do exist. According to the Tri-County Lodging Association, in 1958 there were 358 such resorts at the Lake. Now, 50 years later, there are slightly more than 60 in the area. Cabins and amenities at these cozy resorts most likely have been updated, but the laid-back ambience hasn’t changed at all. Two excellent examples are Rock Harbor Resort and Dogwood Acres Resort, both in Sunrise Beach.
Half of Rock Harbor Resort was built in the early 1960s and the rest has been added since owner Curt Mooney’s in-laws purchased it in 1973. Today the 38 units include motel rooms, cabins and condos. Rock walls and foundations add a real Ozarks flair to the surroundings. “Some of the buildings are original but have been updated,” Mooney says. “We’ve also added modern kitchens, two pools including one heated, a recreation hall, playground, mini golf, tennis court, jet ski and boat rental, gas stop and more.”
The resort hosts a lot of fishing tournaments, including several that have been held at Rock Harbor for more than 20 years, Mooney notes. But he believes Rock Harbor especially appeals to families. “That’s because of our setting, our nice cottages and the fact that we are pet-friendly and family-run,” he says. The resort is open March 1 to December 1.
Pets also are welcome at Dogwood Acres Resort, built in 1955 and open year-round. “In some ways you can take a step back in time here. For example, some of our 14 cottages still have a knotty pined screened-in porch,” says Weldon Steinmann who owns the resort with his wife, Lindy. “But we’ve upgraded and added a lot, too, like boat rentals, a playground and picnic area, indoor pool, covered fishing dock, hot tub and game room.” He adds, “We get a lot of families who come year after year and always ask for their cottage.”
Camping, Lake-style
Campers of all kinds will find exactly what they’re looking for at the Lake area’s 20-plus privately owned campgrounds: from a primitive campsite for a sleeping bag or tent, to a rustic camping cabin, to a fully appointed RV park. Today’s Lake-area campground amenities include free wireless Internet access, cable TV, well-stocked stores, marinas with boat rentals and more. Most are petfriendly and offer easy access to the Lake-area’s popular attractions.
At the Osage Beach RV Park, owner (for 20 years) Larry Jones offers 75 sites and five cabins, all within walking distance to restaurants, shopping, golf and bowling. “We’re in the middle of town but on 40 acres of woods,” Jones says. Popular amenities include a half basketball court, swimming pool and kiddie pool, air-conditioned club rooms, camp store, free Wi-Fi, and a nature trail.
Jones says three-quarters of his business is repeat customers and the majority of those are retirees who frequently bring their grandchildren along. “When I first started out most of my customers were families. Now it’s mostly retirees who want to relax in woods, or rent a boat and enjoy the Lake,” he says. Osage Beach RV Park is open from March 23 through Nov. 6.
Many campers like the quiet Osage River setting of the River View RV Park in Lake Ozark, voted the Number One RV Park several consecutive years by readers of the Lake Sun Leader. Owner Vicky Stockman says most of her guests are repeat customers. “We attract families, fishermen and groups of all shapes and sizes, including a lot of family reunions. In fact, a lot of people come more than once during the year,” she says.
River View has 75 RV sites and a few tent sites. Guests appreciate the stocked pond, well-equipped playground, swimming pool, arcade and camp store. Also on-site are a boat ramp and dock. Stockman frequently drums up bingo games, puppet shows, fish fries and barbecues for guests. The park is open from March 2 through Nov. 14.
Beautiful B&B’s
Sue and Ron Westenhaver, owners of the Inn at Harbour Ridge in Osage Beach, recently were named among the top 10 innkeepers of the year worldwide in the 2008-2009 Best of BedandBreakfast.com Awards. The annual awards are based on nearly 50,000 independent reviews submitted to BedandBreakfast.com, the world’s leading online B&B directory and reservation network.
The Westenhavers built the Inn in 2000. “It’s a fun atmosphere,” says Sue. “I’m passionate about wanting people to have a good time. There’s enough stress in the world so this is the place to come and kick back.”
The Inn features four playfully decorated guest rooms plus a big red barn that houses a private cottage and a guest room called A Roll In The Hay. Every room has a fireplace and private bath; some have “twosome tubbies” in the suites or a whirlpool tub/shower or spa shower, and two have private starlit hot tubs. Down the hill on the Lake are a swim deck and a boat dock complete with a paddle boat. The beautiful grounds feature flowerbeds and a goldfish pond with a waterfall.
The Inn has won numerous awards; it was named Best Breakfast in the Midwest by Arrington's Bed & Breakfast Journal and a top wedding destination by Missouri Life.
Another of the newer Lake-area B&Bs is Bass & Baskets, so named because owner Ed Franko is an avid bass fisherman, and his wife Deb collects Longaberger baskets. The lovingly decorated inn reflects both passions. Located in Lake Ozark and opened in 2001, Bass & Baskets features four themed guest rooms, each with a fireplace, Jacuzzi tub and a deck overlooking the Lake. “Our goal is for people to leave here feeling happy and relaxed,” Deb says.
Another romantic hideaway is the Cliff House B&B in Osage Beach. Innkeeper Gary Brooks says, “We’re fortunate that we’re in a very scenic location with the sunset right across the Lake. It sets 365 days a year so we benefit from that.” Brooks notes each of the Inn’s three suites has its own private entrance and deck access, and two have cozy fireplaces. Also, he adds, “We serve a gourmet breakfast in your room every morning. I make it myself and deliver it straight from the oven to the room.”
Home On A Boat
A growing number of Lake-area visitors have been discovering—and coming back to—the pleasures of staying right on the water in a comfortable, well-equipped houseboat. Since 1992, Forever Resorts, Inc. has been renting 56-foot, 59-foot and 65-foot houseboats to Lake visitors. “The boats sleep 10 or 12 and include a living area, dinette seating, fully equipped kitchen and central heat and air,” Darla Cook, vice president of public relations. “The 59-foot houseboat has a wet bar on the sun deck and the 65-foot houseboat has hot tub on the top deck.” She adds, “Since the boats don’t have TVs they offer a chance to spend a lot of quality time with family or friends.”
Cook recommends reserving a houseboat as early as possible. “Holiday weekends fill up quickly,” she says. “But no matter when you rent a houseboat you can expect a very unique and relaxing vacation experience.”
Whether you stay next to, near or in the water, or come for a family vacation or romantic getaway, remember you can stay your way at Central Missouri’s Lake of the Ozarks. For more information about Lake-area lodging, as well as dining, shopping, attractions, activities and events, please call the Lake of the Ozarks Convention & Visitor Bureau at 1-800-FUN-LAKE or visit www.funlake.com.
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