Big Meadows Lodge

We were up on Skyline Drive yesterday and went to the dining room at the Big Meadow Lodge. We got there right at the end of the lunch hours, but were told we could still get lunch. We waited 10 minutes before someone deigned to seat us. There were many diners present, and more were seated after we got our table. Then we waited another 10 minutes before a server came over to the table. Very nice lady, our server. However. We never got our drinks until AFTER the food came, and I think the kitchen staff must have been very tired as it took them so long to get our meals. I have no idea how long the prepared food sat before the server noticed and brought to our table, but my food was warm, not hot. Husband's Ruben was good. My pasta dish came without the 'add on' (shrimp) and the server had to go BACK to get us utensils with which to eat. My pasta dish tasted OK but probably would have been a lot better had it been served hot and WITH the shrimp. Everything about our lunch was extreme slow speed. All in all, not a stellar advertisement for the restaurant and one we have no desire to repeat.

Stayed at a cabin last minute with my wife and dog. Front desk was friendly and helpful and let us know where our dog could travel through the lodge building. Cabins are near the lodge and lodge rooms. It's convenient to get to with luggage from the parking lot, but not isolated by itself. Our cabin was cosey and this one had a screened in porch which was nice for playing cards and letting the dog chill and sniff around some. If your looking for sunset views from the lodging though, you should probably pick a room in the lodge, they have a better sunrise view than the cabins. Everything is fairly close if you want to get food or go to the gift shop. Dinner was decent. The restaurant was good. I tried a mushroom pasta with chicken that was really tasty. The trails are right next to the lodge, with some entry points from the parking lot. Very nice sunset view on one trail just ~100 ft uphill from the cabin. We saw deer eating outside our cabin in the morning. Also saw lots of other people with dogs there. It seemed like a very dog friendly place.

My stay at Big Meadows Lodge was fantastic! The dining options were easy and convenient, the staff was friendly, and the rooms were clean and comfortable. We stayed in a room without AC in the summer, but it was still comfortable as the staff provided us with a fan. The views are also incredible and don’t miss stargazing out in the big meadow by the Wayside. Great visit!

I love staying at Big Meadows Lodge when I go to Shenandoah National Park. It is so great to stay inside the park and be able to go on the Appalachian Trail from your doorstep, or get an early start to see the sunrise from Skyline Drive. I especially love that there are dog-friendly rooms/cabins and that your furry best friend can dine with you on the deck of the Spotswood Dining Room (weather permitting). One does have to remember that this is an older property, so the rooms are pretty spartan. It is a few steps above camping, in that you have a real bed, a bathroom with shower and they do have HVAC. You are paying a bit of a premium to get to stay in the park. There is a small gift shop, a coffee shop in the lodge and a taproom downstairs in the lodge too. The lodge is a cozy place to hang out and enjoy the view from a rocking chair or play a game or do a jigsaw puzzle with your family if you like. It is a tradition for me to go here every 4th of July with my dog to escape city fireworks-you can't shoot off fireworks in national parks! I would also like to commend the staff-everyone I encounter there is always friendly and helpful. I always hate to leave after a couple days.

Ambiance was perfectly rustic. Rooms were ok. Beds could be a little more comfortable. Restaurant was convenient to lodge bedrooms and had many good options. Must have the blackberry ice cream pie. Unbelievable sunset view from terrace.

Well, it got no ac, but it's inside the park right on skyline drive. We stayed in the main lodge right above the kitchen. The staff got to work really early... Like 6am? We hear everything because we kept the window open. Can't fault them though, it's an older lodge and they just recovered from some severe weather which caused the power to go out. Made the best effort in keeping folks happy. I would love to return in the future~~

Big Meadows Lodge is in a state of transition. They are currently rehabbing or building new units, but that’s because most of the existing units are falling apart at the seams. There was a thunderstorm during our stay which knocked out power for two days. They tried to make up for it by giving us some free waters and Gatorade. The bathrooms were barely functional with one of the faucet handles just spinning around. And luckily, none of us were stung by the yellow jacket nest that was on the outside corner of our room. But probably what was worse is the dining service – well the menu items seem appealing as described. The dishes themselves were very un appealing in the weight. Staff was not interested in any feedback. In fact, they were kind of rude. The upside is that the location is beautiful. We saw fireflies dancing around a deer in the evening right outside of our unit window and it’s only a short hike to a rocky summit that looks over the Shenandoah Valley. So I guess you take the good with the bad.

We stayed in one of the rooms by the edge and it was amazing. It was a beautiful rustic room with a nice view and after hiking all day the comfort of the shower was fantastic. The best trails in the park are right near by and it's a short hike to viewS of Shenandoah valley and beyond. The lodge restaurant was great and I'm still dreaming about the oatmeal I had in the morning.

The rooms at Big Meadows are pretty decent. The beds are comfortable and the room, which has a vaulted ceiling and ceiling fan, was clean. They had cable television with decent reception and a decent channel selection. The room also had a balcony which would have been nice. However, it was in serious need of a paint job which gave me some concern about how well it was maintained. The balcony view looked down on the roofs of the cabins behind our building which was... okay. Surprisingly, our room also had a wood-burning fireplace, though I don't know how we could have started a fire if we had wanted to (which we didn't). My medium, 3-star review comes from two points. First was the lack of A/C. We left the window open and the door cracked to get some ventilation. Even so, I heard another guest complaining about how hot it was in their room with no A/C. And then there is the cost. The room was +$300/night! For that kind of money, frankly I expect more from a hotel. Our stay was okay but for the money, I would not do it again.

This is heaven on earth. Hike to a waterfall, witness a gorgeous sunset from a rocking chair with dinner and a cocktail, then join a Ranger for a Talk - life just doesn't get any better. We stayed in Blacksman Cabin 114 two years ago & this time got Room #3 in the Lodge with a view of the Valley looking down on Luray WV. Next time we won't be in such a hurry, catching weddings, and will stay at least two nights. Are the accommodations rustic? You bet - that's the charm.