Lisal F.
Yelp
For a peaceful getaway to French Lick, look no further than West Baden Springs Hotel. Seriously. Stop looking.
West Baden Springs is part of the French Lick Resort family, but located away from the hubbub that makes up the family-friendly French Lick Springs Hotel and casino closer to town. If you're traveling with children, the French Lick Springs Hotel is probably your best option, as it houses a pizza place, arcade, and bowling alley. If, however, you are traveling with grown-ups, and are a grown-up yourself, West Baden Springs Hotel is probably more your style.
The atrium is gorgeous - it's described as the 8th wonder of the world, stretches 200 feet, and is simply phenomenal. This is the central architectural feature, with the rooms, restaurants, and shops located around it. There is plenty of comfortable seating, so guests can linger and enjoy at all times.
I recommend taking advantage of one of the resort packages - there is truly something for everyone - including a murder mystery weekend, historic experience, romance package, and SpaCation. Each package includes your room (which has a mini-fridge, in-room coffee maker, and a comfy bathroom), as well as other perks such as resort credits, dining, spa time, and more, depending on your preference. We booked the historic package, which included breakfast each day, a guided history tour of the hotel, and a book about the area written by a local author.
The only reason I didn't give 5 stars is related to several instances of slightly lackluster communication. When checking in there was some confusion about payment, specifically regarding pre-payment versus payment upon checking out, as well as the specific meals included in our package. We also were not told that the breakfast cafe would be closed one of the days we stayed. As such, we presented ourselves for breakfast that morning, and although there were other diners enjoying breakfast, were told that the cafe was closed. When we asked about the people currently dining, we were told that they have simply come in and sat down without approaching the hostess station, and hadn't been turned away. This seemed a little unfair to us. Regardless, this resulted in our finding the West Baden Bagel Bistro, which ended up being an equally, if not superior breakfast experience.
Overall, whether you're a history buff, a murder mystery enthusiast, a relaxation queen/king, or just want to relax, the West Baden Springs Hotel is absolutely the right choice for a grown-up mini-vacay.