Hello,

Has anybody visited Rend Lake in Southern Illinois? If so, can you recommend a hotel?

Wow - you'll be a long ways from civilization but you do get 20,000 sq miles of lake.

Benton is closest and Marion further down 57. I've never stayed there but drove past it on my way from Chgo to SIU in Carbondale back in the day. Now in TX...

Thanks for the reply.

I've presented at a conference there and stayed at the "boatels" run by the state park-would never recommend them. They have docking piers, thus the "boat"el. The peephole was missing, just a hole in the door and they were dirty. The actual hotel may be nicer but I wouldn't risk it.

Gee the state-run resort must have changed since we were there years ago. Our accommodations were fine - both in the motel part and boatel. But The Seasons Lodge at Rend Lake looks good. We did stop in there and looked around and decided we would probably stay there next time. The hotel is on a golf course. Hope you catch the big bass!!

Smokey, apparently they have. Other presenters had stayed there in the passed and were surprised at the conditions.

Thanks swalter - now we won't waste our time driving down there to be disappointed. We were thinking of going there mid-Oct and now will definitely look into The Seasons.

Ah, to travel from Texas to stay in Benton...

I have family in Southern Illinois, so it would be a dual purpose trip.