End of the story: Cancelled at Benmiller. Requested the offered waiver of the cancellation fee. Booked at the Little Inn Bayfield- a known winner. More expensive, less worry.

The spa under 'renovation' in high season seems weird to me.

Glad you found a place that gives you piece of mind.

I wouldn't have gone, either, because it sounded clearly like you expected things to be better than they were. The owner even warned you.

I don't think Tripadvisor is just complaints, I always see positives and negatives of any place I check and I always post all my comments of every place I stay--most of which are positive. I agree with someone above who said they had never been steered wrong by Tripadvisor, and I haven't either. In fact, I have gotten good advice about things I wouldn't have known. I read the comments and decide for myself whether what they say is relevant to me and my wants or not.

to be clear - i didn't mean to google "hotel_name financial problems" literally - just if you google JUST the name of a hotel you often find some info you don't see if you google "hotel_name reviews"

Good Job on your change.

I went to an Inn similar to where you booked first w/o cking TA.

Nightmare.

I think Trip Advisor gives you a " view " of others opinions. When there are a lot of negatives, I never consider staying there.

Have a great vacation.

Where would I be without my fodorites to remind me of the obvious? Thank you. My common sense and good instinct were giving way to nostalgia.

Happy Summer to you all.

I would take a chance with this guy. He cared enough to address the problem and wants to make good on any past bad experiences.
The OP will probably be treated well.

Tripadvisor is an excellent resource if read correctly. Sure there are complainers. It’s what they are complaining about that makes the difference. If they are complaining about a stained carpet in a luxury hotel, listen to them. If the hotel is simply a mid class to lower end, who cares? You get what you pay for and they just don’t know any better.
If their complaint is a rude staff member, there again, I have to weigh how much I need from the staff. Not much.

A review that outlines a mistake that the staff may have made, is a good warning. It wouldn’t stop me from staying at a hotel but I like the heads up. Once I wrote a bad review about a hotel when the staff insisted that the breakfast was free with the room. I asked, “are you sure, we got this on Priceline?” “No problem, they said. Eat and enjoy. Until I got my bill.” I wrote about it on TA and to Priceline and the hotel.

If you can put up with soiled this and soiled that, and bad service, have at it. I don't know what the per diem is, but when I go somewhere for a vacation, I don't want to wake up every day wishing I had done something else.
I have done that==with 5 rooms for family. Everyone was great and the trip was also. BUT I wish I had paid attention because I undoubtedly could have done as well. I trusted ONE person. And the owners were VERY accomodating and helpful, as was my family for my decision. Other things made up.