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Bargains at state park lodges

By MIKE PRAMIK

March 1, 2010

Good grades can do more for students than direct them on the path to success. They can save their parents a few bucks, too.

Every "A" that students receive on their report cards is good for $10 off per night at the eight Ohio state park lodges operated by Xanterra Parks & Resorts. The perk is one of many concessions that have become essential to operating Ohio's state park lodges during the current economic downturn.

"It's not a new philosophy," said Dianna Rom, regional director of sales and marketing for Xanterra. "Everyone has had to discount. The difference is that within the last two years you're seeing more destinations trying not only to discount but also to come up with creative deals no one else offers."

Ohio counts nine lodges as the crown jewels of its state park system. From Maumee Bay in the northwest corner of Ohio, to Geneva-on-the-Lake in the northeast, to Shawnee Bay in southern Ohio, the Buckeye State's lodges offer comfortable places for travelers to stay while they're exploring nature.

As the sagging economy has forced travelers to tightly watch every dollar, the name of the game for the lodges is value.

Colorado-based Xanterra, which operates all but one of the lodges in contract with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, offers several identical packages and promotions at all of the properties, with the individual locales free to come up with deals of their own.

For instance, Xanterra began its "Stays for A's" program last year. Customers can slash up to $50 per night off of the lodges' published rates, or "rack rates." Another example of package discounting at the Xanterra-run lodges is the Buckeye Package, which includes lodging for two nights, one dinner for two, two breakfasts for two and a $25 gift shop certificate.

"Our business thrives on disposable income, and that's tough to come by these days," said Tom Arvan, general manager of Hueston Woods Lodge & Conference Center in Oxford.

Here is a sampling of other package deals available at Ohio's state park lodges: • The Lodge at Geneva-on-the-Lake offers a Wine Country Package available all year. Starting at $179 per couple, the deal includes an overnight stay, breakfast for two, a $50 dinner credit and wine with a souvenir glass. • Maumee Bay Lodge & Conference Center has a "Bird Watcher's Rate" that takes advantage of that lodge's prime location for aviary observation, with room rates beginning at $78 in the spring. • All Xanterra properties feature the Family Escape Package, which offers rooms discounted by about $30. The deal also includes game room tokens, a movie rental and a pizza.

The lone state park lodge not operated by Xanterra is the Lodge at Geneva-on-the-Lake. It's owned by Ashtabula County and operated by Delaware North. The property is the newest of Ohio's park lodges and has been in high demand since opening in 2004, said Ken Hlavek, director of sales and marketing.

However, there are deals to be had at the location, which offers picturesque views of Lake Erie.

"The farther out you can book, the better, especially on weekends," Hlavek said, adding that booking a weekend stay only one or two weeks in advance often can be difficult.

Hlavek and other park lodge general managers say the best way for travelers to find the best room rates and other deals at Ohio's state park lodges is to scour the Internet. Xanterra maintains Web sites for each of its lodges, as does Delaware North for the Geneva property.

Patrick Czarny, general manager of Maumee Bay Lodge & Conference Center, said one of the best ways to secure a low rate is to check the lodge's "Hot Dates" feature. Rooms are often steeply discounted on short notice, especially for midweek stays.

For instance, Czarny said, a "Hot Date" rate could be as low as $79 on a $119 room. "We won't show a percentage off a room," Czarny said. "We'll show what the new rate will be. You can't find posted rates anymore. They change every day, depending on occupancy percentage."

This practice is nothing new. Hlavek said that Delaware North practices a form of inventory management long used by airlines to set prices for individual seats. So room rates are in constant flux depending on daily business.

And many of the lodges are beginning to turn to social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter to attract scarce disposable income.

"Customers are searching the Internet so much now that it's easy to compare rates," Rom said. "There are a lot of places to choose from, and we want to make sure they're looking at us."

Meanwhile, package travel deals are sprouting like never before. They often combine rooms with travel experiences unique to the location of the lodge.

For instance, Mohican Lodge & Conference Center earlier this year offered the "Maple Syrup Experi­ence," a package that included making maple syrup at nearby Malabar Farm. Participants collected sap from trees, learned to boil it down and sampled the finished product. The package included lunch at the farm and a stay at the lodge.

"A lot of people want something different, and we're trying to attract a wide variety of travelers," said Laura Weirick, general manager of the Mohican lodge. "We put something out there for everyone. The best way is to shop on the Internet."

More special deals are on the way. Hlavek said the Geneva-on-the-Lake property is planning this year to introduce a steelhead fishing package operated by the publisher of a fishing magazine. Rom said Xanterra this year will offer a "passport" program in which travelers can earn points for staying at multiple Ohio park lodges that the company operates.

Xanterra is also adding entertainment options for families. For instance, Maumee Bay's lodge recently got a makeover that included water jets and other play options in the pool area. Xanterra also held a "winter carnival" at Maumee Bay between Christmas and New Year's and created similar weekend events at Salt Fork Lodge & Conference Center during February.

While Rom said the parks won't go overboard, since their primary selling point is nature, they are always looking for more ways to draw travelers.

"We have found we had to create our own entertainment," Rom said. "People are increasingly looking for things out of the ordinary."

Mike Pramik is a freelance writer from Columbus.

Ohio's state park lodges Locations and contact information for Ohio's nine state park lodges: Burr Oak Lodge & Conference Center, Glouster Accommodations: 60 lodge rooms, 30 cabins. Activities/features: Woodsy setting with views of Burr Oak Lake. Boating, fishing and lots of hiking trails, including a 22-mile loop trail. Swimming indoors and outdoors, with access to a lakeside beach.  www.burroakstateparklodge.com or 740-767-2112. Deer Creek Lodge & Conference Center, Mount Sterling Accommodations: 110 lodge rooms, 25 cottages, Harding Cabin. Activities/features: Easy access to neighboring Deer Creek Lake, which offers boating and fishing. Park also offers hiking, horseback riding, camping and golf. www.deercreekstateparklodge.com or 740-869-2020. Hueston Woods Lodge & Conference Center, College Corner Accommodations: 92 lodge rooms, 37 cottages. Activities/features: Indoor and outdoor pools, playground, hiking trails and paintball field with target range. Acton Lake offers boating and fishing. www.huestonwoodsstateparklodge.com or 513-664-3500. Lodge & Conference Center at Geneva-on-the-Lake Accommodations: 109 lodge rooms. Activities/features: Multipurpose trail, indoor and outdoor pools, game room, proximity to beach town of Geneva-on-the-Lake. www.thelodgeatgeneva.com, 440-466-7100 or 866-806-8066. Maumee Bay Lodge & Conference Center, Oregon Accommodations: 120 lodge rooms, 24 cottages. Activities/features: Coastal setting on Lake Erie. Indoor pool with “splash park” area. Excellent birding and walleye fishing. Arthur Hills golf course, which has hosted U.S. Open qualifying. www.maumeebaystateparklodge.com or 419-836-1466. Mohican Lodge & Conference Center, Perrysville Accommodations: 96 lodge rooms. Activities/features: Hiking, boating and fishing in Mohican State Park. Birds of prey presentations by the Ohio Bird Sanctuary. Proximity to Ohio’s Amish country. www.mohicanstateparklodge.com or 419-938-5411. Punderson Manor Lodge & Conference Center, Newbury Accommodations: 31 lodge rooms, 26 cottages. Activities/features: Historic English Tudor-style mansion. Indoor/outdoor pools, beach, volleyball, tennis, basketball and golf. Snowmobiling, sledding and ice skating. Ice fishing on Punderson Lake in the winter. www.pundersonmanorstateparklodge.com or 440-564-9144. Salt Fork Lodge & Conference Center, Cambridge Accommodations: 148 lodge rooms, 54 cottages. Activities/features: Access to Ohio’s largest state park with hiking, boating, golf and horse riding trails. Huge pine beam and stone lodge. www.saltforkstateparklodge.com or 740-435-9000. Shawnee Lodge & Conference Center, West Portsmouth Accommodations: 50 lodge rooms, 25 cottages. Activities/features: Public beaches and canoeing on Roosevelt and Turkey Creek lakes. Nature center and a 50-mile hiking trail. Tennis, shuffleboard, volleyball and game room. www.shawneestateparklodge.com or 740-858-6621.

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