Hotels & Trave

Great Park, Lousy Lodge. Abe Martin Lodge, Brown County State Park, Indiana

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In an effort to better get to know the great state of Indiana, mr_chelledun and I typically make at least one visit each year to a different state park, staying on-site where possible. This year’s destination? Abe Martin Lodge at Brown County State Park, Indiana’s largest and most talked about natural venue. While we had an okay weekend catching up with some family members, I definitely would not return to this particular inn again.

Our Room

I expected our room at the Abe Martin Lodge to be as nice as those we’d encountered at the similarly designed Clifty Falls and Potawatomi Inns in Madison and Angola Indiana, respectively. Unfortunately, this was not the case. Our room at Abe Martin had a generally “stale” feel, from the air to the furniture. Everything seemed dated and droopy. The quilts on our queen beds had certainly seen better days, as had the ugly grey carpeting and chipped wooden furniture. We did have plenty of floor space. The free WIFI didn’t work in our room.

The bathroom wasn’t much better, with old-fashioned fixtures and a shower head left over from a time when people were…shorter. We had very basic toiletries and no hair dryers. The towels were more worn than the ones we use as rags at my house.

My biggest complaint, though, regards the housekeeping service at the Abe Martin Lodge. I could have put up with all of the above if the room was clean. It wasn’t. The carpet was dirty, there were scraps of paper on the floor, and worst of all, I found long, dark hair in the sink and shower. I’m a blonde. Yuuuuck! Poor mr_chelledun had to wipe out the shower before I would use it. Our room wasn’t cleaned while we were in it, either, beyond a quick bed making. We didn’t even get new toiletries after using ours up the first night. Bad show, Abe Martin!

Public Areas

If you’ve ever been to any state or national park lodge, the decor here is pretty much what you would expect – wood, stone, and animal skins. I love to visit Indiana’s state park inns largely because of their fabulous lounges, which invite visitors to linger over a book or a beautiful view. I noticed right away that the Abe Martin Lodge does not have as much lounge space as the other inns I have visited. There is a small sitting area above the main lobby and another down a hallway on the second floor. I must note that the rocking chairs in these spaces are awfully comfy, and during the day we were able to find a nice wooden table to put together our puzzle. During the second evening of our stay, though, a wedding party was occupying one lounge and a large family group had taken over the other, spreading its food and drinks over every square inch of space. It was disappointing not to be able to easily find a place to relax.

If relaxing isn’t what you’re after, though, you shouldn’t have much of a problem at the hotel. Abe Martin Lodge boasts a respectable game room complete with air hockey table, pinball machine, and a wide variety of those cranes that pick up stuffed animals and other prizes. Kids will go absolutely nuts about the hotel’s new pool complex which includes a twisty slide, buckets that dump water on your head, and various other splashy features. There is also a hot tub. We aren’t so much into the indoor water parks ourselves, but the facility definitely seemed to be getting good use during our stay.

Dining

Eating is always a big deal for us, and I’m pleased to report that the lodge’s Little Gem Dining Room is a respectable option for simple fare. We ate both breakfast and dinner buffets there. Don’t miss the macaroni cheese! Prices are very reasonable, at $7.00 and $14.00 for all-you-can-eat breakfast and dinner, respectively. The woodsy dining space is larger than it looks, but you may still have to wait a while since this is the only full-service restaurant on-site.

Those looking to eat on the cheap can take advantage of the vending machines and microwaves spaced around the facility. We saved some money by having pop-tarts for Sunday breakfast before heading home.

Area Attractions

The big deal here is, of course, Brown County Park – Indiana’s largest state park. Abe Martin Lodge is literally in the middle of the park, requiring a good ten minutes of curvy, hilly driving from the highway. There are a dozen or so hiking trails of varying degrees of difficulty. Trails 1 and 2 have the advantage of beginning and ending very close to the lodge. We opted for the 2.2 mile Trail 2 and enjoyed the varied terrain and checking out the lay of the land from a viewing tower on the route.

Visitors to the park can also pay a visit to downtown Nashville. If I’m being honest, the town’s a little tourist trappy for my taste. Parking is virtually impossible and shops and restaurants seem ridiculously overpriced for this part of the country. We ate at the “famous” Nashville House restaurant – the fried biscuits were okay, but $13.00 for a sandwich and $22+ for a meat platter at lunchtime is just crazy! We had a better experience at the Chocolate Emporium. It’s hard to beat chocolate-dipped Oreos, and they were only 50 cents a pop.

Overall…

I’ll just come right out and say it – the Abe Martin Lodge was sort of a bummer. We hoped for relaxation in a comfortable space, but ended up with subpar accommodations in an overcrowded lodge. The price is right at around $80.00 per night but I’d rather visit one of the other, better Indiana state park lodges closer to my own home.

*Looking for a great state park lodge in Indiana? Head to one of these instead!

Potawatomi Inn

Clifty Inn

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