Clarion Hotel

“Great Location and Amazing Staff, With a Few Areas to Improve”

We recently stayed at the Clarion Inn Branson for a week, and overall we had a very enjoyable experience. The biggest highlight of this hotel was definitely the staff. They truly made our stay special. Hannah was absolutely phenomenal. From the moment she checked us in, she was friendly, welcoming,… more

We recently stayed at the Clarion Inn Branson for a week, and overall we had a very enjoyable experience. The biggest highlight of this hotel was definitely the staff. They truly made our stay special. Hannah was absolutely phenomenal. From the moment she checked us in, she was friendly, welcoming, personable, and genuinely caring. She made us feel more like friends than just hotel guests. She was charming, helpful, and gave us great suggestions for things to do in Branson. Valerie, who worked evenings, was also wonderful. She helped us purchase tickets to the Rigatoni’s Murder Mystery Dinner Show at the hotel, and because we were staying at the Clarion Inn, we received a discounted price. She was very helpful, friendly, and took the time to answer our questions and make sure we had a great experience. Jason, who I believe was newer to the staff, was also very friendly and personable. The hotel itself was a good value. Our room was clean, we had no issues with bugs, and the beds were cozy and comfortable. We really enjoyed having a balcony, and the two swimming pools were a great bonus. The pool was hot and the hot tub was hotter. It felt like swimming in a hot bathtub. Misty hotels the pool is cold, not here after a hot day it was almost disgusting getting into. They do have complimentary pool noodles and those for travels to play with. The location was also excellent for our trip. WonderWorks was right across the street, the Titanic Museum was just down the road, the Aquarium at the Boardwalk was nearby, and attractions like Dolly Parton’s Stampede and Fritz’s Adventure were just a short distance away. We loved how convenient it was to get to the places we wanted to visit. The hotel shares a parking lot with Local Flavor, which is a popular restaurant to the left of the hotel and on the right side of the hotel is Mel's Hard Luck Diner (with the singing waitresses). There were a few things that could be improved. Our room had some maintenance issues. The door did not close automatically behind us, so we had to physically push it shut every time we left or entered. The bathroom door was damaged, there was a ding in the bathtub, and there were some blue marks on the sink. These were smaller issues, and they did NOT affect the overall appearance of the room. I just let the staff know and took pictures to ensure I wasn't charged for "damages". The biggest disappointment was the complimentary breakfast. Since we stayed for seven days, we were hoping for more variety. The free breakfast included cold cereal, oatmeal, apples, orange juice, milk, water, one waffle maker, one small pancake station that makes 2 small pancaks, and biscuits and gravy. The biscuits and gravy were good, however, eggs, bacon, sausage, yogurt, or additional fruit options were not availablewith the free breakfast. For a longer stay, it would have been nice to have more choices and some healthier options at no charge. The breakfast area itself was also uncomfortable in the morning because of the large windows. The sun shines directly into the dining area, making it very warm while eating breakfast. The milk container and water pitcher were sweating from the heat, and the area felt uncomfortable. I do want to mention that the hotel does offer a larger breakfast option at the poolside bar area which is in the other part of the hotel, for an additional charge of $7.99 per person and drinks are not included. That breakfast had many more options, (the wait staff that brings drinks for an additional charge on top of the $7.99) and the hotel provided us with two buy-one-get-one-free vouchers, which was a nice gesture. My son and I ordered 2 drinks with the voucher or breakfast total was about $13.50, which I have to admit is cheaper than many other restaurants. However considering other hotels who include simple things such as eggs, bacon, or sausage, and other fruit options with yogurt cups at no additional charge or was disappointing, but we handled it. I just want future travels to be aware! Another thing future guests should know is that the parking area can be challenging. The hotel sits at the bottom of a hill, and the parking lot has a steep incline. Depending on where you park, opening your door can be tricky. On the downhill side, your door can swing open quickly and potentially hit the car next to you. On the uphill side, you have to push your door open, so you need to be careful about your legs getting caught. Parking can also become difficult in the evening because the hotel hosts the Rigatoni Murder Mystery dinner show that runs from 5–7 p.m., and those guests are supposed to use the back parking area but it is difficult to find parking. Overall, we had a great stay and would consider coming back. The friendly staff, convenient location, comfortable room, pools, and overall value made this a memorable trip. With some improvements to the breakfast offerings, room maintenance, and parking situation, this hotel could be even better.

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