Aerie's Resort in Grafton Illinois

Our stay at the Aeries Resort Lodge in the Deck House was a 5 star stay for our needs and quick getaway. The check in/checkout process was quick and efficient. The room was exceptionally clean and the king-size bed was incredibly comfortable, providing a luxurious feel while still being cozy; (allow extra time for sleeping) making it a perfect escape. The view of Grafton and the Mississippi River from the deck house was also nice, it was cloudy during our stay. If you're looking for a last-minute New Year's Eve room or just a quick getaway, I highly recommend booking a stay at the Aeries Resort Lodge for a relaxing and memorable experience.

We ate and then zip lined her leg for my son’s 21st birthday. Everyone is fantastic!!!!! Can’t say enough about the employees at the Zip Line. So much fun!!

This resort is more for a relaxing rustic experience. We stayed in a suite. It was extremely clean and comfortable. This place was nostalgic and charming. The view from our balcony was amazing. I sat on the balcony in the morning drinking the aromatic coffee that was provided. We rode the sky lift, with the most breathtaking views of the trees and the river. We also rode the gondola. The restaurant on site, was only ok. They close at 7pm and had a very limited menu. However the bar staff was great. The Aerie's winery was closed. However the grafton winery was on walking distance. We also road an exciting Rollercoaster through the forest. The owner of the resort greeted us and thanked us for staying. I highly recommend aerie's as a relaxing getaway for a rustic retreat. Our suite did not have satellite or cable, only regular TV, but honestly we more there for the splendid views and calmness. It was so peaceful.

Service: 5

We stayed for the first time here and were very underwhelmed after hearing glowing reviews. Our room dockside 202 was very clean however it was dull and sparse. The barn doors for the bathroom were not practical and made you feel like the bathroom and bedroom were essentially one room (did not feel private at all). The bed was very firm. No art on walls and no curtains on the windows, we were up early due to light coming into the room. We are at the restaurant on the hill and it was also sparse. Basically five choices for a meal. Overall, we are disappointed in our stay and would not likely return

This place is a money grab tourist trap at best. 30+ mins in line, forced to buy skylift tickets, don’t worry another 30+ mins in line to get back down. Could at least have a shuttle or tram. Expensive and not worth it

Service: 1

Gabe and Lincoln were amazing, patient and funny guides. We had the best time zipping through the trees. #bucketlist

Thanks for celebrating the 5 year milestone with us Gabe, Lincoln and Cloe!

Food and drinks: Food was delicious and served with a smile.

Service: 5

Beyond Disappointed and Frustrated - We have been coming to Aeries for years . To now know we are forced to pay for the sky lift to eat at your restaurant is ridiculous. We came over on 10/25/2024 and had to pay $60.00 to ride to your restaurant
to find out you were closed(their was 6 of us $10.00 a head) . You were serving food in your banquet Room. We were told there was over an hour wait to get food. So we had no choice since we just spend $60.00 to ride the sky lift. So we had to eat there . The food was not great . So $200.00 later we were all very disappointed and frustrated. We will not be coming back !!!

Service: 1

Had my 2nd trip to Aeries October 19th, 2024…..last was August 2017.
Both times we went on the zip line. So much fun and awesome guys as guides. This time we visited the winery and enjoyed the views from there. I highly recommend anyone passing through or living within a day’s drive come visit this place. Always a lot of fun! Recommend reserving your spot online for the zip line, and be sure to get there on time!
I stayed in the hotel the previous times and the room was great in 2017.

Service: 5

Beautiful views from our room. Not to far to walk to all the attractions. Had a great weekend.. my only complaint was the mattress.. my back hurts a bit but it was totally worth it😁

Food and drinks: Wine was delicious. 🍷

Service: 5

Rollercoaster and zip line at a winery?! Need I say more---? 10/10 best winery experience--so fun!

I planned a 2 day trip from Indiana for my teenagers & my sister for Fall Break. We looked at the pictures etc online & it said it was a”resort”. This was far from the truth, the room was unacceptable for four people to sleep, no WiFi the tv was not compatible for streaming, only 2 beds, a tiny table & chairs to sit. The $398 the charged for two nights was not appropriate for the above room & lack of amenities. The restaurant staff wasn’t friendly & closed at 7pm, the Winery wasn’t open, the registration building wasn’t even with the hotel portion & they closed at 7pm. If there was an issue nobody was there to call. We felt unsafe & there were no games or resort amenities for my kids to use or keep busy with at night. I asked for a full refund because we left within fours of hours checkin. I was told I would receive a full refund but I was only given $152 back of the nearly $400 I spent. We were lucky to find an airbnb that let us checkin last minute so we made the best of the situation but very disappointed not getting a full refund back after we were disappointed with the “resort”.

Service: 1

Stayed in the Deck House. Great location and the view was amazing. Every employee we encountered greeted us warmly and made sure we had what we needed. Will recommend and be back!

Service: 5

I was disappointed because I was looking forward to the jetted tub. I booked online and the website stated (copied from the website),

YOUR COMFORT
Aerie's Resort is proud to offer rooms full of amenities to ensure your stay is as comfortable and stress-free as possible. Amenities include a jetted tub, private balcony, kitchenette, mini-fridge, coffee pot, TV,WI-FI, snacks, and more

The website did not stipulate that certain rooms did NOT have jetted tub. When I asked about it after seeing my room, they acted like it was my fault and didn’t even offer an apology or anything. The room was very pricey for not having a jetted tub and this is the only reason I stayed there!!!
WILL NOT STAY HERE AGAIN!!!!

Service: 3

Our experience here started off great with a nice skyline ride to the top. Our kids enjoyed their coaster rides, too. Our positivity and patience ended after we were sat for lunch. Our waitress had zero personality. We ordered our meals and waited over an hour and a half for sub-par food. As if that weren’t bad enough, my eight year olds meal was forgotten about… it was a hotdog. Not entirely difficult to make! She ended up having a lunch consisting of random bits and pieces of everyone else’s plates. I had to ask about her missing meal twice. There was absolutely no sense of urgency in any aspect of the restaurant. My FIL (whose birthday we were celebrating) found the owner and shared about our experience. The owner was unbothered and blamed staffing shortages and continued to enjoy his beer at the bar instead of helping by filling in where they were short staffed. The waitress brought out our check, there was no discount, nothing comped- not even the missing hotdog meal. After complaining to the lack of personality waitress, she got the manager who was kind, but also quick to write off their issues again with short staffing. He did discount our check but never once did we get an apology from anyone. We explained that even just some communication about how long the kitchen times were and giving us the OPTION of going elsewhere would have been appreciated! Save your time, money, and sanity!! GO SOMEWHERE ELSE.

My wife and I had a great stay here, the views are wonderful, the gondola is a must and the restaurant is nice. Bring some food for breakfast(!) and be sure to familiarize yourself with the gondola schedule because the walk up after hours is mighty steep.

Service: 5