The Bluffs Inn & Suites

The outside was very run down and in desperate need of a renovation
That being said, our room was clean, smelled a bit musty (the ice maker had broken down and had a bad leak) and the bed was super comfy, although it slid around a little due to extra curricular activities…
The BEST part of my stay was the super sweet little old lady at check in, you could tell this woman cared a lot about her guests and wanted to be sure we were comfortable
Our rooms décor was outdated, but not by any means nasty!

Horrible. Filthy. Run down. Creepy staff. Squatters living in the back of the property. If I could subtract stars I would subtract mine and every other one star given.
There’s a chain hotel right across the street. No idea why anyone checks in here. I was here not by choice but on a reservation someone made for me.
Bates motel is The Ritz compared to this dump.

We stayed here for one night on our way through town. When we got there after 4:00pm our room wasn’t ready. We had a drink in the bar while we waited (the bar is great and a totally separate owner). We were told it would be 15 minutes for our room but we each had a drink and chatted with the bartender for much longer than that. Our room was still being vacuumed. This place is very run down. The hallways are dark and carpets are stained. Our room did smell clean which is one positive thing I can say about it. The bed was hard and lumpy. The walls are very thin and we would have been kept up all night by the residents there if we hadn’t been so exhausted. There is no coffee maker (just the tea bag type of coffee) and the mini-fridge’s door didn’t close. The clock wasn’t plugged in. They did have cable TV and free wi-​fi.
The residents there were very informative. We found out that a water main had broken in part of the hotel causing a lot of damage which hadn’t been fixed so it was condemned. It is clear that there are several parts of the place that are abandoned. There is so much potential for this hotel if it were fixed up. Stay across the street at the Country Inn and Suites!

It is a real shame because this property has been a Decorah fixture since the 1950’s. It seems that the last few owners have been unable to afford the upkeep required. The buildings are old and have not been renovated. Room fixtures, furnishings and linens are well worn. Carpets have stains both inside and outside guest rooms. Hall lighting is via delayed motion sensor which can definitely be disconcerting at night. Most areas apart from the reception smell of cigarette smoke, mildew, and cat urine. Most of the 1^st floor (& detached 2-​story annex on back corner of property) is not in use. Pool has been abandoned for years but still has some water standing in the deep end! A house attached to the pool building seems to have been converted to a dog house with dogs roaming a fenced-​in yard full of trash and debris. Again, it is a shame given the history as well as the friendly staff currently working there. But, I must echo my wife’s concern that the property has now become a public health hazard. I know that lodging options in Decorah can be very scarce, but you’d be wise to exhaust all other possibilities first.

Simply the worst customer service I’ve experienced in years. I booked a room more than a month ahead of time for a Luther friend’s wedding. Despite clearly stating what night I wanted and indicating I wanted a room in the wedding block, the clerk reserved a room for the wrong night. When I called the night before, the clerk did nothing to resolve the situation. Rather, he refused to help, blamed me for the entire situation, and said it was impossible to provide any refund. By contrast, Country Inn and Suites was extremely helpful and welcoming.