Black Mountain Playhouse & Lodge

Well, our room was terrible. They show nice renovated rooms on the site, which is why we booked. We got in very late, so there was no one around to tell that the floor was soaking wet from the leak in the closet… there was no one around until we called someone to come the next day, actually, when the grill finally opened around lunchtime. The owner seems like a nice guy, but they’re way behind in renovations. We did end up getting a discount, but there’s no excuse for renting rooms when you know there’s a leak. How do we know they knew? They had a metal catchpan in the closet to try and capture all the water leaking down through the roof. The guy said, «Oh, but you did get a renovated room,» when I told him we liked the pictures of the rooms they had finished online. Yikes. The paint was peeling, the carpet was dirty, and the bed was a joke– old, rickety, with old linens. There’s a kitchen and microwave, but we ended up using the kitchen sink to brush our teeth because you can barely reach the bathroom sink– for some reason it’s built back into the wall under the mirror. Avoid Room 8!
We didn’t bother eating there or playing games at the «playhouse» so I can’t review those.
The location is terrific, however, and you can walk right out to the ski lift, and walk to your room to take a break in between runs on the mountain. Two stars for location. I suggest staying at the nicer Arrowhead Lodge which is right next door, and cheaper.

When I was a child, the Playhouse was always my favorite destination and I have many fond memories spent there. So, naturally, I took my kids when they were young. They had fun, too! Last weekend I took my grandson, and I could not have been more disappointed. Half of the arcade games either had out of order signs, or there was no warning and you would end up putting money in a game that didn’t function. (And, WHERE IS THE SKEEBALL?) There were a few kids watching a horrible TV show called «1000 Ways to Die» on SpikeTV, and I was mortified that such a graphic program was on where children could (and did) watch it. I asked the bored teenage girl at the counter to please turn the channel and explained why. She said «I cain’t turn the channel.» I asked who could and she said the manager. Well, where is the manager? «I doan’t know». She couldn’t have cared less and I was indignant. She finally yelled «There’s the remote over there», so I was able to change it to Nick Jr. If you happen to visit this apathetic hell-​hole, please check into what is showing on the TVs. Also, you might ask if an arcade mechanic has visited in the last 30 years. Wow. What a buzzkill. I gave The Playhouse one star because there isn’t a minus 12.

NOT STROLLER FRIENDLY– AT ALL!!! Probably the most awkward place we experienced in Red River with our stroller.
The miniature golf– we SO would have passed if we had the common sense to look at the «course» before we paid to play. They tried to squeeze 18 homemade holes into the attic. It was hard to play in holes against the wall, and it was hard to putt off the mat because the wood backstops were way too close. We had to take turns taking our kids to play because we could NOT get the baby stroller up there, and if we could, there was no where to really park it.
Arcade– Flash back to the 80s and early 90s. Street Fighter 2, Mario 2 & 3, the original teenage mutant ninja turtles. A lot of the games did not work, and the ones that did were pretty overpriced. (50 cents for a Simpsons pinball game that is so beat up, the spring and flippers barely work. Not cool.)
Skating– Another flashback to the 80s. The skates look like (and feel like) they’ve been in service for the last 30 years. The floor needs to be cleaned better. My wheels started gunking up after skating about 15 minutes. I’m all for the disco balls and christmas lights, but it was seriously WAY too dark on the skate floor. Some bigger boys nearly collided with my kids several times because they couldn’t see them. Think junior high dance where you can feel up your date unnoticed by the adults. Yeah, THAT dark. Kids on wheels flying across the room need a little more light, please and thank you.
This is not a place I would go out of my way to recommend, but it did serve as a time-​killer while we waited for the rain to subside so we could enjoy outdoor activities. If you’ve absolutely run out of things to do in Red River, by all means head to the Playhouse.