Grand Harbor Resort and Waterpark

We (wife, 2 children, and me) stayed here during our winter break. I'm kind of surprised when looking at some of the reviews that this place sits at a 3.8 to 3.9. We really enjoyed it. It was very reasonably priced each night. The water park isn't massive but it's all you really need if you have younger children (our 6 year old had fun). If you like Wis Dells (we like Great Wolfe Lodge) this water park is smaller --> it has a "water jungle gym", kiddie pool area, 2 body slides, 1 tube slide, lazy river, 2 hot tubs, and a pool. It was busy but I never felt uncomfortable with too many people. The resort offers free breakfast but that's a "madhouse" down there each morning so you might be best off sending a family member down really early (when it opens) to get food for the family & eat in the room. Additionally, the room we had was completely fine --> room was clean, good sleeping accommodations. The only complaint(s) I would have are --> the WiFi is trash (I just used my mobile hot spot on my phone) & for whatever reason local fox (I wanted to watch a bowl game) wasn't actually on the list of TV channels. Additionally, if you're in to some gambling, Diamond Jo Casino is right across the street. I popped in there each morning to place some wagers which was a nice bonus as well. We also went to the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium --> it's right down the street. That too was good. Lastly, we went to 7 hills brewing company for beer/dinner (great food and good beer) and Dimensional Brewing (fun beer types and good food).
We will be back here next year --> it's a perfect middle point for our family and our family members that live in Minnesota

We just spent the last 3 days at Grand Harbor Resort for Special Olympics Iowa Winter Games and it was the absolute best time. The staff was all amazing, catering to all our needs, going above and beyond daily. The rooms were warm and cozy, and extra clean. We will definitely be back as a family.

Great indoor waterpark close to home. Nice layout that allows you to keep an eye on the kids. Big hot tub for relaxing parents. Water temperatures all around are very pleasant. Not a huge Waterpark, but big enough to keep the kids entertained. Rooms are nothing fancy, but have all the necessities and are clean.

This hotel is fantastic. The staff was amazing. We loved the waterpark. Everything was very clean. My only criticism is that there are only 2 elevators for hundreds of guests. It was tough to get the elevator.

This was our first time visiting Grand Harbor, and we were very happy with the experience. We normally go up to Wisconsin for indoor Water parks but was invited here for a birthday and we'll definitely be back. It has ALL of our favorite things from the other indoor Water parks (lazy River, water slides, and a giant bucket that dumps water!) without being crazy overpriced and PACKED the whole time. We'll definitely be back!

Took a spur of the moment trip with our 2 girls, 4 and 6. Big breakfast area with decent selection, fun pool area with cheap drinks, and rooms were cheap too compared to other places with a waterpark! Staff in the waterpark area were great! We will do this again.

Great place for the kids indoor Waterpark. Also has Tony Roma's for live music and good food.

We stayed here as a family vacation. there was 20 of us.We had a great time.The accommodations were perfect

Great fun place to go, the kids will have a blast. Plenty space for adults to relax and have a drink. Good size arcade as well

I'm not sure why this place doesn't have better ratings. It's not a crazy fancy hotel but the rooms are nice, clean & and comfortable, especially for the price. I would go back & stay longer. The indoor water park is really cool, especially if you have kids

I only had two days availability so what better way to enjoy it than taking a short road trip (700 miles round trip) and a dip in a family friendly Waterpark? The hotel staff were friendly, we saved a bunch by going here instead of Great Wolf Lodge and have nothing but great things to say of the staff, their attentiveness and the attractions in the area. My only qualm is that the continental breakfast was somewhat lacking. It would have been nice to have a choice including waffles, muffins, pastries and fruit other than apples and oranges. Otherwise a fantastic stay.

Convenient to the casino and a very well maintained hotel. Didn't get to the water park this time, but my grandson loved it when he went. They now have a free continental breakfast served at the Tony Roma's in the building. Always enjoy staying there.

First visit to Grand Harbor Resort and Water Park. Location by Mississippi River. We were with our daughter, her husband and 2 granddaughters.They had a great time at the water park. Very fun place for young kids and adults as well. Fun water slides and climbing stations with water dumping from a giant bucket. The slide tunnel was pitch dark and fast. The park staff were very happy to answer you're questions. Safety was their top priority as they made sure there was no running and had a watchful eye on the water as well for any trouble. Nice rooms and great breakfast. Fun time.

The absolute best hotel ever . So well built that you don't hear anything from the adjoining rooms . We had a great view of the Mighty Mississippi River.

Nice room with a fantastic view of the Mississipi river!!!!! Very helpful staff.

I can't say enough about how wonderful our visit was. The water park was well maintained and clean. The kids and the adults all had fun. The breakfast was beyond what I expected. And the staff from the lifeguards to the lost and found to the desk personnel and the cleaning staff were top flight.

Stayed there overnight while on the Riverboat Twilight cruise. The room was big and comfortable. Food in the dining room was good. This was my third time staying there.

I used to work at this property many years ago, and I finally made it back for a visit to the waterpark. I have high expectations, particularly of the staff, as I have first hand knowledge of their duties. The gentleman at the front desk that checked us in was very friendly and enthusiastic. Once inside the waterpark, I was very pleased with all of the lifeguards on duty. They were attentive and friendly. They were following the rules put in place, rules that I used to enforce all those years ago. It was nice to see that consistency.

There was a lifeguard that did stand out to me, her name was Deana. While all the lifeguards had great attitudes, Deana seemed to really enjoy the job. I even took notice of her cleaning up towels and sweeping on her breaks, something I appreciated as a former employee who used to take great pride in my job.

I also stopped into the kids room with my little nieces and let them do a craft. That kids room had a serious overhaul during the remodel, and it brought me back to the early days of the hotel. Sheila was also wonderful with the kids! She definitely seemed genuinely happy to be there!

I feel like to make this an honest review and not biased I also have to list the negative. The only thing I noticed is the little fish slide that had been installed has such a short landing pad. That slide gives the kiddos some speed that sends them past the blue landing pad, so definitely keep that in mind with the littles! I noticed parents waiting at the end to catch the kiddos before they slid too far, which seemed to work well.

I did not utilize the arcade or concessions stand so I cannot speak on those for this visit.

I noticed all of the efforts to maintain the structure we used to refer as the "treehouse". I noticed the color change, it started off white back when the hotel first opened, and I was part of the team to transitioned it to black. The goal was to make it more off a "pirate ship" back then. I see that they have since changed directions and brightened it back up, by changing the black to blue. It's probably not on most people's radar when they visit, but it was something I noticed and appreciated. It's nice to see that it's still being worked on.

Overall it was a great visit to the place that used to be a big part of my life. I see the growth and change and all the efforts that are made to constantly improve. I'm sure it'll be a while before I'm able to make another visit, as I live a few hours away nowadays, but it was definitely nice to be back and I would recommend enjoying some family time at the waterpark for the day! It's a great option for winter fun!

Had great time while there. So we are going back. Soon

Very family friendly. Water Park was great. Location is great. Close to a lot of attractions.