Hotels in Indian Country - Part I Coushatta Grand Hotel, Coushatta

Hotels in Indian Country
Hotels are the cornerstones of the casino resort experience. They offer inviting surroundings,
as well as a wide assortment of amenities, to ensure the comfort of their guests. In the first
installment of this feature, we take a look at Native hotels from across the nation, focusing on
the atmosphere, level of service, and amenities they provide...
Coushatta Casino Resort - Kinder, LA
Coushatta Grand Hotel, Coushatta Grand Inn & Koasati Pines Lodge
www.coushattacasinoresort.com
Year Opened:
Coushatta Grand Inn - 2002
Coushatta Grand Hotel - 1999
Koasati Pines Lodge - 2004
Number of rooms:
Coushatta Grand Hotel – 208 (68 Suites)
Coushatta Grand Inn – 195
Koasati Pines Lodge – 79 (3 Suites)
Elegant rooms at remarkable rates
are hallmarks of the overnight accommodations available at Coushatta Casino
Resort. With over 500 rooms and suites,
guests experience a level of comfort,
service and style that is second to none.
The 208 spacious, beautifully furnished rooms and suites of Coushatta
Grand Hotel offer an unsurpassed level
of comfort, style, and personal service.
From the luxury of authentic marble
floors, magnificent chandeliers and
intriguing art, to the practicality of
in-room coffeemakers, hair dryers and
ironing provisions, guests will treasure
every moment of their stay. They can
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indulge in one of the spacious studio or
stunning two-room suites boasting
elegant seating areas, large screen TVs
and in-room refrigerators, plus pristine
baths with spa tubs and marble accents.
Guests can challenge themselves with a
workout in the well-appointed fitness
room, relax with a swim in the beautiful
indoor pool, or phone the front desk to
schedule a soothing massage. Free Wi-Fi
is also included.
Coushatta Inn’s comfortably elegant
rooms are located just steps away from
Louisiana’s most exciting casino. Golfers
enjoy the casual comfort of Koasati Pines
Lodge, nestled next to the award-winning championship golf course. Outdoor enthusiasts enjoy Red Shoes RV
Resort’s beautifully landscaped acres,
fully furnished chalets, two-acre lake,
and children’s playground. There is
supervised childcare at KidsQuest (ages
6 weeks to 12 years) and CyberQuest
arcade for teens. The entire family will
find something to satisfy appetites at any
of the six restaurants, serving everything
from fast food to fantastic cuisine. Guests
will stay entertained with Coushatta’s
exciting gaming, including 2,800 of the
newest hottest slots, 70 table games, plus
a live poker room.
Island Resort & Casino - Harris, MI
The Palm Tower & Sun Tower
www.islandresortandcasino.com
Year Opened:
Palm Tower - 2007
Sun Tower - 1998
Number of rooms:
Palm Tower - 162 (3 suites)
Sun Tower - 112 (11 suites)
Situated on Michigan’s pristine Upper
Peninsula, the Island Resort & Casino is
an expansive 24/7 property that includes
two hotel towers, 1,400 slots, table games,
1,327-seat showroom with exceptional
live entertainment year-round, and five
restaurants and lounges. Owned by the
Hannahville Band of the Potawatomi
Nation, the property has benefited from
significant expansions in recent years,
including the upscale Palm Tower, added
in 2007, offering 162 new rooms with
several luxury suites and a new Presidential Suite. Décor is classic modern style in
taupes, grays, greens and neutrals. All
rooms have WIFI and many have flatscreen televisions and new baths. All suites
include whirlpool tubs. The Presidential
Suite includes two bedrooms, central
living area with boardroom/gaming table
and full kitchen, whirlpool tubs and l
uxury baths (two bathrooms and one
powder room).
Each hotel guest 18 and over receives
$5 dinner coupon, $5 promo coupon, $5
Bingo coupon and drink coupon at check
in as well as free valet parking. Other
hotel amenities include indoor swimming
pool and hot tub, small fitness center,
including treadmill, recumbent bike and
elliptical machines. There is a full-service
salon offering hair, manicures and pedicures, and tanning services, as well as
business services available via front desk
(copying, minor shipping, etc.). Expansion
is currently under construction to nearly
double the space of the meeting and conference center to 17,400 sq. ft. (seating up
to 828). It is anticipated to open in April
2011.
The Island Showroom offers a vibrant
year-round lineup of performers, from
top music bands to comedians, shows to
psychics. Restaurants such as Firekeepers and the Beachcomber Restaurant
and Bar present a wide selection of items
that range from salads and sandwiches to
steaks and daily specials in a casual
setting. The Island Bar is a popular
setting for sports enthusiasts and Club
Four One is an intimate lounge that
frequently hosts comedy nights, jazz,
games, and smaller performances. Snack
bars and beverage service are available
around the clock.
The property is accessible via airports
in both Marquette and Escanaba. The
Upper Peninsula also offers seasonal boating and fishing on the Great Lakes, nature
preserves and hunting, shopping and
scenic vistas.
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Shelton, WA
Little Creek Casino Resort
www.little-creek-casino.com
Year Opened: 2003
Number of Rooms: 190 (15 suites)
Little Creek Casino Resort in Shelton,
Washington, a resort owned and operated
by the Squaxin Island Indian Tribe,
recently completed an expansion project
that added an additional 98 rooms. The
new hotel tower is adjacent to the
original hotel, which opened in December 2003. The two five-story towers are
connected by a ground-floor walkway,
which resembles the interior of a tribal
longhouse.
All rooms at the resort offer California King bed or queen beds, high-speed
Internet access and a personal coffee
pot. The deluxe spa rooms
feature a two-person jetted Jacuzzi tub, Sister Sky
natural spa products, a
stereo, DVD player and
VCR. The two-room spa
suites are perfect for a family getaway as they feature
a California king bed, a
queen sized sleeper sofa,
Jacuzzi tub, Sister Sky
natural spa products, a
leather chair, microwave,
refrigerator, sink, stereo,
DVD player, VCR, and
two televisions. Resort
rooms feature soothing
colors, real wood furnishings and leather chairs.
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Guests are welcome to use the resort’s
business center where complimentary
use of PCs, printers and a fax machine are
available. Hotel guests can also enjoy a
Colorado. Also part of the expansion
was the opening of the Skookum Creek
Event Center that hosts business and
other events for up to 2,000 guests and
fitness room, indoor heated pool and an
oversized Jacuzzi. Towels are provided at
the pool and bath robes are available in
every guest room.
The front desk area is now in the new
hotel tower atrium lobby, while the old
front desk area is an expanded espresso
station. Seven dining options are
available in the resort and casino
ranging from fine dining to a seafood bar
to a buffet. The Starlight Lounge boasts
exclusive Little Creek Ale and a full
palate of regional selections from
Oregon, Alaska, Washington and
provides quality, live entertainment,
comedy, music and other shows.
The new Salish Cliffs Golf Club is
expected to open in the spring of 2011.
This Gene Bates-designed championship
course boasts amazing, 360-degree views
of the Kamilche Valley. Utilizing the
area's amazing natural attributes, Salish
Cliffs incorporates natural vegetation,
rock facings and 600 feet of elevation
changes with seamless transitions. Salish
Cliffs will become the first completely
Indian-owned and operated golf course
in Washington State.
Prior Lake, MN
Mystic Lake Casino Hotel
www.mysticlake.com
Year Opened: 1996
Number of Rooms: 586 (53 suites)
Walk through the hotel lobby doors
after taking advantage of the free valet
parking at Mystic Lake Casino Hotel and
you’re immediately welcomed by the
friendly staff to a warm and relaxing
environment. An expanse of comfortable
seating surrounds a picturesque fireplace making it the perfect setting to
meet with friends, or sip a delicious latte
from The Coffee Bar – located directly
across from the hotel front desk.
feel to your stay and the perfect environment for
a rejuvenating dip. Looking for a more intensive
workout? All hotel guests receive free access to
the 230,000 sq. ft. Dakotah! Sport and Fitness.
The exercise facility features two ice rinks, a
rock-climbing wall, a swimming pool with waterslides, racquetball and squash courts, two basketball courts, a batting cage, and multiple rooms full
of state-of-the-art workout equipment from
treadmills to exercise bikes to free weights.
Mystic Lake Casino Hotel is the official Casino
Hotel of Mall of America, which is located just
20 minutes away. Downtown Minneapolis is just
a 25-minute drive. And, of course, staying at
Mystic Lake’s hotel means you’re just steps away
from Minnesota’s largest casino.
Once in your spacious luxury hotel room
or suite you’ll find everything you need for
a comfortable stay. Complimentary robes,
soft beds and fluffy pillows let you relax in
comfort, while cable television with movies
and video games on demand take care of
your in-room entertainment needs. Hungry? Give room service a call! The same
award-winning chefs that prepare meals in
Il Premio, the Minnehaha Café and all of
Mystic Lake’s other distinctive restaurants
will provide you with a made-to-order
meal from the extensive room service menu,
which is available from 7 a.m. through
1 a.m. daily.
But staying in the hotel means you can
enjoy more than just your room. The
atrium swimming pool lends a tropical
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Pala, CA
Pala Casino Spa & Resort
www.palacasino.com
Year Opened: 2003
Number of Rooms: 507 (82 suites)
Nestled in the splendor of the Palomar
Mountains in Northern San Diego
County, CA, Pala Casino Spa & Resort
provides its guests exciting entertainment
amid a relaxing serenity that rejuvenates
body and mind. As an American Automobile Association (AAA) Four Diamond
Award winner for six consecutive years,
Pala’s reputation for quality and service
resounds throughout the property, from
the 2,000-slot machine gaming floor, 87
table games and poker room, to its 10
restaurants, its A-List concert venues,
award-winning Pala Spa and its FourDiamond hotel.
Pala’s 10-story hotel tower includes
507 rooms, including 82 suites. Each room
has a state-of-the art 42-inch, flat-screen
television (Grand Suites have two, one in the living room and
one in the bedroom), luxury armoires, iPod docking clock radios, coffee makers and dry vanities
with lighted make-up mirrors. Each room and
suite also has high-speed Internet service and all
suites have in-room Jacuzzis. All bedding is
Simmons Felicity II mattresses featuring the
HealthSmart cover.
Pala is the best bet for entertainment in Southern California because unlike most California and
Las Vegas casino/resorts, Pala does not charge its
guests resort fees, a room tax or a sales tax on food
at its 10 restaurants. At many resorts, resort fees,
which are not always obvious to the guest, are
tacked onto the final cost of a room. They can
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include such services as newspapers, gym access, in-room
water, telephone service and entry to the spa.
Pala provides two 16 oz. bottles of water daily in
each room; there are no fees for local telephone calls
or 1-800 calls; one copy of a daily newspaper is delivered free; all parking, including valet, is free and the
fitness center if free for all hotel guests. And, there
is no sales tax on spa services or treatments, drinks
and snacks purchased in the gift shop, or gift shop
items purchased with a Pala Privileges card.
As part of its Planet Pala environmental program,
the hotel is a partner with the Clean the World
Foundation and re-cycles bath soap, shampoo, hair
conditioner and body lotion from its hotel rooms to
reduce the spread of illness and improve hygiene
around the world.
Pearl River Resort - Choctaw, MS
Silver Star Hotel & Casino & Golden Moon Hotel & Casino
www.pearlriverresort.com
Year Opened:
Golden Moon - 2002
Silver Star - 1997
Number of Rooms:
Golden Moon - 571 (112 suites, 32 VIP)
Silver Star - 584
Pearl River Resort is the first comprehensive luxury gaming resort in the Southeast. The resort features Golden Moon Hotel & Casino, Silver Star Hotel & Casino
and Bok Homa Casino. The Golden Moon property features three great restaurants
offering a variety of dining experiences. An impressive, architecturally stunning
development in and of itself, the Golden Moon Hotel & Casino is a 28-story,
843,000-sq. ft. luxury facility that features nearly 600 rooms with over 100 suites and
32 VIP suites that all offer high-speed Internet access. Also equipped with a stateof-the-art fitness facility, and an indoor pool, business center, the Golden Moon offers
something for every guest.
The Silver Star property offers gaming and a variety of activities for
all visitors to the Pearl River Resort. The Silver Star features over 500
well-appointed guest rooms, plus more than 75 opulent suites that all offer
in-room, high-speed Internet access. There are also a variety of dining
options, including the mouthwatering Miko steakhouse. There is also
world class shopping available as well as a spa experience with Oriental,
Swedish and therapeutic massages. In addition, guests are welcome to use
a world-class fitness center with state-of-the-art equipment and pool, a
business center and full laundry services.
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Pechanga Resort & Casino - Temecula, CA
Pechanga Resort & Casino
A top-to-bottom
remodel was recently
undertaken in the
hotel tower at the
received new contemporary furniture, including an armoire,
writing desk, three-drawer dresser, nightstands, headboard,
and entertainment center.
The 517 beautifully-appointed and spacious guest rooms,
AAA Four-Diamond Pechanga Resort & Casino, in the
picturesque Wine Country of Southern California. Style and
comfort came together as every guest floor received new carpet,
wallpaper, furniture, and a full HD entertainment system. Every
room in the hotel was completely remodeled, ensuring a
modern and comfortable atmosphere for our guests.
including 64 suites, feature oversized beds with double pillowtop mattresses, floor-to-ceiling windows with mountain or valley views and the brand new GuestLink, an electronic input system that lets patrons plug in their own video game systems, iPods,
Blu-ray players or whatever electronic device they choose. This
will save from costly add-on room charges that many hotels tack
on to customer bills.
Hotel guests can also enjoy the expanded Spa Pechanga, a
redesigned Health Club, high-speed Internet access, in-room
safes, sun deck with swimming pool, concierge service and three
retail outlets. Don’t forget to try Journey at Pechanga, the
world-class course rated as one of the best in California by Golf
magazine. The crown jewel of Pechanga, however, is the more
than 3,000 slots and 130 table games, making up the largest casino
in the entire Western USA.
www.pechanga.com
Year Opened: 2002
Number of Rooms: 517 (64 suites)
New technology was incorporated in every hotel room.
Each deluxe room now has a 42-inch LCD HDTV, while each
suite features three LCD HDTVs – a 32-inch screen above
the wet bar, as well as a 42-inch screen in the living room and
in the bedroom. Every corridor has plush new carpet in a subtle blue hue with French chocolate borders. New wallpaper
in the hallways accentuates the natural aesthetic of the hotel
tower, giving way to a softer ambience. Each deluxe room
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February 2011
Oneida Indian Nation’s Turning Stone Resort and Casino - Verona, NY
The Lodge, The Tower, The Hotel and The Inn at Turning Stone
www.turningstone.com
Year Opened:
The Lodge - 2004
The Tower - 2004
The Hotel - 1997
The Inn - 1999
Number of Rooms:
The Lodge - 95 suites
The Tower - 285 (19 suites)
The Hotel - 268 (28 suites)
The Inn - 61
Comfort and luxury are hallmarks of the lodging choices at
the Oneida Indian Nation’s Turning Stone Resort Casino,
which is located in the heart of Upstate New York.
The Lodge at Turning Stone is a 95-room, all-suite hotel
that has earned AAA Four Diamond honors and also has been
recognized as the “Most Excellent Golf Resort” in the USA
and Canada by Condé Nast Johansen’s. Located on the fourth
floor of The Lodge is a stunning 2,900 sq. ft. Presidential Suite
that provides an unparalleled level of luxury. The Lodge also
features Wildflowers, an upscale restaurant – one of 21 distinct
dining options at the resort, and the world-class Skaná Spa (one
of SpaFinder’s “Top Ten Spas in the Best Casino Hotel” for
2008) which provides a full range of treatments that combine
ancient American Indian healing traditions to promote inner
peace and harmony.
The tallest building between Albany and Syracuse is The
Tower at Turning Stone, which has earned AAA Four Diamond
status for the past four years. The 19-story, 253-foot tall
building, with sweeping countryside views, is home to 285 guest
rooms, including 19 suites.
The Hotel at Turning Stone has a bold new shine as a refurbishing project continues on all of its 240 guest rooms and 28
suites. Specialty room choices include Jacuzzi Rooms and
Suites, Patio Suites, and Luxury Suites. The Ahsí Day Spa &
Salon is located near The Hotel atrium, which is also conveniently adjacent to the gaming floor.
The Inn at Turning Stone is a moderately priced alternative to The Hotel, offering 61 guest rooms with all new, fully
refurbished interiors. p
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