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Weddings

Holland Lake Lodge Reviews

Holland Lake Lodge View more information

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 rating
15 Reviews
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86% Recommended by couples

Awards

15
  • M
    Melissa E. Sent on 10/05/2021
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    Wedding 8/28

    Holland lake lodge was a dream come true. My husband and I are both from New York and came across this hidden gem. We never visited it before booking which I’m so happy we didn’t. When we arrived it felt like a dream. The place is stunning. Christian and Nancy make you feel right at home! You didn’t feel like you were staying at a any ordinary lodge it felt like home. Christian was the easiest person to work with and he made everything on my wedding day so easy. Also, The food is AMAZING. I’m so thankful for finding such a beautiful place with truly beautiful people. If your debating on having your wedding at holland lake lodge I HIGHLY recommend it. The best day ever!
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    Kate Sent on 08/17/2010
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    We had the wedding of our dreams at Holland Lake Lodge.
    We'd read some of the reviews last spring so I wanted to add mine now that the weekend is over.

    5 stars and more if we could give them! Christian and his crew were amazin. The setting is truly Montana at it's best. The lake was pristine, the mountains stunning, the lawn fresh and green and the weather was just perfect.

    Our guests loved the lodge, most were from out-of-state and they couldn't believe how quaint and beautiful it is. The food was fabulous. Bravo to Chef Lukas!! We had BBQ Pork Ribs and Elk Kebabs for the welcome dinner, with Marianberry Crisp for dessert. For the wedding, the Pistachio crusted Halibut and Filet Mignon....out of this world!! We had mini crab cakes and chicken satay for the passed hors d' houvres. So yummy!!

    The staff was accommodating and professional. Set up was completed earlier than expected and the attention to detail was phenomenal. Christian was everywhere throughout the weekend, charming guests and mother of the groom and making sure everything was just so.

    I'm not sure some of the brides from the earlier reviews understand how much the lodge does to make our events happen. I was keyed into it a bit as I helped plan my sister's wedding last year. The lodge does it all...this truly was a fully coordinated weekend, thanks to them. In regards to "responsiveness", Christian and Karen (his assistant) were so on. Often last winter, my emails would be answered within an hour of sending (and there were lot's of emails!) and phone calls were always returned within 24 hours.

    Christian took the time to meet with my parents on two different occasions last spring and spent several hours with all of us, going through the itinerary and discussing options.

    Value-wise, my father thought the weekend should have cost more! We'd checked into the Ranch Club in Missoula and the lodge is a bargain in comparison, yet with a better view, service and food.
    It was the perfect wedding and I'm so glad I chose Holland Lake Lodge. I'm looking forward to many more visits in the future!
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    Rachel Sent on 02/06/2010
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    Holland Lake Lodge went above and beyond! This place is now even more special to us than it was before.
    The views are stunning - one of a kind!
    The food exceeded expectations!
    Service was exceptional - Christian and his crew do a great job!
    Accommodations were the best, so much fun having everyone there with us for our special weekend!
    Our guests raved that it was the best wedding attended!
    Only wish it could've lasted longer. We'll be back for our first anniversary.
    Thanks HLL - we love you!

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  • Tamera
    Tamera Sent on 05/25/2010
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    We absolutely LOVED Holland Lake Lodge! We can not picture our wedding anywhere else and we consider it like our second home! It was so secluded, the views were amazing and that's what we loved about it! Our guests keep telling us it was one of the most beautiful and memorable weddings they have ever been to. Some of them even said they felt like they were at a wedding in a movie.

    The service was great! They called me almost everyday, the week before the wedding, to confirm all of the little details. Our guests loved Christian and all of the staff were very friendly and helpful! Christian, the staff, and Jennifer, from Habitat Floral, took care of everything; I didn't have to worry about a thing. The morning of the wedding, I was even able to go on a canoe trip over to the falls. The food was some of the best we have ever had! We go to local restaurants around home and try to order the same food but nothing compares. We had one guest on a gluten free diet and Amber was very good about setting aside a plate for her.

    Like a couple of other people have said, it goes by super fast! Enjoy it while it lasts! We plan to spend many anniversaries here, we can't wait to start a little family and show our kids where we got married! We also hope to have many family reunions at Holland Lake Lodge when we are an old married couple and have a lot of grand kids and great grand kids!

    We just can't thank Christian and his staff enough! We miss it so much and can't wait to visit in the near future!
  • J
    Jennifer Sent on 02/02/2010
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    I cannot thank Christian and his staff enough, their professionalism and commitment to my wedding were unparalleled.

    Christian provided us with a detailed packet of information that helped us plan the day exactly as we envisioned. He made it so easy, which allowed us to concentrate on all the other details couples are inundated with.

    The ceremony back drop could not have been more beautiful showcasing the snow capped Mission Mountains and pristine lake. Our guests loved taking the canoes out on the lake and hiking to a near by waterfall before the ceremony. We even took the canoes out after the ceremony for a few couple shots-some of my favorite in our wedding album.

    The meals were exceptional; Amber, the chef, is extremely talented and very accomodating to all dietary needs and restrictions. My guests still talk about how good our reception meal was- the pistachio crusted halibut is to die for!

    I loved every moment of our wedding weekend, my only regret is that it went by too quickly. I feel truly lucky to have found Holland Lake Lodge, there are not many times in life when an experience exceeds your expectations. A big thank you to Christian and his staff for all their hard work and friendship.
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    Amanda Sent on 02/01/2010
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    Had the wedding of my dreams at Holland Lake Lodge. Cannot go wrong with the setting. Service was amazing and the lodge accommodated our special needs with the catering - organic and vegan options! Christian and Karen and Nancy were a huge help, could not have done it with out them. Christian and his staff are so on with how things were set up and the general flow of everything. The info they give during the planning process was hugely helpful and all my questions, phone calls and emails were answered within 24 hours. Felt the pricing was extremely reasonable in comparison to other venus we considered.
    Our guests didn't want to leave and neither did we. The only drawback was that we didn't do a three or four day event.
    Sad to read the other poor reviews on here. I know several other people from Missoula that have been married at the lodge and have had a great experience.
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    Page Sent on 02/05/2010
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    I can’t imagine having my wedding anywhere else then Holland Lake Lodge. The backdrop was amazing and the lodge and staff were equally fantastic. I had a big wedding for the space and they couldn’t have been more helpful and on top of everything. Christian gave me all his recommendations for everything from overflow lodging to the tent company I should use. All of our interactions via email and phone prior to the event were great. They take care of so much for the wedding, which is one of the reasons I chose them. I didn’t have to worry about tables, chairs, plates, glasses all that other stuff I would have had to coordinate at another venue. Once I realized that they were taking care of a large portion of the details, I was able to relax and spend more time on the aesthetic side of things that I was more interested in focusing on.

    During the weekend of the wedding I was blown away by the lodge. They not only provided all meals and drinks to my wedding guests, set up the ceremony chairs, set the tables for 175 but also greeted and served others that stopped in to visit the lodge. They handle it all with grace and skill. All the food was fantastic and the service was incredibly professional. Many of my out of town guests have since commented on how impressed they were with everything at the lodge. They had no idea that a place like that would exist in the middle of Montana. I would recommend the Holland Lake Lodge with 100% confidence—in fact I’d do it all over again.
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    Amy Sent on 02/07/2010
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    The owner and staff at Holland Lake Lodge only improve what is an idyllic setting for a wedding. I'm so surprised to read that some people were not happy with the service. But not surprised that, despite their complaints, they still loved Holland Lake Lodge. Christian went above and beyond any expectations to make our wedding weekend beautiful, fun, comfortable for all the guests and, overall, a success! To this day, Christian and Nancy treat us like family when we return to Holland Lake Lodge.

    We had about 200 guests, most of whom travelled from outside Montana. They all LOVED it, many telling us that it was the best wedding they had ever been to. The food for all the events was delicious, service professional and efficient, and the setting couldn't be better! They handled so many details that I didn't have to worry about, making the wedding planning and celebration much easier and more fun for us and our families.
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    Abigail Sent on 07/18/2018
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    I can't say enough good things about the Holland Lake Lodge as a semi-rustic mountain wedding location! The views are spectacular, the food is incredibly good, the lodge is quaint, semi-rustic, and charming, and the staff is outstanding! We were a bit nervous because we were coming from Seattle and hadn't been able to check out the lodge or the food in person. But it was every bit as incredible as the pictures and reviews made it out to be, and we were really impressed with Karen and Christian! The only downside is that you can't dance past 10 pm due to noise restrictions since you're outside and it's by the campground and private homes. Book the lodge for your wedding! You won't regret it!
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    Erin Sent on 08/17/2010
    4.7 out of 5 rating
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    We absolutely loved our wedding weekend at Holland Lake Lodge. From the moment we arrived on Friday, everything was taken care of: set-up, organization, welcoming the guests--everything. It's a gorgeous setting, and the food is phenomenal. Three words: Shrimp Polenta Squares. We've had nothing but compliments on the food and service. While the communication in the month before the wedding was sometimes spotty (and therefore frustrating), we were able to work with Christian to iron out any concerns we had BEFORE we arrived for the weekend, which made it easy to be relaxed and calm on the wedding day itself. I understand reviews that mention the difficulty of reaching Christian or getting answers in a timely manner, but again, we were able to get our answers before we arrived--and once there, it was bliss. I really can't say enough about the staff; they are wonderful. I saw Christian introducing himself to our elderly great-aunts, and the servers made sure to come to us often with appetizers and wine (a good thing, too, or we wouldn't have gotten to try the shrimp!). What else? People have used the word "magical" to describe the wedding so many times that it has become a bit of a joke between us. We could not have imagined a better weekend. There is absolutely nothing that we would change.
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    Caitlin Sent on 07/23/2016
    4.6 out of 5 rating
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    Christian, who is the owner of Holland Lake Lodge, allowed us to have a perfect wedding. We can't rave highly enough about them and their staff. We were able to have a seamless and stress-free wedding at their location. We wanted a wedding weekend in one location, and we were able to rent out the lodge for 3 days. Our friends loved it. It allowed everyone to relax at a beautiful spot, fish, hike, and kayak. We also chose it because we wanted our dog in the ceremony (allowed), the setting is beautiful, and it is perfect representation of the best Montana has to offer.

    Christian is great. He was with me at the end waiting for me to walk down the aisle and meet my parents. While I was waiting, overcome with emotion, he was saying calm things and straightening my train. He was helpful to the guests and remembered everyone's names through the weekend. A lot of the details/decisions are taken care of when you book here. Huge plus. And he's a pro at this. Like other reviewers have stated, he is not great at email. He told me this, but I thought that means a 1-2 week lag to my questions. Not so. He was more responsive after May. It was a little annoying having to wait and to feel like I was pestering him. But honestly, his attention to detail, helpfulness, and great hosting abilities made up for his previous lack of communication.

    While I am from Montana originally, I currently live in Philadelphia. Both my husband and I love good food. And we were not disappointed. It was a blind leap of faith because we did not do any tastings and picked off the list Christian gave us. The food was amazing, and their chef, Dave, really went above and beyond. We got a huckleberry glazed beef tenderloin steak that was delicious! Christian also set aside a plate of appetizers for us while we were doing pictures so we would be able to try some of the food because we kept getting caught up in guest activities.

    Book them! You won't regret it.
  • S
    Sarah Sent on 02/05/2010
    4.6 out of 5 rating
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    We were married at Holland Lake Lodge in June of 2004. If you want to have a true MONTANA WEDDING then there's no better place then Holland Lake Lodge! All of our family from out of state were so captured by the beauty of the setting we chose for our wedding. Lots of our in friends were able to camp in the campground adjacent to the lodge. Our families loved thier cabins and lodge rooms. It was great to have everyone right there together for the whole weekend. We did hikes to the waterfall and even had our son baptised on Friday evening after our rehersal bbq. We had a great local bluegrass band (Broken Valley Road Show from Missoula, MT) and stayed up late by the campfire singing and connecting with friends and family. Many of our guests took advantage of the sauna and the chance to swim and canoe in the lake. We did pay a fair amount to have our wedding there, but that's ok..weddings aren't cheep. We saved money in other ways by making the dress, cake and invitations ourselves. We wanted to spend our money and great food an amazing location. I can still remember the exact menu and was told by one friend that it was the best wedding dinner they had ever had. Christian and staff were very helpful when needed. It was great to have the entire lodge and grounds to ourselves. Very intimate and beautiful place to affirm our love.
    We went back last summer to celebrate our 5th anniversary and show our kids the beauty of Holland Lake Lodge. I hope that will continue to be a tradition for our family.
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    Sara Sent on 07/15/2009
    3.8 out of 5 rating
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    It is difficult to give stars based on an overall experience. Holland Lake Lodge is a 5 star back drop and setting for a gorgeous wedding. Christian, the owner, is also a 5 star host and is very present, in person, taking care of everyone's needs. It was difficult to get answers to all of my emails, 2 out of 6 questions would be answered and my follow-up emails were looked down upon. They have a $350 wedding coordination fee that would be okay if they actually helped coordinate more. They charge more if you go over a certain amount of hours and apparently follow-up emails asking for clarity in their strange language tack on the hours. There are many unclear points in the contract including "hosted beverages". Apparently beer is not considered alcohol and therefore you must provide it even if you put a N/A on the contract and explain that you cannot afford to host beverages. There is a 20% gratuity tacked onto absolutely every item, including lodging. This I find bothersome and would advise it be tacked onto the price to make them look better. They provide a resource list for the area vendors that could use some work. I researched the area for 2 weeks and produced a brochure that was very inclusive of all lodging. This, I would think, is something that a vendor could provide to save everyone a lot of time. The planning was tricky via email and the wording on emails and contract illusive. The lodging received many complaints from our guests, beyond the high prices. Scalding water in the showers in the lodge as soon as the kitchen below turned on the water, bathrooms in severe need of upgrades, lights and heaters not working, etc. On the upside, the beds are incredibly comfortable with down comforters and the views from the cabin windows exceptional.

    As for set-up, I understand that most brides do all of the planning and when the tables are not set up until 2pm, the bride must relinquish all control over her years worth of planning and delegate to others since she herself should be getting ready. This was not easy for me but luckily my family did well with it all. I missed that part in the contract and hoped to be setting up by 11am.

    All that being said, Holland Lake Lodge could not have been a nicer place to marry. On the weekend of the events, the staff were great. We provided 2 glasses of champagne and 2 glasses of wine on both Friday and Saturday nights. I think my own glass was only filled once but perhaps they were just looking out for me. Also, the food was excellent and everyone raved about how good it was.

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    Rikki Sent on 08/21/2008
    2.5 out of 5 rating
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    1. Quality of Service
    I planned my wedding from out of state, thus communication was an important factor. The owners at Holland Lake Lodge are not keen on technology (it took a month to transfer the deposit from my credit card to my father's credit card) and they frown upon email communication. At one point, I emailed an important change to them and they sent me a reply stating that they did not want to hear from me and/or speak with me until one week prior to the wedding...that was six months prior to the event. The owners yelled at myself and a family member, and were rude to several guests (the comic relief lies in the email apology I received ten minutes later!). If you are looking for kind, courtious and professional customer service, do not choose Holland. That being said, the staff was exceptional and the Chef was phenomenal! I'm still getting compliments on the amazing cuisine.

    2. Responsiveness
    Regarding responsiveness, they were slightly above average...but let's not confuse that with exceptional hospitality.

    3. Professionalism
    The staff and Chef demonstrated the highest level of professionalism. The owners are passive aggressive people who clearly do not enjoy the hospitality industry, let alone people in general.

    4. Value for Cost
    Holland is not a cheap wedding venue and although they claim to disclose all of the costs and/or charges, they are sneaky about it. For example, they will not provide you with an event estimate or a cost sheet. Also, during the reception, a guest bought a round of tequila shots and was subsequently charged over $30/shot without being informed about the outlandish cost - his bill for the round was over $400! All that aside, the Lodge is quintessential Montana and the setting is absolutely priceless.

    5. Flexibility
    Nothing in particular occurred to allow Holland to demonstrate flexibility. I'm quite sure they would have been accommodating to anything requiring flexibility.

    In summary, the event went off without a hitch. Our guests raved about Holland Lake and the extraordinary setting. It's such a wonderfully romantic venue and I am very happy to have been married there. Regarding the disappointing customer service: Holland owners, your reputation throughout the Swan precedes you.
  • K
    Kris Sent on 10/29/2007
    2.4 out of 5 rating
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    A few days before the wedding, I was dreading arrival at Holland Lake Lodge because the owner and event coordinator yelled at me over the phone for sending him too many e-mails. Shocked by this poor treatment and not wanting to engage in a full on yelling match just days before my event I refrained from defending myself. Yes, I had sent him many emails, a total of 4 emails asked questions such as "what size tables do you use, " or "can you send me menu options," or "here is my rooming list." The other 16 emails were follow-ups to his silence -- "It's been 3 months since you said you would send me the menu options, but I have not received them yet," or "I would like to design my centerpieces and make my seating chart, but you have not responded to my question about what size your tables are," etc.

    In addition to the horrible lack of responsiveness and unprofessional handling of communications, there were other issues, such as a lack of clarity on prices until the last minute, in which the prices always turned out to be higher than expected. For a place that does a wedding almost every weekend each summer, one would expect that they would have settled into a standard of customer service. However, inconveniences such as a menu that could not be sent over e-mail but had to be faxed -- and when it was faxed, it did not have prices -- and no one to pick up the phone when I called to inquire about prices, etc.

    There was also an issue with minimums. Even though the lodge only had accommodations for less than 45 guests, they had a 100 person minimum for drinks and food. So stars off for budget and flexibility.

    All that said, when I arrived, Christian apologized for poor attitude he gave me over the last few days, and everything in the event all weekend went very smoothly. Poor communications, lack of professionalism, and high prices, aside, the site was more beautiful than I ever thought it would be, and I am very glad I picked Holland Lake Lodge. Everyone who attended had a blast out under the sun, in the lake, and under the stars. Some cabins were beautiful, while others were in dire need of repair, though bearable. The grounds were beautifully manicured and the lawn very green with nice flowers all around. The Lodge had rustic character without being uncomfortable. The chef cooked up amazing meals all weekend. The whole area was so beautiful, and the experience exceptional.

    Though you may end up sprouting a few gray hairs form dealing with the staff at HLL before your wedding, I would still recommend this place for the amount of beauty and fun that it has to offer for your wedding day.