The Goldfinch Room at the Loess Hills Lodge

Loess Hills Lodge Room Rentals

The Loess Hills Lodge at Hitchcock Nature Center has the perfect facilities for your next family gathering, civic group event, or work retreat. Located in the heart of the beautiful Loess Hills, this facility features scenic overlooks, equal access restrooms and two unique rental spaces. Rental of either space at the Loess Hills Lodge includes the use of provided tables & chairs along with admission to the park for all of your guests.

Goldfinch Room

The Goldfinch Room is equipped with conference tables and chairs for seating up to 50 guests.  Overlooking area woodlands, it is located on our main floor along with our exhibit gallery and overlook deck. The Goldfinch Room is on the upper level of the Loess Hills Lodge and is ADA accessible with no stairs to climb. Goldfinch Room events share the main restrooms with Loess Hills Lodge visitors.

Amenities

Air Conditioning

Electricity

Handicap Accessible

Heating

Microwave

Pets Prohibited

Potable Water

Refrigerator

Refuse Cans

Restrooms

Table with Chairs

Wifi

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I come in & tour the facility?

Yes! While we can occasionally accommodate drop in tours, due to staffing we ask that you contact us and arrange an appointment in advance. Please email Dana Kruse to set up a time to visit the rental facilities.

Are we able to serve alcohol at our event?

Yes! Rental parties are permitted to serve alcohol with the payment of a $300.00 alcohol deposit in addition to the required $300.00 room deposit. Only bottles or canned beer & wine are permitted; no kegs or hard liquor. This includes mixed drinks.

Do we have access to a kitchen?

Kind of! Both rental rooms feature a small kitchenette for guest use. This kitchenette includes a full sized refrigerator with freezer, microwave, & sink. No kitchenware including serving utensils, cutlery, or other appliances are included, please plan accordingly.

Can I have my event catered?

Yes! Please see our Policies & Procedures for regulations regarding catering at the Loess Hills Lodge.

Can I rent an outdoor space for my event?

No. While both rental rooms do include direct outdoor access, neither include the exclusive use of any outdoor space and we do not permit renters to commandeer any of our outdoor spaces for private use. Renters are welcome to utilize & enjoy our public outdoor spaces during their rental period but may not block or restrict public access to any area of the park outside of their rental room.

Why aren't rentals available on Mondays or prior to 3:00 p.m. Tuesday through Friday?

The Loess Hills Lodge rental spaces are primarily classroom spaces for our Environmental Education Program which utilizes the space to conduct public programming and on site field trip programs for area school children. The facilities must remain open and available for educational use with rentals as a secondary use.  Therefore, weekday rentals during the morning hours are subject to facility availability. Please email Dana Kruse for information on daytime rentals during the week. 

Are tables & chairs included in my rental?

Yes! Tables & chairs are included with your rental fee. Renters are responsible for setting up the tables & chairs when they arrive and for taking them down and storing them after their event is complete. Please remember that rental hours are the time in and time out of the building, not the duration of your event, so you will need to make sure and allow time for room set up.

Where can I find your rental policies & procedures?

They are available for download below under "Related Items" or you may email Dana Kruse for a copy. For more information please contact Dana at 712-545-3283  or by email at Dana.Kruse@pottcounty-ia.gov.

Cancellation Policy

Cancellation refunds will be paid based upon the following schedule:

30 days or more notice.....................................100% refund

29-22 days notice............................................50% refund

21-15 days notice............................................25% refund

14 days or less notice......................................no refund

Fees

Rental Hours

Weekend rentals are available for the full day only. Rental hours are Saturday & Sunday 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Weekday rentals are typically available by the half day only and must be made by contacting Dana Kruse, Volunteer and Facilities Coordinator, dana.kruse@pottcounty-ia.gov.  Half-day rental hours are typically available Tuesday - Friday 3:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. However, depending on availability, the facility may be available from 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Please contact Dana Kruse to check availability.

All rentals are subject to availability. Daytime rentals beginning prior to 3:00 p.m. Tuesday through Friday are subject to facility availability and must be booked through staff at the Loess Hills Lodge.  Monday rentals are not available. Rental hours indicate the time in & out of the building including preparations & clean up, not the duration of your event. 

The Loess Hills Lodge will begin taking rental reservations for the following year beginning on September 1st. 

Rental Fees

Weekend Rental - Saturday or Sunday, 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. (Full Day Rental) - $350.00/day due at time of reservation. Cash, check, or credit cards are accepted. Subject to cancellation policy. A 4% processing fee will be applied to credit card reservations.

Weekday Rental - Tuesday thru Friday, typically 3:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. (Half Day Rental) - $175.00/half-day due at time of reservation. Cash, check, or credit cards are accepted. Subject to cancellation policy. A 4% processing fee will be applied to credit card reservations

*Fees are subject to change.

Rental Deposit

All rentals at the Loess Hills Lodge are subject to a $300.00 room deposit & a $300.00 alcohol deposit (if applicable) to be paid no more than 7 days in advance of your rental. This deposit will be returned within 10 business days of the completion of your rental provided all rental policies & procedures are followed and the room & facilities are returned in satisfactory condition. Please see our Rental Policies & Procedures for more details.

Refund

Please understand at the time of booking your reservation that you immediately prohibit other people from reserving and utilizing that facility - they therefore go elsewhere to locate a facility for that date. Refunds will be provided based on the Cancellation Policy. However, we will observe a NON-REFUNDABLE RESERVATION policy for cancellations that occur within 14 days of the rental date with the following exceptions: 

• Accident, serious injury or death of an immediate family member 
• Travel conditions where a substantial risk is required in order to travel such as a winter storm where a travel advisory has been issued 
• We are unable to provide your facility (or like facility) in operable condition for the date of your event

Should circumstances arise meeting the exceptions described above, renters may be asked to provide documentation of the circumstance(s) prior to receiving a refund.