A bar and dead animals aren’t all The Lodge of Baldwin City has to offer.

It also provides a relaxing atmosphere, miniature golf and a place to stay overnight.

Janet Seele, assistant manager of The Lodge, said it provides 20 hotel rooms, including two new suites that are equipped with Jacuzzis, fireplaces and a kitchen.

Senior John Radenberg has had family stay in the rooms and found them comfortable.

“It’s always a nice place to stay, and they’re always real accommodating,” he said.

Radenberg said the rooms carry the same rustic, outdoors look that the lobby does, and the new suites come with flat screen TVs.

Seele said The Lodge houses several Baker University guests each year.

It also has a banquet facility that houses things like birthdays and anniversaries as well as the monthly Baldwin City Chamber of Commerce meetings and multiple meetings for the community.

The Lodge has a lounge area for people who are of age to drink. Seele said it can be a convenient and safe place for those students to hang out because of its proximity to campus. To Seele, the proximity could be a deterrent to drunken driving.

“We don’t actually encourage students to come up and drink but those that do we enjoy,” Seele said.

Junior Briana Bever said she enjoys meeting her friends at The Lodge to hang out.

“I like the atmosphere of The Lodge and how it’s calming. It’s not as hectic as The (Salt) Mine,” she said.

The establishment also offers a small mini-golf course. Radenberg said he has fun when he plays on it but isn’t sure about the student traffic.

“Most of the time that we’re here it’s a little cold to do mini golf at The Lodge,” he said.

Locals Ted and Peach Madl own The Lodge, Seele said, which used to be a family business that sold tractors and tractor supplies.

The lobby and lounge at The Lodge each contain about 20 taxidermy animals scattered throughout. Seele said Madl’s family captured all of them with a few purchased exceptions like the bears and some elk.

“The owner is an avid animal lover and hunts,” Seele said.

Radenberg said the animals don’t bother him much because they can be interesting to look at with his friends.

“We try to name them, but we generally don’t remember the names because there are so many of them,” he said.