"It was a pleasure to stay at the Black Hawk. It is an older, perhaps even historic, hotel that has been updated in all the right places (e.g. bathrooms) while maintaining the charm of an historic place (e.g furnishings and architecture). It feels like stepping back into the 1920s while maintaining the comforts of the 2020s.
The room was clean and spacious, and the bathroom was completely modernized and clean. There were several pieces of what appeared to be antique, solid wood furniture in the room, including a 7-1/2 foot-tall ornately carved wardrobe that substituted for a closet. The leather-upholstered rocking chair was so comfortable I fell asleep in it for an afternoon nap.
The staff are very friendly and helpful, going out of their way to accomodate the variations in my schedule (early arrival and early departure).
Bar Winslow is located off the lobby, and the bartenders are friendly, attentive, and mix great Old Fashioneds.
The Black Hawk is located in the downtown area of Cedar Falls within easy walking distance of restaurants, shops, and bars. The riverfront is close by and has a smooth walking/biking path, as well as places for fishing.
However, the one possible difficulty is that the Black Hawk does not appear to have onsite parking. It was not a problem for me, as I did not have a car and used taxis instead.
Nevertheless, while I had not anticipated my travels taking me to either Cedar Falls or the Black Hawk, I'm very glad they did and hope to return."