I stayed at SL twice last year and was totally unimpressed on both occasions. The woodwork in the room is very dark and if it's chipped it's very noticeable and makes it look tatty and both times the bathroom could have done with a bit of TLC, regrouting etc., but I wouldn't say it was dirty at all although I did have a problem with the level of housekeeping or rather lack of it.
First stay, no toiletries at all in the room on the first day, 1 soap and 1 bath gel on day 2 and nothing again on day 3. I also got a very severe eye infection, which I'd never had before or since which made me wonder whether the towel hadn't been changed and that's where I'd picked it up
Second stay, 1 soap and 1 bath gel on the first night and that was it.
I wouldn't let these things put me off staying there though because it has some very good points.
On the plus side it has a very nice pool, although we have never managed to make it to a pool, even when we stayed for a week at the NPB in March 06, we didn't get time to get to the pool.
If you book a Montana room you're in the main hotel building, so don't have to get dressed up in your outside gear to go down to breakfast, if you're in one of the lodges then you do have to walk back to the main building to the dining room, hotel reception and shops. At the Cheyenne all rooms are away from these areas.
The breakfast is of a slightly higher standard at SL than Cheyenne, and you get proper cutlery not plastic ones, also we found it less busy although we were going down to the 7.00 am slot, I don't know whether things have changed at Cheyenne but when we were there in 2004 you found your own table at SL you're shown to a table. Bare in mind I'm comparing with our stay in 2004.
It's a lovely walk from the parks back to SL through the village at the end of the day, although I've been checking out Google Earth and I don't think that Cheyenne looks that much further in walking distance.
Your boys will probably love the theming of both hotels, but as a mother of 2 boys 14 and 9 now, bunkbeds are the preferred option, the bickering when they share is
I actually don't think a pool is essential and you'll be surprised at how tired you'll all be by 7.00pm, we normally stay at the park from opening until close, then eat in the Village, do a bit of shopping, grab a night cap and by 10.30 we're all asleep, I have promised the boys severeal times that we will visit the Games Arcade and the Cinema but again there just never seem to be enough hours in the day.
Next year will be our 4th March trip and after weighing up all the pros and cons we've decided to go back to Cheyenne.
I would take how long you're staying into account when deciding on your hotel too, 2 or 3 days and you'll find yourself rushing around, longer than that, you can take it a bit easier and you may find time for the pool.
Re: Trip Advisor reviews I'd say take them with a pinch of salt, I was dreading our stay at the NPB after the reviews on there, I came back wondering if I'd stayed at the same hotel as those people.
We just booked flights for DLP in late March. We are too excited! Help us choose a hotel. 
I was lead to believe that you could not have toast so was very very pleased to see toasters there when we went a few weeks ago.
