The host gave us the wrong door code. Did not respond to messages for over an hr and we were left in the pouring rain. WiFi did not work. Sheets and towels were not cleaned and left in a mess. Rat droppings and food left in one of the bedrooms. Mold in the coffee cup. Repeated requests to the host were ignored. For a 4 night stay it took us almost 2 days ourselves to get it back in order. Clearly the host does not care about this property, youâll be able to find better in Baxter.
The property is on a beautiful, remote peninsula with a sandy beach and shallow water - great for the little kids. Paddleboards and Kayaks were available (need second paddleboard and kayak paddles - one kayak paddle was broken and there was only one paddleboard paddle....but we made due). The house was great for our needs - lots of sleep space, big table to eat at, well-stocked kitchen, outdoor grill, kids books and toys, big yard to play in - again, perfect for our needs. Lovely paved walking/running/biking path along the main road. Close to lots of Brainerd activities, but felt like you were in your own world out at the house. Ticks were bad - but that just goes with MN life. We missed out because the pontoon wasn't in the water yet...hopefully we can come back next year and be able to go out for a ride on the lake.
Unfortunately, our stay at The Retreat was disappointing. The host was unresponsive when we reached out for help, which made resolving issues during our stay even more frustrating.The internet did not work upon arrival, and after troubleshooting ourselves, we found it simply hadnât been plugged in â something that should have been checked before guests arrived. The home also wasnât very clean, with several areas clearly overlooked.The front doorâs touchpad lock didnât function, so we couldnât lock the house and were unable to safely secure our belongings while away, which was unsettling.Additionally, there were key amenities either missing or not functioning that were never communicated in advance. A pontoon was advertised but not on-site, and we were never told it wouldnât be available â a major reason we chose the property. One of the toilets was also broken, and we only found out from the cleaner that it wouldnât be repaired until after our stay. Both were significant inconveniences for a group.We were hoping for a relaxing getaway, but the combination of poor communication, lack of upkeep, and unresolved issues made for a disappointing experience. With more attention to detail and transparency, this stay could have been much better.
We love the property. Nice beach for kids and great yard that is secluded. It is a quiet get away!
We enjoy being close to Nisswa also!
We will go back!
House worked perfect for us. Every family had there space when they wanted it, but then we also had plenty of space to be together. Kitchen items were great. Enjoyed the outside firepit, those chairs were the best. They did catch some fish also. Overall a good get-a-way!! Thanks for this.
The house was exactly what we needed for our family vacation. We had plenty of room both inside and out. The home was well furnished from the kitchen to all the rooms and bedrooms. The pontoon was fabulous to have along with the paddle boards and kayaks. We used them all every day. The host was quick to answer any questions although we didn't need much. I highly recommend this property.
kayaks. We used all
Loved this home. We were a group of four couples and had more room then needed. Loved the property and beauty of lake. So peaceful. The pontoon was an added bonus for evening cruises. Several tried out the paddle boards and kayaks as well. Easy access to anything needed in town as well. Loved this property! Home was well stocked.
Lovely stay!! So many amenities, great open lay out and perfect yard with boat.
Our stay here was so wonderful! They had so many things to do in their property from kayaking, to pool, to watching movies in the movie room from their outstanding selection, to going on the pontoon. The lake is very shallow but we did find a couple spots where it got deep enough for us to go for a dip.
You could tell the cabin was well loved by the owners and that they had all around great taste. They have a very stocked kitchen so no need to brings things like salt, oil, and some other pantry items. The lay out of the home was lovely and open. Table large enough to sit around and play games for everyone, sâmores by the fire, tons of bath towels, everything you could hope for on a staycation! They have about 7 remotes for the living room tv but you only really need 1 of them (the white one.) canât think of one negative thing to say!
Rented this home for a week for our family; which was 9 adults, 1 baby and 1 dog. We had plenty of room and in the evening we used the pool table and theater room. The lake is very shallow and some what weedy. We saw lots of wildlife: deer, chipmunks, birds and snakes. Only complaint is that we didnât get to use the pontoon; which is why we chose this rental. However the owner did tell me as we were on our way to the property that the pump broke with the last renter. She was hoping they could fix it in a day or so but it wasnât fixed until the night before we left. Also the lily pad was all ripped so we were not able to use that either. We did use the kayaks and paddle board - that was fun! Overall good property if you like a secluded location.
Twelve of us spent four nights here. The house itself is very nice and accommodating to a large group. We really enjoyed the pool table and arcade game. There was lots of sleeping room. Outside seating was nice and we appreciated that the owner sprays for mosquitos. The swimming area is pure muck. The lake itself is very weedy too. So I would not plan on swimming there. There is a really nice beach a mile away though. The swimming mat that another reviewer mentioned last year, is still sitting there all ripped up, dirty and unusable. The kayaks and other water toys were completely covered in goose poop (as was the sandy beach) so we didn't use any of them. The WIFI is not unlimited so we were unable to use it as the limit was already reached for the month by previous guests. The water jugs were not filled up for the water dispenser machine upon arrival. If you want to use it, you need to go to Cub Foods and pay to fill them yourself. The biggest issue we had with this rental is that the hot water is on off peak. Which means it only heats up 2 times a day. Our party of 12 tried to space showers out and keep them as short as possible. However, we did not have enough hot water and someone always ended up with a cold shower. A good deep cleaning and decluttering of the shelves and cupboards would also be recommended. This place just needs a little TLC and it would be a 5 star rating every time.
Les points faibles : Communication et exactitude de lâannonce
Beautiful property, uncaring owners
Beautiful house situated on a private property and lake. Too bad we weren't able to explore it to it's full extent. Patios and outdoor furniture were covered in cobwebs and dead bugs upon arrival. Not a huge deal, but cleanliness outside could definitely be improved. The pontoon - a major reason for our booking the place- was unusable for the whole trip. Contacted property owner about engine problems on our first full day there. We were told they would be in touch when they could talk to their dad about it. Never heard a word back until 25 hours later when we had to reach out again looking for updates. This was already halfway through the trip for us. They told us they couldn't do anything about it. After pressing some more they finally said they would work on getting a mobile mechanic out there and they would update us. Mobile mechanic never came, no updates were ever given. Nothing but silence and neglect from the owner. We came home disappointed and without ever getting to use something that was clearly included in the rental, something we had paid for.
For over $500/day, I would expect a little more courtesy and professionalism from the hosts, but I guess they stop caring after they've been paid. It's a shame that such a wonderful property has to be owned by such uncaring people who only look at it as a business opportunity. We definitely won't, and I would advise caution before renting because it seems like once you've paid your dues, you're all on your own.
Wonderful property - stayed here before too. Very well appointed, and private out on the peninsula. Great place for kids and for adults. Highly recommend! We will be back!
We rented the home for our yearly family vacation. There were plenty of rooms and bathrooms for us all to have our own space. The home was beautiful and with every amenity you could ask for. The owners were quick to respond when we had trouble with the wifi. The included pontoon boat was a great plus since the guys love to fish. We were worried that fishing on a smaller lake wouldn't be as good as other places we had rented on larger lakes, but we were happy with the experience. They caught several pan fish even off the dock, and even caught some northerns and perch. If you are looking for a wonderful place to make family memories, this was a great place and we strongly recommend staying here.
Our family loved our week at this secluded property. There were 10 adults and 8 little ones. There was something for everyone. We had beautiful weather so we spent most of our time on the pontoon or the beach area. We played lots of yard games. One thing we weren't aware of was the leeches in the lake. One of our little ones had over 30 tiny ones on her but she had been sitting in the water for a long period of time. After that we just made sure everyone playing in the lake kept moving and then they were fine. The house is very spacious and the kitchen is well stocked. The beds and pillows are super comfortable. We felt like we had our own little oasis. Everyone said they would come back to this place again.
We had plenty of space in the home! Our grandchildren loved the beach. It was quiet and the lake was peaceful! We were almost the only ones on it. We had a lot of fun!
The owner listed a high chair as an item that would be there. We never found one though.
The property is beautiful, private and serene. It was a great getaway for our family. There was plenty of space for our 9 family members. There were a lot of things to do to entertain us (ages ranged from 12-85). The kids loved fun playing pool and Pac-Man on the arcade game in the basement. We enjoyed the theater room one evening and made popcorn with the popcorn machine.
We all enjoyed the beautiful fire pit, rides on the pontoon, building sand castles on the sandy beach, fishing off the dock, and paddle boarding and kayaking around the calm lake with the loons. One thing that I will suggest is to bring plenty of bug spray! The deer flies were terrible!
Thank you so much for sharing your home with us. We had a great time and made wonderful memories!
I grew up in Minnesota, spending summers and holidays at the family cabin in the Brainerd Lakes Area. I split time between the Cities and this lake home, and after lending it out to friends and family I realized we have something special here. I'm happy to share this beautiful, private lake home with the right visitors. I hope you enjoy!
I was looking for a true getaway in the Brainerd Lakes Area. I wanted someplace where me and my dogs could spend weeks on end in complete peace and privacy, but also wanted the security and convenience offered by a medium-sized city. We almost didn't even look at this property because I couldn't believe the seclusion I needed would come from a lake home in Baxter. When we turned onto the gravel road, my whole mindset changed. All it takes is driving down our private drive, catching a glimpse of one of our animal neighbors (fawns in the spring!), enjoying the sun setting over Red Sand Lake, and you forget that the outside world exists. We are the sole human occupants of a 4 acre peninsula on a small, very private lake. I couldn't have asked for a nicer spot.
The privacy offered is unparalleled, in my experience owning and enjoying lake homes. The lake is smaller than some, but with that comes complete privacy as well as safety. We drop our water mat in the middle of the lake with people lounging on it and are never worried about boat traffic. You can enjoy all the perks of Northwoods lake living and still be able to pop out for groceries in less than a half hour. Rainy weather just means you don't feel guilty hunkering down in the theater with your choice of hundreds of DVDs or Netflix.