Fun, Family, Sun and Everything Inbetween

Guest: Sheila (Savage, Minnesota)
Date of Stay: 07/16/11 Review Submitted: 07/28/11

The Knotty Pine was the perfect cabin for our summer getaway! It was very clean, quiet, and supplied everything we could possibly need. Our two families stayed here during the hottest and most humid week of summer 2011. Some days the temperature climbed up to 100 degrees, but the window air conditioners in the bedrooms did a fantastic job of keeping the whole cabin cool and comfortable. Upstairs had many places to sit, and the eight of us never felt crowded in any sort. The kitchen table quickly turned into the home of a 1000 piece puzzle which we slowly tried to put together, and the living room proved to be just the right amount of space for making fleece tie blankets on our one rainy day. The basement was also very well laid out for our 13,14,15, and 16 year-olds as the girls had one side and the boys got the other. The motion light was not a problem during the day because it provided light at the most convienent times, such as if someone was walking down the stairs or through the patio door. At night though, it was a very easy to turn the switch of, and if needed, there were other overhead lights to use. The patio had a variety of chairs to sit on and was a great place to enjoy the morning coffee or evening sun. Our families spent a good chunk of our time up there looking out at the lake. The lake was very quiet during the week, which was great because we had it mostly to oursleves. It was huge and allowed us much room to play around on the boat and jet-ski we rented for a day from a local site. There were neighbors on each side of us, but they were very quiet and respectful. The owners we very easy and wonderul to work with before, during, and after our stay at the Knotty Pine. The cabin exceeded our expectations and we would reccommend it to anyone looking for a Minnesota getaway.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway, families with young children.

Alot to be desired - cabin and owner

Guest: S*Vomacka (South Dakota)
Date of Stay: 07/02/11 Review Submitted: 07/26/11

First off, after we brought it to your attention, I see the description has been changed from a 4 bedroom to a 3 bedroom to accurately describe this property. This is not a 4 bedroom as it was described as and as we rented it as. *It is 2 bedrooms upstairs and a lower level with beds. *Bedrooms upstairs are so small, you cannot put your suitcase in the room. We had to put it out in the living room every day. We are not big people as you say the above review was. *Bathroom is very narrow, very small. *Lower level is not what I would consider a bedroom. There are two twin beds on one end, which are on wheels, so therefore if you put them together and are a light sleeper who turns a lot, the beds move. *There is a king bed on the other end however if there are two couples sleeping down there, be prepared to dress and undress in front of each other and anyone else who may be coming down the spiral staircase as that is the only way from upstairs to downstairs and out the lower level. Otherwise you have to walk down a rather steep grass hill to get to the small beach area. *There is a motion light on the wall in the downstairs sleeping area. Although you won’t know it’s a motion light until it comes on every couple of minutes in the middle of the night if you are a light sleeper. Every time one tosses and turns, the light comes on and lights up the entire sleeping area. *The spiral wood staircase and grass hill are not great ways to get to the beach if you would happen to have anyone with any health issues or knee or leg issues. *The window air conditioners are not actually in the windows but if you ask them to put them in they will. *It states in the description there are no close neighbors which is absolutely untrue. I can throw rocks and hit cabins on either side of this one. *This cabin has well water, not drinking water. *Bring your own lawn chairs as the chairs they provide are virtually not usable. What was the worst though, is the way we were treated when we left the cabin. The owners knew we were bringing a dog. The $125 pet deposit was talked about. She claims we left the cabin in such a mess she's never seen such a sight. Unreal. We take good care of our property or any property we've ever used. It's obvious to our family that this is a scam to get this insane amount of rent for the week plus the deposit. I guess your neighbors were right.

Owner response:Hi! As you can see by our positive review history, this person is in the minority. We wish that VRBO would allow home owners to review their past guests. If that were the case, I would like to tell any homeowners that are considering these people, to consider the condition that they left at our home. BEWARE! They knocked closet doors off the track, still used them and left our oak hardwood floors scratched. They broke off fins we had installed in the shower to protect the hardwood floors from shower spray. The set this up months prior and did not mention a dog, even when they sent the contract back that clearly states that a dog would need to be pre approved and have a pet fee included. They smuggled the dog in anyway. The dog shed all over the house and so much in the area rug that I had to go over the whole thing with lint rollers that took hours. 3 throw rugs had to be thrown out when the dog hair was so imbedded that I couldn't get it out. They used a piece of granite that was 18" by 24" that we had on the property, without permission, to light major fireworks off the dock. The neighbors have threatened to call the sheriff if this happens again. They have no respect for the property. They didn't take their shoes off all week and had 1/2 of the beach sand in the house. They left partially eaten food behind, left the grease from their turkey fryer in one of our pans. Grease from the turkey fryer was left on the sidewalk that goes into the house. The bathroom and beach chairs, both, work well for people of normal size. We have never had anyone complain about these. They threw away dish towels-we found them in the garbage, threw diapers in the trash, even though we asked them to bag everything. They never mentioned the motion light-we didn't know that the guests the week before had changed the setting. A simple inquiry would have been all we needed to fix that. She didn't hesitate to ask for more TP when their supply ran out, but didn't ask us about the light. Then Knotty Pine is on it's own 100 feet of lakeshore-not sure how much space they need. While sitting on the deck that is filled with very comfortable patio furniture, you can not see other neighbors. The garbage cans at the KP were overflowing with liquor and beer bottles when they left. *I invite anyone who would like to stay at the Knotty Pine to come and visit it. You can see for yourselves how clean it is, how well appointed, and how gracious the owners are.

Recommended for:

Serene and Beautifully Cared For

Guest: Nora ( Minneapolis, MN)
Date of Stay: 10/21/10 Review Submitted: 04/27/11

I stayed at this property last fall with my family after experiencing a family tradgedy and this vacation home was just what we needed in every way. The oweners were delightful to work with. The are friendly and there to meet all of your needs, but without being overbearing in any way. The cabin is cared for as if it is their own home and has amazing touches like new bedding, new mattresses, comfortable furniture and more. There are windows and patio doors covering the back of the house and the views (especially of the sunset) are amazing. The outside space is just as wonderful as the inside space with a serene lake, sloping hill, trees, a fire pit and boats. I would definitely recommend this property and we hope to visit it again.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, families with teenagers, families with young children.

cgpacer

Guest: cgpacer (Webster, MN)
Date of Stay: 12/31/10 Review Submitted: 04/26/11

We've three weekends getaways at the Knotty Pine Retreat and have enjoyed ourselves each time. We've been up for an anniversary weekend in the spring, and fall and winter getaways with our children. On our most recent visit, we snowshoed on the lake and in the nearby state park. The cottage is clean, cozy and comfortable. The owners helpful and hospitable. The view of the lake is wonderful. At the Knotty Pine cottage, we've been able to leave our busy lives behind and unwind. Each visit has been a special treat for us and we're looking forward to going back again.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, romantic getaway, sightseeing, age 55+, girls getaway, families with young children.

Weekend getaway

Guest: Jules (Owatonna, MN )
Date of Stay: 10/16/10 Review Submitted: 04/03/11

This is a charming, very comfortable property. Easy drive out of McGregor. Very neat and clean with all necessities supplied for a great vacation. Owners are most helpful and friendly! We had a great time here, would recommend it to anyone.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, families with teenagers, girls getaway.

Beautiful fall days!

Guest: Labs (Northfield, MN )
Date of Stay: 09/12/09 Review Submitted: 03/24/11

A wonderful stay with my son and friends. Enjoyed a four day weekend of hunting, fishing and relaxing. Pleanty of fishing and hunting opportunities within minutes of this beautiful home. Very well stocked kitchen, so no having to go "out" for meals, and very comfortable beds and living area. Enjoy a steak on the grill, a fire on the beach, a refreshing morning swim, and a beautiful sunset or sunrise. Everything we (and you) would expect, and more. Already planning my next stay, and looking forward to spending some relaxing time with my wife.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, romantic getaway, pet owners, age 55+, girls getaway, families with young children.

Slice of MN heaven!!!!

Guest: I Love MN! (Dundas, MN)
Date of Stay: 06/23/07 Review Submitted: 03/20/11

Our family visited this wonderful up north getaway with our twins that were 2 years old. It was the perfect secluded spot for them to get out and enjoy all that MN has to offer. We splashed in the lake and played in the sand. Smores were enjoyed in the outdoor fire pit. We took advantage of the lake to go fishing and view some beautiful bald eagles. The cabin was spotless and well stocked with all of the things we needed. The owners were very accomodating. Not only did they ensure that we had all that we needed in the cabin, but offered their expertise of the area in where to visit for entertainment and where to go to eat. We definitely recommend this family retreat to anyone that enjoys the great outdoors. For a private, lake location it can't be beat!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, romantic getaway, pet owners, age 55+, girls getaway, families with young children.

We couldn't be happier with our stay. Everything you need plus So many extras!

Guest: WalleyeFisher1969 (Fridley)
Date of Stay: 06/26/10 Review Submitted: 03/18/11

Not only is this property extremely well maintained, clean, and well stocked with absolutely everything you need, it is set in a perfect "Up North" location. The private setting surrounded by trees with the view of the lake makes for a relaxing retreat! The owners go above and beyond to make your stay worry free, and this care is reflected in the accuracy of their vrbo description. We will be back next summer!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, romantic getaway, sightseeing, age 55+, girls getaway, families with young children.

Private, Cozy and Relaxing... with a FANTASTIC view!

Guest: splashngo (Rosemount, MN)
Date of Stay: 08/09/10 Review Submitted: 03/16/11

We arrived on a beautiful sunny day to this charming cottage with a warm welcome from the owners. The place was spotlessly clean, and we felt at home right away. The whole family had a great time swimming, boating (to Horseshoe Lake Inn Bar and Grill), exploring Duluth, having happy hour on the deck, and family movies. Best vacation ever!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, romantic getaway, age 55+, girls getaway, families with young children.

Not a 4 bedroom

Guest: RobertinIowa (Cedar Rapids, Iowa)
Date of Stay: 06/26/10 Review Submitted: 07/18/10

This is a very nice 2 bedroom cabin. It is clean and has a comfortable decor. It is not a 4 bedroom. Upstairs there are two small bedrooms, one with a king and one with a queen. Neither has any tables or dressers for clothes, so you'll be living out of your suitcase, which will probably need to stay in the living room because there is only 12 or so inches of space around the beds in all directions. Downstairs is a rec room, with an air hockey table in the center, one one side of the room is a couple single futons with a queen mattress on top, and other other side is two single beds. there is no partition or divider of any kind, so who sleeps down here needs to be ok with changing and such in front of each other. There are a few other exaggerations on the site as well. the AC is a window unit that was not installed when we arrived, though the owner did offer to put it in for us. the 'sand beach' is the 6 feet or so around the end of the dock where the grass can't grow. You cant really sit or sun bathe on it. Look at the picture of the dock and you'll see what I mean. All that said, I liked the paddleboat that is provided, and the cabin is in a quiet spot when kids can play and run. If you're a a pair of couples with young kids who can all pile into the downstairs room together, you'll be fine. This cabin is priced like 4 bedroom however, and is overpriced as a two bedroom compared to what we saw around the area.

Owner response:In our 8 years of supplying a delightful, northwoods getaway for our guests, the response left above is not ordinary by any means. These people neglected to say, that they were very large people. That makes it harder to get around anyway, much less around the brand new, high end beds that we provide for our guests. Also, the person that made the reservation, that communicated any and all questions to me through email, was not the one that checked in first, or the one that wrote the review. Because of their special size, they were the first ones of the season to want the ac-which we gladly put in when they requested it. We have all the emails to show that they knew exactly how the cabin was laid out and what was supplied. They just failed to communicate it to one another. In this home you will find everything you could want or need for a week and if you have special requests, we also take care of those. On the website, it is not possible to indicate that the lower level that walks right out to the lake, firepit, and sand beach, have two separate sleeping areas, in one big room. It is no longer a futon on one end, it is a brand new, plush, pillowtop, king size bed with high end linens and lots of pillows. The sand beach is 30 feet by 30 feet which is plenty big for sunning or making sand castles. We have lots of sand toys that we provide too, as well as a sun umbrella. The above mentioned people had no regard for check out time-even on a holiday weekend, and left the Knotty Pine a mess. We provide lots of things other places don't such as- charcoal, lighter fluid, bath towels, kitchen towels, paper products, cleaning supplies, a full, well stocked kitchen, all kitchen electrics, plenty of dishware, serving pieces, soaps, fresh linens, cleaning included, up to date furniture, wireless internet. We take pride in suppling our guests with a comfortable, clean, quiet place for their loved ones to gather. We are also usually readily available if there are any questions from our guests and if they have special requests. We love sharing our little slice of heaven with people that love and respect the north woods just like we do.

Recommended for:Families with young children.