AHHHH.....the perfect, relaxing getaway rental in Grand Marais!!!!!

Guest: Hfam5 (Cary, IL)
Date of Stay: 07/10/11 Review Submitted: 07/18/11

We have been going to Grand Marais for years as my husband has family there. We were so excited to be able to squeeze in a last minute getaway to Grand Marais last week as we were not planning on visiting this year. It really is "Nature in Abundance" and we love visiting the falls, sand dunes, logslide, etc. Boy did we luck out with the Ollie rental!!!! I was a little nervous after reading the one negative review, but I'm thinking that person is not someone familiar with the lovely town of Grand Marais. I have to say this is the nicest house we have ever stayed in there. It was the perfect layout for our family of five as it's all open and roomy, allowing for all of us to spend our quality time together without feeling cramped. My kids loved the "catwalk" from the loft to the balcony!! The front deck is so relaxing as you have a great view of the bay. The house is in a great location so that you can walk to everything in town.....walk to the bay for a swim, walk to the diner for breakfast or the bar for dinner, etc. The house came loaded with everything we needed and the kitchen and grill were awesome for cooking our meals. I already have picked out my week for next summer as I plan on staying here every year as long as they'll have us. It really was a super relaxing trip.....one of the most memorable trips ever for us to Grand Marais. Even our dog loved it and was very relaxed. Don't hesitate to rent this home as you won't be disappointed.....just make sure not to take my week ;)

Recommended for:Sightseeing, pet owners, adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers.

Great Place - Great Town - A Little Slice Of Heaven

Guest: Robert And Kelly (Sterling Heights MI)
Date of Stay: 06/17/11 Review Submitted: 07/06/11

The only thing wrong with our stay at the Olli was that it wasn’t long enough (but the fact my wife and I had to go back to work can hardly be the fault of the owner.) We had inquired about staying in this location numerous times, but each time we looked into it, the place was already rented. We finally got wise and made our reservations a few months in advance. The place was immaculate. Although easier access to the basement is an enhancement recommendation I would make, the overall workmanship that went into building this house is very professional. In addition to the house itself we have always loved the location. It is right next the post office and so close to town you can easily walk to the restaurants and local markets. The town beach on Grand Marais Bay is just up the street with Lake Superior’s “Agate Beach” a mere block or two beyond that. In addition, the eastern boundary of the Pictured Rocks is a short drive from town. It is true that the house sits across the street from the lake/beach. However, the view of the lake from the porch is fabulous and when seen from the outside balcony on the second floor it moves into the spectacular. Grand Marais is by its very nature, a small, secluded town, on the shores of Lake Superior. It does not, anywhere within its boundaries, have anything that could remotely be defined as a “busy street”. To get more secluded one would need to seek a rental in the middle of the woods. Not only would we go back, we fully intend to go back, just as soon as we can get ourselves squeezed onto the schedule. For everyone reading this and looking for a great place in a great town to spend a few relaxing days I suppose I could recommend the Olli more, but, I just don’t know how.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, tourists without a car, people with disabilities, sightseeing, pet owners, girls getaway, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers.

Stay at olle

Guest: kelsey (Midwest)
Date of Stay: 08/07/10 Review Submitted: 08/12/10

We were not happy with our stay at Olle house. Behind the house is a house with 6 dogs, two of which are blood hounds and would howl in the middle of the night. The house does not have air conditioning, so you need to keep the windows open. Since the street is busy we were kept awak by a celll phone ringing at the house next door. The lake view is not very good and you are on a busy street, next to the post office. We did not enjoy sitting outside. We did not see a pool table or sauna. They may have been in the basement, which we did not go into since you enter it from and outside door. It is not a walk out basement. The house seemed not very clean. The gas grill does not work well, so your food tastes like propane. The oven had burnt food, so your food tasted burnt. The refrig was not very cold and the ice make does not work. The floor of the shower is dirty. The carpet in the bedroom is stained. The pictures make the house look much better than it is, we were very disappointed with our stay and will not return.

Owner response:We were quite sad when this review appeared on our site. We stand by the photos posted on VRBO and feel they fairly portray the condition of our home. There are neighboring dogs, and they do make noise but we have not found it to be distracting. The bay can be viewed from the house and deck but it is not on the water and it is not advertised as such. The street is busy for Grand Marais, which is not very busy. The home is advertised as a great spot to people watch, next to the post office, in the heart of Grand Marais and walking distance to town. We do not advertise that we have air conditioning nor do we feel its needed in the climate of northern Michigan. We do rent other properties in Grand Marais and if privacy and seclusion were what the guests were looking for, they might have picked another home altogether. As to the cleanliness of the home we do have it professionally cleaned after every rental and if our guests are not satisfied with the homes condition upon their arrival they are asked to inform us right away. We were never informed by the guest that they had an issue with the cleanliness or any part of their stay. The tub is acrylic and does have some hard water stains but they are slight and we can assure guests that it and all other bathroom fixtures are thoroughly cleaned and sanitized for their visit. Again, we were dismayed and shocked by the review we have received. The home has been a popular rental for the last two summers with many repeat guests who express how much they enjoy the home. Thank you for the chance to respond.

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