Wisconsin cabin (Merrillan/Black River Falls)

Guest: Kate "Kabin-lover" (Osseo, Wisconsin)
Date of Stay: 03/01/08 Review Submitted: 03/18/08

We chose this cabin for an extended family winter getaway, since it seems the only time we get together are the major holidays and those pass so quickly! My husband, sons and I, my parents ("Grandma & Grandpa"), and my sisters, their husbands, and their kids all got together for a weekend. During the day the guys took the kids snow-tubing at Bruce Mound (only 4 miles away) while the ladies spent some relaxing time together. Lots of shopping (crafts, antiques, etc.) nearby. At night after a big supper (we grilled out on the deck!) we played cards/board games. The open space of the great room was perfect; we had two game tables going at once! The biggest surprise was the in-floor heat. Very cozy! Lots of comfortable sleeping space and 2 1/2 baths. The decor is rustic and beautiful. The kitchen is wonderful, the views out the many windows and off the deck are gorgeous. The cabin is a great central location and easy to find. Very clean and well-maintained. Friendly service. We definitely will be back!

Owner response:We have worked very hard to make our log cabin feel special and inviting. It feels great to know we helped to make some special memories possible.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, pet owners, age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway.

Great Time

Guest: DaveT (Chicago, IL)
Date of Stay: 05/30/11 Review Submitted: 06/06/11

We needed a break. I wanted to spend a few days in the Black River Falls Area and relax. After much deliberation, we chose the creekside cabin. The cabin was clean, comfortable, well stocked, and quiet. Just what we needed. Great hiking trails nearby. Neighbors were nice. What more could we ask for? Thank you Jennifer for sharing your cabin with us. Best regards, Dave, Peggy, and dog Bodhi....

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

This is it!

Guest: jgoodz (madison,wi)
Date of Stay: 11/04/10 Review Submitted: 11/24/10

We had a great time at this cabin! When you walk in, you feel the care they took in decorating and adding the touches that make it inviting and cozy. The view off the back deck truly is spectacular and Jennifer made sure to tell us about the "easier" path to the creek. The front porch has a nice porch swing where I sat to drink my coffee and watch the horses in the field across the road. We found the Black River area has some great hiking trails, quaint restaurants and lot's of friendly people. I will recommend this log cabin to family and friends anytime, it was exactly what we wanted, a cute log cabin, privacy to do as we pleased and the sounds of water below and a chance to slow down. Thank you and we'll be back!

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

Nice cabin, comfortable

Guest: Weekender (Twin Cities, MN)
Date of Stay: 11/12/10 Review Submitted: 11/23/10

This cabin was a nice weekend get-away. Good condition, comfortable, all the kitchen needs were there. Our only complaints were: residual dog hair on the furniture and floors and that noise carries to the downstairs (where the bedrooms are) if others are upstairs in the main living areas (say, if you are taking an afternoon nap while the rest of the group are gathered upstairs). Overall, was reasonably priced and comfortable.

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, families with young children.

Nice Weekend

Guest: Alan (Chicago Area)
Date of Stay: 10/22/10 Review Submitted: 11/02/10

For a weekend getaway or week-long stay, I would highly recommend this property if you are looking for a "north woods" feel closer to home in central Wisconsin. It is a comfortable, quiet and clean with great views and a very responsive owner. The only downside was the cement floor in the 2nd bathroom shower--it was clean but standing on concrete to shower wasn't the greatest. The walk down to the river is steep, but fun, and it provides a private fishing area. The master bedroom is private with its own bathroom and traditional show tub / whirlpool, while the other two bedrooms have oversized bunk beds. The two fire pits were a treat, the view was fantastic, and the kitchen had everything we needed. Dinner at the Stone's Throw Restaurant nearby was awesome--great prime rib. It is also a short drive to Black River Falls with a 24-hour full service Wal-Mart and only 45-50 minutes north of Wisconsin Dells.

Recommended for:Families with teenagers.

What a surprise!

Guest: FamilyofFive (Chicago, IL)
Date of Stay: 08/08/10 Review Submitted: 09/07/10

The cabin sits only about 30 yards from the street. The view in the back is good and the creek is nice. (Because of the street location, where cars drive by FAST, the front yard is not as relaxing or quiet.) I learned from other reviews that the cabin is small so you need to be prepared for that when you pull up. The layout inside is a good use of space. Be prepared for cement floors in the lower level, in bedrooms. Master bath is good. The backyard is where you want to view nature. The deck provides an incredible view. It was a surprise that the creek was a steep 75 foot drop from the yard since the description says the creek runs *through* the property . The pathway down was grown over with brush and was difficult to climb, but once you got down there it was pretty. We were told by the owner that we could fish from the creek but there was nowhere to stand or cast from, so fishing there wasn't an option. The outside of the cabin was nice. But, the inside was a HUGE surprise to us! Dog hair covered the floors and furniture, the kitchen sink needed a good scrubbing, the fridge needed to be wiped down and the cobwebs in the corners with dead bugs in them gave us the creeps. Not to mention that, while a cement floor in the second bath's shower could be viewed as rustic, we did not appreciate that globs of hair and ickiness were on the bathmat. We called the housekeeper to see if she did not have a chance to clean yet, and she assured us she was finished. While we were up for a bit of "roughing it", we were very surprised that this version of clean was so very different from our own idea of clean. We contacted the owner and while she seemed concerned, she didn't offer a refund of any sort or offer to accommodate us in any way for our inconveniences. (We made multiple phone calls to her after the rental, and we cut trip short due to lack of cleanliness. As of this writing - one month after stay- she hasn't made things right, & has stopped returning phone calls.) Other reviews said she was great and she may be...but not to us in our case. *Caution* when using this location for families. There is a beach nearby where you need to be 18 years or older to enter. Please also be aware that the bridge was out during our stay, and the detour was 10 minutes out of the way. If you decide to book this cabin, I'd suggest checking to see if the bridge repairs are completed or plan for the extra travel time every time you want to go somewhere.

Owner response:As someone who travels a lot myself, I always take low reviews with a grain of salt. Log cabins, being out in nature, experiencing what the woods has to offer is not for everyone. I have worked with hundreds of guests over the years and I'd say that I am very responsive, kind and considerate. Our cabin is built into the side of hill, which is why it offers a spectacular view of the creek below, there is one steep path, but also another one a few hundrew feet further that offers a large, flat area to fish and play. I offered to come myself and "make right" anything I could, but unfortunatly the family only stayed a few minutes and made up their mind to go back to the city. I know vacation and family time is precious! I always want to make sure that you get the most of it, so I did offer a 50% refund, which was accepted. I also don't know what beach they stopped at, the area if full of county parks that are family friendly to all ages. Again, I pride myself on a clean, fun, and positive experience with all my guests. So I did learn that

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, pet owners, families with teenagers.

Great Girls Weekend Location!

Guest: Special K (Minneapolis, MN)
Date of Stay: 06/18/10 Review Submitted: 06/21/10

We had my sister's wedding shower/bachelorette party here this past weekend and LOVED it!! The back deck is SO big and has a beautiful view! :) ...It has a cabin feel but still holds 10 people, which is excellent! It is RIGHT on the road, but it isn't bad, especially since you don't really notice it while on the porch.

Recommended for:Girls getaway.

Hospitality, Comfort, and Privacy

Guest: Honeymooner42 (Chicago)
Date of Stay: 04/25/10 Review Submitted: 05/03/10

My wife and I went to the Black River Falls area for our honeymoon. And let me tell you what...this cabin was a perfect place to get away from the city to have some quiet relaxation and solitude! The cabin is absolutely gorgeous. The Amish did a great job building it. There is so much elbow room upstairs and downstairs that it'd be ideal for a couple of families (or large group) to stay there. The master bedroom down stairs has a large jacuzzi which is so relaxing. We particularly enjoyed the balcony in the back over looking the forest and creek. The property has a quiet country road out front, but the back leads right down to a quaint creek. There is also a burn pit where you can have a fire if you get your own wood. And there is plenty of space from the nearest neighbor giving nice privacy. Speaking of neighbors, the cleaning lady/assistant Karen was incredibly kind. She helped us get situated and whenever we called she was there within 2 minutes. "We're just country folk," she responded after my wife and I thanked her for going above and beyond. If you forget something or have a question she is a great resource. The cabin is fully furnished with dishes, a stove, microwave, fridge, dishwasher, washer, dryer, etc. which allows you to cook and wash your clothes just like you were at home. I'd recommend going to Walmart and stocking up on groceries for the week in order to relax in addition to checking out some of the local eateries. Jennifer, the cabin owner and also really nice person, has a full binder in the cabin with local listings for what to do and a guest book where we found helpful tips on where to eat and what to see. Black River Falls is only about 10 minutes away. It's a town of a little over 3,000 people so you get that small town feel with the luxuries of a Walmart and modern restaurants (including being right off the Interstate). There is a casino only about 15 minutes away. Overall, I'd totally recommend this cabin to everyone. When you add in the hospitality, comfort, and privacy it would be hard to find any place that beats this. Thanks Jennifer (and Karen) for a terrific honeymoon experience!

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

log cabin

Guest: Vladka (Chicago, IL)
Date of Stay: 12/23/08 Review Submitted: 01/06/09

Cabin is actually smaller than it appears in photos. But we accumulate fast. Just half of bulbs was out so we had to buy couple of them. It's nice and warm wood cabin with nice creek below. We had a lot of snow, so we could enjoy skiing, atvs. Snowmobile rental is just one there and they have been book for next 2 weeks. Good price. We might come again.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, romantic getaway, sightseeing, pet owners, families with young children.