Vacation Rentals by Owner

Best family reunion ever!

Guest: George's Family (Edina, MN)
Date of Stay: 07/01/10 Review Submitted: 07/23/10

Our family of 25, spent the most fabulous week at your beautiful home. Ages ranged from 17 to 80 and everyone had a blast. We waterskied, inner tubed, kyaked, swam, golfed, played tennis, cards, badminton, soccer, watched the World Cup on your big screen TV, the list was endless. It was just like summer camp! The house was spectacular. The pictures on the website hardly do it justice. The gathering spaces on the main level were large and beautiful. There were also cozy spots to curl up with a book. The lake front is so well-kept and all the equipment was running perfectly. The yard was large enough for bocce ball, soccer, and badminton. The deck was a great place for coffee in the morning. The local area made going for a walk or run a joy. We slept 19 in beds and another 6 on air mattresses quite comfortably . The kitchen was well equipped and spacious enough for several cooks. Plenty of chairs and tables to seat all of us for dinner. We really appreciated that the house was stocked with soap and toilet paper in all the bathrooms and dish towels, etc. We felt very welcomed. The gas station is only a mile away and the store there was well stocked. The grocery store in Longville had everything we needed. We golfed three different courses nearby and loved them all. The tennis courts in Longville are a bit rustic but we enjoyed them, too. All in all the place far exceeded our very high expectations. We're going to rent it again for our next reunion!

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

Absolutely wonderful place with so much to do. We would go back in a heartbeat.

Guest: Brad (Cottage Grove, MN)
Date of Stay: 06/20/10 Review Submitted: 07/27/10

Staying at the Blackwater Lodge we had one of our best weeks as a family. We had around 20 people at the lodge and we never felt cramped. There is plenty of room, sleeping space and so much to do. The fishing is excellent, swimming, jet skiing and tubing were all incredible. At night, we played games, watched movies (in the theater room) and just visited. We didn't leave the lodge all week. We absolutely loved every second of the week.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway.

Guest: Carol Sweeney (Pine City, MN)
Date of Stay: 09/29/09 Review Submitted: 09/29/09

I was along for the weekend with Jennifer Stewart, and we had the best of ALL times, it was a cousin and Auntie weekend. The home was outstanding and the yard/lake was beautiful. We are returning next summer for sure. Also the folks of Longville were very kind and alot of fun. Thank you Chris and Sandy for sharing your wonderful home.

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Guest: Jennifer Stewart (Princeton, MN)
Date of Stay: 09/22/09 Review Submitted: 09/22/09

WONDERFUL PLACE! We just had an all girls family weekend here and it couldn't have been better. We had never spent this kind of time together and it was priceless. The home was better than we could imagine. The website can not even begin to show you the beauty of the property. Perfect for your group to enjoy their days together. Plan to go back, definately!

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Guest: The Lillys (Woodinville, WA)
Date of Stay: 07/06/09 Review Submitted: 07/06/09

Life is GRAND at Blackwater Lodge!! We have just come back from one of those rare and special family gatherings where the after glow still remains from all of the cherished memories. The Blackwater Lodge was instrumental in creating the ambiance for this large gathering. We had 20 family members stay at the house and others that visited over 4 days. The design and construction of this incredible log home provide the perfect setting for large groups. We could dine and be together all at once but there were plenty of nooks and crannies for people to go off on their own when they chose to. Chris and Sandy have thought of every detail to make this an ultimate vacation destination and accomodated us through every step of the process. You will not find more caring and helpful hosts anywhere. The lake is very private so we could teach kids how to water ski and wakeboard without a lot of other boat traffic. The water is clear and it was surprisingly warm for June....and we saw loons right off the dock. This lodge is so much more than what you see on the website...I'd absolutely recommend it for any size group!

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Guest: Deidra1 (Blooming Prairie MN)
Date of Stay: 06/26/09 Review Submitted: 06/26/09

I want to take a moment to let anyone reading this know how fantastic it was to work with Chris & Sandy while renting their vacation home. I planned an extended family reunion at Blackwater Lodge at last moment notice - as another cabin I had rented suddenly became unavailable. Chris immediately stepped forward to assist. At every turn he made this rental experience absolutely perfect. The cabin is truly more stunning than the photo's make it appear. Romm to spare for 10 adults and 4 children. The kitchen is large enough for at least 3 people to work together in building masterpiece dinners. The music/speakers throughout the cabin kept music flowing daily with ease. Our children parked themselves in the theatre room nighly. For me the most amazing this - other than the architecture- was waking up in the morning and going to sleep at night to the sound of loons out the back door. We rented the available pontoon, ski boat and jet ski and used them daily. We also utilized their Concierge service of grocery supply. Our entire menu was on site when we arrived without a single oversight. This was truly an experience that one dreams of. Without question I will seek our Chris & Sandy in hopes of returning to Blackwater Lodge soon. Much thanks to you both!

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Guest: Vivian 2 (Charlotte, NC)
Date of Stay: 06/25/09 Review Submitted: 06/25/09

LARGE Lodge-type house. Our whole fame-damily had a blast even on the cloudy rainy days. Huge well appointed kitchen. Private, quiet setting on crystal clear lake. We used the firepit, dock, & hammock daily. Caught loads of fish. Saw tons of wildlife -- Loon families!!, Mallard families, snapping turtles, hummingbirds right outside kitchen window, Minnesota gophers, deer, eagles, hawks, BIG woodpecker. Picked gorgeous wildflowers for kitchen arrangement. Country roads to walk/run daily (1.1 mile to country store/bait.

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Blackwater Lake Cabin

Guest: JTS2008 (Cary IL)
Date of Stay: 07/19/08 Review Submitted: 08/03/08

Spent a week with our family at Blackwater Lake - 9 adults and 9 grandchildren. Everything was exceptional - the weather, the property and the home. It was clean and very high end. We rented boats, fished, tubed, skiied, had bonfires daily and mostly relaxed amongst the loon calls (also saw some eagles.) It was a wonderful time, filled with great memories we will always cherish.

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

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 07/01/08 Review Submitted: 07/22/08

Exceptional facility! The home, the lake, the boat, and perfect weather! Six grandchildren and they all caught a fish... it does not get much better. Best family vacation ever!!

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 07/01/08 Review Submitted: 07/13/08

We stayed at Blackwater Lodge the week after the Fourth of July and had a wonderful experience. The lodge is beautiful, roomy, comfortable, and very well layed out for large family gatherings. One highlight of our vacation was sitting in the greatroom, looking out the huge windows and watching 2 bald eagles flying back and forth through the towering pine trees and into the yard. Everyone was cheering and applauding. It was only one of many wonderful family memories we made up at Blackwater.

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Molly Barns (Dallas, TX)
Date of Stay: 09/01/07 Review Submitted: 09/02/07

We had a wonderful family vacation on Blackwater lake. The cabin was spotless and accommodations were lovely. It is truly a gorgeous spot to escape the daily chaos of city life. We would gladly go back to this unique location in a heartbeat! The kitchen is well stocked with fabulous appliances and cookware. Highly recommend - it was a real treat!

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Stacy Kruse, CFO (Eden Prairie, MN)
Date of Stay: 07/01/07 Review Submitted: 07/24/07

WOW!!! We had MORE than a positive experience. What an amazing place to stay at!! This place had it all…beautiful and serene waterfront setting, amazing accommodations and lots of amenities to occupy our time. The lake was quiet and provided the perfect environment for our kids to tube and wakeboard. We really enjoyed watching movies in the theatre room after dinner. It was just like being at the movies. We would end our days with a bonfire and smores by the lake. A perfect way to end the day! The place was immaculate when we arrived and we felt relaxed as soon as we walked through the front door. We will definitely be back and we would recommend this place to anyone who asked.

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Sonja_HAC96228 (Minneapolis, MN)
Date of Stay: 07/01/07 Review Submitted: 07/17/07

What a beautiful setting and home! Our family truly enjoyed being able to make great meals together and gather at the fire ring in the evening. The pontoon was a great way to enjoy the lake and the kids loved the home theater. Thanks for the memories!

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 07/01/07 Review Submitted: 07/17/07

This is a lovely home that was very comfortable for our group of 13. It could easily accomodate a larger group. The home theatre was great for the chilly and rainy days we had. Including all the bath towels is a nice extra you won't find at a resort. There are a lot of extras and top quality decorating and workmanship. The beach is a bit soft and slightly weedy, but it is swimmable. There are plenty of fish in the lake. Bass are catch-and-release only per a special regulation for Blackwater Lake. We had good luck fishing drop-offs near emergent vegetation at GPS coordinates 46-55.065x94-17.810 and 46-54.787x94-17.801.

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Hagman (Ft. Myers, Florida)
Date of Stay: 08/01/06 Review Submitted: 08/18/06

Beautiful setting for family special occassions. We enjoyed our grandchildrens'families in this amazing cabin. Kayak the beautiful lake, hike the wooded trails, frolic in the water, view magnificient sunsets and relax. Wonderful! Thanks.

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 08/01/06 Review Submitted: 07/31/06

this place was simply unbelievable! it's not a cabin, it's truly a lodge. we were shocked this place was even available. it must be 8,000 sq. ft with the top imaginable appliances and entertainment devices not to mention the perfect waterfront on a beautifully quiet lake. worth every penny! thanks

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