Top 10% of guest reviews in this areaTop 10% of guest reviews in this area
3 bedrooms2 bathroomsSleeps 182000 sq ft
Popular amenities
Kitchen
Washing machine
Dryer
Pet-friendly
Free Wi-Fi
Air-conditioning
Explore the area
Darwin, MN
Washington Lake
Place, Washington Lake
1 min walk
Willmar Conference Center
Place, Willmar Conference Center
53 min drive
Green Lake
Place, Green Lake
55 min drive
Rooms & beds
3 bedrooms (sleeps 18)
Bedroom 1
2 Queen Beds
Bedroom 2
2 Queen Beds
Bedroom 3
1 Queen Bed
Bunkhouse
1 Queen Bed and 1 Double Bed
2 bathrooms
Bathroom 1
Toilet · Shower only · Jetted bathtub
Bathroom 2
Bathtub or shower · Toilet
Spaces
Deck or patio
Porch or lanai
Kitchen
Separate dining area
Outdoor play area
Garden
Dining area
About this property
Beautiful Home on Lake Washington - Pontoon Included with Rental!
Note: We carefully follow and use The Environmental Cleaning & Disinfecting Recommendations from the CDC (Center of Disease Control & Prevention).
The Swisher Retreat is an amazing ALL season rental that sits right on beautiful Lake Washington. It is great for family gatherings, reunions, fishing weekends (both summer fishing and ice fishing!) girls weekends, bachelor parties, etc. Private, roomy, gorgeous location.
The main property has 3 bedrooms (master bedroom has TV & DVD player), 2 baths (master bath has jetted tub and shower), kitchen, living room (with TV & DVD player) and a huge, beautiful deck (with a gas grill, charcoal grill and flat grill) facing the lake. The bunkhouse (included in your rental) has two queen size beds, a TV/DVD player, microwave, heat and air conditioning, as well as a screened in porch. A separate game room has a pool table, ping pong table, bean bags/cornhole and board games. In the yard is a large trampoline.
The Swisher Retreat includes unlimited use of a pontoon (seats 13) with one tank of gas included. The property is on Lake Washington, but Lake Stella can be easily accessed via the channel. Both lakes are excellent for summer fishing and ice fishing!
Also included are 2 kayaks, a paddle boat, assorted water toys, lily pad and floating air mattresses. Families with young children love the shallow shoreline (with sandy bottom) for swimming, water toys included. There is a large fire pit overlooking the lake and firewood is included. A huge, screened in deck on the home (with plenty of comfortable seating) overlooks the lake.
For larger groups there is a lovely camper on the property. It sleeps 6 and has a kitchen, as well as heat and air conditioning. It is available in the spring, summer and fall months for an additional fee of $150.00.
This is a spacious property that has room for tents in the yard, yard games, plenty of shady areas, room for kids to play, and plenty of parking.
Wi-Fi, washer, dryer, dishwasher, microwave, central air conditioning, coffee maker, jetted tub and shower in the master bathroom, water softener, towels, and a fireplace give this vacation property many of the comforts of your own home. We include many extras: soap, dishwasher detergent, laundry detergent, paper plates, paper towels, garbage bags, disposable aluminum pans, paper cups, coffee, flour, sugar, ketchup, mustard, salt/pepper and other seasonings.
We also have a gas grill, charcoal grill (bring your own charcoal), an outdoor turkey fryer/sweet corn boiler, and a outdoor flat grill for making pancakes, eggs, etc.
We offer a 10% discount to active and retired military personnel & active and retired law enforcement/firefighters/EMS. Please let us know after you book, so we can include the discount. Also, note: the base rate includes up to 8 guests. Additional guests are charged a fee of $30.00 per day, per guest.
While you are here, be sure to visit the World's Largest Ball of Twine, located just a mile from the property!
Come to the lake and make some wonderful memories!
Our prices include all fees. No hidden fees.
Add dates for prices
Amenities
Kitchen
Washing machine
Dryer
Pet-friendly
Free WiFi
Air conditioning
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Events allowed: family gatherings, birthday parties, weddings
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Pets
Pets allowed: dogs (limit 3 total)
Pet fee $50 per dog per stay
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Smoking
Smoking is not permitted
Smoking is allowed outside only.
Important information
You need to know
This property is managed by a private host (a party not acting within their trade, business or profession). EU consumer law, including the right of withdrawal, will not apply to your booking. The cancellation policy set by the private host will cover your booking.
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Parties and events (including family gatherings, birthday parties and weddings) are allowed on site. Maximum attendees: 25
Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit and a deadlock
We should mention
A car is required for transport to and from this property
About the area
Darwin
Located in Darwin, this holiday home is in a rural area and on the waterfront. Depot Museum and Dassel History Center & Ergot Museum are cultural highlights, and some of the area's activities can be experienced at Litchfield Golf Club and Meadow Links Golf Course. Travelling with kids? Consider Dassel-Cokato Performing Arts Center, or check out an event or a game at Saints Field. Discover the area's water adventures with jet skiing and kayaking nearby, or enjoy the great outdoors with cycling and hunting.
Crow River Winery and Vineyard - 38 min drive - 37.9 km
Powder Ridge - 41 min drive - 47.7 km
Willmar Conference Center - 53 min drive - 65.4 km
Green Lake - 55 min drive - 65.0 km
Restaurants
McDonald's - 11 min drive
Thirsty's Tavern - 11 min drive
Subway - 11 min drive
Swan's Cafe - 11 min drive
Eagles - 11 min drive
Frequently asked questions
Is Beautiful Home on Lake Washington - Pontoon Included with Rental! pet-friendly?
Yes, this property allows dogs (limit 3 total).
How much does it cost to stay at Beautiful Home on Lake Washington - Pontoon Included with Rental!?
As of 31 Mar 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Beautiful Home on Lake Washington - Pontoon Included with Rental! on 30 Apr 2026 start from £449, including taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.
How much is parking at Beautiful Home on Lake Washington - Pontoon Included with Rental!?
On-site parking is available at the property.
What time is check-in at Beautiful Home on Lake Washington - Pontoon Included with Rental!?
Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.
What time is check-out at Beautiful Home on Lake Washington - Pontoon Included with Rental!?
Checkout is at 11:00 AM.
Where is Beautiful Home on Lake Washington - Pontoon Included with Rental! located?
This family-friendly Darwin holiday home is located on the waterfront, within 2 mi (3 km) of Washington Lake, Minnesota Twine Ball and Darwin City and Township Hall. Jewitt Lake and Belle Lake are also within 6 miles (10 km).
Reviews
10
Exceptional
Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
We had a great time fishing, tubing, bigger kiddos liked their own space in the bunkhouse and playroom. They also enjoyed golfing at the local golf course. It was nice to have 2 boats so everyone could do their own thing.
Jill was a great host and the cabin was perfect for a group of 6 couples! Plenty of space to sleep, hangout, and have fun! Would love to make this a tradition!
We all had a very wonderful stay, I would come back
Tammy W.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 25 Aug 2024
Thank you for the five star review, Tammy! We loved having you as our guests and hope you will consider staying at the Swisher Retreat again. Enjoy the rest of the summer.
This house was perfect for a large bachelorette weekend! The house was super clean and Jill was a fantastic host. I would come stay here again for another cabin weekend in the future.
Marissa B.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 29 Aug 2024
Thank you for the five star review, Marissa! We loved having you and your friends as our guests. Enjoy the rest of the summer. We hope you'll come back soon!
Great stay again, love that their is stuff for everyone to do. You can sit around and relax or enjoy one of the other many games/lake activities this property has to offer. Jill always provides the best treats!
Jill was the best! We had a great time! Would definitely go back.
Cherri L.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 25 Aug 2024
Hi Cheryl,
Thank you so much for the five-star review. We loved having you as our guests! Enjoy the rest of the summer, we hope you'll visit us again soon!
We decided to take a long weekend and Jill‘s place was the perfect getaway. Plenty of space, great location from the Twin Cities, lots of things to do for adults and kids and the pontoon was awesome. We come here every year and we’ve already planned our 2025 trip. We can’t say enough great things about it.
Matt P.
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 25 Aug 2024
Thank you for the five star review, Matt. We Loved hosting you and your family and are looking forward to having you back again next year! Enjoy the rest of the summer.
Great family get together. Something for all ages: game room, fire pit, screen in deck, right on water for fishing, water activities. Very clean. Jill was a very accommodating and hospitable host! Enjoyed out time there!
We absolutely loved our stay. Jill was so kind and met us to review questions about the boat and house. The property was perfect to celebrate a friends bachelorette party. I highly recommend this property and we hope to be back in the future!
Thanks, Jesse, for your return stay at The Swisher Retreat! As always we loved having you and your group as our guests and welcome you back anytime! Have a great summer!
We had a good time during our stay. Jill was a great host that went out of her way to help us with our car issue and making our stay all the better. The pontoon was great cruising the lake and fishing. The view from the deck is spectacular. Very relaxing!
Had a great time at this lakeside cabin. For a weekend golf trip away from the city, it was the perfect spot. Spacious with Great Lake access/views and plenty of games/floatation devices to keep us busy.
Host was communicative and showed us the ropes of the home. Overall it was a great weekend!!
Josh D.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 25 Aug 2024
Thank you for the five star review, Josh! We appreciate it and we enjoyed having you and your family as our guests. Enjoy the rest of the summer. We hope you'll stay again sometime!
We had a great weekend, the cabin was nice and there were lots of activities a we enjoyed the pontoon, paddle boat and fire pit the most. Jill was an attentive host and make sure we were taken care of!
Sarah H.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2020
Response from VrboOwner on 20 Jul 2023
Thanks, Sarah. We loved having you as our guests. I hope you enjoyed the Biggest Twine Ball hats. Hope to see you again!
About the host
Hosted by Jill Swisher
I was born and raised in the area and am excited to share all that the Lake Washington area has to offer with you! I am the former owner of one of the most popular local restaurants and am now sharing my enthusiasm and hospitality with each person that rents my property. My family and I live just a hop, skip and a jump away on the family farm. Give me a jingle and I will share with you anything you want to know before renting.
Why they chose this property
The property has been in the family for 3 generations. In fact, my mother started the area summer festival, Twine Ball Days, which the town celebrates every year in August.
What makes this property unique
This lake home is tucked in the woods away from traffic on a beautiful lake. There is a large lawn which is perfect for picnics, yard games and room for kids to run and play. The main feature is the lake. The views are awesome and the beach, pontoon, kayaks and 3 paddle boats (including a seated paddle board that seats 4) give you everything you need to enjoy your stay with us. The fire pit is an evening favorite and firewood is provided. We want you to have a wonderful time so please let us know if you have any questions about the property. If you are staying with us please let us know if you need anything while you are here. Sincerely, Jill
Languages:
English
Premier Host
They consistently provide great experiences for their guests