Entire home
Waterfront Cottage on Magnificent Rainy Lake: Completely Renovated in 2024-25!
Lakefront cottage with kitchen and patio
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Reviews
10 out of 10
Exceptional
3 bedrooms2 bathroomsSleeps 61550 sq ft
Popular amenities
Explore the area
- Place, Voyageurs National Park
- Place, St. Thomas Aquinas Parish
- Place, Smokey Bear Park
- Airport, International Falls, MN (INL-Falls Intl.)
Rooms & beds
3 bedrooms (sleeps 6)
Lakeside Bedroom
1 Queen Bed
Master Bedroom
1 Queen Bed
Middle Bedroom
1 Double Bed
2 bathrooms
Bathroom 1
Soap · Towels provided · Toilet · Shower only · Shampoo
Bathroom 2
Soap · Towels provided · Bathtub or shower · Bathtub · Toilet · Shampoo · Hair dryer
Spaces
Deck or patio
Porch or lanai
Kitchen
Garden
Dining area
About this property
Waterfront Cottage on Magnificent Rainy Lake: Completely Renovated in 2024-25!
This rustic cottage perched on the shore of Rainy Lake in the village of Ranier is the perfect basecamp for exploring the natural wonders of Northern Minnesota and Voyageur's National Park—or just kicking back, unplugging and hanging out with the locals.
In the Davis family for more than 100 years (the original homestead was built in 1910), this waterfront cabin has been completely renovated and updated with the original Western red cedar paneling, new bathroom, entryway and kitchen, new windows throughout, and much more. A deck that opens off the porch will be your new favorite spot for catching spectacular Sand Bay sunsets from spring to fall. A wide lawn runs down to the breakwater, where you can swim in the cold, clear water of the Rainy, enjoy an outdoor meal on the picnic table, or sit around the fire pit right on the shoreline.
The Davis House is a great place to relax and spend time with your family, fish the Rainy (there’s NO DOCK ON THE PROPERTY, but there are several public boat-launching ramps nearby), snowmobile (a groomed trail about one block away gives you access to a network of routes running all over the Borderland) or rent long-term for local area work.
Kids love the nearby beach, swimming off the breakwater and exploring the shoreline. A wide selection of water toys are yours to use at the house, as well as a picnic table, gas grill, garage (perfect for our winter guests), two vintage Schwinns and almost anything else you'll need to enjoy your stay in the Rainy Lake Country.
The friendly municipal liquor store (the Ranier Muni) is just a three-block walk away. There's an ice cream parlor just down the shoreline at Tara's Wharf, along with fresh-brewed beer at Loony's Brew, a public boat-launch ramp on the river side of Ranier, the new Cantilever Distillery with hipster bar and restaurant right across the street, the lightly used quarter-mile sand and play area of City Beach, numerous restaurants and resorts in nearby International Falls and eastern Rainy Lake, and the constant activity of the Canadian National Railway.
The entire expanse of Rainy Lake—with its hundreds of islands, Voyageur's National Park, renowned walleye, pike and bass fishing—is right outside your door. And if you just want solitude or a quiet place to write your memoirs, Ranier has long been a haven for writers and painters and artists of every kind— not to mention the occasional gin-runner.
In the Davis family for more than 100 years (the original homestead was built in 1910), this waterfront cabin has been completely renovated and updated with the original Western red cedar paneling, new bathroom, entryway and kitchen, new windows throughout, and much more. A deck that opens off the porch will be your new favorite spot for catching spectacular Sand Bay sunsets from spring to fall. A wide lawn runs down to the breakwater, where you can swim in the cold, clear water of the Rainy, enjoy an outdoor meal on the picnic table, or sit around the fire pit right on the shoreline.
The Davis House is a great place to relax and spend time with your family, fish the Rainy (there’s NO DOCK ON THE PROPERTY, but there are several public boat-launching ramps nearby), snowmobile (a groomed trail about one block away gives you access to a network of routes running all over the Borderland) or rent long-term for local area work.
Kids love the nearby beach, swimming off the breakwater and exploring the shoreline. A wide selection of water toys are yours to use at the house, as well as a picnic table, gas grill, garage (perfect for our winter guests), two vintage Schwinns and almost anything else you'll need to enjoy your stay in the Rainy Lake Country.
The friendly municipal liquor store (the Ranier Muni) is just a three-block walk away. There's an ice cream parlor just down the shoreline at Tara's Wharf, along with fresh-brewed beer at Loony's Brew, a public boat-launch ramp on the river side of Ranier, the new Cantilever Distillery with hipster bar and restaurant right across the street, the lightly used quarter-mile sand and play area of City Beach, numerous restaurants and resorts in nearby International Falls and eastern Rainy Lake, and the constant activity of the Canadian National Railway.
The entire expanse of Rainy Lake—with its hundreds of islands, Voyageur's National Park, renowned walleye, pike and bass fishing—is right outside your door. And if you just want solitude or a quiet place to write your memoirs, Ranier has long been a haven for writers and painters and artists of every kind— not to mention the occasional gin-runner.
Add dates for prices
Amenities
Kitchen
Washing machine
Dryer
Pet-friendly
Free WiFi
Gym
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House Rules
Check in after 4:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 21
Check out before 10:00 AM
Children
Children allowed: ages 0–17
Events
No events allowed
Pets
Pets allowed: dogs less than 23 kg per pet (limit one pet total)
No cats, please.
Smoking
Smoking is not permitted
Check-out instructions
The host requires you to complete the following before checking out:
Load the dishwasher
Strip any used beds and gather used towels
Take out the rubbish
Turn off the lights, lock the doors and return the keys
Failure to complete these may result in a negative review from the host.
Important information
You need to know
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
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
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 and a first aid kit
We should mention
This property does not have any lifts
A car is required for transport to and from this property
About the area
Ranier
Located in Ranier, this cottage is on the waterfront. St. Thomas Aquinas Parish and The Fort Frances Museum are local landmarks, and the area's natural beauty can be seen at Voyageurs National Park and Rainy Lake Visitor Center. Make sure you get close to the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.
Ranier, MN
What's nearby
- Voyageurs National Park - 5 min drive - 4.0 km
- St. Thomas Aquinas Parish - 8 min drive - 7.3 km
- Smokey Bear Park - 8 min drive - 7.3 km
- Voyageurs National Park - 15 min drive - 14.3 km
- Rainy Lake Visitor Center - 22 min drive - 18.3 km
Getting around
Restaurants
- Border Bar Pizza - 5 min drive
- SUBWAY - 6 min drive
- Tim Hortons - 8 min drive
- McDonald's - 7 min drive
- Domino's Pizza - 6 min drive
Frequently asked questions
About the host
Hosted by Phillomena Davis
Mike and Phillomena Davis own and personally manage the Davis House on Rainy Lake and visit the cabin frequently. We live in the Twin Cities but have many friends and relatives throughout the Rainy Lake area. In 2024 we decided to completely renovate and update the house, which had not been done on a large scale since the 1970s. This work included a new entryway, new Marvin windows throughout, new flooring, shiplap ceilings and walls, new kitchen and appliances, a 12-foot kitchen island facing the lake, new master bedroom and bathroom, new roof and siding, and many other details.
We hope you appreciate the result.
We hope you appreciate the result.
Why they chose this property
This property has been in the Davis family for more than 100 years. The location, with its proximity to both Rainy River and Rainy Lake and Canada right across the bay, has been a historic gathering spot for native Americans, fur traders and adventurers for hundreds of years. From this point you can travel by boat more than 30 miles into the Canadian wilderness in three different directions or head up to Kettle Falls on the U.S. side 40 miles more. There is really no other lake in Minnesota that has so many unique features. It is a true, Canadian Shield body of water with a granite shoreline, hundreds of bays and inlets and deep, cold, tannic water. You can spend a lifetime exploring it, and many have done just that.
What makes this property unique
This is not your typical Minnesota "piney woods cabin." It is truly a rustic lake home and part of the fascinating culture of the village and busy rail port of Ranier. Yes, the lake is there with all of its attractions. But this location has so much more that keeps us coming back year after year: the trains! The smell of the air! The wildness of the lake and the idea that you can take a boat in almost any direction, and if you go far enough and you're not familiar with the area, you may have a hard time finding your way back!
Languages:
English
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