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Gorgeous Lake Retreat

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Dining
Interior
Marina
Exterior
Property grounds

Reviews

10 out of 10, Loved by Guests
Top 10% of guest reviews in this area
4 bedrooms3 bathroomsSleeps 12

Popular amenities

  • Onsite parking available
  • Kitchen
  • Washing machine
  • Air-conditioning
  • Barbecue grill
  • Balcony

Explore the area

View in a map
Merrifield, MN
  • Place, Horseshoe Lake
    ‪1 min walk‬
  • Place, Bass Lake
    ‪3 min drive‬
  • Place, Crow Wing State Forest
    ‪3 min drive‬
  • Airport, Brainerd, MN (BRD-Brainerd Lakes Regional)
    ‪27 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

4 bedrooms (sleeps 12)

Downstairs Bedroom w/ large mirrored cabinet with drawers and shelves for folded clothes plus numerous wall hooks

2 Queen Beds

Living Room 2

1 Queen Bed

Master Bedroom W/ built-in closets and a large dresser for hanging and folded clothes

2 Queen Beds

Roll-A-Way Beds

2 Single Beds

Upstairs Bedroom 1 W/ built-in closet with drawers for hanging and folded clothes

2 Queen Beds

Upstairs Bedroom 2 W/ built-in closet with drawers for hanging and folded clothes

1 Single Bed and 1 Double Bed

3 bathrooms

Downstairs Bathroom w/ Glass & Tile & Stone Shower + Sculpted Concrete Basin Sink & Large Concrete Counter + 6 Drawer Bath Cabinet

Soap · Towels provided · Bathtub or shower · Toilet · Shower only · Shampoo · Hair dryer

Master Bathroom w/ Large Glass & Stone Shower + Jetted Tub + Large basin Sink & Concrete Counter + Closet & Drawer Storage

Soap · Towels provided · Bathtub or shower · Toilet · Shampoo · Hair dryer

Upstairs Bathroom w/ Tube Shower combo + integrated sink counter & cabinet

Soap · Towels provided · Bathtub or shower · Bathtub · Toilet · Shampoo · Hair dryer

Spaces

Deck or patio
Kitchen
Office
Balcony
Outdoor play area
Garden
Dining area

About this property

Gorgeous Lake Retreat

Summer: May 15 thru Labor Day: 7-nite stay req’d w/ Sat. check-in & Sat. checkout ( exceptions sometimes allowed early & late summer season. Please inquire prior to booking).

Fall-Winter-Spring: 2 nite stay req’d + “Free Days”: For reservations starting the day after Labor Day & ending before May 15, enjoy early Check-in of 6 AM & late checkout of 4 PM. It is like having two extra days. Ignore check-in/checkout times on booking screen. Offer written into my House Rules for your peace of mind

Everything but your food & drink:
Free firewood and propane + 4 adult kayaks, 3 kid kayaks, 2 adult paddle-boards, 2 kids paddle-boards, rowboat, fishing rods/tackle/minnow bucket, fillet knife/board + cocktail station w/tools/commercial blender/fixings + paper towels/toilet paper, shampoo, body wash + sheets/bedding, bath/hand/face towels + board games, numerous bikes, water volleyball/badminton net, bocce ball sets, corn-hole, can-jam, spike-ball, other yard/beach toys +12 snowshoe sets, Ice Auger & tip-up’s + tennis rackets, pickle-ball set & frisbee-golf set for courts/course at park (1/2 mile away). Park also has hiking/biking trails, baseball diamond, kids playground

We do not have any cameras or audio recording devices inside the home or garage. We do have three exterior cameras. One video doorbell & two second story eve mounted cameras that can see the yard & driveway. The same places that are also visible to our neighbors. This being said please only allow booked guests on the property. Our neighbors quiet enjoyment is a priority and we enforce a no extra guests on the property rule. If you book for 8 or 12 then only 8 or 12 are allowed on the property

This Executive Home is a stunning architectural property. The best materials, furnishings, amenities & an unbelievably clean sandy bottom lake sets our property apart from others.

Sunset Bay is an artfully designed four season waterfront home with stunning lake views & expansive perennial gardens. This property offers a unique experience for any season. In warm seasons, you can literally create the illusion that you are in the gardens by opening all the slide-by windows to invite in the sounds of songbirds, the rustling wind and the fragrance of summer flowers. In the winter, the expanse of lakeside windows creates a surreal feeling being outside, despite being toasty warm inside & warmed emotionally by blazing fires that create a feeling of serenity & distance from the stresses you sought refuge from

Four bedrooms & a private Den comfortably accommodate 12 people. The Den has a custom built queen cabinet bed with 6” foam mattress. The Den can be a private space for sleeping if you pull the blinds and close the frosted glass doors. Two wood burning fireplaces add to the warmth & provide a sense of "place" to the tongue & groove wood interior. The main living space is a contemporary yet warm design constructed of wood, stone, and sculpted concrete

The kitchen, den, office, dinning, great room are all discrete spaces; yet, all interconnected & large enough so that you can withdraw into your own private space while remaining connected to the happenings of your group

KITCHEN
There is a fully equipped chef's kitchen with a powerful gas cooktop, convection oven, large refrigerator, microwave, kitchenAid Stand Mixer, electric food processor, Electric Crock-Pot, manual food processor, Stainless Mandolin Slicer, four slice toaster, drip coffee machine, whole bean coffee grinder, pots/pans/stock-pots, stovetop griddle, black clay tagine, stovetop espresso maker, milk frothing wand, cooking utensils, dinnerware, flatware, glassware & barware, etc

When done cooking /entertaining relax as the ultra-quiet Bosch three-tray dishwasher cleans and dries the dishes from a party of 12 in one load.

Just outside the kitchen through the den is a high tech infrared gas grill & gas fire table on a bluestone outdoor patio.

The kitchen island is truly an engaging space where no one is left out of the fun. The cooks, preparers & clean up crew are all included with what is going on in all the spaces around them. Key to this engagement is that the sink, cooktop and much of the countertop have the preparers facing the main seating areas. You won’t have to sauté those onions with your back to the group

DINNING
We have plenty of dinnerware, flatware & glassware to easily accommodate 12 guests. In addition to that we have tons of serving platers/plates/bowels to feed everyone at all our dinning locations

The main dinning table accommodates 8 comfortably & 10 family style. The secondary dinning area (ostrich table) seats 4 very comfortably & 6 family style. The kitchen island seats 4 more

BEDROOMS
Don’t forget the Den sleeps two on the custom queen cabinet bed with 6 inch foam mattress

Three Top Floor Bedrooms:
The Master Bedroom, constructed with privacy in mind, has stunning lake views, soaring ceilings, a private bathroom with heated whirlpool bath, shower & bottom up blinds . A gas fireplace in the master bedroom adds a cozy note. It is truly amazing, comfortable and unique. This is definitely the bedroom to fight over

The second and third top floor bedrooms are constructed with cedar walls & vaulted knotty pine ceilings. Both open to a deck facing the green space behind the house. These bedrooms are located either side of & share a second floor bathroom with a tub and shower

The first floor bedroom can be turned into a private suite with a private bathroom and shower by closing the pocket door leading to the back of the home. You can keep this space private or open the pocket door to allow access to the first floor bathroom and laundry that are a part of the space.

All the bedrooms, except the bunk-bed room, have queen trundle beds with the same 12 inch high quality mattress’s that adorned the main beds. No bad nights of sleeping for guests on the secondary beds

OTHER AMENITIES
Other amenities include a fully equipped laundry room including large washer & dryer. The den contains a large screen TV (no cable). You can stream any Apple/Android device to the TV using the provided Apple TV, Chromcast or Lightening to HDMI converting cable for Apple devices. We also provide, through the AppleTV: Netflix, Pandora & Prime Video

There also exists a whole house speaker system for playing music throughout the home. This system is nearly always available (99% of the time). Sometime a guest will dismantle the equipment to play video games or similar & the whole house speaker system gets disabled. I can usually direct a guest to fix the system (but sometimes not)

THE GARDENS, LAWN, BEACH AND LAKE
The home is surrounded by perennial gardens & the wildlife they attract. Feeders/flowers attract chipmunks, humming birds, sparrows, bluebirds, pileated woodpeckers etc. In the center of the garden facing the lake is a bluestone patio for dining and relaxing. Sit, surrounded by flowers, on the 4 comfy chairs around the stone table with umbrella

Expansive lawn extend from the gardens to the lake. There is plenty of space for lawn games & socializing. Near the beach is a large fire pit & bluestone patio w/12 chairs for cozy camp fires. Chairs can be used in shallow waters.

Off the back of the house is a bluestone patio where the grill and fire-table sit. A private grassy yard adjoins this patio. This patio has 4 Adirondack chairs and 6 zero gravity chairs. The Zero gravity chairs, being fabric, can be stored in a container on the same patio to keep them dry

The gardens, lawn, beach and bird/suet feeders require periodic maintenance. Your hosts might seek your permission to perform some of these tasks

We have installed a beautiful dock & floating swim platform along the north property line for our guests use & enjoyment. The swim platform sits in just a 2 to 3 feet of water and is tucked behind the pontoon to protect it from the wind. It has a table and 2 built in folding backrests. Great for adults to be removed from the hubbub of the beach but great for seeing everything. kids love it also

There is a ladder from the dock to the sand bottom lake

All the paddle boards and kayaks are mounted on racks at dock level & can be accessed from the knee deep all sand bottom water

At the waters edge we have created a cozy sugar sand beach on the south 50 percent of our water frontage

Crystal clear water & a weedless sugar sand bottom beach occupy that south 50% of our property; no muck, no stones, no rocks and no drop offs. Just pure sand. The lake is extremely safe at only 3 feet deep 200 feet from shore. It is perfect for swimming & great for water sports. You can walk from the sand beach all the way into the lake without being anywhere near the weeds and natural area on the north side of the property

There is a water volleyball net in front of the sandy beach part of the water frontage

The north 50 percent of our property we allow to grow natural. This natural area is home to frogs, dragonfly’s, fish & visiting blue herons & eagles The weeds & reeds are confined to the north half of the property & extend out only100 feet from the shore, beyond is a weedless pure sand bottom as far out as you can walk.

Hosts periodically stay in a cottage on a back lot. The cottage is further from the lake home than my three nearest neighbors homes. Hosts occasionally use a private path, on the north property line to access their boats at the end of the dock.

We do not allow guests boats to tie up to our pier. If you rent or bring a boat it can be pulled up on the beach or you can trailer your watercraft daily to the boat landing which is only 1/4 mile away. The dock & swimming platform are available seasonally but will generally be left in as long as possible in the fall and made accessible as soon as possible in the early spring.

Close to Nisswa, Crosslake, Brainerd, Crosby.

Activities listed are within 30 miles due to our rural setting
Our prices include all fees. No hidden fees.

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About the area

Merrifield

Located in Merrifield, this holiday home is in a rural area and on the waterfront. Crosswoods Golf Course and Deacon's Lodge Golf Course are worth checking out if an activity is on the agenda, while those wishing to experience the area's natural beauty can explore Mississippi River and Gull Lake. Paul Bunyan Scenic Byway and Kicks on Route 66 are also worth visiting. Take in the nearby slopes with cross-country skiing and snowboarding, or try out other outdoor activities such as snowmobiling and sledging.
Map
Merrifield, MN

What's nearby

  • Horseshoe Lake - 1 min walk - 0.1 km
  • Bass Lake - 3 min drive - 2.2 km
  • Crow Wing State Forest - 3 min drive - 2.2 km
  • Gull Lake - 19 min drive - 30.9 km
  • Brainerd International Raceway - 26 min drive - 40.5 km

Getting around

  • Brainerd, MN (BRD-Brainerd Lakes Regional) - 32 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Commander Restaurant & Bar - ‬18 min drive
  • ‪Cedar Chest - ‬20 min drive
  • ‪Dockside Lounge - ‬18 min drive
  • ‪Maucieri's Italian Bistro & Deli - ‬13 min drive
  • ‪Mission Tavern - ‬6 min drive

Reviews

10

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 147 out of 151 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 1 out of 151 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 1 out of 151 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 1 out of 151 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 1 out of 151 reviews

10/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

Verified

10/10 Excellent

Theresa M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Beautiful well stocked lake home! Owner, Dennis is an amazing available gracious host!
Stayed 4 nights in Feb 2026
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Our host, Dennis, was fantastic. His clear directions before and during our stay were warm and welcoming, and he answered all of our questions promptly. Communication was excellent, and we felt well supported throughout our visit. The home was gorgeous—the woodwork, high vaulted space, and wall of windows facing the lake added to the beauty and peacefulness of our stay.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2026
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Carolyn K.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Just wonderful

This home was just wonderful for out family vacation. Beautiful views of the lake everywhere, fully geared kitchen, lots of room to spread out. We had a blast and will book again!
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wonderful week at Horse Shoe lake

Our third year at this place and another beautiful week of lake fun. The home is perfect for our family and is located on an awesome lake front location. Dennis is always a great host and easy to contact if needed. Lot's of things to do in this area for all ages.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

John T.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
This is easily the best lakeside cabin you’ll find. We stayed here 2 years ago & had been looking forward to coming back ever since. Amazing home & yard, & their sandy, shallow beach is incredibly rare to find. The volleyball games & kayaking are always a joy. This place really is as good as it gets, especially when traveling with kids. 5 stars across the board!
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Emily S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect place for our multi generational family

Clean, convenient location and access to boat and jet ski rental access on site, perfect for swimming with kids, comfortable mattresses, well-stocked kitchen—all around a great place to spend a week with grandparents, adults, teenagers and elementary aged kids.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2021
Response from VrboOwner on 16 Aug 2021
Thanks for being great guests. Cheers Dennis
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Amanda E.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Absolutely perfect

My bookclub rents this cabin twice a year and each time is better than the last. We love it there and can't wait to return in the spring!
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Amanda E.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

The best place we've ever stayed!

This was our bookclub's 5th stay at this cabin and it gets better every time! Dennis is a consummate host and the cabin (house) is beautiful and so well appointed! Can't wait to go back in the fall!
Stayed 3 nights in May 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Mary L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Family vacation!

We all had a wonderful week playing on the beach, on the kayaks and renting the pontoon! Great family time!
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2021
Response from VrboOwner on 4 Aug 2021
Thank You for being great guests. We love to see folks enjoying the property. Cheers Dennis
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Elly K.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
We love this place! Just finished our fourth year here, and I think it gets better each year. The home is spacious and the grounds are beautiful. It is well stocked with everything you need. The beach is sandy, clean, and shallow, the perfect spot for small children to play. We also took advantage of the beautiful lawn to play games or just spread out a blanket and enjoy the view. This place is a winner!
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Jennifer K.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect!

Exceptional experience
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Sally W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Family get away

Beautiful home and location. Host was very responsive and easy to work with.
Stayed 6 nights in Jul 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

David L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
This property was perfect for our family get-together. We had young children who really enjoyed the lake, soft sand beach, water toys,Kayaking and stand up paddleboarding. The beach with it's beautiful sand and clear shallow water was amazing.When not in the water, we enjoyed the massive yard and the availability of many yard games.The house was very well equip with everything we needed to cook meals and gather socially. Our host Dennis was very helpful and made check in and check out easy.We highly recommend this place to anyone.
Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Paul K.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Family getaway

Great family getaway in a beautiful, clean cabin on a quiet, clear lake. Our family enjoyed time on the beach and utilizing the kayaks, firepit and the local park. Looking forward to returning in the future.
Stayed 6 nights in May 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Kristen I.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

We keep going back!

This is our second year and have already booked our third. The house fits our family of 10, the lake is beautiful, we spent a lot of time at the park down the street and it’s close to so many activities in the area. The property owner is responsive and caring.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Sarah L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Girl’s weekend

We had the best time at this property! Highly Recommend
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Wesley J.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Incredible lake cabin

Our family spent a week at this cabin and truly enjoyed ourselves. The cabin spacious and accommodating. The beech and lake are fantastic. We had a wonderful time. Wes & Pam Johnson
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Paul K.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Family lake vacation

Outstanding cabin on a quiet, clean lake. The hosts were very helpful and responsive to questions. We enjoyed hanging out in the beautiful cabin and all of the outdoor/lake things to do on this property. Our family would definitely stay here again!
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Julie F.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
We had a wonderful stay at this beautiful lake front cabin/house. Perfect yard for playing all the host provided games, croquet, bocce ball, spike ball, etc. We used the kayaks and paddle boards! Played badminton in the water. Loved the bonfire area as well as the propane fireplace in back of the house by the grill. The cabin is big, clean and comfortable with all the amenities you could want. The sunsets across the lake were amazing! The sandy bottom and shallow water was perfect for our 2 year old. We enjoyed every minute we spent here!
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Michaela B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful property-great stay!

We had a great New Year’s stay. We especially enjoyed the fireplace and the large open concept. The cabin was fully stocked with everything we needed. Dennis was responsive and helpful throughout the entire process. Would highly recommend to any group looking to stay around the area!
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2020
Response from VrboOwner on 5 Jan 2021
Happy New Year
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Ron B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great place for everyone

We stayed with our adault kids and went trail riding. It was perfect for us. Plenty of space for everyone. Easy access to the trails. Beautiful views. All around, this is a place we would love to stay at again!!!!!
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

grant n.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Horseshoe fun!

My family and I were lucky enough to stay at this home though it had a feel of a cabin. Everything you needed was there and more. Beautiful beach, lake, and dwelling. Plenty of room for my family with small grandchildren to old people like me. Dennis was very thorough and helpful. Sunsets were great! We made many memories as a family!!
Stayed 5 nights in Jun 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Amanda E.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Amazing, as always

This was our fifth stay at this beautiful cabin. It is exquisitely appointed and perfect for a long weekend of relaxation. Highly recommend.
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Leslie G.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Loved our visit

We had a great time! Property was very nice with long grassy yard and sandy beach with shallow water, which was great for our young grandkids. The house was lovely and we enjoyed watching the Pileated Woodpeckers from the large windows overlooking the water.
Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Amanda E.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfection

This was our fourth stay at this cabin and, as it has been every time, it was perfection.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2023
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