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The Nest: Beautiful Apartment Style Lodging In The Heart Of Downtown Decorah.

Photo gallery for The Nest: Beautiful Apartment Style Lodging In The Heart Of Downtown Decorah.

View of living room from loft beds. Windows look out onto the Courthouse.
Living-room
Living-room with a claw foot tub with pillows inside. A perfect place to lounge.
Bedroom
Bathroom

Reviews

9.6 out of 10
Exceptional
1 bedroom1 bathroomSleeps 4800 sq ft

Popular amenities

  • Washer
  • Kitchen
  • Dryer
  • Parking available
  • Air conditioning
  • Free WiFi

Explore the area

Map
Decorah, IA
  • Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum
    ‪5 min walk‬
  • Dunnings Spring Park
    ‪11 min walk‬
  • Luther College
    ‪6 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

1 bedroom (sleeps 4)

Bedroom 1

1 Queen Bed

Common area 1

3 Single Beds

1 bathroom

Bathroom 1

Toilet · Shower only

Spaces

Porch or lanai
Kitchen
Dining area

About this property

The Nest: Beautiful Apartment Style Lodging In The Heart Of Downtown Decorah.

This furnished one bedroom, one bath apartment is located in the middle of downtown Decorah. The Nest provides easy access to all of Decorah’s wonderful downtown shops and restaurants and there are many local parks within walking or biking distance. The west facing family area is a large open room with beautiful high ceilings and a wonderful view of the County Courthouse. The Nest was redone with the homey feel of Magpie Coffeehouse in mind. The floors are the original over 100 year old fir floors, exposed brick, and a comfortable couch. The dine-in kitchen makes it easy to prepare dinner and for entertaining during your visit. The bedroom has a comfortable queen bed and large lit closet. In addition to the bedroom, there are two twin beds available built loft style in the main room and a fold out twin bed in the ottoman. The large bathroom has a fabulous shower with your choice of two wonderful shower heads. There is an enclosed back porch, perfect for relaxing with friends or reading a book. A full-size washer and dryer is supplied for you laundry needs. Electric charging station for our guests with electric cars and electric bicycles available for rent upon request.
HIGHLIGHTS
-Queen Size Bed and 3 Twin Beds
-Full Eat in Kitchen
-Beautiful Bay Window With A View Of The County Court House
-Convenient Enclosed Back Porch
-Direct TV Access
-WiFi
-In the heart of downtown Decorah
-the is a charging station behind the nest to charge your electric vehicle
-2 electric bikes available for rent to ride Decorah's scenic bike trail

Property manager

Owner/Manager
Premier Host

Languages

English
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Amenities

Kitchen
Washer
Dryer
Free WiFi
Air conditioning
Parking available

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House Rules

Check in after 2:00 PM
Check out before 11:00 AM
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Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17
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Events

Events allowed
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Pets

No pets allowed
Please contact us if you have a pet.
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Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

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 are allowed on site
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 deadlock

About the area

Decorah

Located in Decorah, this apartment is in the city centre. Porter House Museum and Locust School are local landmarks, and the area's natural beauty can be seen at Ice Cave Hill Park and Decorah Bald Eagles. Agora and Amundsons Clothing are also worth visiting. Enjoy the area's slopes with cross-country skiing, and don't miss out on the sledging.
Map
Decorah, IA

What's nearby

  • Agora - 2 min walk - 0.2 km
  • Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum - 5 min walk - 0.5 km
  • Dunnings Spring Park - 11 min walk - 1.0 km
  • Luther College - 6 min drive - 3.6 km
  • Toppling Goliath Brewing Co. - 8 min drive - 7.8 km

Getting around

  • Waterloo, IA (ALO-Waterloo Regional) - 88 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Casey's General Store - ‬5 min drive
  • ‪Dixie's Biergarten - ‬14 min walk
  • ‪McDonald's - ‬3 min drive
  • ‪Family Table Restaurant - ‬15 min walk
  • ‪Culver's - ‬3 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is The Nest: Beautiful Apartment Style Lodging In The Heart Of Downtown Decorah. pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

What time is check-in at The Nest: Beautiful Apartment Style Lodging In The Heart Of Downtown Decorah.?

Check-in begins at 2:00 PM.

What time is check-out at The Nest: Beautiful Apartment Style Lodging In The Heart Of Downtown Decorah.?

Checkout is at 11:00 AM.

Where is The Nest: Beautiful Apartment Style Lodging In The Heart Of Downtown Decorah. located?

Located in the heart of Decorah, this apartment building is steps away from Amundsons Clothing and Agora. Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum and Porter House Museum are also within 5 minutes.

Reviews

9.6

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. 125 out of 146 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 14 out of 146 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 6 out of 146 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 146 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 1 out of 146 reviews

9.6/10

Cleanliness

8.0/10

Amenities

10/10

Property conditions & facilities

9.0/10

Eco-friendliness

9.8/10

Check-in

9.8/10

Communication

10/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Kjersten W.

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

Make up weekend

We came to town to watch Luther softball. We had a great two nights and have enjoyed the Nest on previous trips as well. We enjoy having the ability to use a kitchen, the sitting area is large enough to watch a movie with friends and the rental is always clean. We had to cancel this room this fall for Homecoming and the owner was able to move the reservation to this weekend. We found that very accommodating for us and really appreciated it.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2025

6/10 Okay

Meghan M.

Liked: Cleanliness, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wonderful Location, We Left Due to Health Reasons

The apartment is lovely, wonderfully decorated and perfectly located in the downtown area. We met the owner and she was lovely as she helped us get checked in and reset the locks with our preferred access code. Clean, and the kitchen is fully stocked. However, the neighbor across the stairwell, whose door is less than 3 feet from the entrance to The Nest, is a smoker and there is a constant stream of both stale and fresh cigarette smoke that seeps into The Nest. There is an air purifier going, but my husband and son both has asthma so we made the choice to leave for our health. We were sad to leave such a great location and I wish there was more that could be done to curb the smoke issue, maybe a tighter sealing door and removing that window above the bunk beds would help? Thanks.
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

Dan D.

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

Great weekend

First time stay w the kids, bunks worked perfectly. Excellent location fir walking to food and entertainment.
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

Karen L.

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

Anniversary

Wonderful, relaxing experience. Looking forward to returning.
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

Emily W.

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

Great stay!

Wonderful location and beautiful place!
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2024

10/10 Excellent

John S.

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

I keep coming back

The space is super cool and centrally located. Has all the amenities.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2024

10/10 Excellent

Chris T.

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

Perfect apartment for stay in and around Decorah

I've stayed in dozens of short term rentals the past few years and this was one of the best. Being able to walk a block to Impact Coffee in the morning, sit and enjoy a bagel before starting my day. Having a reserved parking spot made loading and unloading very easy. The covered three-seasons porch in back was really nice for keeping the mud and crud from my waders and boots from coming inside. The couch and bed were extremely comfortable so I was able to get some really good rest. Plus the place is just really cool - really neat little touches everywhere, and the history of the building is very apparent. I can't wait to come back with my wife so she can experience it too!
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2024

10/10 Excellent

Tricia M.

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

Great experience

Cool place. Very close to downtown Decorah.
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2024

10/10 Excellent

paulaas

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Cindy S.

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

Wife

Very homey comfortable, relaxing. What we didn’t like is the smell of smoke in hallway going up steps to the room
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

bryce b.

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

the nest is an apt name for the apartment

very nice cozy apartment in great location downtown. would definately stay there again!
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Linda O.

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

Warm, cozy stay

All was easy re: finding the unit, getting into it and settling in. The unit is on a second floor with a view over the St below, part of the adorable small "downtown" of Decorah. There was a frig with water/ice, a coffee grinder and all other preferred things on our "list". Host was easy to communicate with. The only "cons" were the many stairs (we are older, so that's more about our limitations" and the password given us through email was incorrect: but it was written on a "blackboard" in the front room, so all was well. Overall, we would sign up for another stay when back in Decorah.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Kjersten W.

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

The Nest

Great location and had all the amenities we needed!
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2024

2/10 Terrible

Julie P.

Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Larry T.

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

Freinds get together

Great location to see downtown Decorah and surrounding area.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2024

8/10 Good

Pef P.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location

Norsk

Extremely nice and lovely but you need to warn people about the amount of stairs to get to it.
Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Matthew G.

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

Perfect place to stay in Decorah

The Nest is the perfect combination of location (everything is in walking distance and exceptional accommodations!
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Tennille S.

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

Amazing space!

This was our second time staying at the Nest. It is such a beautiful space and within walking distance of downtown Decorah. We love it!
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2024

6/10 Okay

SUSAN D.

Liked: Location, listing accuracy
Disliked: Check-in

Communicatin issues resulted inmy not staying there

Sadly, I was not able to access the property when I arrived so did not stay at this property. VRBO directed me to seek other housing for my three day stay at that time. They tried to reach the owner but were unable to reach them to provide help. No negatives other than I was not able to stay. Just a communication problem.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2024

6/10 Okay

Teresa P.

Liked: Check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Unique and appealing

Really liked this place except for the heavy, embedded smell of cigarette smoke. Air freshener(s) were going strong when we entered but the smell was overcoming it. The smell started to dissipate somewhat after 24-48 hours (or we were getting used to it). We wondered if there was a bar in the floor below years ago.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Kris H.

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

Charming loft

The host was very responsive and provided clear directions a few days ahead of our stay. The space was lovely with wood floors and beautiful reclaimed doors. The only downside would be for those who are older or have balance/mobility issues, the long stairway up could be disconcerting when toting luggage.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Bruce S.

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

The Nest is great for downtown Decorah!

Great property in a great location! The only snag we ran into was some issues with the lock on the back door, but they were addressed in a timely fashion.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Kirstin E.

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

A Little Getaway

The place was a fun little getaway, within walking distance from downtown. There was a bit of a stale smoke smell but otherwise was great! We also rented their 2 electric bikes and had a blast exploring the bike trails.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Frank G.

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

Gracefully aged!!!

Then place was great!!! Hardwood floor and great decor!
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Emma D.

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

Amazing stay at an amazing location

When your partner walks in and says “if I bought a condo I would want it to look like this” you know you picked a great place to stay. Best location and tons of space. Absolutely would stay here again.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2024

About the host

Hosted by Owner/Manager

Host profile image
The nest is owned by the Ritner family. Rod and his daughter Kelsey renovated it in 2010. There are a lot of really interesting aspects to the nest. The Ritner's believe in recycling and reusing as much as possible. The front door and the two closet doors in the bedroom were recycled from Eastside school demolition. The school door numbers are still on the door. The counter in the kitchen was recycled form the decorah bowling alley floor.

Why they chose this property

This property is very unique in the recycle reuse. It has a new feel along with the incorporation of old items. New appliances, plenty of room for guests and even a old fashioned bath tub in the living room. And a great view of the court house from the bay window. We've been told by many guests it's their favorite place to stay in Decorah.

What makes this property unique

Electric car charging and bike rentals available to nest customers.

Languages:

English

Premier Host

They consistently provide great experiences for their guests
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