Private Pool Paradise - MCM Luxury Black Hills Escape for Families & Friends
The Osprey Poolhouse Retreat A Private Black Hills Escape with Your Own Heated Saltwater Pool VRBO Premier Host award winners 4 times a year for 8 years in a row!
Some places help you relax. Others make you exhale the moment you arrive.
At The Osprey Poolhouse Retreat, the Black Hills feel like they’ve slowed down just for you.
Tucked into peaceful Nemo Valley, you’re surrounded by whispering pines, fresh mountain air, and wide South Dakota skies. The noise of everyday life fades. The pace softens. And suddenly, you have nowhere to be but right here, ensconced in atomic, mid-century, and danish modern furniture.
And then there’s the pool.
A private, heated 40-foot saltwater pool — yours alone during your stay. No crowds. No sharing. Just your favorite people and the rare luxury of space and privacy.
(Pool is seasonal and typically open June through early fall, depending on temperatures.)
Mornings That Start Slow. Evenings That Linger.
Imagine starting your day with coffee on the deck, wrapped in a light blanket as the mist lifts from Nemo Mountain. The valley is quiet. The air is crisp. The day feels full of possibility.
Afternoons are yours to shape:
Float beneath blue skies in the heated pool Lounge in the sun with a good book Take a scenic drive to Mount Rushmore or Crazy Horse Explore winding ATV trails and forest paths Or simply stay home and do nothing at all
Evenings gather everyone back together. Dinner in the fully equipped kitchen. A movie night in the spacious living room. Music playing softly through the Alexa stereo. Laughter drifting out toward the pool as the last light fades.
When night falls, the sky puts on its own show. The stars here are bigger, brighter, and impossibly clear.
Designed for Comfort That Feels Effortless
The Osprey Retreat was created to feel welcoming, easy, and beautifully livable.
Two King Suites & One Dual Queen Suite Each bedroom features soft bamboo linens, private en-suite bathrooms, and thoughtfully curated furnishings that feel personal and elevated.
Spacious, Light-Filled Living Areas Two gathering spaces offer room to spread out — Roku TVs, Alexa stereo, and live plants create a fresh, relaxed atmosphere. No stairs means easy walk-in comfort for all ages.
Stay Connected — If You Choose High-speed mesh WiFi and strong 5G keep you connected without interrupting your escape.
In the Heart of It All — Yet Quietly Apart You’re steps from Nemo’s small-town restaurant, community center, and historic church — perfect for wedding weekends or casual dinners.
And within a scenic drive:
Mount Rushmore Crazy Horse Memorial Custer State Park Deadwood Spearfish Canyon Adventure is close. But peace is closer.
A Rare Find in the Black Hills Private heated pools are unheard of in Nemo — and exceptionally rare in the Black Hills.
Here, you don’t share amenities with other guests. You don’t compete for space. You don’t settle. You relax.
Hospitality You Can Feel We live right here in Nemo. When you stay at The Osprey, you’re welcomed by real people who care deeply about your experience. We’re nearby if you need us — and respectfully out of sight when you don’t.
The Osprey Poolhouse Retreat isn’t just a place to stay. It’s where privacy feels luxurious. Where time stretches out. Where relaxation turns into memory.
Pets allowed: dogs less than 23 kg per pet (limit 2 pets total)
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Smoking
Smoking is not permitted
Smoking outside only, not on pool deck.
Important information
You need to know
Property # 1534363vb
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
Note from host: Additional fees for parties/events.
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
This property has outdoor spaces, such as balconies, patios and terraces, which may not be suitable for children; if you have any concerns, we recommend contacting the property prior to your arrival to confirm that they can accommodate you in a suitable room
About the area
Nemo
Located in Nemo, this holiday home is in a rural area and on a river. Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame and Dinosaur Park are cultural highlights, and some of the area's attractions include Watiki Water Park and Storybook Island. Pirate's Cove Adventure Golf and Homestake Gold Mine are also worth visiting.
Rapid City, SD (RAP-Rapid City Regional) - 50 min drive
Restaurants
Sugar Shack - 20 min drive
Brandin Iron - 2 min walk
BIG Mamas BEER Garden - 6 min walk
Big Mamas - 6 min walk
Custer Camp 1874 - Home of The Pasta Corral - 9 min drive
Frequently asked questions
Does Private Pool Paradise - MCM Luxury Black Hills Escape for Families & Friends have a pool?
Yes, this property has an outdoor pool. Pool types include heated pools.
Is Private Pool Paradise - MCM Luxury Black Hills Escape for Families & Friends pet-friendly?
Yes, this property allows dogs (limit 2 total) with a maximum weight of up to 23 kg per pet.
How much is parking at Private Pool Paradise - MCM Luxury Black Hills Escape for Families & Friends?
On-site parking is available at the property.
What time is check-in at Private Pool Paradise - MCM Luxury Black Hills Escape for Families & Friends?
Check-in begins at 5:00 PM.
What time is check-out at Private Pool Paradise - MCM Luxury Black Hills Escape for Families & Friends?
Checkout is at 10:00 AM.
Where is Private Pool Paradise - MCM Luxury Black Hills Escape for Families & Friends located?
Situated on a river, this holiday home is 0.6 mi (0.9 km) from Wonderland Caves and 10.7 mi (17.2 km) from Black Hills National Forest. Petrified Forest of the Black Hills and Thunderhead Falls are also within 16 miles (25 km).
Reviews
10
Exceptional
Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
We loved our time at this amazing home. We loved the spacious, well appointed rooms, we spent a lot of time in the pool and had a lot of fun in the game room. We also loved the spacious outdoor area and walked down to the creek every day. We wouldn’t hesitate to come here again for another fun stay in the Rapid City area!
Holly R.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2021
Response from VrboOwner on 4 Aug, 2021
Thank you, Holly! We would love to host you again and really appreciate that you took such good care of our home.
Traci and Bruce
Amazing pool, well appointed kitchen and bathrooms with unexpected extras such as spices and zip lock bags and every appliance you’d need in the kitchen and all the toiletries you’d need in the 3 + 1/2 bathrooms.
Kevin B.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2022
Response from VrboOwner on 6 Jul, 2022
Thank you, Kevin! You and your family are welcome back anytime.
We stayed in Nemo for a sturgis soccer tournament. The property was easy to find, clean and plenty of room. The weather was beautiful so we were able to use the pool. The pool area was spacious and really I wished we didn’t have as many soccer games and we could have spent the day there. Bruce was quick to respond and help get the pool cover off. Great house
Kitchen was well equipped. House was clean and well equipped for three couples. It was just me and my wife. The view out in the pool area was awesome. The grill was clean and had gas! Can’t tell you how many times I have arrived and grill has no gas and is as nasty as you can get. Many thanks to Bruce. He was an awesome host.
Charles R.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 29 Oct, 2025
Charles, thank you for the awesome review. We were happy to host your family and appreciate you!
Traci and Bruce
Cannot recommend this home/property enough! Beautiful setting and home. It's away from everything, but that was perfect for us to drive to all the area sites daily. We were gone to the sites all day and then we could play pool, foosball, badminton/volleyball in the evening (or go for a swim). Great for families. Super clean and comfortable. Wonderful, friendly owners!
Beautiful country property in a very convenient location
Before arriving, our hosts (Bruce and Traci) gave us some helpful tips on restaurants, grocery stores, and other businesses in the area. Beautiful location inside and out. Our family of 5 (2 adults, 3 teenagers) appreciated the extra space inside and the kids having their own beds and bathrooms. Everything was very clean, well kept and newly remodeled. We loved having the heated pool to ourselves. The host was very helpful getting the pool setup for us. The pool rec room was a great hang out spot to unwind at the end of day, playing games or listening to music. Kitchen and bathrooms were well stocked with supplies and linens. Relaxing mountain view with small creek; great for stargazing. We loved that it was in the country but still close enough to most attractions we planned to visit. The hosts were very helpful and easy to reach with any questions or needs. We’ve stayed in many different VRBO properties in different states, and everyone agreed that this was our favorite stay.
Really great stay here. The space was perfect for our group of ATV riders and Nemo was a great jumping off point. The pool was perfect after a long day, and owner was gracious and easy to communicate with. Really recommend this spot to anyone. Rooms were super large and spacious and comfy.
The location was perfect (close proximity to start point of a weekend trail race), the scenery was outstanding, and the pool was fantastic! The home was very clean, wonderfully decorated and perfect for the size of our party. We definitely plan to return to this place!
We stayed in the Osprey, it had lots of room, everything was provided except food! It was very convenient to be connected to the pool house and the game room, our kids loved it! The house had a portable air conditioner, which kept it fairly comfortable, but it was in the 90’s when we were there, so it ran constantly, so just an FYI, it wasn’t as quiet as central air. We also opened the windows during the night and it cooled off nicely.
The location is in the valley with beautiful views of cliffs and evergreens, along with a stream just a short walk away. The amenities were a drive to get to, ie. groceries and restaurants. There is a small local store with necessities if needed. There is also a local restaurant in Nemo, but it was closed when we wanted to dine there. We loved the Sugar Shack which wasn’t too bad of a drive. They had great burgers!
The hosts were very responsive when we had a question or needs.. Overall a great place to stay!
This was the best place for us, a group of 6, to stay while attending the Sturgis rally. We were centrally located from so many attractions. The Osprey accommodations were perfect and provided privacy for each couple yet large enough gathering area for all of us. The views were breathtaking every morning and night. We would highly recommend the Freebird Ranch.
This home was absolutely beautiful and had everything we could have hoped for!
Kaela R.
Stayed 4 nights in May 2021
About the host
Hosted by Bruce and Traci
Bruce and I moved to the Black Hills around 2010. Bruce was from Minnesota and I was from Hawaii.
We love our life here in Nemo with our friends and our horses, dogs and cats.
Why they chose this property
Nemo has small-town charm with only 35 year-round residents. We have horses and have direct access to the trails in the Black Hills National Forest. Our property is right in front of Nemo Mountain and the view of the rock ridge is spectacular!
What makes this property unique
Our property is unique to others in the area in so many ways, here are a few:
We are a luxury property with furnishings that are heirloom pieces, all wood, no pressboard or items purchased from a local furniture store.
We are the only property that has a pool in the entire southern part of our county.
This home's windows face the rock ridge and there is southern exposure filling the home with light.
We have horses on the property, in fact, they surround us, as we have grazing pastures on three sides.
Our home is level so there are no stairs beyond the one step up to the boardwalk.
We don't have UTV trails next to our home as other homes do. It's fun to be out in UTVs, but it is not fun having a trail right next to your home. There are just a few homes that sleep 8 in Nemo and the others are surrounded by UTV trails.
We have bathrooms in every bedroom! Plus another two bathrooms with one near the laundry room and the other in the great room. We have two living rooms, as well.
The laundry room has two sets of washers and dryers and a utility sink.
Our pool deck is over 2000 square feet and we have multiple outdoor seating arrangements as well as lounges.
We have living plants in our home that we take care of throughout the year.
We live in Nemo year-round and we supervise all cleaning and maintenance of the home. If you look at our competitors reviews you will see several that have complaints of things not working. The owners do not live in Nemo and aren't making sure to keep the promises they provide on their websites.
Our cleaners wash our linens in a sanitary setting, and they include every single linen used by the previous guests.
We allow dogs with a small pet fee.
Languages:
English
Premier Host
They consistently provide great experiences for their guests