Good prices but the room smelled like weed. Went for snowmobiling. When we asked the manager where to park our trailer she couldn't really give us a great answer. She finally said we were fine where we were but then got a rude call from the night person telling us to move it. By the time we got to the hotel she was gone and the next morning was still unbelievably rude. Our key would not work. They reprogrammed it three times and we got locked out of our room and know one was available at the front desk. Finally found a janitor to let us in. When I checked out the same morning person asked for my key and I told.her I threw it in the garbage because it never worked and she got mad at me. All around horrible customer service. Very rude front staff. read more

RUN! RUN! RUN!! We would have listened to the terrible reviews, but we were in a bind at the last minute with no other options. Dingy, musty odor and moldy bathroom. I have an allergy solely to dust mites. Dust mites are everywhere, however, with improper cleaning and upkeep, mites will be in excessive numbers and will cause a reaction. I had to seek medical attention (2 hours away in Duluth) after spending one night there. I emailed them asking for a refund and this was their response. Incredibly unprofessional with an aggressive tone. You can't SEE dust mites. Believe the reviews!!!! It is TERRIBLE. read more

Aspen Lodge - Rude and aggressive response from management. The pictures online are representative of the 'quality' of their rooms. Disgusting!! - Hotels Near Me - Grand Marais, Minnesota

This is a fine hotel in a great location. Practically lakeside. This isn't the Ritz or a mountainside villa, yet it is quiet inside, clean, spacious, ample free parking and a short walk to groceries restaurants and the downtown retail area. They have a pool, whirlpool and sauna. Nice after day skiing or hiking. read more

Aspen Lodge - Chilling after a long drive. - Hotels Near Me - Grand Marais, Minnesota

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The only good thing about this place is the location. The breakfast items are stale and the fruit is old. The decor is from the 80s and the mattresses are too. Major updates needed. read more

Absolutely horrible. Locked out of room for an entire night because the key card stopped working. Called the emergency number and left messages, sent emails, etc. No response. Still had to pay for the whole stay with no apology or reimbursement for being locked out. I have called, left voice messages, emailed Mark Sandbo and another manager named Jenny - still no response or acknowledgement. I have given them NUMEROUS chances to respond as I did not want to leave a bad review, but apparently they could care less about their customers. read more

Had a very nice stay. The staff was super nice. The room was clean and quite. Had a very nice talk with Jenny at the desk. She was very helpful and knowledgeable about the area. The pool is very nice for kids,hot hot tub and sauna. Lots of free parking and easy road access. Nice continental breakfast in the sunny main area. Games and books to check out for kids. I will be back. read more

this was absolutely the worst experience ever and staying at a hotel over 71 years of life! Construction was going on, and they failed to tell us when we booked this room in advance. I will add pictures of what we saw out our window. We left the Minneapolis area to find some peace and quiet and that is not what we had here in this room at the Aspen Lodge. we did not have a choice to wait at 7:45 in the morning because it was already predetermined by all the workers call which show up and start pounding yelling and playing their music loudly. Right outside our window! We asked for compensation, and we were not heard. The general manager, Mark Sandbo has been contacted many times, and he is not responding. we just wanna be compensated for the inconvenience of traveling 12 hours round-trip for no peace and quiet! read more

Aspen Lodge - This is a picture of looking out a window at supposedly a beautiful view of lake superior! It was only removed at night. - Hotels Near Me - Grand Marais, Minnesota

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Upon arrival we were met by a stone faced man checking us in. All other employees were friendly and helpful. This is an old hotel in dis repair. The carpets are filthy and disgusting. It just felt dirty everywhere. We did have a nice view and it's close to town. We won't be back. read more

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Found a room that wasn't made and had a dead mouse in it. If I a road Side motel that's not kept up as your goal this is your place to stay. I highly recommend a tent in the ditch first read more

From the moment you arrive, this hotel is not welcoming. Not enough parking. Multiple signs taped to the door - "NOT pet friendly!" "NO public bathrooms". The desk clerk wasn't very welcoming, either. When I realized my room was on the ground level, I asked to be moved to a higher level out of safety concerns. I was told that I checked in so late (6pm is late??) that there were no other rooms left. Then you get to your room, and things really go downhill. The room is terribly outdated. Bedspreads from the 1990s. Carpet very stained all over the place and even shredded by the bathroom door. Stain on the lampshade. Stains on the curtains. Holes in the upholstery on the chairs. There is a small fridge but no microwave and no coffee maker. No soap dish. I placed my soap on a hopefully clean washcloth rather than on the sink. Bed was hard as a board. Another guest in the hotel told me when I was packing my car to leave that they saw a centipede crawl up their wall. Had I known that, I would have SLEPT in my car! I can't comment on the view of Lake Superior that is advertised because I couldn't see it from my room. And I am also unable to comment on the pool or hot tub because in a place where the rooms are so unclean, there's no way I'm going to use their pool or hot tub because who knows what diseases I'd catch there. The only positive was the location right in town, but that does not make up for an unfriendly staff and a room in such poor condition. read more

When my husband asked me what I thought about our room at the Aspen Lodge, I responded by saying, "It's OK. But it's the type of hotel where I never want to be barefoot. I want to always have socks on. Always." And I did for the duration of our stay. I wished I'd brought my slippers. So -- all told, it's not the worst hotel I've stayed in. I've definitely stayed in worse accommodations. But five star lodging this is not. On the plus side, it covers the basics adequately and can be among the cheapest of the overpriced rooms in the area, depending on the season in which you are visiting. There was a TV in the room and a mini fridge that worked fine, though it was not plugged in when we arrived, meaning we had to plug it in and wait for it to cool down. The room was as clean as it generally could be given that it was a bit... er... dated. The best part of the room was actually the bathroom, which was clean, fairly new looking and offered really good water temperature and pressure in the shower. The room came with some well-used but clean towels and washcloths and the usual soaps, little bottles of shampoo, etc. But no fancy extras beyond that. On the minus side of the equation, the room was just dated. Though the carpet had obviously been vacuumed before our arrival, it was just old carpet. There were stains, picks, nicks, etc. The bed was appointed in bedding that looked like it was from the 80s (though the pinkish mauve linens WERE laundered and all was clean). Furniture-wise, also looked like things haven't changed much in the past 15 years or so. The hotel has a pool but we didn't use it. No restaurant, room service or even take-out menu from a nearby restaurant. After 10 p.m. the side doors are locked so you have to come in through the main lobby after that. Also, the wall to wall carpet that runs the hallways of this hotel have an old look and musty smell. If there was an elevator, I didn't see it, so be prepared to take the stairs. And just looking at the setup for the continental breakfast made me decide to skip it in the morning. But all of that considered, like I said at the top, it is not the worst place I've ever stayed, and at least everything was clean even if it was old. It certainly wouldn't be my first choice in the area, but I wouldn't rule out a return visit depending on the situation. read more

My fella and I stayed in a single room in the Spruceglen at Aspen Lodge building for two nights in June. Overall, the experience was lackluster however there were a few positives. Let's start with the good stuff- We reserved over the phone a few days prior and the women taking the reservation was extremely accommodating and pleasant. She offered to waive the pet fee, which was much appreciated. The experience went downhill from there. The room was clean, once we finally got into it. Check in is technically set at 3pm, however we arrived early after a rigorous hike and had hoped for early access but were told that was not possible. We were disappointed but it's understandable. However, the receptionist we dealt with was more concerned with chatting with staff and putting on lotion than helping us in any way. We didn't actually get the keys to the room until 3:15, which was early compared to the other disgruntled guests who were told it would be another hour before their rooms were ready. We were never told where our room was located, informed of the free breakfast or given the wifi password. They seemed understaffed and disorganized. When we made the reservation we were told we would be on the Superior side but were In fact placed on the highway side. Which makes substantial difference in noise. The room itself was fairly clean however very outdated with a small old television and not much else. The book with local recommendations held a calendar for events in 2013 and 2015. The location is as good as any in Grand Marias with a quick easy walk to the beach and all fun local retail and restaurants. It's cheap and in a good location but don't expect much in terms of comfort or service. read more

We booked online for a room in the Aspen Lodge, but upon arrival found ourselves in the Spruce Glen Inn. The Spruce Glen was not a nice place to stay. For the money we spent the quality was of the room was low. The room was dark and musty smelling. The bed was the most uncomfortable bed we had ever slept on. The doors at the Inn shut really hard and you could hear the comings and goings of everyone around you. To our surprise there was no A/C, and the carpet had numerous stains that made you want to wear your shoes to bed. The room was clean, as was the bathroom, but the bed and noise factor of this Inn left us less than impressed. Also, the Spruce Glen allows pets and everything that includes, which might explain some of the stains on the carpet. Next holiday we will be booking elsewhere. read more

I would rather sleep in my car than stay another night at Aspen Lodge. I called a couple weeks before the trip to make the reservation, and spoke to what seemed to be a nice lady. She told me that the room would be on the 3rd floor, lake view, and a king size bed. When I arrived, the front desk lady told me that the room was actually on the first floor, parking lot view, and 2 queen size beds. I told her that it must be a mistake and she must have the wrong room. She said they were fully booked and nothing could be done. The place is a dump, the room was disgusting. There were holes in the blankets, and I wouldn't be surprised if they don't clean it. I was very frustrated when I arrived and found out that I wasn't getting the room that I initially booked. They screwed up and didn't even act like they cared. Therefore next time I will be staying elsewhere. read more

Not the best...very disappointed. Beautiful views from the lobby and rooms aren't enough to bring us back here to stay. The carpet was stained (pets?), the toilet ran constantly, and the bathroom light was a heat light and baked us. The TV from the 80s as well as the room furnishings which were very dated. The mattress was Low quality, continental breakfast had bruised and freckled bananas and fruit and minimal generic brand choices. For the price we paid this was very disappointing and we will not be staying here again. Btw, Aspen also owns the Super 8 and the small motel next door. read more

Sue S pretty much summed this place up in her review. It feels run down and in need of some TLC. The carpet should be removed in the whole hotel. We used the pool and it was decent. It needs some paint and fixing, just like the rest of the building. The staff is friendly and nice. We stayed for $80 which seems a bit high but there aren't any other options in the winter. read more

If you have kids, just skip this place because it's not family friendly. This place is old and the price is high ($169/night). Try the Mangy Moose which is way cheaper or the Best Western or East Bay Suites is better. The old woman that runs the front desk is crabby and needs to be more customer friendly to get people to refer their business to others. My 2 cent is to avoid this place if you have kids. Updated on 8/10/2016 We gave this place another try this year and the old cranky lady was not here and we had a pleasant stay. I will increase the star rating to three now. read more

WORST experience possible. We booked & paid for our room 3 months early, when we arrived our reservation was not held & we did not have a room on a holiday weekend. We booked through Orbitz & the hotel tried to blame them. When I showed the person at the desk my credit card statement they said it was just a hold & wasn't charged - Wells Fargo confirmed I was charged- & does it really matter they had my $$ and info that should equal a pillow for the night, but not here. read more

What has no coffee maker, no microwave, no view, and a frayed and stained carpet that exudes the stale odor of an old ashtray? My room at the Aspen Lodge in Grand Marais. Did I mention the inordinate expense? I was originally booked into the Outpost Motel, eight miles outside of Grand Marais. Except for the location of the Aspen Lodge (right in town), there is little else to recommend the place. During my stay at the Aspen, I often regretted giving up my much more reasonably priced room at the Outpost. When I first came into the place, I thought, this motel has a strict no smoking policy? Judging from the persistent, stale odor, someone had smoked in the place at some time. Or perhaps in Aspen's storied past this was one of their smoking rooms? When I stepped into the room I also noticed the room's desk light, bed lights and corner floor light didn't work. I checked for bulbs, tried the switches a second time, to no avail. So I reported it to the front desk. The gentleman came down to investigate. After moving furniture around to gain access to the wall sockets, he found them all unplugged? I was slightly embarrassed, but again - the sockets were in largely concealed locations and why the hell were they all unplugged? While slightly chagrined, I nevertheless commented on the stale odor of the room. I mean, it was obvious, and the guy was right in the room. But his only response was a mild shoulder shrug. I would have demanded another room but it was a busy weekend and there were none to be had. I would have left the place, but the reservation had been made and it was a busy weekend and all the other places in town had no vacancy. I struggled through my two-day visit by keeping the windows open as often as possible. Over the years I have been visiting Grand Marais I've stayed in just about every place in town. This was my first visit to the Aspen Lodge. If, during a future visit, I can find no other places to stay except the Aspen Lodge, I will sleep in my car. Oh, that stale odor in the room ... it permeated my clothes until I had a chance to wash them. read more

Aspen lodge definitely gets a five star rating all thanks to DEB at the front desk!!! We had made a reservation for spruce glen and upon arrival realized you had to check in at aspen lodge. When we got to the room as Spruce Glen it was horrible. The door was wide open and the room was musty. After traveling for 8 hours we of course went straight to the restroom. There was hair still in the tub, no toilet paper on the roll, and used TP on the floor. We immediately went back to the desk and asked if the room had been cleaned. A gentleman introduced himself as the manager and said he knew what happened. His explanation was the college student cleaning must have just forgot to finish cleaning and left for a meeting. No apologies, just asked what we wanted him to do. We asked for the room to be cleaned while we went out for a hike. While grabbing stuff out of our car, he( the mgr) came back out asked if we had used the soap in the bathroom. We said yes and left. When we returned, the bathroom had not even been cleaned only the sink was wiped out and replaced with the already used soap. We immediately went back to the front desk where Deb helped us out. She was apologetic and genuinely concerned about our impression of the room. She offered to move us to a different room and guaranteed our satisfaction. The second room was phenomenal. Deb was so great and helpful, she will definitely be the reason we come back to Aspen Lodge. I just hope the manager from the Spruce Glenn takes a page from her book. read more

If we'd have checked yelp before checking in, we may not have stayed here. We really liked our room in the main lodge, clean and roomy. Used the free laundry. Give it a try. read more

Terrible customer experience! I had made reservations to stay here for the weekend, and the morning I was leaving for my trip, I received a call at 6:30 in the morning saying they needed to cancel my reservation because they over booked the hotel. They did say they would check one of their four other properties to see if they had any openings. I was very upset to receive this call because this trip had been planned for about a month, I had already taken time off of work and made plans in Grand Marais for the weekend. After not hearing from the hotel for a few hours, I called the Aspen Lodge back. When I got ahold of them, they said they were unable to find anywhere else for me to stay. I asked how this happened and she blamed it on their website. She seemed very annoyed that I was frustrated about this situation, and continued on with saying, "well, this did happen to 3 other people as well," to try to show me this wasn't only happening to me, to make it better somehow. I then asked to speak to the manager, and she said, "you are." I asked, is there anything else you can do, and she said, "no, sorry" and then hung up the phone. She did nothing to try to make the situation better, I'm very disappointed the Aspen lodge. read more

I like to go steelhead, rainbow trout fishing in May. This is not the tourist season. Hotel prices in area are reasonable. My friends and I usually rent two three rooms. We found the lodge accommodating, staff friendly, adequately stocked continental breakfast and great coffee. Nice clean rooms. If you can get the family room for the same price as a regular room, it's the best deal in town. read more

terrible place to stay. first off the rooms are crap. the bed are rock hard the pillows are old and the tvs are old and junk. second the price is way to high for what they offer. third and most off. the little old lady that works up front is rude, mean and has an attitude toward everyone. been saying here every week for work. we don't always get to pick our hotels. so we've stayed in several rooms over the years. some rooms have new tvs some have old tvs. once we had a room with a old tv the remote didn't even work. (the battery's weren't dead we aren't stupid) so i went to the front desk ask a different lady if they had a different room we could move to with a newer tv. the little old lady came out of the back. with a rude tone she said "what's the problem" so i told her we wanted a room with a newer tv she looked at me dead in my eyes and told me " we don't have any new tvs" i said that's a lie i've stayed in more then one room with new tvs in it. then she told me " well we are almost booked so we can't move you". (i walked outside. parking lot was empty) she acts like we are stupid and it's ok to lie right to my face. she is so rude wouldn't recommend this hotel to anyone. read more

My husbands family and I took a trip to Canada and usually stay in Grand Marais to break up out trip home. We usually stay here and have no trouble. We had 2 double queen rooms, one of which didn't have a working air-conditioner. We went to the front desk to ask about it. The lady said, "oh yea, that's been like that for a little while. We have a new one coming." My husband asked if we could change rooms (it was unseasonably hot this day) and we were told no. We asked why we weren't told about the room not having air conditioning and why we would be charge 160 dollars for a room that was uncomfortably hot. She did comp part of the room, but only after becoming defensive. We also had to call to have the toilet clean because it was splattered with stains... and the light bulb in the bathroom was burnt out. The breakfast is a couple of pantries and coffee. Overall the experience was pretty poor at this hotel and definitely not worth the money. read more