An enjoyable stay! The entire experience was easy and…read morepleasant. Check in/out was a breeze, as was the valet parking (it was well below zero, so why not). Our room was clean, and quiet. The air handling system provides a nice white noise, without being too much. I slept in as a result, and that was great.

I finally had the opportunity to check out the Blitzen bar at the hotel. Located on the first floor…read moreis a decorated and overly festive bar. No reservation required however they do get busy. We ordered the holiday cocktails and were told limited time seating is 90 minutes due to demand. Lots of people taking pictures and selfies at the wall. They don't offer food, however there's a snack store next door. Otherwise a restaurant on the second level.

RUN DOWN B & B. It's been five years since my husband and I stayed at the Covington Inn. Sadly, the…read moreB & B is showing its age and neglect. We roomed in the Pilot House Suite. There was one lightbulb burnt out in our room and three lightbulbs burnt out in the bathroom. The panel covering the bathroom sink bottom had fallen off. The towels were cheap white fabric and not classy. One of the bannisters on the spiral staircase rail was loose and wobbly that could cause a tripping accident. There were lots of spider webs on the boat's exterior and a stain on the cushion of a deck chair. Breakfast was almost inedible because the hash browns and mini quiches were blackened and burnt. Skip the breakfast! The cabins are still unique, but be aware to arrive with low expectations as far as being a guest-ready B & B.

I don't know Yelp posting protocols, but this is a zombie listing - this inn is literally no longer…read morethere, it disappeared early last year after flood damage. I've tried to get Yelp to indicate "permanently closed," but the listing is still up. Too bad, because back in the day, this was a sweet and charming place to stay. Ownership changed and it went downhill rapidly. I really wish Yelp would maintain some credibility and indicate this place is PERMANENTLY CLOSED. Folks, it simply is NOT THERE.

Unfortunately, we didn't have a chance to meet the owner of this B & B, not sure if it would have…read moremade a difference in our experience or not. She was pleasant and friendly over the phone when I made our room reservation. I will say most of the B & B's I've enjoyed, was partially because we had a chance to get to know the owners a bit and see how passionate they were about making a great B & B experience for everyone who stayed with them. So, maybe I've just been spoiled a bit by the extent of the services and amenities others offer, but that's my comparison. What this place does have going for it, is it's location. However depending on where your room is, you'll hear the traffic noise as this is located on a busy street. Also, the fact that there isn't really much else around lodging accommodations limits your choices for this area. There is private parking for guests. The room was clean and comfortable. It was lacking the extra little touches that many travelers have come to appreciate from bed & breakfast operators-shampoo, blower dryer, complementary water or soda, glassware or plasticware instead of dixie cups in the room. Self service coffee, tea and microwave popcorn was available in the dining area. For the price of the rooms, the little extra touches might have helped.

A very pleasant stay, and I am not a fan of B&B's because I have to, you know... socialize, and I…read moream not an extrovert. But hey, our hosts were relaxed and friendly, and the folks we sat down with to breakfast had fun stories to tell. The rooms are idiosyncratic but charming. The bathrooms: just idiosyncratic, but they worked. Breakfasts on the weekends were more elaborate and tasty, and on weekdays simpler but adequate. I get the feeling this may vary with the number of guests. The Birdhouse is on a "busy" intersection which is no big deal because Excelsior is a pretty quiet little town; and a charming one. You are a walk away from good shops and restaurants. You are a very short walk from Lake Minnetonka and its activities. The Porch and grounds are delightful. If you get the right weather for it, lazing outside could be a delicious experience, with an elevated view of the neighborhood. Of course, getting bearable weather (not too many mosquitoes, not too much heat and humidity, not 5 degrees below zero, can take scheduling and luck. In the winter, I imagine the large parlor would be very inviting. So a point off for the various weird bathrooms, which were all functional but awkward, but all in all, I will be staying there again, the next time I visit relatives.

Phenominal Place! This is one of those rare moments when a five star rating is not enough. It…read morewould rate it so much higher than many of my other five stars because of the unbelieable hosts, delicious breakfast, clean rooms, super comfortable bedding, and breathtaking rooms. Unbelievable! This place is well worth the price. The private bathrooms are spectacular. Between the eucalyptus steam shower with a myriad of water features and the jacuzzi type soaking tub, we could barely tear ourselves away from our personal spa time to go to dinner. We love the fact they have no tv's in the rooms but an awesome speaker/disc system for music of your choice and a refrigerator full of drinks. They had snacks available upon our check in and I would highly recommend the freshly baked chocolate chip cookies for an additional $5 - YUM! The best part of our moring was the delicious breakfast served right to your room. OH My! We loved our breakfast (see picture) and the homemade scones were SO good. We came here to celebrate our 29th Anniversary in February and we weill be back for a summer visit and of course, many more anniversaries. This place made our anniversary special. Thank you Tom and Sandy.

I only need to say one five star thing. THEY SERVE ICE CREAM with breakfast!…read more Well, we've only stayed in five or six bed and breakfasts (mostly in Maine or New Hampshire) but this is (without a doubt) our favorite. The Mansion is beautiful, a real mix of old and new.. so you get history.. but still really nice bathrooms and big bedrooms It's about three blocks further than the other highly rated one in town and well worth the extra travel. We were greeted by our gracious hosts, Tom and Sandy. We made it just in time for the afternoon snack.. you know.. wine, cheese etc... with time to enjoy the large veranda. In fact, we were there for three nights and made extensive use of the veranda.. at breakfast, in the afternoon and in the evening. Tom and Sandy are good about seating you with people that are a good match.. or if you prefer.. alone.. there is plenty of space. You can even have food delivered to your room. We played croquet on the grounds (yes, they have ample parking, gorgeous landscaping, a fountain and a place to play croquet) it was fun, but when my wife kept beating me I decided it was time to try something else. (I grew up in the city, what do I know about croquet?) Back to the breakfast thing.. one day the whole area suffered a power outage so they fired up the grill and cooked us our breakfast. No big deal, it was excellent. We stayed in the Joseph room, but were able to view all except one and they were all very nice. We had a King sized bed (super comfortable) and an oversized bathroom.. a big tub with jets and a shower that I needed the instructions (laminated) to use.. so many sprayers. As we spoke with the other guests.. we were all in agreement that this is a really remarkable Bed and Breakfast. Tom and Sandy's labor of love really shines. A great value.

We spent two nights at the house, celebrating a family reunion with four families (10 persons) in…read moreattendance. Cindy is a wonderful agent, doing her best to accommodate guests. She exceeded our expectations. The house is located on a very large lake property, facing south. The lake has a fair amount of motor boat traffic, but is crystal clear and allows to swim, fish, and kayak. The neighborhood is suburban, surrounded by developments, only 15-20 min from MSP. Stores are a 2 mile drive away. The house is generous and well equipped with cooking utensils, books, toys, games, kayaks, volleyball net, bikes, table tennis etc to providing ample entertainment. The master suite with the huge bathtub is humongous. The two bedrooms upstairs (a queen bed and a bunk bed in each) are generous in size and share a bathroom. The fourth bedroom on the main level is small in comparison and has more noise from kitchen and laundry room. Living room, master bedroom, and porch offer great Lake views. A gas fire place offers warmth in fall. We enjoyed s'mores and vino Rosso, generously provided by the host. The decor of the house is conservative. The kitchen and bathrooms were spotless and the grounds well groomed. A search for a lost shoe sent me diving under beds and behind couches, revealing that these areas need to be addressed by the housekeeping team. We had a wonderful time at the house. Adults, preteens and toddler loved the property and the sports opportunities. The lake is very close to the house - parents of young children must be on guard. A great place to enjoy family time.

A must do if you're visiting or as a local as well! For under $25 each you can see d time on the…read moreMississippi and the surrounding banks , hearing how it started and grew into the twin cities. Highly recommend and maybe do a couple of times a summer .

Fun, no frills cruise down the Mississippi and back. Informative pre-recorded narration, but very…read morehard to hear from the back upper deck. Especially when there is a group of women talking loudly non-stop. LOL! A very good value and something different to do in the city. No outside food or beverages are allowed, but they do have snacks and sodas available. This would be even more fun in the fall when the leaves are at peak color.

If you find yourself in North Minneapolis, I definitely recommend this hotel as a place to stay…read more It's approximately 30 minutes from the airport, Centrally located if you find yourself in this area. Everyone immediately greets you as you come and go, and it's a very warm and friendly greeting. The rooms were extremely clean, the bathroom and the living space. They provide complementary breakfast, with a very large dining area with booths and tables. I received free Wi-Fi and free parking is available. The rooms have a mini fridge and microwave. I appreciate the evening employee going above and beyond with assisting me with getting the internet to work and accepting my late checkout request.

Really nice place right across the street from fields in the sports complex in Blaine. Nice lobby,…read morenice rooms, very clean and updated. Breakfast has a lot of options (mini waffles, breakfast sandwiches, oatmeal bar, cold cereal, muffins, eggs, bacon, and more. The pool is small and shallow, but nice enough. Also has a hot tub and workout room. Everything is well maintained and modern updates throughout. Excellent place for a stay in the northern suburbs.

My family wanted to do a tour so we did- I was surprised at how many people were on this tour-…read moreplace was packed. Really interesting to learn the history of the site, kind of a whole twist and turn of story that is unexpected. There are actors who provide the tour. If you are someone who likes history, this would be great for you!

Very awesome tour, Led by Mary/Rosie the Riveted. What a fun night! Loved the outside views and old…read morecars. They decorated the entire place. The tour was an hour long and very story focused which was so fun. Hot tip: Very dark so watch your step or bring small flashlight. I tripped a few times. So be careful! Hot tip: beautiful view of St. Paul capitol nearby! Hot tip: go to Cosettas for dinner after!