As someone who goes on retreats (attending and directing), this place is all about hospitality…read more Trust me. This place is amazing. From the moment you walk in you receive the warmth and welcome that weary people need. From Cyril to the front desk staff, you feel taken care of. The rooms are amazing for a retreat center. Yes it needs to be simple but the wood and aesthetic add to the welcome and comfortableNEss one needs on retreat. It is not austere but rather feels like a hotel in some sense...okay, more like a bed and breakfast. The views from the room are amazing. Food wise: simple and nourishing. Depending on how many folks are occupying the guesthouse can the food change...for example don't expect a full breakfast spread if there are only three retreatants. If you want an omelette head to the Ref. One thing is that the temperature in the room can't really be adjusted but that's my only gripe. But definitely always a pleasure, and always a place to rejuvenate among the nowheresness of MN.

Aesthetically, there isn't much to attract at the St. John's Abbey Guesthouse. The architecture and…read moredecor is plain, concrete, and un-beautiful. Yet, the purpose is meant to draw you to look at your surroundings - the woods, the lake, and the beautiful campus that makes up St. John's University. Personally, I've been less than pleased with my experience here. The retreat was much less than I expected, the food wasn't too impressive, the building lacks the kind of warmth one expects to find at a retreat facility. It's not a place that I'd long to return to. However, I did take advantage of prayer with the monks at the nearby Abbey Church. I'd have to say that that was a highlight of my time here.

My wife and I have stayed at the Sable Inn for our anniversary celebration and vacation three years…read morein a row. The property is beautiful with the restored antique home, lake with small beach and kayaks, and garden. We always stay in the Linden room with large jacuzzi tub, gas fireplace, and queen size bed. Bill and Sandy are wonderful, gracious hosts and excellent cooks. Every morning they surprise us with a breakfast combination we'd never have though of but always ends up tasting amazing.

My husband and I visited here as a honeymoon getaway in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, and we…read morewere so thrilled with it! The owners, Bill and Sandy, were so wonderful! They even accommodated my dietary restrictions for breakfast and it was so tasty! We loved spending evenings down by the lake fishing and kayaking and had a bonfire at sunset! The house is beautifully furnished and decorated, and we loved the jacuzzi tub in the Linden Room! It was a great experience, and we are so excited to go back someday!!

When I think about B&Bs, I think Laura Ashley-floral knockoff motifs, a surplus of squashy pillows,…read moreand VCR tapes of heartwarming B-movies, peppered with potpourri. In a quest to enjoy an inexpensive staycation with my then-boyfriend last winter, I felt challenged to find a Bed and Breakfast in the Twin Cities area that didn't cater to Anglophile fantasies of rooming in a life-size doll house. I'm still young and hip, dammit! I found Dutch Lake Farm Guest House to be the anti-thesis of my B&B stereotype. Its website, while visually blinding, was thorough in information, although they neglect to mention they have WIFI. "But Melissa L.," you ask, "isn't the point of going to a B&B to escape the daily terrors of technology?" For me, the answer is no. But I digress. Making a reservation was pretty straight forward: you call or email, confirm they have an opening, and you mail part of the amount as a deposit. It's surprisingly low-tech, and perhaps they should do web-reservations for the more tech-minded, but it'll do for now. The guest house itself is over a garage, which is right next to owners Greg and Christie Wood's house. I really enjoyed the look, it was modern and not fussy at all.The ceilings are high and the decor is minimal. A lot of the furnishing are from IKEA, so you get the idea. The large window in the living area faces the woods; it's a gorgeous view. It was nice to sit on the sofa and watch the sky get dark while drinking a glass of bubbly. I went in the middle of January last year, and it was DAMN COLD. They have snowshoes for you, so it was nice to trek around and look at their Christmas tree farm, which is now operating. The area is rural, but I enjoyed the isolation. If you ski, the Luce Line trail is now completed so you can do that. There is shopping in nearby Buffalo, but I'm not interested in doodads or antiques. I should have brought more books or rented skis for the weekend. There's probably a greater deal of things to do in the summer. Amenities-wise, there is a mini-fridge, a coffee maker, and some silverware and plates. If you want to bring your own food, make sure to bring a cutting board and a knife. You'll have to rinse stuff out in the sink. Also, while they do supply bottled water, it doesn't hurt to bring your own. The Wood's served a great brunch, with an entire quiche and some badass rum cakes. They were pretty friendly on the phone and through the visit. Negatives: The water smells strongly of sulfur or something, so I had a hard time washing my face without smelling like eau de farts. It does get a bit chilly at night - being over a garage will do that - but they provide plenty of blankets. It's about a two-hour drive from Minneapolis, so not too far and not too close. I'd go again for a cheap staycation, but would probably do it in the summertime in order to take advantage of the outdoors.

My husband and I stayed here last night, and it was truly magical. The farm is beautiful and…read moreremote, just right for snowshoeing in newly fallen snow. We felt right at home and were warmly welcomed. The breakfast was fantastic (quiche, fruit and coffee) and delivered to us right on time. The owner even removed the snow from our car for us. Can't wait to go back in the summer!

While the house itself was pretty, that was the only positive aspect of my stay. The rooms were…read moremuch smaller than they appeared online, and there were cobwebs in several areas of the home. Overall, the experience was not worth the $250 per night price. Breakfast was served at 9:00 AM, and when I arrived, there was only a single plate of food prepared specifically for me. It appeared to have already been made and needed to be reheated. There were no additional options available, such as fruit, muffins, or other choices. I was not informed in advance that 9:00 AM was the only time breakfast would be served or that there would be no alternatives. For the price, this location did not meet expectations. I would not return and would not recommend it to others. You can spend your money elsewhere and have a much better experience.

Lovely! I booked the Dayton Room in the penthouse for the night before my wedding. It was a last…read moreminute purchase and I was very pleased with the results. I didn't want a generic hotel room so the New Victorian Mansion allowed me to have comfort as if I was in my own home. Some of my favorite highlights include: wrap around front porch, view of the Cathedral, large bathroom with a nautical theme, breakfast in the dining room and overall peacefulness and serenity of the space. Upon arrival, there is a free parking lot wrapped around the building and a main entry (you'll ring the doorbell) to get access to your room key pad number and front door code. Depending on what wing and room you stay in, you will travel either inside or out and have the option for both if you stay in the penthouse. The mansion is separated by two sections and anyone staying in the penthouse is on an opposite wing of the building. There is no elevator in the penthouse and it's clearly advertised online so you'll know what to expect in advance without any surprises. The penthouse is technically meant for large group gatherings as there is only shared 1 bathroom. Contrary, I saw others in the penthouse when I was there and we never overlapped on bathroom use. I enjoy the New Victorian because you can customize how you want to stay whether that is luxurious or a more modern dorm style. No matter what you choose, the common shared spaces in each wing are adorable being it's all a mansion. Even the penthouse kitchen was just enough with every accommodation possible: Nespresso machine, coffee cups, wine glasses, blender, fridge, pots, pans, etc. While I only stayed one night and had to depart early, I couldn't fully enjoy the breakfast as I was in rush mode to get married. Contrary, the staff accommodated a slightly early meal for me which was very thoughtful. Rating this a 4 as there is some generic wear and tear, missing paint, carpet stains, and cleaning supplies and cords in the open spaces. With some paint, hiding of tools, carpet stain remover, small porch sweeping with added flowers, this would get a 5 star. My understanding is that there are new owners so perhaps repairs are all in the works after being handed off? Don't be fooled: the place is clean but it looks more dirty due to the slight repairs that need to be done to keep the upscale vibe going.

Very lovely, very comfortable, and the host Chad went above and beyond to make sure my stay was…read moregreat. Really appreciate Nicolin Mansion and recommended highly.

I stayed at the Nicolin Mansion for a wedding and was super impressed. The room was super…read morecomfortable and clean, and the common areas and patio were great to relax in. Owners Chad and Laura were very responsive and helpful with everything from advice on local restaurants and sights to the delicious breakfast the next morning. I would definitely recommend staying here!

ROOM COVERED IN BUGS…read more Booked two nights for November 2025. Communicated with owners several weeks in advance we would arrive late at night to check in. Never received the door entry code and despite several unanswered phone calls and voicemails to the owners could not get in upon our arrival. Tried to access via front door but unable to enter. Ended up going to the Best Western Isanti (highly recommend) nearby. Owner says an email with the door code was sent in advance, but we never received the email and there was no extra confirmation from the owners to make sure we would be able to get in after hours. A follow-up email, text, phone call, or voicemail with entry instructions would have been appreciated given they knew we'd be in late. Decided to come back for our second night, and arrived to a room FULL OF BUGS. Owner apologized and tried to clean them up but they were everywhere and on and near the bed, so we decided to leave immediately. For pre-paying $275 for both nights the owners refunded only $200. Ridiculous given we could not enter the first night and had to pay for a hotel room and the room was infested with bugs.

Gorgeous venue and such a cool spot. My friend had her wedding here and it was such a great day. A…read morebeautiful place to get married and then party. The staff seemed to be great and we had a good time. We got ready in the house, it was quite toasty but there were a lot of us getting ready. It cooled down in the evening and the tent was great. We camped there overnight and it was fine but they had some odd rules we needed to follow, which we did, but just be aware of the rules when camping.

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.

Amazing Private Bed and Breakfast. Exclusive clientele consisting of family and friends.read more

In the heart of Glencoe there is a place of family history and memory. A place where something…read moremagical happened in 1900. It started with the heart of an entrepreneur and his dream for the future. This home is beautiful by design and the morning breakfast wonderful by sunshine.

Great place, had to book last minute, because of a snow storm. Very accommodating. Brought you back…read moreto a more elaborate time. 5 stars

My wife and I stayed here on a Friday evening. I booked the Sunroom based on the photos on the…read morewebsite. Overall, it was a pleasant experience. The interior was clean and bright. Our hostess Amber was very nice and helpful. Breakfast was tasty and plentiful. The bed and chairs were comfortable. The only real negative is that the building is next to a busy street and it can be a bit noisy with the windows open. All in all I can recommend this place as a change from chain motels, but I am not sure the location makes it ideal for a romantic getaway.

What a wonderful place to stay. They have done so much work to make the place homey and…read morecomfortable. Very reasonably priced, and the breakfast was marvelous. Amber was a sweetheart and made us feel welcome and at home. We will be back.