These cabins could be really cute, but ours was dirty. And not recently dirty- you can tell it's not been cleaned well for years. The dining table had split in 2 places, and you could see lots of junk in the splits. The baseboards were filthy, the kitchen cabinets had salt and coffee and who knows what else spilled on the shelves, and all the cabinets needed cleaning. Pillow shams were draped across the pillows- they were too cheap to buy more pillows to put into them. No hangers in the closet. The sheets looked dirty- not sure they had been washed after the last guest. There's only a small section of shore for the lake- surrounding areas are fenced off. No room for dogs to run and play either. No place for kids to play. They do have boat, kayak and paddle boat rentals for a decent price. We scheduled and paid for 2 nights plus a pet fee, and left after one. They called me the next morning, and did not ask anything about our stay and had no interest in why we left after one night. Opinion- poorly run business, no interest in cleanliness. This is a sketchy party place at night. read more

We wanted to escape the Valley heat and decided at the last minute to find a place in the White Mountains. This place had availability so we booked it. The owner, Chuck, and his manager, Stewart, were super nice and made sure we had everything we needed or wanted. They really try. That being said, the place needs updating. It did have a fridge and the bare necessities in the kitchen but the one bedroom "Villa" is very small. The table has 3 chairs but only 2 people can sit down at the table because the fridge is so close. We were able to bring our dog and it was only $19 for him to stay. The lake is full of seaweed but a lot of people were fishing. There is no way I would swim in it. It is nice having gas grills but only a couple of them worked. (Charcoal could not be used because of the extreme fire danger.) The unit was very dark, even with the lights on. Some of the lightbulbs were out and the ceiling lights very dirty. There was a nice green area that had games, a fire pit, places for the kids to run and play. Everyone was very nice and down to earth. We enjoyed our stay. read more

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I get a call the day before telling me that he only has one boat in the water. I said I'll take it, didn't matter. This morning I get a call and he says I should reschedule because of the weather warnings. He states he will not refund the money because the website states no cancellations. I said fine I'll still go today, I'll be there at my scheduled time to get the boat. He then cancels the reservation because I tell him I don't want his lectures via text message. I get he is concerned but the best thing to do would be call explain the situation and explain the cancellation and that he was refunding my fee. Instead I have to call USAA and file a dispute for the charge, which they said the merchant should have done the refund. Once I get off the phone, I get a text from him that he is refunding the fees. He should have done that in the beginning. I drove small boats in the navy, if the conditions were unsafe or something I didn't feel comfortable with I would have not left the dock. He used "safety" as his concern for cancelling my reservation but between the calls yesterday and today, I don't think he wanted to deal with any rentals. He should block his website off if he doesn't want to rent boats. read more

Worst ever! Don't be fooled by the beauty of the lake and nature. The xabins are horrible! Mold, sewer leakage, dirty, very disgusted this last time. I will not be back. See the environmental impact of this place. read more

Rainbow Lake Resort - This is the vile sewage . - Resorts Near Me - Lakeside, Arizona

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I'd leave 0 stars if I could. Be warned if you rent a boat from here that you will be left to your own fate should anything go wrong. There is no informing or warning you of unsafe conditions on the lake, of what to do in an emergency, or of how to safely operate the boat. You'll likely have the staff immediately leave after you rent so if anything does gl wrong there is no one to help. You'll be discouraged from wearing life vests and put in an unsafe situation. Unless you have lots of experience on windy water then this place is not for you. Don't rent. read more

This is for the onrainbowlake.com and not for the resort rooms. My family and I came here to just have a pleasant time on Rainbow Lake doing the paddle boats. They were $30/2 hrs per boat with an adult occupancy of 2 per boat. Fine. The cost wasn't an issue. We thought we would get in the boats and paddle around for a couple hours and just relax on the lake. They said to have our tallest person in one boat where they could adjust the seat backings, which was our son. Our son and daughter went in one boat and my husband and I in another boat. My son is about 5'9". My husband is 5'7", I'm 5'5" and my daughter is 5'4". The reason I put our heights was because this makes a difference. My husband and I were in the other paddle boat that did not have adjustable seat backs (this allows for those whom are taller to sit further back). While we paddled out into the lake, my husband complained it was difficult to paddle because he felt so scrunched. It got to the point that he just couldn't keep paddling continually so I paddled for the both of us. Mind you, my husband cycles 5 days/week doing at least 20 miles every single week and he's been doing this for at least 1.5 yrs, so his legs are well accustomed to that pedaling experience. Our son and daughter were in the other paddle boat and they got to a point where they only could turn the boat in one direction, meaning they were going in circles. We tried to "tow" them in from our paddle boat but we couldn't. Eventually they made it back to the dock. We hadn't even been out a half hour. The guy that worked there, not the owner (he wasn't there when we got back) took at look at the kids' paddle boat and said the reason they might have been having issues was that the rudder was upside down. So they sent us out on a rudder not put in correctly. I'll have to add, one boat (I think the one we were in), was filled with debris that they had to clean out, hose it down and get the debris out. The other boat (I think the kids'), they dragged from back on land down to the dock (this is what might have messed the rudder up). Anyway, I called the owner today and told him what happened and he said he would check with the guy that works for him. He called me back shortly and said he would take $15 off the kids' paddle boat. Honestly, he should have refunded the whole thing for the kids' paddle boat for sending us out with a faulty boat. Of course it worked for the next person because it was caught and fixed before that person took it out. The point wasn't about the money, rather it was just how you deal with customers and standing behind your service/product. I grew up in a small town actually on the river, so I'm quite aware of things like this. I wasn't being unreasonable. Anyway, take your chances if you use their boats. They don't look like their well-maintained. If it craps out, too bad. We did call from our boats when we were in the middle of the lake and no one answered. Maybe they should carry their phone around on them for cases where the boats crap out. We won't be back. read more

Stewart the property manager was absolutely incredible! The property is super relaxing and the camp fires are so much fun for the family! We made tons of s'mores and fished a ton on the lake! What a great get away spot to enjoy! read more

We needed a spot to stop for a halfway point on our way to Santa Fe, New Mexico and this was a perfect stop. I found the room to be exactly what I expected: very spacious and plenty of sleeping space. Nice big bathroom and nice big kitchen. You have to wash your own dishes. I brought my own coffee and coffee filters as well. I recommend you do the same. Refrigerator was nice and big and worked well. I also found the wall air conditioning units to work perfectly and combined with the fans the rooms were pleasantly cool for sleeping. Yes, the rooms are a bit dated but perhaps that adds to the cabin-like ambiance? I felt the rooms were clean despite others' reviews. The biggest plus for us was they accommodate pets and since we had our Yellow Lab with us this was perfect. Check in was easy as they left our envelope with our key in it along with the wifi at the office. Easy Peasy Mac and Cheesy. We took advantage of the boat rentals at the lake rental shop and enjoyed that immensely. We did not fish, but saw plenty of families fishing and enjoying the lakeside. The boat rentals require the littles to wear life vests so bring yours or they have some for you to use. There is a nice green space as well but not for the dogs so please adhere to the signs and keep your dog off the grass. Parking was nice as they have spots right in front of your cabin so no worries there. Enjoy this beautiful lake in the desert forrest! read more

*Review of room only not boat rentals* Dingy, stinky, and neglected. The bedding and the towels were ready to go to goodwill and possibly even the trash. Smelly towels. Slimy shower curtain. The pillows were flat and well worn and everything was faded. The box of a bedroom smelled like old man dandruff!! Dust on the blinds. I found a sock under the dresser. The little pull out couch is something you would find for free on the side of the road. This is not a resort. Rustic is not even the word. This place needs some serious TLC and a makeover. It has potential but the cleaning is lacking. Not relaxing at all! We left early. read more

This place is a clip joint. My 9 year old and I just rented a canoe. As soon as we left the attendant split. Within a minute the wind had pushed us uncontrollably and we spent the next 10 minutes trying to get back to the dock. The attendant had left his number, so I called and he said he would be back in 10 minutes. Some other hayseed shows up and the first thing out of his mouth was "no refunds". This is a game they obviously play over and over. It was only 40 bucks, so no big deal. But beware. These guys are dishonest and unethical. read more

My husband brought me to Pinetop and this is where we stayed for our anniversary weekend. We enjoyed our stay and would come back! We checked in pretty late and was surprised by the hospitality. Our room had the heater on, which was amazing when coming in from a long drive in the cold! It made a big difference. All of the staff were friendly and made the experience amazing! We rented one of the paddle boats in the morning and it was nice. The weather was amazing and the views are awesome! We played a little volleyball and horseshoes, both were already set up for guests. It's a five minute drive into town which made our stay easy. The room was clean and had the coziest feeling! The walls are paper thin, that would be the only complaint. As the weekend ended I didn't wanna leave our cute little cabin for the few days! read more

Rainbow Lake Resort - Resorts Near Me - Lakeside, Arizona

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I cant believe they call this a resort. It's a trailer park at best. These places are filthy and is the worst place I've ever seen. They do not give you refund if you cancel even if you do it days in advance. They ripped us off on the boat rental as well. Please stay away from this place they are cooks. read more

The property is nice with a few amenities to keep kids entertained, not mention the lakeland boat rentals (witch are a little overpriced).But the room however was 1 star at best. The owner put the undersized a/c unit right next to the mattress at about the same height as a body would be laying, so one person freezes while the room stays warm. The bathroom was TINY, anyone slightly overweight would not be able to use the toilet.The room and dishes were dirty and also there where tons of spiders, 2 nights in a row my wife was woken up by one crawling on her. We left one night early. The owner Chuck called her a liar, the guy is a slumlord who doesn't put any money back into the place. I recommend anywhere else in the white mountains. read more

**This review is of boat rentals only** My family and I came upon Rainbow Lake as we were enjoying our weekend in Show Low and Lakeside/Pinetop. While in the boat launch parking lot we noticed a few signs for boat rentals and thought we would go out on the water. We followed the arrows to the boat rental area, which takes you thru their resort and while en route I noticed a restroom and decided to stop before going on the water. While away from my wife and daughter, they were encountered by the owner/operator of the rental shop who come to find was very rude to them. According to my wife, he told them they could not be around the resort and wanted to know what they wanted? Why would a small resort not want future customers around? Anyhow, she informed him we wanted to rent a boat and she was waiting for me. He again told her they could not be around the resort and muddled some comment about the boat rentals. Upon hearing about their conversation and his rude behavior, I walked over to him to see for myself about his mood and ask about boats. After a second in speaking to him it was clear he lacked some conversation skills and was just a not so happy kind of guy. I asked about prices and listened to him relay in a painful tone the prices he just did not seem to want to even tell me about. Given his attitude and the crazy fact that they only take cash, I was glad to take my family and money elsewhere. Such odd behavior when everyone else in town has been so friendly. read more

My family has been staying here for 50 years. I was so disgusted by the conditions of the cabins. Mine smelled like raw sewage and I alerted the managers more than once. The sewer pipe coming out of my cabin was just running onto the ground and eventually into the lake. This is more than rundown, it's criminal. They say rustic cabins....this is a farce!! They are rundown, filthy and the repairs that have been made are very short of even novice. Another family member stayed in the Lodge. They had a big bubble from leakage right over their bed. The management was aware of it, but didn't take the time to fix it. It's so sad that this beautiful place has been left to rot in such conditions. I many wonderful memories of this place, but will not come back. The managers (Joy and her husband) were rude, sorely lacking in resolution of problems and downright sarcastic and rude. My party arrived 25 minutes before check in and we're greeted by hostile Joy. She informed us that we shouldn't even be on the property before 3 as if we were trespassing or something. We were 25 minutes early after a long trip to get there....really!!! She could have nicely handled this. We should have known the stay was cursed then. This must be owned by an out of touch slumlord. It's like they are trying to squeeze every penny out and not reinvest in their investment. Really sad and heartbreaking! read more

Tucked away in the White Mountains of Northern Arizona roughly a three hour drive from downtown Phoenix is Rainbow Lake Resort. A humble and quaint set up of tiny houses along the bank of Rainbow Lake. These tiny houses are charmingly rustic. Do not rent here is you expect a turndown service, complimentary continental breakfast or daily maid to makeup your room. Each room comes with a bathroom with a shower/sink and working toilet. The kitchenette comes fully stocked with pots/pans/two burner stove(NO OVEN)dishes/utensils/coffee pot/toaster and a mini fridge w/freezer. Rooms have small 19" TV's on swivel wall mounts with Satellite TV. Each tiny house has window mounted A/C , in room heaters and ceiling fans. You can rent paddle boats, canoes, kayaks or small motor boats to tour the lake and/or fish. I think you can bring your own paddle board or watercraft if you choose....I think, don't quote me. Charcoal and propane grills are provided, bring your own charcoal, for cooking. There are fire pits for burning wood, bring your own wood or buy 7 logs for $10. There is a small park area with sand volleyball, cornhole, horse shoes, tetherball and frisbee golf to enjoy. All in all a very fun place to visit as a family staycation or couples retreat. Maybe you're not a tent type camper but enjoy the outdoors, this is your kind of place. read more

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Great place to stay, me, wife and kids had lots to do with fishing, horse shoes, volleyball. Room was perfect had all the amenities, everything worked great, full kitchen, large restroom. Will be back, thanks again Chuck. read more

Rainbow Lake Resort - Perfect volleyball weather. - Resorts Near Me - Lakeside, Arizona

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We went to Show Low for a mini vacation. Found Rainbows End Resort on Hotels.com. The place is very rustic and quaint. Juniper cabin was not the romantic getaway room we had hoped for, The walls were very thin as we could hear the father staying next door raising his voice and cussing at his family. If we stay there again we would definitely upgrade. Totally enjoyed the play area! Chuck is a friendly laid back kinda manager. The owners may want to look into a onsite management team. Overall what we expected for the price and for our mini vaca needs. Would stay again. read more

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I had no idea if I should have made it a 4 or a 2 so I decided a 3. Well upon booking my room thru booking.com. I called the resort to ask about ATV trails and other things that the site offers, when I called and spoke with Chuck he told me that trails were right off the camp site and they had all these amazing things. I told him that I would be bringing a TRUCK and TRAILER with ATV's he said we will gladly work with you about making everything work out for us. I was like great! This was for my husbands birthday by the way. Upon arriving to the "Resort" at 4 in the afternoon we were greeted by Chuck as I asked where do I get our room key, and where we can park, he saw my husbands large truck and trailer and said " Thats going to be a problem" then looked at me and said when we talked on the phone he "Might" be able to help out. So his story immediately changed I already felt like we should not be there. He then looked around and found us a spot for the trailer that we had to detach, then showed us "our parking spot". We get to our room and I was told there were no propane grills charcoal only, but as we walked up there were PROPANE grills fully functional. So I bought a big bag of charcoal and didn't get to use it. Well the rest of he trip was fantastic except our room had a hole in the ceiling where we had ants in our room. The stove was sketchy as hell I felt like it was going to blow up. The large room we were in had one small window AC unit it was okay since it was much cooler up n Pine Top. The 3rd day we were there we found the transit from the kitchen to the living space had a nail popping up badly and i cut my foot on it multiple times until I smashed it in hard with my shoe. Carlos everyday asked us how w were doing and what our plans were for the day, he was so nice Chuck (the owner) always seemed to have an attitude of some sort. We followed the rules but by that 3rd day we always seemed to loose "our" parking spot because someone else didn't follow the rules. We were told we couldn't put our trailer in a regular parking spot but the last night we were there a trailer with a boat was parked in the regular spots, he forced us into a small corner under a tree to help other guests but why could the other person do it and not get yelled at? So my main thing to you if you stay is be prepared to NOT have room for a trailer. The website says charcoal only there is propane grills, we stayed in the ELM cabin so watch for those things I told you. There were holes in the cabinets, and they didn't clean behind the bed the bed was on a wood box frame on the ground. Then 2 box springs that didn't fit the king size mattress. But i dropped my charger behind the bed and went to get it and saw the dust, dirt and grime built up behind he bed "frame". AND they do NOT have full size Pontoon bats like the website said, it's a small 4 person boat where it felt like my husband and I were going to fall off if we moved around. Great fishing though. Please read these reviews before you stay and make your judgment call! read more

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Not professional. Lack of basic customer service. Found Chuck to be rude, short tempered. Won't be using their services again.

I took my mom, son, and sister out to Rainbow Lake this weekend and met Carlos who was very knowledgeable about the lake and showed us all the boats. I rented a row boat, went fishing, and had a blast. The lake is just the right size, not too big or too small and you can see some fish jumping sometimes. The surrounding land is gorgeous and they offer a variety of boats, electric, row boats, water bikes, peddle boats, and canoes!! I definitely want to come back and try a water bike!! read more

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One star for the picnic table and bbq grill. What a dump. The sheets were filthy, wrinkled, slept in with a spider in the bed. Divets in both beds. Pillows looked like a homeless shelter. Filthy dirty fridge and freezer with stuff spilled in it. Not so much as a bar of soap. Sign says wipe your paws, should have been for when you are leaving the cabin. No electrical outlets in kitchen, whole new meaning to coffee in bed. No dishwashing soap. We went to Walmart and bought sheets for the bed and soap, and dishsoap. No filters for the coffee maker. No curtain or cover on window so 5th wheel dwellers in back can watch you change clothes. Hot cold water in kitchen plumbed backwards. Bathroom water drips out with no pressure. Toilet runs continuously. And, if you are overweight, forget about using the toilet at all. Approximately 2 feet between toilet and lavatory bowl. Tile in kitchen broken, tripping Hazzard. Huge gaps in screen door frame for all the insects. Exposed wiring throughout. Open light bulb socket in bathroom. You don't want to stay here! read more

Rainbow Lake Resort - Filthy dirty stained sheets. Not including the spider that ran out when I pulled back the blanket! - Resorts Near Me - Lakeside, Arizona

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Nice rustic feel. Had a wonderful view of the lake and private access. Boat rental and dock for fishing. Great manager helped us learn to clean catfish we caught from the dock. Vintage 1950 cabins have been well maintained. Had a nice kitchen and clean room. Very reasonable nightly rate. We used BBQ and park area to play. Free wifi also helped keep us connected. read more

Rainbow Lake Resort - View from room - Resorts Near Me - Lakeside, Arizona

Rainbow end Resort! My family and I have to stay here because our son's summer home was a full house during this past week,. To our suprise. We end spending four days. Two days at the Oak which is consider a suite cabin. And two days in the Aspen cabin. This place has a potential for a dream experience by the lake and the presentation (outside) is intrigue and cute but inside the cabins is a totally different history. Owner needs to at least get some blankets, sheets, comforters and towels from Walmart and will be a hit. Faucets are broken and coming off the walls, drain in the bathrooms clogged and housekeeper really needs to do their cleaning. We found previous guess underwear left in drawers and under the bed. Fireplace on and A/C on at the same time full blast at the Oak cabin, maintenance guy was notify and he wasn't concerned and he was aware of the repairs needed. Second cabin Aspen, pull out bed with mice droppings on it, blankets seems not washed for a long time and and shower a 5 feet 2 inches 0person like me barely fits in it, I was able to touch the ceiling without raising my arms. They have potential but they need to pay attention to the accommodation to make a clean and comfortable place to stay by the like with a great view and climate. Disappointed! Pricey compare to chain hotels in the area. Pay for the location and the view! read more

No one in the office, checkin was a key taped to a note asking us to call and pay. Called and was asked to call back the next day, as he was on his way to a birthday party. That night we discovered that the bed is so bad you can't sleep. It didn't just dip in the middle, it was V shaped and hard and lumpy. Hubby tried to sleep in the chair, but it didn't recline. Planned to spend the weekend. After one night when neither of us slept, I was up at 4 am looking online for another hotel to move to. Packed up and left when the sun came up. Called later that day to tell them we had left and why. Left a message, as no one answered the phone. Told them to return my call and we would pay for the one night; but, didn't expect to be charged for the second. They never returned my call. Assumed they'd decided not to charge us. They must have gone back through booking.com and got my info - because a two night charge just showed up on my card. When you rent a hotel room there is an implied contract that says they will provide a place you can sleep and you will pay them. They did not live up to their half of the agreement, and I thought I was being VERY generous offering to pay for the first night, as we did NOT sleep all night. Just found a two year old review of the same room with the same complaint, so even though they claim to have "completely remodeled" in Jan of 2021, they didn't replace the beds! read more

We stayed in Cedar 1 - rustic is too kind of a word, dilapidated is closer to the mark. Bed felt like it was original. Walls paper thin just like the floor when you walk in the wrong spots. Sheets and towels were in donation ready condition. Anyone's guess when the blankets and bed spread were cleaned, but confident it's been way too long.Since it was a weekend a two night pay was required. We opted for a different place after a sleepless night. read more

Just came back from a short stay in this place. The rate it´s not exactly a bargain, so I was surprise to see how old and dirty was the bed cover and the room very very basic.Old AC loud as a train. We had to buy pillows because the ones provided were a joke. After we left they call us to ask for payment although we went to the office and returned the key and also they had in our reservation the credit card number and all the information. They called a second time to ask how many pets we have (like they didn´t know we made the reservation for two people and one pet) and they also said our pet peed on the carpet, which is a big fat lie, and charged us $25 more. MAJOR DISAPPOINTMENT. Never again!! read more

This review is only about the boat rentals, but if the rooms are half as rundown as the boats I'd suggest you stay elsewhere. We have tried to rent their pontoon boat several times in the past year and it was always out of service or unavailable. Same story today as the pontoon boat needed a new motor. We decided to rent two of the paddle boats. After a few minutes on the lake we realized we weren't up to paddling all over the lake with a toddler so we asked to upgrade to one of the boats with a motor. We quickly learned what a rude and arrogant owner Chuck is, who could benefit a great deal by learning some manners and customer service. All of his poorly maintained boats were sitting there and available except for one that was in the process of being rented, and he had to make a big deal out of following "the rules" that once you take a boat out there are no refunds. I didn't want a refund. I was willing to pay the additional $40 to upgrade to the aluminum fishing boat, priced at $100 for 2 hours. Finally he agreed. The other gentleman working there was kind and helpful, and the "boss" Chuck clearly could learn some manners from him. We spent only an hour on the lake and returned the overpriced aluminum fishing boat with its loud, smelly gas motor, and splintered wood seats. What a shame. This place could be a real gem if the boats were properly maintained, clean and available. "Resort" is a stretch. Clearly he has a monopoly as it's the only place on the lake to rent boats. read more

I understand that businesses like this cant be open all the tiime, especially during "off season". This is why I called a week before my spring break trip to Rainbow lake, before I rented a cabin, to ensure I would be able to rent watercraft. I called and said "I am thinking about coming up to the lake next week to do some fishing, and wanted to make sure I can get a boat. Is the lake in good condition and would I be able to get a boat?" The man who answered was very clear, he said the water is rising and there was no ice. He said they wont be putting anything with a motor on the water until April 1st but they had "kayaks, canoes, paddle boats, and water bikes" available for rent. I confirmed that that I was coming next week and confirmed again they would have kayaks available. He repeated, his list of available boats and encouraged me to come by. So, I found a cabin, came up and on our 3rd day (a Monday at noon) I brought the family to the Rainbows End/Rainbow Resort and found their main office closed. I walked to the boat rental area and it was also closed. I called the number on the door and explained I was there to rent. I believe it was the same man I talked to the week prior, who answered and he said "we are not renting any boats until April 1st." I explained I was interested in a canoe or kayak and I called last week and he told me I could rent. He repeated "we are not renting any boats until April 1st." I told him I would take anything repeated that I called and confirmed last week and would not have come iif I couldn't rent a boat. He repeated "we are not renting any boats until April 1st." . On a side note, we rented a really niice private cabin nearby for slightly more than the Rainbow End cabins rent for. While I was there I was so glad we didn't rent at Rainbows end. Those cabins and the grounds are a run down hole. Now I am at a lake for a week, beautiful weather and no boat. read more

This isn't a bad location, but there is just too much deferred maintenance issues and the rooms are more "rustic" than I would like to see. The rooms are tight. Ours had metal cans and small wooden chair screwed to the wall for decoration, but they were just obstacles to bang your head on trying to negotiate around these tight rooms. read more

Just spent a few days there and I had a terrific time it's a nice quiet setting and my room had everything in it I could need I was halfway to Pinetop and realized I forgot my frying pan no need to worry there was one in the room. And the new owner Chuck was a real nice guy we had a nice talk and he kept offering to do this and that for me. I definitely want to go back sometime maybe when the lake has more water in it this time. Heck when I left I accidentally left a couple of my own pillows in the room that I did not need and I had such a good time I don't care read more

I needed to cancel my reservation due to plans changing. I booked through a 3rd party website, which could have been tricky, but Chuck took care of me and saw it all the way through to the end. I will re-book at this location due to the service I received. Thank you, Chuck! read more

My brother and I made plans to meet up here with our families months in advance. We have never been to the White Mountains. With an incredible amount of stress at work, all I was looking forward to was staying at this cabin with family, getting a boat and doing some fishing and most importantly decompressing. I'm finishing up my last day at work before we head up from Phoenix and I get a call from my brother. They're at the cabin and it is so bad he loaded his family back up in the RV and headed down to find another place. It is nothing like the impression they give you on the website, it's a dump (my brother's words). My sister-in-law talked to Chuck on the phone and he said he was going to have to charge us for the first day since it was a last minute cancel. That's fine, we're reasonable people. However, I paid for some boats ahead of time to make sure we would have them reserved for the weekend. Chuck refunded my brother 2 out of the 3 nights but he wasn't going to refund me anything on the boats. So my sister-in-law asked if we could still use them since we already paid for them. Chuck said "no I don't even want you on the property". So he charged me for boats that he wasn't going to let us use. We ended up staying at Lazy Oaks Resort on the same lake. The owners were extremely friendly, the cabins were great. This is exactly what we wanted. We asked to take out the boats and the owner said the lake is too low for motors but we could use the row boats. So Chuck charged me $155 for boats we were never going to be able to use anyways. One of the boats I paid for was a pontoon. What were we suppose to row the pontoon with oars? Anyways we salvaged the weekend thanks to Lazy Oaks and no thanks to Chuck and his shyster ways. We also found out from other guests at Lazy Oaks that he has a reputation for guests fleeing his property. I've never written a review before but I felt compelled to give fair warning and hopefully save another family from a disastrous vacation. read more

We stayed up here last weekend 7/28-7/31 and had a great time. Rooms are small but we had what we needed. Beds were comfortable (queen + sofa bed for kids). Staff was very helpful and nice - especially Carlos with the boats. Loved being right at the lake. The kids (7, 11) were down there all the time. We caught some really small fish off the dock and on a boat. Rented a kayak for $30 for 2 hours. Do not expect luxury and you will enjoy your time here. Price was very reasonable, about $105 per night. read more

It shocks me that the snob from July said such terrible things. It strikes me that many of the things that she said were correct. It's a rustic cabin get away for an amazing price. Lisa, if you want luxury then check into the Ritz. My family and I were looking for exactly what we got. Camping, but in cabins with Wi-Fi and cable. We loved every minute of our trip. The owner was fast to offer help with local information and adorable cabins that range from $65 to $110 per night. You can't beat the location and all that the little camp ground offers. My sister and her family stayed in the Pinon for $85 a night. My boyfriend and I stayed in the Cedar for $65. Both were awesome. We were right on the lake. There's much better fishing at Show Low Lake, but that's 5 miles up the road, so it was perfect. There's a great bar/eatery called Moose Henrys down the road about 3/4 of a mile. The owner said it was great and he was right. They have chicken wings to die for on Sundays. Overall, our experience was perfect. We plan on coming back at least every 6 months. Next time we will bring more extended family. Definitely try it! read more

We just got back from a delightful week at Rainbow Lake Resort (aka Rainbow's End Resort). What a fun, relaxing little gem it is! If you are looking for high-end luxury, stop right here, because this isn't what this place is all about. But, if you're looking for comfortable, rustic yet updated accommodations which retain some retro charm right on a beautiful, serene lake, this is the place! During our visit, we had many interactions with Chuck, the owner, and Carlos, his right hand man and these gentlemen are helpful, pleasant, and quite personable. There are a variety of boats available for rental, docks to fish from, BBQ grills a-plenty, and an outdoor gaming area with volleyball and several other games. There are many shops, grocery stores, restaurants, etc., within a short drive and other lakes in the vicinity to try your luck on if you want to change it up. Oh yeah, it was 108 in Phoenix, 104 in Tucson, and 84 in Lakeside. Bonus! I can't wait to go back! read more

Just rented a electric motor boat. My wife and grandchildren had a great time. The price was right and we caught fish. Carlos was very helpful. Thank you for the great memories. read more

This was our second trip up to rainbow lake and we have been so pleased both times. Chuck, the owner, made us feel very welcome both times and we found the accommodations to be just what we had in mind. The location is amazing, right on the lake. We love that there are fire pits and bbqs available right outside of the rooms. We took our two boys and our dogs both times and it was perfect. The kids love been able to fish from right there at the resort, and we love that we can put them to bed, and then go sit at the firepit just outside of our door with a glass of wine! We were at the resort once before (just to rent a boat) before Chuck took ownership, and he has made some really great improvements to the property, which now has a "lodgey" feel to it. Both times we found the accommodations to be clean and comfortable, and we also liked that the units we stayed in had kitchens, so we didn't have to hit up restaurants with the kids. Really great place for a weekend getaway. We will be back for sure. read more

RUDE! When we arrived, excited in a great mood, we asked about the rental boats. We were greeted with "Can I help you" in a discourteous tone. We then asked about a pedal boat rental but we were cut off at the end with an indignant "You should have been here 3 minutes ago when I just gave this speech". We replied "uh ok...what speech?" He continued angrily with an unhappy red face "IT'S WINDY, SO THERE'S NO REFUNDS, DON'T COME BACK IN HERE EXPECTING one 5 MINUTES AFTER YOU RENT, IT'S WINDY. (3 or 4 more times)! We said "ok", and turned to walk out of the tiny office. He replies "ok what? You want it or you don't want it!?" We said "No". And left. I was upset in the parking lot and had a few words to say. He came out to tell us something that I really didn't care to hear. I yelled "you're very rude". I rolled up the window before I could hear his angry comeback. So... Not sure if he had something personal against how we looked or if he is having a bad day. Maybe he had to deal with customers demanding refunds because of the wind, but that's NOT our problem. (which we were raised here, the mountain weather is NOT new to us), either way there was no EXCUSE for the way he spoke to us. So I will be telling everyone I know about the RUDE service here. Save yourself the time and go to Fool Hollow Lake, we were greeted with smiling faces and happy workers who were more than happy to accommodate us. Thanks for nothing. We won't be back. read more