General - I had a work conference onsite in May and stayed onsite with family while attending the conference. Location - You have to drive for a bit outside of Brainerd/Baxter but you are right on the beautiful shores of Gull Lake. If you don't know anything about Gull Lake, it is one of the top lakes in the area. Big and beautiful lake - great for boating, fishing and swimming. Rooms & Building - This place has been around for quite some time and still gives off those old school lake resort vibes. I used to come here as a kid for a weekend getaway and some of the things have not changed one bit. Ha. All in all, they have kept up with maintenance for the most part. The rooms do show wear and tear but for how old they buildings actually are, you would expect worse. I kind of like the old-fashioned classic look - gives the building more history and a story than if they would bulldoze it and build modern. Amenities - The resort is loaded with things to do including a full-size gymnasium and ball court, a couple pools, arcade, hot tub, outdoor recreational activities, golf course, etc. Food - There are a few bars and restaurants onsite. We got pizza one night for dinner at the poolside restaurant and it was pretty good. Large size and priced very fairly for resort food. Vibe - Easy going and super friendly staff. No complaints. Reality vs. Online - Pictures that I saw on their website and online matched the quality and condition of the hotel and rooms in-person. No surprises. Price & Final Verdict - It is a classic location in the heart of Brainerd Lakes. It is different than just a "hotel stay" or smaller resort stay. It is a unique experience that one should not miss. Give it a try - great place for a weekend getaway with family and/or friends. read more

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Had a fun weekend trip up here! I would say the main plus of this place is that they seem pretty laid back, and you have a lot of freedom to do what you want. We didn't want to pay the equipment rental prices so we brought in our own inflatable kayak, and didn't get in any trouble. It's a beautiful lake, and we really enjoyed the view from the upper level deck near the Pizza place, which definitely had a good pizza! They gave us the wrong one, so I don't know what we actually got, but it was good. Thankfully they let us in to eat Pizza because upon arrival their system was down and we couldn't check into our room. The worker behind the counter seemed to be doing the absolute best minimum and wasn't super friendly. After lunch we checked back in and thankfully there was a much more competent and friendly person there to help us out. The system was still partially down, but he was able to give us some details on the status of our room and encouraged us to still enjoy all the amenities until we could check in. As another review mentioned the shower head was uncomfortably low for me, but I'm 6'6" tall so it's probably fine for most people. The indoor pool is quite nice and not overly chlorinated, no burning eyes from the fumes is great. My last thing is the way finding. I think part of it was the room we got (162). It was completely alone and not by any other rooms which made it hard to fine. Also certainly not as good of a view as upper level rooms. But in general there was very little signage and a lot of confusing stairwells with unknown destinations. We only stayed for the weekend, but I didn't feel very confident finding my way even at the end of our stay, so I feel like there could be an improvement there. It seems to be a good value for the money in this area and I would say it's worth checking out! read more

Cragun's Resort on Gull Lake - Parking lot view from room 162 - Resorts Near Me - Brainerd, Minnesota

We recently spent three nights at Cragun's Resort in Minnesota and had an amazing time! One of the highlights for us was that breakfast was included with our stay -- There was a great variety of options each morning, which made it easy to find something for everyone. We stayed on the south side of the resort, in a room with two queen beds, a cozy fireplace, a pull-out sofa, and a full kitchen. Having a full kitchen was a big plus since we were able to cook our own dinners, which gave us more flexibility and saved on dining out. Even though we chose to be on the first floor, we were pleasantly surprised to still have a nice view of the lake. The only downside was the hallway near our room -- it had a strong sour, trash-like smell. I'm so glad I called and spoke to a real person from reservations to better understand the difference between the north and south sides of the resort. That really helped us choose the right spot for our needs. The south side is perfect if you want to be close to the lake, beach activities, and the outdoor pool, while the north side is nearer to the main lobby, indoor pool, and marina. Knowing I wanted easy lake access, the south side was absolutely the right choice. The resort had tons of family-friendly activities, from water wars to banana boat rides. We especially loved the Beach Nights on Mondays and Fridays -- such a fun vibe with live music, marshmallow roasting, free pontoon rides, and even two complimentary drinks per room key. These were some of our favorite evenings during our stay! We visited the week before July 4th to avoid heavy crowds, and it was perfect. It still felt lively, but not overwhelming. We also opted for the $40 wristband that gives access to all non-motorized equipment for the whole stay. While we noticed the policy wasn't strictly enforced (possibly due to the resort's recent change in ownership), we still felt it was worth it. That said, it would have been nice if enforcement had been clearer since we did pay for them. The staff were mostly young and somewhat new, so while their enthusiasm could be improved, they were doing their best. I work with college students and totally get that many of them are probably in their first job -- so it didn't take away from our experience. Perhaps a little more guidance/training in guest service, enthusiasm, and general resort knowledge -- especially for helping first-time visitors like us. Overall, Cragun's is an excellent value and a truly family-friendly destination. We're already talking about coming back next year and bringing a bigger group with us! Highly recommend for families looking for a fun, relaxing lakeside getaway. read more

Cragun's Resort on Gull Lake - View of the lake - Resorts Near Me - Brainerd, Minnesota

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HUGE resort that can handle convention/tournament sized events and gatherings. Many areas have outdated decor, but it looks like they are slowing updating. We've stayed here several times and in different areas of the resort. Each time we had a nice view of the lake. And our room had a fireplace, nice little fridge and a microwave. I have a difficult time paying these resort prices when the decor is so outdated, and some of the older style cabins have a musty smell. There are many stairs everywhere, and I only saw one elevator for the entire resort so accessibility is not the best. I don't enjoy the food here, but there are a few good restaurants nearby. Don't forget to make reservations for large groups though. They updated the Bear Trap Bar since last year and it looks much better now, but the drink prices were also raised to reflect that. Overall, I don't choose to stay here unless it's with a very large group (like a basketball tournament) and the entire team wants to stay together. read more

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This is one of the worst hotels I have ever stayed at. Before we booked we checked the hotel policies and called twice to ask if we could check in at 18. Even though two workers confirmed this on the phone, when we arrived they tried to say we needed to be 21 to check in. After we finally got to our room we could hear stomping from up stairs, as the walls are very thin, and the toilet was broken. When we asked them to fix the toilet they said they would, we left for a couple hours and came back, when we called to ask if they fixed it they said yes, it was not fixed, we then had to ask them again to fix it. We also tried to enjoy the whirlpool and sauna, when we asked for the keys they were extremely rude to us yelling at us about needing our ids, why would we bring our id with us to go swimming? The workers were very rude to us the entire time. On our second night they turned off the tvs in the pool an hour before close as we were actively watching it and didn't even say a thing, they also shut off the music, and closed the restaurant an hour early. They closed the pool 30 minutes before closing time as well. The walls are extremely thin, we were woken up to music blaring from the room above us. Our room was also smaller than advertised. Would never stay here again. read more

Oh my gosh. Lots of elevations and steps. The people who work here are not overly friendly if you can find any. Not all of the restaurants are open but of course you don't know that until you climb up and down a thousand steps. It would be nice if there were more elevators or at least markings for them. The rooms are out dated need new bedding nothing comfortable about the site. If your not goi g to have places to eat open then have plates and utensils in the room. There is no housekeeping so as a vacation for the price not at all worth it. The location on the lake is great but there is not enough fox space boats and the entire place needs updating. The manager at Irma's was wonderful and her staff kind. The food was good but there was no where else to eat anything of substance. read more

Cragun's Resort on Gull Lake - Resorts Near Me - Brainerd, Minnesota

I stayed here over the weekend for a large conference. My review of the resort is somewhat mixed. On the plus side: What a view. We stayed in the north wing, third floor. Absolutely beautiful view of the lake. The room was very quiet. If we had neighbors, we never heard them. Plenty of hot water for the shower! Although, the valve was backwards. I waited for a while for the water to get hot, only to realize it was indeed backwards. Once I figured that out, it was all good from there. The LED fireplace is a nice touch. It's too bad it wasn't a gas log, but still, we enjoyed it. The HVAC had a constant on setting, which I usually like. But it ran so quietly that you'd never know! So, even though I like the white noise, this is still a plus in my book. If the HVAC keeps the room comfy and you don't even know it's there, that's never a bad thing. The bathroom had its own heater. No reason to get out of the shower cold! Plenty of towels. The room seemed to be clean, and we noticed no odd or unpleasant odors. The bed was comfy enough. The pillows were not too soft or too firm, although they are a little on the small side I suppose. There were plenty of places to plug in our gadgets on the nightstand. But like many other rooms with two beds, the only nightstand is in the middle, between the two beds. This is unfortunate for a couple that ends up staying in a room like this, because that generally means someone has the side withOUT the nightstand - and the gadgets go on the floor instead. Maybe someday, hotels will catch on and at least put a small stand on the side away from the main nightstand. The staff we interacted with were all very nice. Front desk, servers, wait staff, all were pleasant and helpful. Now, a few nits to pick... Some of the reviews mention the outdated decor. Maybe the carpet pattern is a bit outdated, but to us, that wasn't a huge deal. Some reviews also mention the steps and the lack of elevators. If you can't do steps, you do NOT want to stay here unless you tell them that when booking. There are a lot of steps at this resort. A LOT. Hefting the luggage from the parking lot to the 3rd floor was a chore. There was a luggage cart available, but I'm not sure how we were going to use that with steps. My wife didn't appreciate the super high water level of the toilet. She felt like she always had to be careful to not get a hand washing in the bowl while she was finishing her business. 'Nuff said there. (And let me tell you what... be careful standing too close to the toilet when you flush. It might suck you down!) The shower head was a little low. If you are much taller than 6 feet, you're going to have to duck. We ordered cheese pizza at the bar with our drinks on Friday night. The drinks were spot on. The cheese pizza was a bit "well done." Too much more, and it would've gone back. Seriously, it's not that difficult to bake a cheese pizza correctly. Black cheese = overdone. Overall, it was a pleasant stay. We obviously didn't use any of the outdoor activities, because it's April. Too darn cold. But we enjoyed the stay, and we'd be willing to go back again. read more

Poor service, they were teaching swimming lessons which are great. But you got the feeling your grandkids can't use the pool while they are teaching others to swim, all you can hear is the swimming teaching talking loudly at students. Tons of stairs and only one luggage cart, so be prepared to haul all your luggage to your room via the stairs. They do have an handicap ramp, but if you're hauling it by hand be prepared for many long trips. Lot of soft spot on the upper deck by the pool, for what you pay it's not worth it. read more

My sister in law discovered this place and have been making it an annual family tradition. This time we were invited. A great place to get together with the family - especially the kids. They have hotel rooms and cabins available. I recommend getting the rec pass, which is a $25-35 wristband for you do a lot of fun activities. The food can be pricey (Irma Kitchen) and so my family ate out in Nisswa and Baxter. The food at the Carbana Cafe, located in the indoor pool isn't bad. My niece recommends the kids pina colada smoothie. They offer a decent breakfast buffet that is from 7:30am-10:00am. My niece and nephew did a lot of swimming in the indoor pool (and bring your own pool toys), swam in a lake by the beach, roasted marshmallow / s'mores. (Bring your own kit or you can by one for $17, not including the roasting sticks.) My father rented the pontoon for 4 hours ($350), which was fun. As for me, I did canoe, kayak, paddle board, trolley horse riding, and tye dye t-shirt making. The only downside was the bed was uncomfortable leaving me with a achy back. My husband was tossing and turning at night. No daily room service due to COVID. Otherwise we would come back. read more

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Horrible Service. Asked multiple times for towel and room service. No one ever came or even responded.

This is not a place to stay if your on a motorcycle. There was storms coming in and we parked our bike under the covered front entrance out of the way so it didn't effect any other vehicles from loading or unloading. The security guy Stanley L was very rude and threatened to have our bike towed. Let's just say this guy should not be in customer service maybe emptying garbage cans could be a better job for him. Unfortunately we were planning on staying longer but will never go back. So to all our brothers and sisters on motorcycles find a different place to stay or maybe they can find a different job for Stanley L. read more

This was my fourth stay at Cragun's. Three of my stays were for the MRPA annual conference the past ten years. It seems to work well for our state conference with over 300 people. The rooms were recently renovated and nice since my last visit. All of my rooms have been large with nice amenities and comfortable beds. Each room has a fireplace. The meals were good and staff very friendly. The resort has many recreation facilities with a large indoor pool. I can't believe they just added three pickleball courts and the beach is nice. Great location great views from all rooms. read more

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I just did a quick weekend getaway here over the 4th of July. Craguns was the only resort on Gull Lake with open rooms when we booked last minute and now I know why. As many have mentioned, it is BADLY in need of updates. It's dated, and not in a kitschy, nostalgic way. The carpets are dingy and dusty and gross looking. Lots of smells throughout the building and in our room and none of them could be described as "good" or "clean". Our room was shabby and the beds were very uncomfortable. Decks need cleaning and staining - lots of chipping paint and debris, just very weathered. Worst for me was the general maintenance and upkeep of the property. Throughout the entire time we were there there was a large bag of garbage plus dirty towels and bed linens strewn in the hallway outside our room. Like, just laying on the floor being ignored. And they sat there unmoved for three days making it painfully obvious that not a single staff member wandered through our hall, let alone cleaned it during the entire holiday weekend. Trashes all over the property we're overflowing and never got emptied. There was a table on one of the decks overlooking the lake that had pizza boxes, empty cups, napkins, and general trash that sat dirty like that for two straight days - every time we walked by it on our way to the main lodge it became more sad and comical that it was still sitting there untouched. It just all made it seem like a place where the staff/owners have completely given up. So much just seemed in disrepair. We rented kayaks one day and those were great. The next day we rented bikes and I had to try literally 5 different bikes to find one with air in the tires, working gear shifters, and seats that were adjustable. We walked through the indoor pool area several times a day to get to and from our room and there were several arcade games that had out of order signs on them. For a whole morning the hot tub had a bunch of closed signs on it. The food was also disappointing. We had breakfast at the dining room and it was sad - really just straight up bland, beige cafeteria food. We did go to Irma's Kitchen one night for dinner based on high recommendations from staff and other guests. That food was definitely better though the service there was awkward and slow. We ordered drinks which we saw someone make and then watched the drinks sit at the server station waiting to be delivered to us for a solid 10 minutes. We ordered an appetizer and two entrees and after a long wait we got everything at the same time - not hugely offensive but when you're trying to have a nice meal with a couple courses it just felt like thoughtless service. And the restaurant was fairly empty. I could forgive a lot of this if they had been super busy, but there were maybe 5 or 6 other tables in the whole place. The food itself did taste good. We had the walleye cakes appetizer, pot roast, and chicken. All three were tasty and satisfying and even with the average service this was still probably the highlight of our stay. To give credit where credit is due, the outdoor areas and beaches were nice here. Lots of lounge chairs and Adirondack chairs, nice sandy beaches with lots of activities going on. The lake access and views were great. And we really enjoyed the kayaking and walks around the property. I've stayed at Grand View which is a really beautiful and well kept resort on Gull Lake, and this trip we rode our (barely functioning) bikes through Maddens, another similar resort but with pristine grounds and what looked like a lot more operational amenities - knowing that exists and then staying at Craguns I just feel sad for Craguns and sad for myself that I had chosen so wrong in places to stay in the area. In the right hands and with some updates and additional staff and lots of staff training (assuming they're experiencing the same shortage as the rest of the service industry), this could be a pretty awesome place. But as is, it's just disappointing and a little depressing. We stayed in the main lodge...maybe the cabins are better? I'd just say plan ahead if you're going to Brainard and stay somewhere else if at all possible. read more

Cragun's Resort on Gull Lake - If you zoom you'll see the trash bag at the end of the hall, dirty towels and pillow cases. All sat like this for three days. - Resorts Near Me - Brainerd, Minnesota

This place needs a complete redo. The breakfast buffet was fair but all the food was cold????? I mean everything, eggs, ham, sausage and potatoes. The rooms need to be completely sanitized, towels smelled toxic. Trash outdide main entrance with empty beer bottles all over the place-GROSS! The best experience about breakfast was my attendant, Hailie (sp) she kept my coffee cup and water full. read more

Cragun's Resort on Gull Lake - Sunrise at Cragun's - Resorts Near Me - Brainerd, Minnesota

nice venue with awful service. servers not trained well and always very understaffed. Food very average at best. sat down at bar last night at 7 to get a burger after a round of golf-glared at by overwhelmed bartender who not only had to take care of bar but also serving food on floor. tried to be patient but left after 20 minutes as it appeared we weren't even close to having our order taken. at least 3 other groups left in that time too. I shouldn't be that surprised as this happens often but it stinks paying that much money to play golf there and not being able to get a drink or food after a round. the grill has been horribly run for years and as a member I'm usually embarrassed bringing guests there. go across the street the Classic. read more

The resort is really cool, Golf is nearby, if you are looking to rent a boat or go fishing they have everything you could possibly need! I would for sure forego the restaurant- it's pretty sad! More than likely the reason it was pretty much empty on a Friday Night! If you are into 5 star resorts this is not it, this is the old school cabin style drinking beers under the stars and hanging out type resort! read more

We have been coming up here for many years. Looking forward to the future. It's gorgeous. read more

Cragun's Resort on Gull Lake - View from room - Resorts Near Me - Brainerd, Minnesota

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this is our second year at Cragun's. last year it took two days to fix the water heater. This year on our first night the smoke detector is broke and continues to beep. security came and asked me to change the battery because she didn't know how. I changed it. didn't solve the problem. at 10:30 at night I had to go to the front desk. nothing was being done about it. very rude front desk. still waiting for it to be resolved. was offered two drink tickets. read more

We had 35 Family members at Craguns last weekend for our annual reunion. We rented jet skis, speed boats and pontoons. All ran like new and performed well. We ate at Irma's Kitchen (please see my review on it) and it was awesome! We did lunch at the Cabana Cafe pool side. I had pesto chicken flatbread and they did it right. Two beers on tap plus lots of other adult choices. The cabins we stayed in were older but clean and well maintained. I think the only minus was some of the exterior wood need some attention. But I'll also say that this didn't impact our experience at Craguns at all. We already scheduled another reunion next year at Craguns. We love that place! read more

Recently spent the weekend at Craguns Resort for a Batchelor party. While the time spent with the crew was a 10/10, a couple things happened including an incident with one staff member in particular (REBECA) that gave our party of 18 people a bad experience and had us really question this staff members decision making. I'll get to Rebeca in a minute, but to start the cabins are fairly nice sized and the compound and beaches are very nice. They provide you a lot of options from areas for throwing the football, beach activities, golf, grilling, and even boat rentals! We have a mixed review from our group on the food, the first night the pizza we ordered from the menu they gave us was awful, but the next night it got better and some ordered ribs which they said were fantastic. The wings were also very good and big wings! Be sure in the cabin to find the picture of the 3 bears which they had two of the same in our cabin! All of these factors could have cumulated for a 4+ star review here, however the interaction with their staff member Rebeca we found to be very unprofessional and just poor design making. Cragun's has a long area of lake frontage and beach availability. Plenty of room for groups to do something anywhere on the beach. Our group was playing volleyball at the only volleyball net they have on the beach from what we could tell and from our cabins location. Rebeca had to host a Sand castle building activity for what appeared to be maybe 6-7 kids, which is great that they provide those activities for the children and family. With only one volleyball court and a ton of beach space she kicked our entire group off the beach volleyball court and said we can play volleyball on the other side of the net (with no net...???...) while she host the sand castle contest in that specific spot when there were plenty of other areas to host this. It truly did not make any sense. Our group paid a good amount of money to enjoy these amenities and without true justification or really remorse Rebeca took over half the court rendering it unusable for volleyball and other guests to use. We asked if they could move 20 yards down to an open area so we could continue to enjoy our afternoon as well, but Rebeca wouldn't be reasonable. Overall, good experience with our friends and the facility. It was just unfortunate that the decision making of one staff member is what we all will probably always remember from this place. read more

Cragun's Resort on Gull Lake - Nice lake front and beach - Resorts Near Me - Brainerd, Minnesota

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I have been to just about all of the resorts in the Brainerd area and I would have to say that I believe Cragun's is my least favorite of them all. The place just needs a remodel or something I know they are going for the up north rustic look but at some point you have to diversify a little bit and make your rooms a little more modern, my sink in my room if it was over half way up would start squirting water everywhere and the fan was obnoxiously loud the whole stay here. The wall are pretty thin I could hear neighbors on both sides of me. Okay enough about the place I'm sure you get the point. Onto the staff. For the most part I would say the staff was friendly and helpful. The food here was a HUGE disappointment I was here for 3 days and the meals tasted as if they were a school cafeteria food. It was not good food AT ALL I would not get food if I ever stayed here again and that is sad to have such low quality food at an "upscale resort" the breakfast food was all cold every morning. read more

Cragun's Resort on Gull Lake - Resorts Near Me - Brainerd, Minnesota

Amazing location, facilities and spectacular views of the lake. Stayed here, two nights for a work related conference. Had an entire cabin to myself. Very clean and well maintained. Colleagues had varying experiences. Staff were friendly and helpful. Would consider returning for a family vacation. read more

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Horrible customer service in their reservation Dept. I was told I was being charged one amount and then charged a completely different amount. When I spoke to someone at a later date regarding my concerns and how it is inappropriate to quote one than and charge more, the person hung up on me and refused to state that what they did was wrong. Be very wary and watch your credit card statements after dealing with this company. read more

Our stay at Cragun's is just about complete and I'll rate our stay as a solid "meh" and I do wish it wasn't. I think the best way to put it is that everything seemed incredibly disorganized. It started with the fact that our room readiness never had an official ETA. Each time we call, we were told "should be ready in an hour". My wife and I can deal with that, but our young kids can't. So, we figured that we could go go check things out, maybe go to a beach or hop on a kayak. For non-resort related reasons, we ended up going to the outdoor pool. We were amazed by how many people were in the pool (that's not a good thing) and how many kids were in the pool unsupervised. Since our room wasn't ready, there was apparently only one place to change, which was a single person bathroom. I have no idea why on earth there's so little space to change. Again, as a family, that's pretty tough. Oh and the towel situation was maddening. Towels were just in random places. We had no idea where to get fresh towels (no signage) and only figured it out after we saw someone explore the room by the pool. We saw staff drop off towels as we were leaving and they just dropped bags off by the door and left. Weird. We saw the place reviewed online and described as a place stuck in the 60's and I'd agree. The rooms were fine, but thought it was odd that the hallways had all their windows open. We didn't bother with food at the resort, so I can't speak to that. We spent time at a different resort recently and knew that there weren't a ton of food options within the resorts. Our kids are fairly young and it didn't seem like there was a lot to do here for them. Both of the pools were packed and no one seems to even recall that there's still an active global pandemic. I saw more people wearing masks and distancing at Starbucks than I did our entire time here. Lastly, I'm not sure what was up with the staff and or some of the policies. We had a ton of basic questions that no one seemed to be able to answer. The equipment checkout process was frustrating. All I wanted to do is use a kayak, but what should have been a 5 minute process, turned into a 30 minute adventure to try and find someone to help. Of course what made it even more annoying was that I didn't even need someone. I was told that I could just go grab the equipment and go. I wish that either there was a sign or that someone would have told us that upon arrival. read more

We're here in the off season so there's not enough food service to mention. The actual accommodations are simple but comfortable and clean. We had a lovely lake view and a nice accessible walk in shower. The LED fireplace is an attractive touch. There was a bit of human noise but it got quiet about midnight. The check in was easy and typical of an organized motel. read more

Great place for families. A bunch of activities and friendly people. Large property so you will walk a lot. Peaceful and relaxing. No big crowds. Need to drive a bit for food or shopping but that is ok. Food service here is adequate for snacks but go elsewhere for a real meal. Get some golf in while here. Would recommend to others looking for resorts in area. It is somewhat dated but also homey and a step back in time. A lot of room. read more

The room remodels are very nice. Rooms are large, have balconies that face the lake and a fake fireplace. The property is dated but well cared for. They have games to borrow and lots of things for kids to do, indoor sport court, indoor pool and almost anything you need for the outdoors available for rent. We come for Family Fun weekends where they have more activities and included food. read more

Our family suite was so old and worn out. Very disappointed for the price you pay. Lots of activities available though.

We had a great time at Craguns. Two families with teenage kids. We stayed in the newly renovated lakeside rooms. The were larger then a regular hotel room with a little kitchenette and seating room. Plenty of things to do. We golfed the Par 3. ( we are all beginners) rented a jet ski and some other recreational water toys. You have the option to rent a boat with a driver to take kids skiing, tubing, wake or knee boarding.. next time for sure. Indoor and out door pools. Clean beach and water and Bonfire on the beach at night. Because it was Covid eating options were limited bit we made due. Will definitely be back. Did not give it 5 stars as resort is dated but rooms were great. read more

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The staff are amazing and the location is spectacular. BUT there was no place to eat on site. We were there for a seminar from Wednesday to Thursday. The place was sold out so you think they'd have something decent. Also, our microwave was filled with junk in our room and I found a chapstick under my pillow as well as a sticky note by my feet under the blanket. I wouldn't not recommend this place to people, but I'd say go on the weekend when you have everything available and check your room before getting comfy. read more

Flew in for a wedding. One would think when staying at a resort/lodge for $350 per night they would have a shuttle....but if you thought that you would be wrong. Carpets throughout are what you'd expect at a Super 8.........amongst other things like no ceiling fans in the room and mirrors affixed to the bathr wall good for anyone under 5 feet tall. Their "dining room" consists of a dozen cheap tables and chairs adjacent the pool where the temperature was about 80 F. Check out is 11am. Check in is 5pm. So if you arrive early with luggage don't bother asking to put your bags anywhere so you can walk around because they don't have a coat room or any other suitable place they will offer you to put your luggage. Lastly.......don't bother asking for a late check out beca they will tell you no. read more

We had an outstanding vacation at Cragin's resort. The owner is outstanding. The restaurants are also very good. We have been to this resort a number of times. We love coming back because of the indoor and the outdoor pool. We been here in the summer and in the winter every time the experience been outstanding. Cragin's seems to go out of the way to make sure that their guests are taken care of during their stay. We called for additional towels and there was no question simply brought four more towels for us with no questions asked. Other hotels ask how many and why you need extra towels. This was not the case at Craguns. On this trip we had our boat the boat slip was free. The Boatlanding was good in the brain services were outstanding. If you're heading up to the Brainerd area I recommend staying at Kragen's any day of the week. These people were five star with no questions asked. The rooms could use some updating. However it is extremely large resort right on gall lake with many dock spaces available and it is an outstanding family experience.. read more

Cragun's Resort on Gull Lake - Resorts Near Me - Brainerd, Minnesota

BE WARNED THIS PLACE IS DISGUSTING, VERY DISPLEASING!!!!!! BEACH CABIN!! I Wasn't impressed with Craguns at all my family and I drove 2 hours to get to our cabin at 5 since that's when check in time is, we had to wait hours to get into our room as it was supposedly being cleaned we finally get the ok at 7:30pm to get access to our room with the manager showing very little concern of our very long unnecessary wait time replying that check in time is "around 5ish) then only to find the room unsanitary with mouse droppings in all the cabinets, hair in the shower. So after 5 hours of our food being in a cooler of ice on a hot day we needed to get our items into the fridge before they spoil only to find out the refrigerator isn't even working, maintenance did come out right away to address the issue. The room smelt pretty bad, never plan to walk In your rooms barefoot I wore Sandals the entire time expect to shower or sleep, very very disgusting. Needless to say our stay was cut short we were ver dissatisfied with the way our first family vacation in quite some time turned out. read more

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My family has stayed here for labor the past 9 years. It is a great location and has been nice for the price in the past. The prices continue to rise each year yet no improvements are made. There are a few cabins that have been remodeled (and the prices reflect that). This Labor Day 2021 will be our last. The carpet in our place was not vacuumed and had chunks of dried mud everywhere. There was hair on the floor in the bathroom. We paid for a roll away bed which had a piece of bacon and bread crumbs in it. They took away the meal plan. We did pay extra for breakfast buffet at Irma's Kitchen. The line was long! The food was cold and they would run out of items often (fruit, syrup, spoons, coffee). Cragun's was a family tradition we are sad to see go but the price compared to quality to was off now. I do have to admit the golf course is amazing, but not included in the resort rates. read more

I probably won't be back here. The pontoon ride was great...the people at the marina were wonderful. The ladies cleaning the rooms were great! Dutch needs to sell as the place needs a facelift starting with the outdoor pool. We were there 5 years ago and what a difference. The exterior was in need of work. The thing that was the worst was the experience at Irma's Kitchen. While Matt and the restaurant are trying to bring upscale dining to Craguns...they forgot about the wait staff and 28.00 for pot roast that was tasteless? People..I can do better myself! The waiter..took a napkin to clean out a wine glass during this pandemic. What? Bring a new wine glass! Finally he did and this one had so much soap scum you could see it! We had to go get another one that still had spots on it. I don't mind paying big prices for good food and service...but this was neither of those. Irma's was better before you went upscale! I called and left a message for Jill in marketing who directed me to Matt...WHO NEVER CALLED BACK OR GAVE A CRAP. $ 200.00 meal and to be ignored by staff!? Crappy customer service! Sorry Cragun's..your staff lost our family business. Unacceptable. Last time we were stuck in our room for an hour and a 1/2 which required staff to get a lift and enter our room by balcony to take the door off cuz the lock jammed. This time..it was bad service at the "upscale" Irma's. Sell the place Dutch and let someone else restore Cragun's. read more

Cragun's Resort on Gull Lake - Resorts Near Me - Brainerd, Minnesota

Awesome place! On the lake - best view. Bartenders were awesome. Super fun. The food!!!!! Omg shrimp salad and tomato basil SOOOOOOOO GOOD. That's all I have to say. Chef Brian was amazing - butt roast and potatoes were amazing. Matt and Chris the bartenders were so welcoming and friendly we had such a great time. They are awesome read more

First of all, they should tell you that if you stay in the lakeside rooms there is only one elevator at the very end of the building and if you are on the third floor, you will be dragging your luggage all the way up the stairs. Our room was not clean, there was dirt on the bathroom floor and dead mosquitos on the tub. They say they have several restaurants, but they are not always open. So we decided to get the shuttle and go to their restaurant about a mile down the road. The shuttle took a half hour to pick us up, and they DID NOT HAVE A SHUTTLE FOR THE WAY BACK!!! We went to play Bingo with our kids one night, and it started a half hour late and they didn't even offer small prizes. The setting is beautiful, but the place is sadly rundown. Our room and many other rooms needed paint. Disappointing at best!!! read more

We had a great time this past week at this resort. We had 100 people there for a family reunion. Was impressed with the level of detail paid towards maintenance - we saw cement stairs and walks being repaired, cabins being touched up with paint, and all of the staff was friendly and hospitable. We loved how Dutch Cragun introduced himself to everyone on Welcome night and we were happy to see he and his wife again at Irma's Kitchen the other night for dinner. The breakfasts were wonderful - everything hot and well supplied, and the coffee was plentiful. Had fun on the pontoon boat and having beautiful weather this week just made everything perfect. On the one overcast day, we were happy to have the Paul Bunyan room available for our Pot Luck Dinner which had ample seating for all and we played our bean bag tournament in there. Hope to be there again for the next reunion! read more

Maybe if you're really into golf or staying at Craguns for a family-vacation-type experience, it's adequate. From a business perspective, however, it's not very good. First off, Craguns is right on the lake and has beautiful views, etc. It has an old-school lodgey-cabiny feel that has a certain amount of charm. The "old-school" label, however, cuts both ways. Is it "old-school" as in old-fashioned and quaint and charming...or is it "old-school" as in run-down and in desperate need of updating? Mostly the latter, actually. Things like carpets are hopelessly stained, the rooms have not been updated since maybe the 50s, and everything looks shabby. Curtains are ripped and tattered, chairs are marred, floors are scuffed... The air smells stale and musty, and the conference/meeting rooms, especially, smell mostly like a food-service hallway (you know, that faint whiff of souring milk and day-old dead fish?). The conference facilities could also use a serious update to make them look less depressing (heavy, dark brown walls and carpeting, chipping tan painted beams). But that's not why I'm giving Craguns one star. No. I'm giving it one star because the food is simply awful. We decided to eat lunch here instead of venturing out to another local restaurant and that was a huge mistake. I had a simple hamburger and it was... well, it was like it was served out of a cafeteria; it was boiled, soggy, and darn-near inedible. The fries were just soggy and unseasoned/salted. Why on earth would you serve someone food near a deck overlooking a lake and not, you know, grill a burger? Co-workers had similar food experiences; awful burgers, an awful, fishy walleye sandwich, and icky fries. At least the counter girl taking our order was friendly. Actually, everyone we met there was extremely friendly and eager to help or assist. The service was great, but the facilities and the food could use a serious makeover. read more

My girlfriend and I wanted a weekend away from everything so we decided to stay in brainerd MN, a lovely town in Northern MN. We decided to stay at Craguns Resort because it seemed to have a lot of accomodations and we knew a few people who had stayed there before. we arrived and the facility was older and dated which I dont mind, IF ITS CLEAN and I can assure you, craguns is not clean. We arrived and got some food in the bar, the bartender was friendly, but they were out of blue moon on tap and a handful of others so I just settled for a bottled mich golden. food was sub par and seemed cheap. we went back to our room and as we were going to bed after lounging around our room for a bit we noticed our noses were getting stuffy. we didnt think anything of it since it was the winter season. We woke up the next morning and were getting ready to go out we noticed a black colored mold around the vent. We were both instantly sick to our stomachs knowing we had been breathing moldy air all night, we checked the other 2 air vents in the room and they were moldy as well. If you want to see the mold for yourself youtube Craguns Resort Must Watch its only about a 2 min video posted by username Gallstones. I removed the disgusting vent from the wall only to reveal more mold on the inside I wiped it with a paper towel and the towel was completely black! BLAH! We respectfully bagged the vent and brought it to the desk and asked to speak to the GM in a private place as to not make a scene in the lobby. When we showed her the vent she didnt have the reaction a general manager should have, it was as if she didnt realize the health risk of having moldy vents and at this point I was getting mad, not only did they get us sick, but basically was a wasted day trying to find a new place and cencelling our plans to ice skate and snow shoe at Craguns. When the compensation came up, she gladly comped our stay from the night before, but she said we would still be charged the 100 dollar booking fee. I told her that was unacceptable and that we were not paying a dime to stay in a mold infested room. This is when she said something that blew my mind. "well we need to charge you something, we still need to clean the room" "CLEAN THE ROOM?" i said pointing to the mold infested vent "you should have been cleaning thes room I told her in disgust. she started getting sour at this point but I wanted more than just my room comped, she had posed a health risk on us and ruined 2 days of our vacation. I asked her to pay for the remaining 2 nights we booked at cragus somewhere else. now I realize that is far fetched, but I was mad and rightfully so. she said she would absolutely not do that I asked if she was kidding, she said no and I said we are out of here. left to never come back to this place. if you have any reguard for your health and the health of your family DO NOT STAY AT CRAGUNS and if you are forced to because of a convention or some other reason please check your vents for mold before sleeping in the room. I hope someday I am able to write a 5 star review for craguns maybe after they get some new management but for now 1 star, place sucks. read more

Cragun's Resort on Gull Lake - This is our vent in the room - Resorts Near Me - Brainerd, Minnesota

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