The Grand View Lodge was a great destination for my sister in laws bachelorette! We stayed in their…read morepines golf course homes and it was HUGE! We had around 15 people and all fit comfortably, had 2 fridges, like 4 bathrooms, and everything we needed! I loved all of the activities and options at the main resort such as the chocolate ox (they have jelly cats!!!) or the tshirts/sweaters in the store. The resort itself was great, with complementary pontoon rides & banana boat rides too. The cantina was awesome for their slushies or mexican food to eat on the beach! The shuttle was AWESOME to bring you all over! A few things: the beach was pretty gross at the time we were there... with weeds everywhere. We also didnt really have anywhere to park at our cabin, so that was a bit tough.. but maybe if you park & shuttle it'd be ok too?? Overall, I need to explore even more of the resort & I cant wait to come back!

Bad booking experience! We have stayed at Grand View for…read morethe last 3 years over the 4th of July! The past policy was in order to rebook the same cabin you had to call within a certain window to schedule for the following year. This year I called to book the same cabin, however I was told our cabin was already booked due to a 7 year calendar adjustment! The family who rented our cabin the week before now could book our 4th weekend due to the switch! Our family got moved out a week (week after the 4th) but could rent the same cabin! Frustrating since the reason we stay at GV are for all of the 4th activities! Reservations ended up booking us a different cabin instead of a 3 bedroom 3 bath it was a two bedroom the same price as our original cabin (with 3 bedrooms). We ended up canceling the whole thing!

We'd heard really great things about the food here, so we were really looking forward to trying it…read moreout, but unfortunately the experience was all-around bad. Service was pretty rough from the start. Our server was friendly, but they spilled our drinks at the table and then had to take them back because they'd been made with bad milk. It took forever to get the first round and even longer to get the second. You'd think they'd move faster getting us the second round given the first was spilled and made with bad milk! Definitely a missed opportunity to make up for the poor overall service. The bread was the highlight of the night, which is very telling given it was standard crostini bread. That said, it was warm, fresh, and served with delicious butter. Unfortunately, the rest of the meal didn't live up to that start. The food took far, far, far too long to come out and when it finally did, it didn't all arrive together. Half the table started eating while the other half just sat and watched and continued to wait for their food to come. I thought they brought it out separately to serve things hot, but the food that was first brought out was only lukewarm. I got the steak sandwich, which was fine but pretty bland. Even the sauce couldn't save it... The fries were well-seasoned but soft and floppy, which just made them feel sad and unappealing. I had an espresso martini with dinner and it was basically a chocolate drink with no real espresso flavor. Overall, the setting was fine, but slow service, uneven timing, and subpar food made this a disappointing experience.

We'd heard so much about this place we tried it for our Anniversary dinner. Made a reservation…read moreearly and we were the only ones in the dining room. We ordered the swordfish special and the short rib dinner plus a crab cake app. The short rib was very good. The rest meh. The service was really slow. Just glad it wasn't busy. Probably won't be back.

This is one of the best golf experiences in the Brainerd lakes area. Everything from the course to…read moreclubhouse to the staff is very well run. The course is in excellent shape. Lots of trees, to be sure, but still forgiving enough for the average player. Greens are fast and challenging. The clubhouse and staff are outstanding. You can order food after 9, and they drive it out to you on the course. Oh, and the breakfast is excellent! Highly recommend.

Madden's Resort is undeniably beautiful, and the property itself is a wonderful place to visit…read more However, our experience planning a wedding there was disappointing, and I would not recommend it as a wedding venue for couples who value communication, organization, and attention to detail. It became clear throughout the planning process that the resort is primarily focused on corporate events rather than weddings. The wedding and events team was consistently reactive instead of proactive. Follow-up emails were rarely sent without prompting, and we often had to reach out multiple times before receiving a response. On average, it took more than three days to receive a reply, and even then, it was typically only after we followed up ourselves. We also experienced several situations where information we were given earlier in the process was later changed or contradicted. In addition, the resort does not include room blocks or room guarantees in wedding contracts, which creates unnecessary uncertainty for our guests and made planning more difficult. The property itself is stunning, and I can absolutely understand why it's a favorite destination for corporate retreats and families who have been returning for years. Unfortunately, our experience made it clear that weddings are not their priority. If you're looking for a venue that values the details of your wedding, provides consistent communication, and offers a couple-centered planning experience, I would encourage you to consider other options.

Great place for families! Very clean hotel with a great waterpark. You can tell the staff takes…read morepride in the place, it is very well organized and everyone we interacted with was genuinely kind, from the front desk staff to the housekeepers. Our entire family loved the waterpark, from little kiddos to our 20 year old. Tyler at the front desk was especially helpful during our stay. Highly recommend

I read the reviews prior to booking and I'm quite surprised more haven't given rave reviews. Here's…read morethe reasoning as to why I put this place at 5 stars. Upon booking, I received a personal email of staff reaching out to make sure I noted waterpark hours. What a great touch! When we arrived the front desk staff was very friendly and the room was nice and clean. I enjoyed my sleep in the king size bed and thought it was one of the most comfortable hotel beds I've slept in recently. I also enjoyed the fact that they have a fridge and microwave. The waterpark happened to be open around the time we arrived so we made our way down to explore. Unfortunately we had a freak accident happen and my kiddo needed a trip to the ER. I was hands down impressed with how great the lifeguard, Kaya, on staff was. She came over right away and made sure things were handled well and guided me when I might not have been thinking in the most proper way. I'm still blown away at how calm and caring she was. I'm really hoping staff sees this review as well and gives her the praise that she should have! Even with the incident, we really enjoyed our stay and can't wait to come back another time when we can fully enjoy it all! Tip: they even have a small arcade for the kiddos on floor #2. Perfect size for kids to check-out! Comfy beds, nice rooms, breakfast each morning, a nice renovated and beautiful waterpark, all close to so many restaurants and stores. This place is great! Thank you for a memorable stay- we're hoping to come back and do it right the next time!

I cool here every year and it can't be better ther is breakfast in the loge and it is super good…read moreand they have 2 activities every day .the cabin is big And cool with a cool view. And boats u can rent And bikes, an awesome beach and we did a ton of fishing and it is fish after fish we walked to Nisswa and u have to go to the chocolate ox.

We have been coming to this resort for the last 5 years every Mother's Day! It is a WONDERFUL…read morefamily run resort. The staff is extremely helpful and kind especially John and Tiffany :) Rooms are clean, and Continental Breakfast, kayaks and Bike rentals/helmets are included. They are located on the Paul Bunyon Trail just minutes from downtown Nisswa. We will continue to visit for years to come and so should you, Definitely recommended, A + !!!

Very. Nice ambiance. They serve a decent continental breakfast. The amenities are substantial…read more Outdoor gas grill,a fire pit and a volleyball court. Nice indoor pool and hot tub. The facility is showing its age though. They have signs saying they are remodeling.

We travel a lot and feel that this hotel falls into the "HIDDEN GEM" category! Very clean,…read moreexcellent breakfast (nothing fancy, but everything was done well - don't miss the biscuits and gravy if you like that!). We liked how the hotel carried out the Northwoods Resort theme throughout yet AmericInn is a chain hotel. If we lived in Minnesota and not Ohio, we would come back here 2-3 times a year. The area is beautiful too. A little less crowded than Nisswa / Brainard too!

This is a convenient location for activities in the Nisswa Minnesota area. We were in town for a…read morewedding and this was a great location for getting to all the events we needed to photograph. The value for the cost per night is not as good as it could be. Rooms are small, beds in ours felt like a hide-a-bed with the single mattress and metal frame. Bathroom was functional but really small. Our window air conditioner did not work the first night and there was no one available to assist us until the next day. They did get it fixed but the first night was hot and humid. I would probably seek different accommodations if we were in the area again.

We usually avoid staying at Wyndham properties because we often get pulled into timeshare or upsell…read moreconversations, and unfortunately that happened again this time just when calling to confirm our reservation and request early check-in. I called multiple times about early check-in and got a different answer each time. We did end up being able to check in early the same day, but it cost an extra $60. They also mentioned we were the only guests requesting it, which felt a bit odd. The water park was a highlight our kids had a great time. The only downside is that the water is freezing and there's a noticeable cold draft throughout the area. Our room was spacious and worked really well for our family of five. Wi-Fi was spotty, but the TVs were nice. Overall, some frustrations, but the space and water park kept the stay enjoyable for the kids.

We had a nice room; there was barely any shampoo and body wash in the shower. We had a birthday…read moreparty and a lot of children. The pool needed 2 or more life guards vs one (the life guard had ear buds in & rarely left the chair-not a safe position)! We wanted to order food later to the room but was told the restaurant could not make any food. The breakfast was so so. I recommend the pool area be inspected and get more information about the limitations of the restaurant and why we could not get room service based on the menu included in the room.

The place is incredibly dated, and definitely needs updating. The beds were comfortable and having…read morea deck was nice. Unfortunately the carpets were very dirty and although we called to ask for more soap and conditioner for the dispensers (along with washcloths), they never came. Dockside restaurant was good, and service was decent. Plan to have low expectations.

There were broken things and we were not accommodated for them when brought up within an hour of…read morenotifying the resort staff. Whenever we asked the front desk questions they seemed clueless and unknowledgeable. Everything is closed, even if it says it's open you get there and it says it is "closed for the season." Service is terrible and environment does not seem friendly. Would not recommend to friends or family. Was hoping for a great relaxing getaway, all the cushions are flat and uncomfortable.