Been going to Shady Rest for 6 years in a row. Best place we've ever been to in northern Wisconsin…read moreafter sampling 3 other options. We meet up with extended family, mix of younger and older kids. A reliably great time, exactly what a "week up north" is supposed to be. Tons of activities, perfect sandy beach, good fishing from dock or boat. Place is run by a great genuine family. Lots of water sports available - skiing, tubing, etc etc. The cabins are a bit on the rustic/vintage side but very clean, most are right on the water. Staff is super attentive, food (breakfasts and dinners) is great. Very family oriented.

My entire family just spent a few days at this family lake side resort -The Shady Rest Lodge…read more(http://www.shadyrestlodge.com). We stayed in the Manor House (four individual suites that can be combined or used separately). The eight of us (one Grannie, three parents, four kids aged 15 - 22) stayed there after leaving the Super Eight in Tomahawk WI where we were attending a wedding. This family resort is one of the most beautiful places we've ever been. Situated on the stunning Lake Manson in Rhineland WI, the owners Brad & Amy Francis were excellent hosts. We called very last minute to get the rooms after a not so pleasant stay at the Super Eight. When we arrived, Brad took us over to the rooms before taking any kind of payment, then told us to come on back to the office whenever we were ready. The rooms were nice and clean, with beautiful decks off of each of the second floor rooms and a nice patio off of the first floor rooms with views of the lake just a few feet away. As we stood there enjoying the view, a bald eagle swooped right by to welcome us! With multiple piers, the lake was never more than a few feet away, boats, kayacks, bikes, a playground, a recreation room, water skiing & wakeboarding, fishing poles were all available for use as well as a lovely beach area with plenty of room to relax. The vibe was total relaxation or fun activities - whatever you want to do, no scheduling required. You could take advantage of the meal plan if you wanted, or you could make use of the kitchens in each suite. We ended up eating one evening meal there (the Sunday night grilled extravaganza) which was most tasty. But mostly we just relaxed and enjoyed our time in the Northwoods of Wisconsin. I would highly recommend this place to families of all shapes and sizes! Relax and enjoy the beauty and/or play and enjoy the lake - it's all up to you!

3 of us stayed in room 3 on Saturday July 12 th 2014…read more Very clean. Nothing fancy, but you know instead of anything fancy, I prefer the LARGE backyard with shade trees, open sunny areas and the picnic table in back and side/front yards. I think there's a gas grill out back - for guests to use ?? Room has window in front and back (in bathroom) that overlooks backyard. Seems like backyard would be great place to send kids out to play (we dont have any) and you could watch through window. I think there was a sandbox?? Just make sure they are reasonably behaved - owner seemed to maybe be a bit fussy if something was broken or obnoxious kids disturbed other guests. Furnishings were dated (80's/90's) but completely functional and not beat up or wobbly or anything. Desk, 2 chairs, small 2 drawer dresser/TV bedside table and 2nd 2 drawer bedside between beds. Beds were nicely firm and bedspreads unusually pretty for motel/hotel in deep red floral pattern, she said they were brand new. Owners seem to be very conscious about making sure everything works and that guests have a good stay. Ex: They keep a box of spare TV remotes in case one breaks. Ex: she asked if we would prefer a soft or firm bed and offered to show us room before we decided to stay. Smallest motel room I've ever stayed in (a small B+B room had this one beat). Was a bit cozy for 3 adults, but we managed to make dinner (tacos of precooked chicken with all the veggie fixings chopped in room) and packed lunch for next day (sandwiches with all fixings prepped onsite too). Note;: only table/ workspace is the small desk. But we managed w/out trouble. Our room didn't have microwave or fridge, not sure if other rooms have one? Didn't matter - we had a cooler and they offered ice. They probably would have re-froze our icepacks in their home unit fridge if we asked. Owners (Russ and .... Jean?) are very chatty and witty. Happy to provide info like where the 'Scheers Lumberjack Show" is and where grocery stores are, hours etc. Abit pricey, especially considering no fridge or micro, but not pricy considering it's 'high season'. Our room was $79. Very nice stay and I would recommend.

This is a great little place. Clean, simple, friendly; all we need. A short driving distance (or a…read moredecent walk) to the fun of downtown Minocqua, where you can shop, eat, or watch the great Min-Aqua Bats show. Not expensive either. Give it a try.

You walk in and it's Northwoods perfection straight from the 90s. I loved the vibe immediately. The…read moreroom was clean, bed and pillows were very comfy. Where i was extremely disappointed was - there was a baseball tournament going on and the entire team apparently was staying here at the time... the noise volume was 10/10. All. Night. Long. For two nights. Doors slamming, screaming and yelling from adjacent neighbors. Very very very annoying. Walls were paper thin. The complimentary breakfest consisted of milk cartons, dry cereal, packaged donuts and uncrustables. I think had the noise level been better our stay would have been different. Cute place overall.

Cozy lobby with a large stone fire place and luxury leather furniture is very welcoming and homey…read more Rooms were clean and spacious. We liked the rustic timbers on the walls and the beds were very comfortable. The large patio door allowed for an excellent view of the pines and the hot tub and pool were just a short walk down the hallway. This was especially nice after a day in the snow. Nice pool and shower facilities complement the pool area. We'll be back!

I go to Dillmans for the Art Seminars. The resort is delightful but the art seminars are inspiring…read moreand one of the best things I have done in years. My husband gave me a seminar for Christmas and it is still one of the best gifts I have ever gotten. The Seminar teachers are very good and treated me as though I was a valued friend. I learned a lot and I have sent many many of my friends to this resort. The entire staff is so helpful I really want to go back.

Our family adores Dillman's Bay Resort! The gorgeous Northwoods setting, the gracious hospitality…read moreof the hosts, the playful resort dogs, the haunting call of the loons, the heavenly sunsets, and so much more than I can detail here all combine to make Dillman's a little slice of paradise on earth! We started coming here as a family in 2010, and our daughter was just married here, so it's been a part of our family for a long time. We heartily recommend Dillman's as a vacation retreat, a wedding setting, and a respite from the hustle and bustle of everyday life! Thank you, Dillman's, for being something we look forward to every year! Photos by Photos & Design by Erin Ashley.

As retirees, we want to travel a bit more. I was satisfied that I could find a room in a motel that…read morewas rated well among customers. I thought it was pretty nice that, on the day before the stay, they sent me several text messages about how to get to our room: directions from the main desk, the combinations to the digital locks and how to use them, and they even sent me a picture of the room's door. The outside of the hotel looked clean and might have had a recent remodel. There was no professional landscaping, but I didn't expect to see any, either. It became clear immediately that those text messages were worth saving. There is a digital combination lock for the main door and the same combination for the door leading up to our room. There was no one at the main desk, which I thought was odd. Our room's door was missing the trim around it (I was told via text that the digital lock is new, so I assume that the whole door is new, too?). Our room was located on the second floor - the only room on the second floor. The only way to get there was to navigate the narrow hallway then climb some stairs that were slightly steeper than standard. Because we are retirees and my wife's knees have been surgically replaced, the steepness made it difficult to get to our room. When I got to the top of the stairs I could see that there is a non-zero probability of accidentally falling down the stairs as there is no door or gate at the top. Nevertheless, the room looked spacious and cozy. The bedroom was comfortable and well set up. It was roomy, had comfy chairs, a day beef in addition to the king bed, a coffee bar, and a TV which we didn't use. It looks like they spent most of their remodeling money on the bathroom. It's very nice and big (see pics). The bedroom's and hallway's carpeted areas don't feel like they're well-padded. Our picture window looks out over a lake with loads of lilypads and a deck. We got lucky and saw three deer (a doe and two fawns). If you don't like interacting with humans, you don't have to. We did online booking, got our keys (digital combinations) via text message, and left without seeing anyone. I wonder how long it would have taken to get assistance if we needed it. In sum, we would not stay at this motel in the future. For younger persons with good knees, this would be a good choice.

This unique, small motel in the heart of beautiful Minocqua WI was a pure delight. Lovely, albeit…read moresmall room that was beautifully updated was perfect for our three night stay. The obviously well insulated rooms were quiet and with the thick, updated keypad entry to our room was great. No key necessary. Quick and easy check in and out was also really nice. Its location in walking distance to the entire town was fantastic. We will definitely return to this fantastic deal of a motel in a vacation wonderland. Best of luck to the staff @ Aqua Aire Inn!

great place to stay. clean, quiet, relaxing, good fishing or summer water games, great owners, i…read morewould stay again.

Very quaint condo, hotel, and resort, charming, Northwoods decor, and perfect location for hitting…read morethe snowmobile trails. Most of the rooms have a small balcony that in the summer would be perfect for cocktails overlooking the beautiful tree line lake in your backyard. In the winter time, there's a whirlpool tub in the bedroom to look out over the snow, covered trees and beautiful winter wonderland while you soak the stress away. Because it's condos almost all the rooms have a small full kitchen, though it's not well stocked. Small conveniences like a vase for flowers would be helpful.

The room was very clean, service was friendly and helpful. There was a lovely view of the lake.read more

We stayed at Coon's annually for a week or two in June for several years in the early 2000's. What…read morea terrific place! Great memories of fishing and water skiing in Trout Lake, terrific meals in the dining room, beautiful lodge, cozy cabins with fireplaces, and a wonderful staff. American Plan resorts are getting scarce, and I hope this gem continues to thrive. Would love to come back in the future:)

Everything that Michael P.'s review said and more. We came for a wedding of someone whose family…read morehas been coming for the last 50 years. Everyone at the resort knew them and all the staff would finish their shifts and hang out with the guests. I can honestly say that I haven't been more comfortable at a resort in a long time. The cabins are fantastic. The lodge is a place where you can hang out all day and night and still be comfortable. Plenty of places to play on land and an entire lake to your disposal. They'll bring in tennis pros, water skiing pros, fishing pros, you name it. They'll make you anything that you want to eat--just thinking, is this place heaven? If you want a fun getaway with the family and/or friends, think about this place, but make sure to book in advance. Families come back here year after year and it might be tough to try and get in.