Christmas at Grand View Lodge This was our second annual…read morefamily Christmas getaway to Nisswa, and once again it was such a gift. Having four families together made it especially meaningful. We filled the days with winter walks, ice skating, swimming and hot tubbing in both the upper and lower pools, bingo nights, and a great family dinner at the Northwoods Pub. Simple moments, shared memories. The lodges themselves are perfect for larger families--a common dining and gathering space with four bedrooms that comfortably sleep 12-14 people. Everything is well thought out and easy. There's adequate food on site, great amenities, and in the summer the ice cream shop is always a hit. What stood out most, though, was the care from the staff and management. We experienced a family emergency during our stay, and they went above and beyond to help us. That kind of care makes a place feel more than just a resort, it feels like people actually see you. We're already grateful for the memories and looking forward to coming back

We have stayed a few times at this beautiful resort off peak as it is usually cheaper and less…read morecrowded. We love the outdoor hot tub that is really 3 hot tubs together making for plenty of space. Feels great in 1degree weather. The indoor pool, hot tub and water slide are also a fun attraction. The first year we came here they had a breakfast buffet which was awesome but the last time they did not offer it and only had a pre fix menu with a couple buffet style options. The complimentary s'mores are a nice touch and there are a few on site dining options available. It was quiet and secluded on off peak times but not all of the amenities are available. Our cabin was spacious and comfortable. Would love to check out during summer ours to experience more of the amenities!

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.

Very good food but not a great service experience. For food: we got bread for the table (little…read morecrostinis with a warm garlic butter for dipping) and everyone got their own main dish. I ordered the Cajun rigatoni and they were kind enough to substitute the shrimp for chicken. The pasta sauce had the perfect level of spice and everyone at the table agreed that mine was the best meal. Fully recommend the pasta! For service, we didn't have a good experience which may or may not have been because our waiter was new(?). Everything just seemed to take a long time and in some cases when he would come to our table, he would have to leave and come back because he forgot his pen or something else he needed. He accidentally spilled drinks on two of the people at my table (didn't offer to comp the drinks), and ran out half of the food for our table-- went to help a different table-- then ran out the rest of our food after a good 10 minutes. If we had had a different server, I think it would have been a totally different experience. Our friend who has been here many times said she has never had any kind of experience like this before.

It's gone down hill over the years, sadly. Need better cleanliness standards and customer service.read more

Great place to come with the family. Plenty of activities for the kids and a nice place to hang out.read more

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.

I visited Maddens for two nights for the MGA conference at the end of July. I stayed in the Voyager…read morerooms, they were amazing! Very clean, king bed, updated bathroom, back porch, and a kitchenette with a mini fridge, microwave, and sink. We walked to explore around the different areas of Maddens, and the grounds are beautiful! There are tons of activities including a pool, fitness center, tennis courts, croquet, paddle boarding, ice cream shop, gift shop, golf courses etc. The staff working at all of these locations were friendly, accommodating, and helpful. We golfed The Classic, which was awesome as well. Maddens also offers a few different restaurants which have great food. I came here on a work trip so I can't speak to the price/cost of the stay, but I do think this place has a ton to offer for a wide range of ages.

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 + !!!

Everything ! Is awesome. From check-in to check-out . We stayed with our family in one of the big…read morehouses by the beach . We loved it .

Stopped for dinner, ordered a steak and a salad, the steak…read morehad great flavor. Potatoes and asparagus were also really good! Great service! Will be back!!

This place has fallen apart into pieces! We have owned a timeshare here for over 25 years. The…read moremonthly maintenance fees per year are outrageous! Maintenance fees for WHAT?!!! Nothing is fixed, nothing is repaired, and every time we come it falls more This place is a Timeshare Resort of absolute GREED! The hot tubs in the units are completely broken and UN-Usable! This was the very reason we wanted to own a timeshare to have our own hot tub but it's been broken every time we have come for years and now it is completely useless and empty with no water in it! The exact same couch in the living room is the same couch that has been there for over 25 years! The cushions literally sink into the couch when you sit on it! These couches belong in the corner outside with a FREE sign on them for the Squirrels to make a nest out of them! Oh and if you want to sit outside on the porch swing and chairs? Those are gone too! They were replaced by $Dollar Store chairs! So if you want to come for vacation and have zero place to comfortable sit...this is your place! It was 85 degrees out in September and the outdoor pool AND hot tub were closed for absolutely zero reason! It is usually open when we come in September! But NO not anymore! The washer and dryer were out of use! The tiny dollhouse size cups and glasses and old non working kitchen utensils are less than Good Will value. Talk about a DUMP!!!! I am LIVID!!!!!!!!!!! Do NOT stay here!!!! A tent is more comfortable or just stay home!

For the living room alone, this place is a solid 5 stars. The sky high ceiling and numerous large…read morewindows let in so much natural light. We were lucky enough to score a unit facing Gull Lake and the forest. The views were the absolute highlight staying here. But taking away a star for several reasons: 1. Both beds could use replacement. They were saggy soft, uncomfortable and challenging to get a good night's rest. 2. All in unit whirlpools were down due to plumbing issues/violations. We were so looking forward to it and bummed out to learn this. 3. We were told our unit would have washer and dryer at time of booking. However, our unit didn't have one at check in and we were told there was no other unit available to swap. 4. We found 6 mouse traps in the unit. Not the greatest thing to see or realize there was a rodent problem. 5. The pool is in a separate building from the sauna. Not even next door. Doesn't make for a convenient walk if you're wanting to enjoy both. 6. Only 1 parking spot per unit. However, we saw numerous units parking in non-designated spots so we followed along.

Went up for a week and had a great time! You can rent pontoons, kayaks, canoes and paddle boats to…read morekeep yourself entertained. Plenty of room for sure. Rustic and on a great part of Gull Lake. They have a store on site but not much for groceries but plenty of grocery shopping close by. They have stuff for the kids to do and if you have a boat bring it! They have plenty of docks. Very relaxing time! Staff is great!

I stayed a few nights here with a group of crafty individuals (we were there for a craft show…read moreweekend). Originally we were supposed to stay in a different cabin but it wasn't ready because no one had cleaned it...the place didn't seem very busy so I'm not sure what happened. The cabin itself was nice and spacious. Beds were comfy and bathrooms were modern and clean. The fireplace was a great touch. The resort was very quiet and setting was nice. Not much to complain about but not much to say either. I didn't go to the gift shop myself but it seemed expensive from what I saw come out of it.

Family of 4 for NYE weekend. -We stayed at Breezy Point Inn…read more& Suites. We enjoyed staying in this building as it was less packed than the main building. The rooms also seemed more spacious. -The kids enjoyed the swimming pool and hot tub. We brought our own family games also for entertainment. -The main building/arcade was chaotic and unkempt. Not on account of the resort but mostly due to parents not supervising their children and not cleaning up after themselves. It was disappointing to see how much food was spilled all over and trash everywhere due to patrons being disrespectful. -If you are very Covid conscious, you may be thrown off as there didn't seem to be many Covid practices in place (sanitizing of games, social distancing, masks, etc). -The front desk staff and other staff throughout the resort were very friendly and welcoming. -Unfortunately it was quite cold during our weekend visit and we were stuck indoors with limited options. We look forward to visiting again during the warmer months of the year. -overall we enjoyed our stay and we made the most of our experience.

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.