We had an incredible girl's weekend at the Rivertown Inn in Stillwater! The home was built by a…read morelumbar family in the 1800s and has been impeccably restored. It's just steps from downtown, so an excellent location! I loved the 'literary' theme - each room is named after and decorated for a famous author. There were six of us, so we rented the entire attic, which was perfect for our group. The rooms were unique, the beds were comfortable, and even with the summer heat, our rooms stayed cool. Our host, Larry, was truly incredible and so hospitable. He knows Stillwater inside and out and had wonderful recommendations for where to eat and what to see. He even suggested we take a drive up to Marine on St. Croix, about 10-15 minutes north of Stillwater, and we loved it. There is so much history to explore, plus a winery nearby. I recommend it too, if you are staying more than one night. Larry also thought of the little details, like setting out a puzzle he thought we would enjoy. Every evening at 5, the inn hosts happy hour with wine and a beautiful charcuterie spread. The rooms in the attic each had their own charm. The Jane Austen room was my favorite-it was especially cozy and even had a steam shower! The beautiful grounds surrounding the property were another highlight, including an enclosed gazebo that was perfect for enjoying the outdoors even when it rained. The Rivertown Inn was the perfect home base for our girls' weekend in Stillwater. The combination of historic charm, thoughtful hospitality, comfortable accommodations, and those special little touches made our stay memorable. For everything we did during our girls' weekend in Stillwater, check out my blog post: We had an incredible girls' weekend at the Rivertown Inn in Stillwater! There were six of us, so we rented the entire attic, which was perfect for our group. The rooms were beautiful, the beds were comfortable, and even with the summer heat, everything stayed wonderfully cool. Our host, Larry, was truly incredible and so hospitable. He knows Stillwater inside and out and had wonderful recommendations for where to eat and what to see. He even suggested we take a drive up to Marine on St. Croix, about 10-15 minutes north of Stillwater, and it ended up being one of the highlights of our weekend. There is so much history to explore, plus a winery nearby. Larry also thought of the little details, like setting out a puzzle he thought we would enjoy. Every evening at 5, the inn hosts happy hour with wine and a beautiful charcuterie spread--a perfect way to relax and catch up. The rooms in the attic each had their own charm. The Jane Austen room was my favorite--it was especially cozy and even had a steam shower! The beautiful grounds surrounding the property were another highlight, including an enclosed gazebo that was perfect for enjoying the outdoors even when it rained. The Rivertown Inn was the perfect home base for our girls' weekend in Stillwater. The combination of historic charm, thoughtful hospitality, comfortable accommodations, and those special little touches made our stay memorable. For everything we did during our girls' weekend in Stillwater, check out my blog: The Perfect Girls' Weekend in Stillwater, Minnesota⁠

Ok... we can't hold back our love for this place! When we do a staycation in MN... we venture…read morehere! Stillwater is far enough away and a special treat for us. Perfect place with great restaurants/ cocktail bars and things to do. Not to mention the Rivertown Inn! It's been a few years since we've stayed here and we opted for the Oscar Wilde room. We will be back to stay here again! The others rooms we've stayed at in the past have also been beautiful, but this one takes the cake! Another perk to this place is the breakfast made by their phenomenal vegan chef. I don't eat pork and she whips up an awesome meal that makes me wish she could cook for me daily. I could easily be vegan with her help! The staff or caregivers that help us each time or super helpful and make our stay even better. Thanks again for another visit and we will be back!

I had one of the most memorable hotel stays of my life this past weekend…read more From before we even arrived, I knew we were in good hands. i booked online but called the front desk as I had a special request. Chris was incredible. We arrived a few days later and pulled right up for Lora's valet to park our car. We checked in and the lobby is so beautiful and smelled so good, we immediately felt relaxed. Our room was the Premier King and was stunning. I don't even know where to begin. The decor with the exposed old cream brick mixed with velvet and moody decor- I knew this place was somewhere special. The room was so thoughtfully designed. From the golden rabbit door knocker (there's a lot of symbolism throughout the hotel) to the sleek wardrobe with steamer and plenty of hangers (I'm happy hotels are getting away from closets that just eat up so much space), I was taking notes of everything that exceeded my expectations. The Honor bar was full of snacks and....other goodies that one may need and had local treats and cocktails too! There's a bluetooth Tivoli radio next to the bed so we were able to listen to our own tunes while we got ready for our night out. After we got home that night, we sat by the fireplace outside the hotel for a bit to wind down. It was so nice. Then we got ready for bed and let me tell you never have I ever had such a good sleep in a hotel. That bed was HEAVEN. I have a bad neck and I'm always nervous I'll have a flare up from hotel pillows and mattresses and you could not pry me out of that bed. The bathroom is amazing and the bath products are CO Bigalow- nice! The shower was literally perfect. I know this is so random to comment on but when you want to shower but not wash your hair and you aren't at your home shower, it's a bit of a drag. Not here! Idk who designed this shower but it had the perfect stream angle and flow to allow you to be warm and shower while keeping your head out of the water. Pressure was perfect. I want this shower in my home and I want it in my home today. Lastly, in a world where trendy hotels insist on BARN Doors for bathroom, Lora knows that it doesn't matter how long you've been married, bathroom visits for any reason deserve privacy and a REAL door. I loathe barn doors with every fiber of my being and I am grateful that such a hip and stylish hotel keeps the important things standard! They have a beautful restaurant, Feller, and bar, The Long Goodbye. Somehow time got away from us and we didn't get to try either! But their coffee and homemade granola bars at MADE were delicious. Overall, this is one of the best hotels I have ever stayed at and I cannot wait to come back. I will be recommending it to anyone with ears. The room, bed, shower, and customer service (Thank you, Chris you are a star!!), thoroughly exceeded my expectations. Just a note, as you're right on Main street, I suggest bringing ear plugs. The night life in Stillwater is booming on the weekend! Thank you, Lora. See you again and again.

Historic charm, but property issues and misleading amenities fell short of the very premium price…read more Review: Our recent extended weekend stay at the Lora Hotel in Stillwater, MN, left us disappointed given the premium price point. After booking well in advance through our travel advisor to secure a premium king room with a balcony, I called the property directly to reconfirm. While the initial booking process was smooth and check-in was efficient, the actual stay did not match the expectations set by their high dynamic pricing model. The Pros: * Location: The hotel is well-situated. Stillwater is a beautiful destination with fantastic dining options and activities, including a highly recommended gondola ride, city tour or paddle wheel boat ride. * Bathroom & TV: The room featured a modern, updated vanity, an excellent walk-in shower, and a perfectly functional television. * Front-of-House Setup: The three designated loading slots in front of the hotel made unloading luggage easy before opting for their $30/day valet service. The Cons: * Room Layout: The premium room was incredibly cramped. There was only about a foot of clearance on either side of the king bed, requiring us to walk sideways just to get in and out of bed. * Housekeeping Oversight: One of the small hard side chairs in our room was completely wet on the seating surface when we arrived, which was an unpleasant surprise to sit on. No soft-sided chairs or couch to relax on. * Persistent Wi-Fi & Phone Issues: The complimentary Wi-Fi disconnected across all devices within minutes of connecting in our room. When I tried to call the desk to report this, the in-room landline phone was completely broken. I had to walk down to guest services multiple times to resolve the issue, and even their alternative network failed to work in our room. * Mixed Service Recovery: While staff offered to move us to a different premium balcony room due to the Wi-Fi issues, no assistance was offered to help us move our luggage to the new room. On a positive note, one staff member did proactively offer to waive our valet fee to compensate us for these ongoing inconveniences. * Disappointing Balcony: The "premium balcony" was a major letdown. It features a solid, 3-foot-high privacy wall and came with zero furniture. Even after requesting high-top chairs, the solid wall completely blocks the view of the street below and across. The only view available is of rooftops and a partial glimpse of the river, meaning you can only stand to see anything. Because of these cumulative inconveniences during peak season, we chose to shorten our stay by one day. While we thoroughly enjoyed exploring Stillwater, the Lora Hotel did not deliver the value or comfort expected of a premium property.

Highly recommend room 310 very cozy room top floor near the rooftop hot tub and roof patio. Service…read moreis top notch and ultra clean rooms

We stayed here for an overnight girls' staycation. Unfortunately, we did not have the best…read moreexperience, especially for $450 for ONE night. The hotel staff was nice upon checking in, but we had a few issues throughout the night. The rooftop hot tub was a key factor in selecting this location, but it was full of bugs. We asked them to come to clean it out, and they did, but they made sure to tell us before leaving that they couldn't get all the bugs out. After the hot tub, we took showers and the hot water was out by the 2nd shower. We went to call them and realized there were no phones in the room. We used our personal phones to call and when maintenance came they said it was hot and asked if was it just not hot enough for us. They then said that we were at the end of the hallway and there was a wedding that day. Were we supposed to have cold showers because of that? The hotel does not offer microwaves or a fridge but advised we could have one declined to the room. We had a fridge brought up and it was huge. Came to my waist. It was dented and did not smell clean. Luckily we traveled with Lysol wipes and cleaned it out ourselves. We also noticed several dead gnats and spiderwebs in the window area. The air conditioner is loud and outdated. Random bathroom hair that didn't belong to us. The list goes on. Not exactly a relaxing vacation location. Lobby and hallways were nice though.

I was here with a group doing Urban Sketching. The beautiful furniture, huge fireplaces, framed…read moremirrors, and dark woodwork provide the rustic setting for peace and tranquility. The owner is an artist herself and her oil paintings adorn the walls throughout. She was a wonderful host, allowing us access to three floors. The renovation has been a labor of love as the place that once housed the elderly in a hospital setting has been transformed into a cozy getaway. Surrounded in woods with the nearby lake peeking through the trees, the grounds offer a luxurious tranquility. I could have sat by the large main floor fireplace all day. Thanks for hosting our group.

Very disappointing experience. My husband and I and two friends stayed there for one night. The…read moreplace is dirty, one room was cold since the heating didn't work. Our friends had to sleep with their winter jackets on. Beds are one of the most uncomfortable ones I have ever slept in. Three of us are vegetarian and basically the option for us was to get rice and the meat had been taken out from the dish. Not something you want to pay so much for. For our vegan friend there were no options at all. The place is dated, dirty and what you can feel everywhere is the astonishing and completely ungrounded sense of entitlement and pride that the owners project in the descriptions and policy signs they placed all over the establishment. It all happened a few years ago yet our friends and us can't stop going back in disbelief to that awful experience.

Nice spot on the lake. However the seasonal campers drink beer, play loud music and talk loud until…read more2:30am. And they have a sign No Assholes, so you can't ask them to stop. DO NOT SPEND OVER NIGHTS HERE.

Since there is a no star rating, I would have to check this one…read more What a disappointment! The site to park our trailer in was smaller than anticipated and they just put fresh grass down and gravel down. It is obviously because of the flooding of that particular site. Our site was C 11. We were told by Manager Maya when we got there that only four spaces are available for daily/weekly rentals. If we knew that in advance, that would have told us so much more about this terrible place. We paid in advance for five days ($405.00!) expecting much better. The majority of the trailers there are permanent and rundown. They have obviously been there for a long while. Mud roads in/out allow you to get STUCK. VERY DISAPPOINTED. RUN AWAY FROM EVEN CONSIDERING THIS CAMPGROUND. Stillwater has a reputation as an upscale community and area. This "trailer park" is an absolute P.O.S. with mud/muck/dirt/unsightly areas and junk throughout the area.

An absolute gem! Located just 1-hour from the Twin Cities makes this destination a no brainer. I…read moreattended the Women's Goddess Retreat (July 2025) with an intimate group of 7 ladies. With Kate C. as our guide, I knew this would be a lovely experience. We focused on the goddess Lakshmi and plant Tulsi. Working with both energies really brought out the themes of sunshine, abundance, exploration and love for me. I got to play with all these themes on the property. Lake Osceola Retreat's land is outstanding from both the interior and exterior. Lush rolling green hills, varying ponds, hiking trails, lounge chairs, a swing hanging from the tree, sauna, jacuzzi, flowers, herbs and exterior porch were some of my favorites. The small details such as mosaics around the home made me smile. For wildlife I saw the cutest otter floating on its back for 20 minutes, 1 deer, eagles nest, a yellow bird, squirrels, butterflies, a frog and more. I had a serendipitous connection with another gal regarding the blue vervain plant that filled in a big portion of the landscape. Connected to the land is a lake which contains some kayaks and row boats next to the dock. Swimmers beware: while swimmable, the water is beyond murky and weedy. I did jump in to get the full experience along with a kayak adventure around the entire lake. Being there solo with only 1 other cabin on the lake was serene. The water was like glass everyday as zero motor boats exist. For my room, I had a the red lotus room and slept comfortably. The property has various wings where rooms exist. In my wing, there were 3 rooms and 1 bathroom. The retreat gives you shower towels and every gal brought her own beach towel and toiletries. The best part of the interior of the home was the yoga room where we spent a majority of our time. Yoga props such as mats, blocks, blankets and bolsters are available to use. For my retreat, we had a beautiful alter with flowers, tarot cards, pictures, reading materials and more. We did various yoga classes, guided meditations and women's circles. This space was extremely grounding and healing to me. Each day, my host made a meal. The kitchen was large and boasted a long wooden table big enough for all the gals and more. All the dishes and amenities were available for us to use along with a dishwasher. We had soup, curry, hibiscus tea, eggs, toast, berries, a cacao ceremony, coffee, tea, and dates with peanut butter. I will always remember how clear my mind was coming into this retreat along with after. I felt called to explore, be with women, and absorb myself in nature. All of this was possible because of Lake Osceola'a space and Kate C.'s magic. Thank you for sharing your home - it is absolutely lovely!!

We "splurged" ($20/night) for the bigger room with the king sized bed plus pullout sofa. Perfect…read morechoice while traveling with our teenager to give them a little more space. Complementary breakfast was excellent (it was the unicorn of hotel breakfasts). Scrambled eggs were fluffy, the quiche was excellent, and the waffles were perfectly crisp. Staff were super friendly.

I wish there were negative stars available! if you are elderly or handicapped, RUN from here…read more Doors to the room require the strength of a linebacker to open. The beds in the handicapped rooms are so low you might as well sleep on the floor. The mattress is thin and painful to sleep on. There is a trip hazard between the bathroom and the room itself. Management is uninterested in finding any solutions even when offered suggestions -- and that's when management finally shows up. Horrible experience.

2.4 acre heritage park in Shoreview. Highlighting the Lepak Larson Farmhouse and the Guerin Texaco…read moreGas Station. Before Shoreview was a suburb, it was a place of farmsteads & cabins along the lakes. This farmhouse was built in 1896 by the German immigrant family Lepak.