We rented a pontoon for the day. From check-out to check-in, the process was smooth! It's a little…read moreconfusing making boat reservations online because most of what they rent is overnight accommodations, but a follow-up call from the business settled my worries and it all went smoothly. A beautiful way to see the park, and a very well maintained and friendly staffed resort.

Y'all aren't even gonna believe this one!! Sit back and grab a beverage, this is gonna take a…read moreminute. Here goes: We decided to rent a pontoon boat from the campground we are staying at for the day. We've done this many times in many places over many years. As usual they have you sign away saying you're fully responsible for the boat. But this time, nobody knew how to use the boat. "They just put it in the water two days ago"...we have a brief discussion about not feeling overly comfortable since we have to sign for it saying we've been trained but literally can't be...I finally say, We'll figure it out while we're out there. The guy who was giving the orientation made some notes on our contract that he did not know how to operate the gps/depth/fish finder etc. and said I feel for you guys, wish I could be more helpful...In my head I'm thinking. Who in their right mind rents out a 2023 Bennington without training their staff first Finally, we set off on our way, things are beautiful, we're having a good time etc; in spite of not being able to use the equipment properly.....about 1.5 hours in I get a phone call from the owner who is clearly unhappy with me from hello. He says "I just need to clear up a couple things. Btw, this call is being recorded. I had complaints from my staff that you were both ABUSIVE to them." EXCUSE me? I said?? He said yes, that "we said we could just do whatever we wanted since the staffer couldn't tell us how to use the boat." I'm like I think you must have the wrong person, I have no idea what you're talking about! He barked, You signed a legal agreement that you are responsible for anything that happens, I assured him I know what we signed which is why we were concerned about nobody knowing how to use this boat! if there was something like that said, it was a joke! He snaps back with, that's not very funny. I'm like no sir, this is not very funny at all. I can't believe we are having this conversation! At this point I am about to come unglued on this man. I said, listen buddy if you want, you can refund our money and we'll bring your boat backin right now. So we did. I Told the woman that greeted us that there had to be some massive misunderstanding. Then the staffer guy shows up. And we're like, how on earth were we "abusive" to you?? He said well, you know when you put your hands in the air and said "I guess we have free reign". Seriously man?? We both laughed after that. I asked how is that abusive!? You admiringly knew nothing! I apologized to the 60 year old man and said it would never be our intention to offend you. Mind you I'm am madder than a wet hen by now. I looked at female owner and said, if you're not comfortable with us using your boat, I'm not comfortable staying at your campground anymore and we are leaving and I would like a refund for our remaining days because I can assure you I am much more offended than that grown man right there. She refuses!!!! We left anyway because my principles are worth a lot more than a couple hundred bucks and there was no way I could stay there after being treated so horribly!! Absolutely unbelievable! Mind blown.

Sandy Point Resort is one of those places I almost hate to review because I'd rather keep it quiet…read morefor myself. But they deserve the credit. We had a wonderful relaxing stay. The cabin was immaculately clean. And the resort had great food. It was relaxing just fishing off their dock. They also have a 6 or 7 year old "pier guide" that will direct you to the best fishing spots off that pier and he wont charge you a dime. All you have to do is start fishing until you get dangerously close to catching his pet northern that lives under the dock. then he will ask you politely to not fish in that spot. At that point all you have to do is ask him to help you find the other fish and he will direct you to the best spots and best baits It was one of those little moments that made the place feel special -- clean, peaceful, family-run, and full of character. Cj and I are looking forward to coming back!

We stayed for a week. Had a 3 bedroom cabin with a pontoon. The cabin was as advertised but also…read morehad a gas grill not just charcoal (bought charcoal for no reason). Beds were fine, AC was fine, WiFi wasn't great but that's to be expected at a place like that (no issues). We had our own dock which was nice and Owen, the dock hand, was very nice and informative when it came to getting the rental papers for the boat. Owen showed us how to use the electronics and where to get gas. Everything was great. The biggest issue came on day 4. While coming back to the resort from Kettle Falls, we hit a rock with the pontoon. The rock was not marked with a buoy nor was it marked on the GPS system on the boat. The boat functioned seemingly fine and we got it back to our dock. We got in the water to inspect the damage and found a small hole in the pontoon, roughly the size of a dime, and some damage to the skeg on the bottom of the motor. We went up to the lodge and explained the situation in its entirety to the owners, Al, and Owen. Owen took the boat on Wednesday and took it over to the lodge to get it out of the water for inspection. Everything was fine up to this point. Al and Owen came over and spoke with us at our cabin and gave us very vague information about the next steps. We played games and hung out in the cabin the rest of the night. The next day the conflicting information came pouring in. We were not sure if the boat was going to be put on an insurance claim or not. We were told we were going to have to pay between 3k-6k to get it fixed. We were then told they would be putting in an insurance claim. Then we were told, "you guys made the mistake, why should we have to put it through insurance". We were then told the boat was going to a shop in Orr and they would asses the damage. They needed to pressure test the pontoons and weld the hole. The Skeg damage was not irreparable, we were told. So because we don't have a money tree in our yard and hearing 3k-6k we were unsure of how to proceed. Paying for the mistake was never the issue. Paying an insurance deductible was not an issue. We just didn't know what was going on and kept getting multiple stories. Thursday we were boat less, by choice, because we didn't know what to expect as far as a bill. Friday afternoon we were told it would be less than $1000 to fix it, so we decided to get another boat for our final afternoon/evening. They didn't charge us for the 2nd boat due to us renting the first one for the full week, which was nice. The only thing that was not great about it was they were unclear about how the process was gonna happen and we were unclear if we were going to be charged for the 2nd boat that's why the delay in getting the 2nd boat. The 2nd boat was full of gas and we took the boat out for a few hours in the afternoon. The needle for the gas gauge was barely a sliver passed full tank. The bill finally comes in Friday evening and we were charged $1300 for the first boat due to the damages. That's not a rough number, that's exactly what we were charged. Odd right?! The "itemized receipt" we got from the shop said "for welding" on it. Very vague. Nothing written about how much labor costs, parts used, nothing about pressure testing, nothing about the skeg (which we were charged for), nothing about removing any dents, and nothing about any inspections elsewhere on the boat. It's hard to walk away from this feeling like we didn't totally get screwed over. When asking for clarification we were talked at and told we should feel lucky we only have to pay $1300. Come to find out their insurance deductible was $1000. This doesn't include the motor I know but why all of the run around? Why not be upfront with us? Why not come over on the day it happened and say our deductible is this, plan accordingly. It wasn't a very pleasant experience and the staff, outside of Owen, was very unprofessional. So after paying the $1300 we found out how much they charged us for gas. It was laughable. Between the two pontoons we used 1 1/2 tanks of gas (roughly). For the roughly 30 gallons we purchased from them we payed $378. Again right on the round number. Crazy we landed right on a ridiculous round number. Remember when I said the 2nd one was barely under full, 10 gallons and $70 later the boat was full. The crazy thing is the person who filled it as we were leaving never once checked to see how much gas was actually put into the boat. On top of all of this price gouging we got charged the full week for the boat even though we didn't have one for 2 full days. Lake Kabetogama is great. Sandy Point Lodge is a great location. It is safe to say I will never be returning to Sandy Point. Driving home feeling screwed over is not fun. I guess we will be spending our money at a different resort next summer.

Everyone recommended we travel to Kettle Falls since it was our first time visiting Voyageurs…read moreNational Park. We're happy we did. It was neat to see the historic hotel and "Tiltin' Hilton" bar. We came during prime lunchtime and the restaurant was busy with just one waitress taking orders, running food, and managing the cash register. We weren't in a rush and knew she was working hard so we didn't mind the slower pace of service but some others near us seemed to be more pressed for time. Might just be something to consider if you're on a timed tour! The food menu is basic but what we got (a Philly Cheesesteak and chicken tenders and fries) were cooked to our liking. You're definitely here more for the experience than the food but we had a great time.

We took one of the Kettle Falls NPS tours during our time in Voyageurs. While checking in at the…read morevisitors center, one of the rangers started taking orders for box lunches, with a choice of either salad or sandwiches. This restaurant is located within the Kettle Falls Hotel with plenty of seating in the dining room and out on the patio. While the tour recommends preordering lunch to prevent the kitchen from getting overwhelmed, I believe there's more than enough time to place an order for other food if desired. We didn't know this going in, so we preordered the sandwich lunches. While preorders are done at the visitor center before setting off on the cruise, payments are done in person at the hotel. Deli Sands ($12.95) - This is a really simple sandwich that anyone can make. First a couple of slices of meat. One sandwich we went with turkey, the other beef. For the former, the sandwich came with 3 slices while the beef seemed to be piled much higher. There's then a choice of swiss or american cheese, served simply cold, and then lettuce, tomato, and mayo. It's nothing inventive; it's just a pure homestyle sandwich anyone can make to take out on a picnic or for school lunch as I had while growing up. There's enough mayo that it mixes with the liquid from the veggies to drip down and out - no dry bites in sight. The meal comes with a small bag of regular Lays chips and a pickle spear. The spear isn't drained well so the pickle juice kind of goes all over the box and soaks into the sandwich bread. (3/5) Honestly there's not much else to say, it's a sandwich from the only restaurant within probably 2 hours travel time of anything else. They obviously don't have the means or capacity to really make anything fancy - it's just for the campers, lodgers and visitors like us. Food: [3/5] Service: [ ] Other: [ ] Final Rating: 3/5

We had a lovely time at Ash Trail. Great location for us as we were hiking at Voyageurs National…read morePark. Deb & Steve are fantastic hosts, made us feel welcome and comfortable. Our cabin was nice, comfortable, and clean and the grounds are lovely. We had dinner at the lodge, simple and good food. We were there for trivia night, it was lots of fun. Everyone was friendly and kind. Amazing WiFi connection super fast fiber. Yay!! for their technology

Absolutely delicious food! Taste buds and stomach very happy for everyone at our table. We rented a…read morepontoon boat for the day and the customer service was amazing! Staff were very friendly and personable and we felt we were taken very good care of. It made for an excellent day for our group.

I have No problem paying $150 a night but not with a Motel Six experience! 1* Customer Service…read morerating just ask for Carla. Horrible Customer Service and extremely unprofessional . Not to mention toilet was dirty. Never again

First impression, lobby was nicely set up, the large electric fireplace is impressive and makes for…read morea welcoming entrance. Check-in was easy and the gentleman who checked us in was very friendly. He informed the pool was open the hot tub was not working properly but he was going to fix that. Room was a standard room, we were told the TV was a smart TV and we could sign into our streaming service, we never did figure that out and we also tried to cast off our devices but they were not set up for that either. We stayed 3 nights, after the first night we came back from seeing family in the area and the room was not clean. We may have missed this but when we called about the room we were told rooms were cleaned every other day unless we asked. After day two returning to the room no room cleaned again and on day 3 we checked out early by 2 days from our planned visit. Breakfast we missed first morning, 2nd morning we made it and found we could make waffles and they had bacon, they had other areas for what appeared to be more food choices but they were empty. They did have pastries and some hard boiled eggs available in the fridge. Breakfast day 3 was eggs, sausage and option to make waffles along with boiled eggs and pastries. Starbucks coffee bar beside the lobby which is a nice feature but of the 4 times I got coffee on my 3 night stay I had to ask 3 out of 4 to have coffee made. Overall I felt the staff is still learning, the rooms not being cleaned daily is not my thing, especially for the rate paid. It was a holiday weekend, rate was $188 a night, which is fine when all goes well. I will say it is nice that I Falls is getting some new properties, and hopefully over time this place will run smoother.

Tracy is absolutely the best resort operator on Kabetogama. We stopped by the other day and she…read morehad staff detailing the stainless steel grills (that had sear stations)!!! We toured many of the cabins and we were very impressed. By far, Northern Lights has the nicest and most luxurious cabins in Voyageurs National Park.

In September, we had a fabulous relaxing get away to this resort. Friendly staff, with comfortable,…read moreclean well-equipped cabins. Fantastic expansive views of the lake as a perfect back drop to early sunrises & slow sinking sunsets. The autumn leaves were bright & colorful. One evening was cloudless & I got to see the northern lights dance across the night skies! Memories to last a lifetime. We enjoyed boating in Voyageur's National Park and exploring the islands on Lake Kabetogama (200 to choose from) and the artistic Ellsworth rock sculpture garden & picnic area. We had never seen anything like it before. Amazing! Tip: they have public bathrooms if you need a pit stop. We hope to make it an annual tradition & join the fisherman next round. They were raking in the fish (& the resort staff cleans them for you too)! And for last minute get aways you can make them a discounted offer on a cabin stay & get great value for the price.

Arnold's Campground & RV Park has everything you could possibly ask for in terms of accommodations…read morestaying outdoors with a tent or trailer. I camped here for two evenings back over the summertime of 2021 and really enjoyed my experience. There were so many great aspects to Arnold's. First thing...although they don't accept reservations online, I called them the day of needing a campsite and they had immediate availability. Granted, this area of International Falls, Minnesota is very remote in terms of locations for tourists to visit, but overall, Arnold's was extremely accessible for any adventurer traveling spontaneously. I just had my tent with me and could have used a simple primitive site for $20...but for $5 more I got Amp Power as well for charging my electronics. I was set up for success in my explorations around Voyageurs National Park. Arnold's is located pretty much right in town of International Falls, MN...convenient for everything a good ole small town can offer. There are fast food restaurants, supply stores, grocery stores...all the necessities that you can think of. So...having the amenities of International Falls while spending time at the Rainy Lake section of Voyageurs (only 12 miles away) as well as the Lake Kabetogama area too (only 28 miles away), it was great to stay here at Arnold's. I met the Arnold, the camp host right when I pulled into the campground, and he directed me to my site which was located in the center of the grounds surrounded by the RV sites. What was terrific about being in the middle of it all was that I got to set up my tent along fluffy grass while being situated close to the bathrooms and showers. I paid $25 per night for 2 nights. Right when I was greeted by Arnold, he gave me a quick overview and tour of the campgrounds. And that was it. I was good to go on my own. I set up my tent and plugged in my electronics with the Amp Power service (I believe I had 20 Amp). Since it was late in the afternoon on my first day...I headed off to the shower house. They have 2 showers for men, basically both very clean and well maintained. The bathrooms located inside the shower house were fine. Also good was the cell phone reception service being strong. I had no issues downloading a couple of movies to watch at night. Some other details and extras... - They have a dump station. - They sell firewood and have fire pits. - Each site had a picnic table. - Quiet hours start at 10pm. - They offer rates for weekly and monthly stays. Weekly is $150. Monthly is $550. During my time here, there actually weren't any other visitors staying next to me with tents. I was the only person using a tent. But...all the RV sites were fully occupied. Lastly, using Arnold's as my home base in exploring a majority of Voyageurs National Park was simply ideal and perfect. I'm so happy I found it on Campendium, the app on my phone. I highly recommend to visitors and tourists interested in coming to this remote area of Northern Minnesota near the border with Canada to consider staying at Arnold's Campground & RV Park.

Nice, friendly folks run the place. Cash or check only. Reasonably priced and close to town but…read morequiet. We had a nice, shady spot with electric only for $28 total. The bathroom was clean but small with no shower.

Great local place! Food is hot, yummy and fills the soul! People are warm and inviting. Specials…read moreevery night and happy hour from 7-8pm.