Grand View Lodge

We stayed here for a wedding May 19 and will NEVER go back. We paid $ 230 a night for a two bedroom cabin I would not let my dog stay in. The AC didn’t work. Three of the windows could not be opened and the phone was never fixed even after two requests. There was duck tape holding one of the screens in place letting all manner of bugs free entry. There are nice new cabins on Roy lake but even more expensive. They are resting heavily on there 100 year reputation and not worth it.

rooms in main lodge are nothing spectacular. a little dirty and very used but just fine.
but the views are AMAZING. That lake and amenities are gorgeous. That’s why it gets 4 stars! nice and peaceful.
free breakfast was fresh and fine. slightly better than a chain hotel. I’ll be back!

Such a cozy little (big) place. Reminds me of something from dirty dancing. My room was huge and a part of a larger common cabin. The lake was ice but so pretty. All the surrounding trees and fires and just gorgeous fresh snow. Such as serene place. I bet it would be amazing in the winter. A perfect place for a family get away. Lots of stuff for kids, food has been fantastic and cozy little pub. Definitely coming back!

Consider this a 4.5 star rating! My wife and I stayed here to celebrate our anniversary. We stayed in a Home on Nokomis unit. Loved the accommodations! We purchased the Spa Relaxation Package for our weekend stay. This package included two $ 100 gift cards to the Glacial Waters Spa and the breakfast buffet at the Grand View Lodge dining room. The check in staff was very pleasant and cordial. Our room was well updated and maintained. Loved having the refrigerator, microwave and coffeemaker available. The room also had a DVD player and gas fireplace. We used the gas fireplace since we were here in January. The fireplace heats the entire room VERY well and we had to turn it off after about 45 minutes. The bathroom had double vanity sinks which is very much appreciated. The shower was huge and hot water was always available. Housekeeping provided fresh towels each day. The breakfast buffet was very well stocked and everything was done well. An omelet bar would have been a great feature too. We ate at the Northwoods Pub and Cru also during our stay and reviewed them separately. (Enjoyed both if you don’t have time to read those reviews!) Loved the room and we really enjoyed our stay. Our only recommendations to improve this unit would be to add an additional sitting chair and some coat hooks near the door. Thanks Grand View Lodge!

4 stars for the stay, however, had to drop to 3 stars because of the very average breakfast. I was at GVL 3 years ago, and remember breakfast to be SO good, now it tastes like Hilton Garden Inn. I guess when you cater for so many people, you lose touch with quality. After having breakfast on our day 1, we decided not to have breakfast for the rest of our stay. Instead we had breakfast at Ganley’s in Nisswa, and at Hungry Loon’s Café in Pequot Lakes. Both were 100 times better than GVL.
There are so many things at GVL that are great, boat cruise, banana tubing, fishing, biking… It is still one of our favorite places in Northern Minnesota. The lodges are very very nice!

Last week was our first trip to GVL. Excellent customer service from check-​in to check-​out and everything in between. We stayed at Interlachen and the property is very well kept. All the free firewood you want, 2 free bags of ice and complimentary shuttle service to the main lodge. The main lodge has all the free or for rent amenities one could dream of. Kayak’s, paddle boards, fishing poles, tubes, banana boat rides, pontoon rides, etc. The kids LOVED the pool and beach for swimming. They have so many activities for kids and adults so everyone has an amazing vacation. We will be back next year but will bring less food for making at the cabin; the many food options they have to offer look amazing and we were bummed that we brought so much food so we weren’t able to eat out. This place doesn’t disappoint!!!

This is a letter to GVL
I now realize in order to meet your wedding guidelines you need at least $ 15k to make the cut (that is with a guest count of 150 people), and that’s only including the meals and rentals of your ceremony and reception venues, not the other costs a bride accrues (photography, dress, invitations, transportation, lodging, etc…). Your fine print stating that you need to pay for the venues, food, and services upfront is understandable, however, when you put at the bottom of your price list in small lettering to expect a bill 30 days after the wedding of miscellaneous charges (one in which you have the right to charge for the cake display if you see fit), is just cut throat and inconsiderate. It’s extortion. After all that, you do not allow people to choose to either have a reception or ceremony, you strong arm them into doing all or nothing when they may not have the money to do both, but have their hearts on having their event at your resort, is just cruel. What if your sites aren’t rented for that day, you would rather break a heart and lose out on money than accommodate someone who would extremely appreciate it and become a raving fan of your company?
I understand businesses need to make money, but as I have stated, I worked in wedding planning, I worked as a banquet server, and have worked customer service positions almost my entire life, and what your business is doing is robbery. I have done corporate events for over 300 people at some of the finest establishments in the Twin Cities without coming close to your over the top charges. It’s inconsiderate and just rude. I feel like because my fiancé and I make mediocre salaries, we are not allowed to participate in your environment, and that’s a really crappy feeling
* Don’t patronize your customers with exclamation points when you know you are breaking their hearts with your responses. You being the director should know how to read your customers well enough to understand that the news you are delivering is not pleasant, and at the very LEAST try to pretend you’re empathetic. Ending your emails after delivering bad news with «Thanks for asking!», just seems like your patronizing me. Customer service 101, try to give the customer the best experience possible by giving them the understanding that you care.
* Please put on your menus that only breakfast can be served at breakfast time, lunch can only be served at lunch time, and dinner can only be served at dinner time. Considering Alex and I love brunch, it was shocking that you wouldn’t serve it as our chosen meal because of the ridiculous reasoning of not being able to prep properly because it’s dinner time and your chefs are only trained to do one shift well, not being able to give us the best experience possible. For what you charge on food across the entire resort because of the fact you hire five star chefs make me second guess you are actually hiring the type of help you are advertising. I mean, if I can walk into Perkins and get breakfast anytime, but the chefs you are paying 25 $ an hour can’t seem to figure it out… yikes!
* Last, be more upfront with your pricing. If I didn’t have the training to read every detail of your contracts and brochures, my wedding costs would have sky rocketed if I were to have chosen your lodge as the place I would celebrate one of the most important days of my life. The hidden fees and the charges you create are just disgusting. The couple of friends that I have spoken to tried to warn me about your 30 day bill and tell me they regretted having their event at your establishment due to it taking so much more money than they expected. One of your guests at frozen fore last year sat next to us at the pub and recommended we rent out one of your bigger cabins and sneak our reception because she was digesting a 30k bill from you folks and was appalled by it. Unfortunately, I didn’t listen because I couldn’t fathom the resort I grew to love was as outrageous at these women made you out to be. My experience was so different, until now.
When you make weddings so cookie cutter and rigid (which I understand when you have a popular venue processes need to be streamlined to a CERTAIN extent to ensure quality service), it makes the person trying to plan it feel like they are a number. There is no give, no conversation, just the word no, over and over and over again. You have the opportunity to really make a name for yourself as the best wedding venue in Minnesota, but unfortunately you focus on how much money you can accrue from your brides and grooms. I have a totally different opinion of your lodge, and that breaks my heart. A place I once was excited to book, is now something I am going to second guess and wonder if my business is even appreciated since it seems you only look at attracting a very specific clientele.
Thanks for all your help Becky! (See what I did there, doesn’t sit right with you, does it?)

When my extended family announced that we were having our very large family reunion at GVL on Gull Lake, I was very excited. I grew up every summer on the lake and so miss it as I now live in a large city in the south. I was one of the first to reserve my cabin on the water front as there are only a few cabins on the water. Since this was around 8 months before the reunion I had no concerns of the certainty of a great stay hearing the loons on the lake. Upon arriving at the lodge after a long flight and car ride to the Brainerd area, I found out that my cabin had been given away and I was relocated to a cabin that was not on the water. I was very specific that I wanted this cabin when booking. The only excuse I got from the staff was that the agent that gave away my cabin was not working that night and there was nothing they could do. I couldn’t believe it! No amount of pitching a fit was going to move the other folks out and move me in. I was very disappointed and don’t think I will ever trust a reservation again.

Here is a 2015 update… April. Pretty much the same, customer service is lacking in all areas, including cleaning and maintenance. The cabin we stayed in is updated, but housekeeping was bad. Two cleaners came in, did the dishes, picked up towels and left. Our carpet was a mess, vacuum please? Our kids love the game room, it is a highlight, especially when the weather is cool and there isn’t much to do. Most of the machines were broken, the place was dirty, old food and dishes everywhere. Can’t they get someone out to fix the arcade machines? How about someone cleaning the room every few hours? The «S’Mores Night» was a joke. There were some graham crackers and marshmallows left on the table. Could we have some chocolate? Could a worker be around to replenish? Don’t get me wrong. It is a beautiful place. But, it is not a class act. For the price, it should be. It really lacks in the details of a nice vacation spot. The service in the pub was awful. The staff was obviously new and inexperienced. It took an hour to get our food. We are not fussy, uppity people. But, we do expect to get a certain level of service and have things working properly. Every time my family talks about going to Grand View, I shutter. Really, again? Can’t we go somewhere for the same amount of money that is not frustrating? Like, Europe.

Here is a review of a three night stay at Grandview Lodge over Thanksgiving. The Thanksgiving package was a good value for 7 guests. It included a thanksgiving buffet, 2 breakfast buffets, & a cabin with a full kitchen, three bathrooms and plenty of beds for everybody.
Reservations/​Front Desk: 5 stars
The friendly and helpful staff that made our reservations and answered my many questions (phone & Email) were my first positive impression of GVL. The personal service I received during several phone calls and the prompt Email resposes convinced me that I should give GVL a try. When we arrived, the front desk staff were professional and helpful.
Accommodations at a Gull Haven Cabin: 5 stars
Clean and Comfortable! Our cabin had 2 bedrooms, (1 king/​1 queen) each with a private bath; a loft with 3 queen beds and a private bath. It was convenient to have a full kitchen to cook some meals (with some cooking utensils, flatware, and dishes). Other cabin amenities included a heat & glow fireplace, 2 TVs/​DVD player, comfortable bedding, foosball table, and a washer/​dryer. Very convenient, but bring your own detergent.
Housekeeping — 3 stars
On Thanksgiving, trash was emptied and towels were replaced. On the other days, limited housekeeping was not done until after 6:00 PM. A little late, but at least they came.
Service — 4 stars
Maintenance was prompt when there was no hot water in a bathroom. A high chair was delivered when we requested one. The shuttle service was convenient. You just call the front desk and the shuttle came within 20 minutes or less, or at a time that we requested. Most of the drivers were friendly and helpful.
FOOD/​DINING at Lodge — 4 stars
The Thanksgiving Buffet was amazing — a variety of meats, salads, fruits, side dishes, and more desserts than you have room for! Everything was delicious! The breakfast buffets were good too, with enough variety of breakfast foods to please everyone. The lodge is family friendly. As this was a holiday weekend, the dining areas in the lodge were crowded and noisy, as there were many families and children. Kudos to the friendly staff for working non-​stop to accommodate, serve, and clean up for families! We thoroughly enjoyed all the meals and appreciated the service, even if it was crowded.
POOL — 3 stars
The pool area is designed for water play, not swimming laps or for adult relaxation. It is smaller than the website photos appear. There is a waterslide, pool basketball, pool volleyball, and 3 fountains of water spouting up continuously. The zero-​depth entry was nice for little ones. The locker rooms were small and really just a bathroom with a shower (no lockers). Many guests and children were at the pool and there were not enough chairs to accommodate everyone. There were 2 pool staff at the front desk, but no one was attending to the bathrooms and changing areas, so towels were strewn on counters in the bathrooms and the areas/​floors were not clean. There were 2 hot tubs.
Activities & Spa 4 stars
The horse-​drawn wagon ride was fun. There was an inflatable giant slide and a bouncy house which we saw kids enjoying. Our Spa experience was good, but prices are higher than your typical spa or nail salon.
We would love to visit GVL again, perhaps in summer next time. The area is beautiful, friendly staff, great accommodations and food, and a good value in the off-​season.
Room Tip: Call to make reservations. The online reservations page did not show all the options that were available when I actually called and spoke to someone. There are so many accommodation options! Ask questions to find something to suit your needs.

Great service and accommodations. Even in the fall/​winter the scenery is absolutely beautiful.

Overall GVL is a pretty good, fun place to stay.
Pros:
Cabins were nice and clean
Most everything is within walking distance from all cabins
Desk and water staff were nice
Kid friendly
Beach is clean and nice
Cons:
Food is not very good, the pub is good for drinks while the kids play in the arcade and the food is average bar food. Cru is decent, not the best, but not too bad. The lodge restaurant is ok, not to bad. Looneys is decent, good drinks and handy location, the food is bar food.
House keeping is not the best, they don’t do the greatest job. Seems like they clean only when you arrive.
Things can be a bit overpriced.
Overall it was pretty good.

We came to the Brainerd area to see some family for a couple days. We were told that we must stay at the GVL as it is the nicest and best known resort in the Gull Lake area. We booked a 2 bedroom, 2 story cabin. This is not a «cabin» in the traditional sense but more like a town home. The spaces were nice and large however I do think it could stand a little bit of an update in some areas. It did look like the bathrooms had been recently re-​done but the carpets and walls were in pretty bad shape. It was nice though and very comfortable.
The amenities that we did get to use were nice. The pool area is nice for the kids and Loonys is nicely situated for the parents who want cocktails. The lodge is beautiful and a historically registered site. The breakfast buffet was very nice (it was included in our room rate) and had a lot to offer, even for the picky eaters. The bar/​restaurant is ok; it has some of the best free popcorn, YUM! but the service was spotty. They hire international students to work there and it was our servers first day back so he probably was just rusty. The food was good though (when we finally got it). The grounds are so pretty. We did walk a bit and even found ourselves at The Chocolate Ox for ice cream and candy. That was nice that it was on property.
The prices are definitely somewhat steep to stay here but they truly are the best game in town. I can’t wait to come back and stay and spend a little more time there.

My company has been coming here for years for our summer meetings and I have been nothing but impressed. The staff is very friendly and they make everything so easy.
We have a large group and they always find great accommodations for us and have always made us feel welcome.

Excellent stay at Grand View Lodge. Stop at Cru and sit at the bar for great service from their friendly bartender! Will be making it an annual trip going forward.

I wanted to like Grand View so much. I really did.
I stayed at Grand View in a two bedroom suite ($$$) for a conference. I was really looking forward to enjoying some amenities (have I mentioned the $$$) in the great north woods – but, then we checked in. The first inconvenience unknowingly happened months before I even arrived – apparently, when I set up the reservation I was supposed to use a link and make the reservation online. I would of been happy to get off the phone and do that, but the reservationist assured me that she was able to help me do the same thing over the phone. Super. But, when I arrived they informed me that they had no knowledge of my reservation being with a group, which meant I was unaccounted for onsite meals with my group. It took a while to work everything out, but in the end I was able to proceed as planned.
Every time I worked with the front desk after that I was met with utter aloofness – as if myself and my group were an inconvenience and that we were consistently wasting their time. I used to work for hotels – I know that groups can be a pain in the butt, but being in hospitality means grinning and bearing it. And nothing that I was coming to them about was anything unusual (recommendations for food off site, lost and found, etc.).
Check out went smoothly and the Human Resources employee who was helping out at the desk was a joy to work with (she really, really was).
But, as I was pulling up to my house I received an email from Patrick, the front desk supervisor, informing me that they had charged me $ 300 for pet cleaning:
«We were advised by our housekeeping department you had a pet in your room 156 this weekend. That is not a pet friendly unit and had to charge you $ 267.19 pet cleaning fee.»
Funny thing is, housekeeping had three days to catch the supposed pet in our room.
When I called to dispute the claim, Patrick said that housekeeping was gone for the day and that I would have to wait until he could speak with them but that apparently there was fur in the upholstery (only upholstery in the room were two side chairs, otherwise bar stools, dining room chairs, and couch were leather).
In the end, will not go back. Even if the event is at the lodge again next year (I’m voicing concerns to the organizers to encourage them otherwise), I will stay off site and take the hit of inconvenience. Like I said, I wanted to like this place. Oh, and all of the restaurant staff that I encountered we’re above and beyond courteous and friendly, so I don’t want to miss that positive aspect of my stay.

GrandView Lodge was a great weekend escape for the fall. My sweetheart surprised me with a getaway here and we had a beautiful time. Although I was expecting much sleeker accommodations, it still was all in all a great romantic weekend escape. We had a beautiful cabin right by the lake and beach. So beautiful to wake up to the lake view each morning. The cozy fireplace by the beach was amazing to sit on the cold nights. The spa we absolutely LOVED most at the resort. Very serene & beautiful homey feeling. Our couples massage was splendid & the relaxation before & after made the experience so much more enjoyable. Our favorite place to eat was the Chocolate Ox! We stopped there each day for Ice Cream & Sweets! Although the property could use some sprucing up, we throughly enjoyed our stay.

I attended a wedding here, but did not stay at their cabins. It was a beautiful site for a wedding! I was nervous for all the girls and bride to come down all those stairs, but it seemed easy for them as they made a grand entrance to the grassy area. The bride and groom had the water and trees as their backdrop-​jaw dropping! The reception area was large and I we didn’t feel cramped like most venues where you seem to be bumping elbows while youo eat. Lastly, the bathrooms were awesome with 20 or so stalls in the ladies room, so there never was a line!
Some cons-​It was difficult to see and the entire wedding, while short, we could not actually see the bride and groom. Also, during the entire ceremony, the resort vans and golf carts were making all kinds of noise driing around the ceremony site.

Gorgeous beach and beautiful grounds. We stayed in a nice size cabin with two beds, two baths, and living room with fireplace. There was a hot tub in one of the bathrooms too. The resort also had two hot tubs in the pool area and a large water slide. The golf course was also amazing. And we also used the tennis courts and biked to the Paul Bunyon Trail. There’s a bonfire at night on the beach too! This is a great place to come for a nice weekend get away.

After 3 years, I finally got a vacation from my kids. :P I was looking for a getaway that was relatively close to the Twin Cities, but far enough away that I wouldn’t get called home. Grand View Lodge fit that description.
Online, GVL has many different packages that would suit anyone’s needs – Romance packages, Wine Tastings, Golf, Fishing, etc. I booked their 2-​night Spa Rejuvenation Getaway, which was $ 49/​night, but required a 1-​hour spa appointment. Perfect. Technically, the rate was based on double occupancy, but since it was Thanksgiving weekend, it was a bit slow, & I negotiated the rate for just myself. Of course, I did book two spa treatments, so GVL made their money back! I was pleased that the reservation desk was more than willing to work with me.
When I arrived, I was blown away by the Clubhouse Suite where I was staying. For $ 49/​night, I got a sitting room with a fireplace, a spacious bathroom with a jacuzzi tub, & a separate sleeping area with 2 queen beds. The room was bigger than my last Chicago apartment!
The rate also included breakfast the following morning. The breakfast buffet had a huge spread of french toast, fruit, scrambled eggs, hash browns, oatmeal, breakfast meats, donuts, & make your own waffles. The highlight was definitely the fresh waffles. I’m a bit of a foodie, so the breakfast didn’t wow me, but it was infinitely better than the continental breakfast you get at a Hampton Inn or whatnot.
There were lots of families here for the long weekend, & GVL had lots of activities to keep the kiddos entertained. Arts & craft projects, breakfast with Santa, make your own s’mores, & so forth. Maybe the next family vacation we’ll come here. Then again, maybe I’ll just keep this to myself & come back for another solo getaway!