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Now that’s a fire!

July 9, 2022 derrick

Posted by derrick on July 9, 2022July 9, 2022

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Reviews from our guests:

4.9

233 reviews

5

221

4

12

3

0

2

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1

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mary r.

cabin stay Great experience. Loved the bluff top trails. Cabin was well appointed and very comfortable. The bluff country is so relaxing. Caught my personal best brown trout in the Root River. - 5/03/2022

Colette

Great place worth the extra drive. Loved the view and the bunkhouse was comfortable and well stocked with every need. - 8/26/2023

Autumn Keune Fruth

This place exceeds all expectations! We are looking forward to our next retreat this Fall! Chris is super thorough with all the details of the home and is excited about sharing their beautiful, relaxing retreat with you! - 2/14/2018

Michelle Karjala Torrey

Bluff Country Retreat was a fabulous experience. Absolutely stunning views and an amazing work space. The owners have thought of everything. A full kitchen with almost everything you might need to cook a meal. Amazing accommodations including walk in showers and a jacuzzi tub. - 9/16/2018

Melinda Selchow

- 12/15/2020

Verified traveler

This house is beautiful! It is immaculate and is so well stocked with absolutely everything you might need. The outdoor areas are great for hiking, grilling, and campfires. It’s also close to biking trails, tubing, and shopping. We had a great time! - 7/29/2019

Stephanie K.

Great place! We really enjoyed our stay in the bunk house. The owners were really easy to communicate with, the property was incredibly clean and well stocked of all the necessities. The property was quiet and just what we were looking for. - 10/08/2022

Verified traveler

Beautiful quiet getaway.
Thank you for sharing your property with us. The trails on the property are beautiful. We enjoyed our getaway to southeastern MN. - 7/01/2020

Steve M.

Great stay in the Driftless region! Came to the area for a trout fishing weekend with friends. The very peaceful and expansive property in the country was central to numerous great rivers and streams. Spent much of our time outdoors (fire pit view is awesome) but must also say the luxury house is excellent as well! - 10/13/2020

Deborah Ely

This is a super awesome place to go for a weekend scrapbooking retreat! Love it. - 2/06/2022

Marla

What a perfect place for our family of 12! Such a beautiful home inside and the views outside match it. Never have we stayed in a more clean place. SO, SO clean! WE enjoyed the surrounding towns and Niagara cave. Such nice hosts. We didn't need anything from them however because this house already had everything we needed! WE are making plans to stay here again next year. We would love to tube down the Root river and bike the trail! - 5/19/2019

Kenton P.

Gorgeous cabin with an even prettier view of the river valley. The owners were great throughout, the house was perfect for our group, and the views off the back porch/fire pit were as good as it gets in MN for a property that's not directly on a lake/river. Would definitely recommend this property to my friends and family! - 8/15/2021

John D.

We had a fantastic time at this house! Perfect for our family reunion. Highly recommend! - 8/15/2023

SUSAN D.

Wonderful Very nice and spacious home in a beautiful country setting. Perfect for a family gathering. - 6/23/2021

Briget Fields

- 10/09/2017

Dana B.

The property is beautiful with great hiking trails. My friends and I stayed at this place to have a girls trip to lanesboro. The property is a perfect retreat. The owners were friendly and the cabin was clean and had the perfect amount of space. We will definitely revisit! - 6/14/2021

Tammy Iverson Schoppers

Excellent retreat home for a relaxing get away! Highly recommend!! - 11/13/2017

Melanie D.

Excellent Getaway Retreat I regularly stay at VRBO’s throughout the US. The Shack was exceptionally clean, well maintained, provided excellent amenities as well as a beautiful private property for a retreat and getaway. I will certainly reserve again. - 8/24/2020

Debbe C.

This is an excellent rental property. We highly recommend it. Everything exceeded our expectations. We have zero complaints or suggestions. - 7/21/2022

Nanette G.

A beautiful, spacious home and surroundings! This rental property was comfortable, clean, and inviting. There isn't one thing we needed that wasn't already provided. We actually spent more time at the property then we have other years on our annual "Girl's Weekend" when we have rented VRBO's. This by far was the nicest and most accommodating place we have stayed at. Everyone loved it. Thank you Derrick and Chris for a wonderful experience. - 10/22/2018

Kenneth N.

Peaceful cabin in the country Wonderful cabin in the beautiful country. Everything was very clean on our arrival. It was just 2 of us that stayed. Don’t plan on watching muchTV as it’s Netflix only and kept freezing up. We came to bike the Root River trail which was pretty quiet and not much bike traffic during the week. If you want to get away from the world and relax this is the place. - 9/17/2022

Suzanne

An excellent getaway with a cute bunk house and friendly owner. The cabin is very clean with everything you need. Over 4 miles of walking trails with awesome views. - 6/14/2020

stanmary henderson

23 of us: 4 children and spouses, 12 grandchildren and one grandchild is engaged, that makes 24 of us that really enjoyed our stay at Bluff Country Retreat. Activities included touring the town of Lanesboro, talk around the fire ring, golfing, tubing down the river, Kiaking down the river, playing some yard games, playing cards, eating and walking the trails.Stan Henderson - 4/15/2019

Brian R.

The review title tells it all. The only negatives. 1. Shower in master bedroom was too hot for use...even on lower settings of hot. 2 . There should be at least one double bed in each bedroom for couples. 3. The wall in one of the bedrooms on the main floor does not go all the way to the ceiling...thus those up early can easily wake up those in that bedroom. But MOST EVERYTHING was extremely positive. I would Surely stay there again . - 9/02/2018

Robert G.

Great Getaway - Has everything a group would need My group was very impressed with this beautiful home. It was clean, organized, big, and there is a lot to do. This is a great retreat. We really couldn't ask for anything more. We hope to be back next summer. The hosts were also great and communicative.

-Robert - 8/06/2019

Pauline O.

Trail was beautiful on the property. We would definitely stay again. One of the bests stays we have had in a long time. It was just awesome. The fireplace was really nice!! The shower was extra nice and clean (good water pressure with hot water). It was a wonderful way to celebrate our Anniversary and Birthday. So much nicer than the pictures advertised. Thank you! - 10/20/2023

Tamai

You won't be disappointed with this place! It is everything that is advertised to be. You do travel on gravel roads to reach this destination which didn’t bother us because we are from Iowa and have gravel roads. There is a house on the same property that can also be rented which it was while we were at the Bunkhouse. There was no problem or noise from the people who rented the house during our stay. Also, a good place to watch the sun set! - 9/10/2022

Anne Kuderer

What a great place! Every amenitiy you can think of is provided. Beautiful setting, great walking trails and plenty of space to craft! Highly recommend booking your next getaway with friends here! - 4/15/2019

Peggy Merkel

Had a great long weekend at Bluff Country Retreat. Beautiful scenery and a great place to relax and craft with friends. See you again next fall! - 10/30/2018

Emily White

A beautiful cabin with an amazing view! Perfect for our needs! - 9/27/2023

Todd Lori Henderson

Bluff Country Retreat worked great for our family get together. The views were beautiful, there was more then enough room for people to spread out and spend time together and relax. The place is very well stocked and when we had an issue with the pump on the well not working and we ran out of water, they went above and beyond to get it fixed, even in the middle of the night! Thanks for providing a great place for a large group gathering. - 8/06/2018

Rachelle M.

Beautiful & peaceful
Quiet and beautiful location in the bluffs. Extremely clean, comfortable bunk house. We'll stay again! - 7/29/2021

Sarah M.

The location was perfect for our bike riding adventures! Very clean and comfortable. - 6/15/2022

Marika

Derrick was easy to communicate with and had a clean place on beautiful property. We had a few hiccups (WiFi, fireplace, construction workers) but Derrick was responsive and courteous. Overall, a nice getaway. - 10/23/2021

Mike

Excellent host and great property. Highly recommend. - 4/06/2021

Tammy Schoppers

Breathtaking views, gorgeous home with every anemity you can think of! Highly recommend to everyone! - 4/15/2019

Chichong L.

Great getaway home This property is very well maintained and organized. The check-in process was easy and everything met our expectations upon arrival. The property felt very welcoming to us with everything we needed to enjoy our stay. It's a huge property with plenty of things to do in and out of the house around the property; plenty of games for the family and a long trail to enjoy nature with a beautiful view of the valley. We got to see the thick fog passing though the valley which was amazing. It was a great home to get away from the city and just enjoy quiet family time. Thanks. - 9/05/2020

Randy & Bonnie G.

Exceptional place to stay. Quiet and peaceful.
Further away from the Root River bike trails than we anticipated. - 10/03/2024

Emily

Great place for my family of 4. It was clean and on beautiful property. After spending the day biking around the root river trail, we would walk the trails on the property. Close to the Whalen bike area and aroma pie shop. - 7/18/2021

Christina

We enjoyed staying at the Bunkhouse! It is hands down the cleanest Airbnb we have stayed at. It felt just like home and was well stocked. It was close to Whalan and Lanesboro to bike the trail, eat pie and enjoy a fantastic play at the Commonweal. We would definitely stay here again! - 7/07/2025

Tasa Scanlan Deden

This place exceeded any and all expectations! Absolutely God's Country and the house has EVERYTHING you could possibly imagine! Highly recommend this house! ❤ - 10/22/2018

Thomas

Derrick’s bunk house was great! It’s a great rural setting. Very private. The bunk house was very clean and as advertised. Very comfortable and they have everything you need. Already planning a return trip for next year. - 5/18/2025

Micah

The Bluff County Retreat house was clean, well-prepared and in a beautiful location. It was a great experience for my friends and I. - 8/13/2023

Douglas C.

Country charmer. Enjoyed our stay in this "shack" combining cabin-like country charm with modern conveniences. - 10/16/2020

Kristina Lynne

Awesome place for scrapping - 3/30/2019

Mary

What a great find in Lanesboro! Cabin was so welcoming and homey, had everything we needed. Very clean. Our host Derrick was reachable and timely in his responses. Wifi was very strong, including clear (Hidden by Airbnb) video calls needed for work. Wonderful mowed walking paths to explore behind the cabin, we greatly enjoyed our stay! - 5/23/2022

Carol B.

Great Stay We came to Lanesboro for a biking weekend. My mom, sister and I enjoyed the small, cozy bunk house. Everything was clean and working. The walking trails were great- lots of butterflies in the prairie. The owner communication was outstanding. Thanks for a great weekend! - 8/29/2022

Xiong

If you are looking for a place to stay that is both beautiful and convenient with a large group of people, Bluff Country Retreat is the place to stay. It is a place that is beyond one's imagination. The home is located on a beautiful and peaceful location that offers a great view of the surrounding hills.

Derrick was super responsive to questions and requests. Check-in and check-out was super easy. Instruction was simple and clear.

In all honesty, we had a truly wonderful time during our stay. Derrick made our family-getaway a wonderful experience this summer. Bluff Country Retreat is a place where you will want to return year after year. - 7/16/2023

Christina

This place is perfect for relaxing in such a beautiful area. Very quiet and has everything you could possibly need. Very clean and organized. We enjoyed it so much we are hoping to come back next year! - 9/26/2021

Corinne D.

We had an amazing time and love the fact that it had so many twin beds so each of us had our own bed. - 9/24/2024

Jacquelyn H.

The Bunk House Hubby and I decided on a weekend away to southern MN. The Bunk House served its purpose. A very nice cabin/home. - 7/05/2023

Jody Houghton

Beautiful home located in the country with all the amenities one needs! our group loved the spacious, warm cozy concept. We enjoyed the natural light, comfortable beds. For crafting we enjoyed working on solid wood tables, having individual cutting mats and optional extra lighting for work areas. we had sewers and scrapbookers and plenty of space for all! Bluff Country really thinks of their guests so time can be well spent enjoying commeraderie! - 3/03/2019

Stanley

We had an excellent stay at this beautiful location. Derrick was helpful in solving a problem that we had - 6/26/2024

Dan B.

Communication with the owner was great and he even updated me on a road closure situation due to storms. It’s a small place, basically one room, which was just great for the wife and me.Everything was well maintained and clean. We would choose it again if we need a place in the area. - 7/02/2025

Fred O'Connor

My first retreat and it was fantastic! This place is so cozy and relaxing. - 2/11/2019

Brian C., Iowa City, IA

Fantastic, quiet, clean, and central location to so much! We loved our stay!! - 10/11/2021

Sarah L.

The setting is gorgeous and the house is very spacious. We loved the trails! - 7/10/2023

Marilyn J.

Very clean and organized bunk house! Gas fireplace was perfect to sit by and read early in the morning, watching the sun come up. Great bedroom with lots of open space. Location was also perfect to travel to and from various towns. I would highly recommend this place for couples or family with using the 2 twin beds. - 3/01/2026

Michael Brown

Had a great time with friends. Plenty of space for everyone! - 9/28/2023

Nancy R.

Beautiful, knotty pine accommodation! Lots of room. Was just crow of us, but a family of 5 could be accommodated easily. Beautiful vistas! - 8/09/2026

Eileen B.

Great place for large family gathering Beautiful setting in bluff country with great views. Spotless home, perfect for our 3 generation family, ages 8 to 70. We enjoyed cooking in the best equipped kitchen ever and all the space to spead out and relax. The hosts were very helpful with suggestions and quick to respond to any questions. We enjoyed the walking trails on the property, the firepit for smores, visiting Mystery Cave, watching movies and playing games from the large selection provided in the home. Thank you Derrick and Christine for a fabulous vacation experience. - 6/18/2019

Sheryl Strain

Very very nice. - 3/06/2022

David

Wow, both my wife and I were very impressed with this place - from start to finish! Excellent accommodations, very friendly hosts, newer place and so very well furnished! Thank you Derrick, I hope that many others will be able to enjoy this place like we did! - 6/04/2023

Chris L.

The Shack was such a great little getaway. Had a few walks on the beautiful trails, loved the fireplace and one-room feel although was even bigger than the photos appear. Will be back! - 4/07/2025

Maribeth L.

Excellent accommodations for a family getaway! Family vacation with 7 children five years and younger! Very spacious for the kids inside and outside! Adults also had plenty of room. The home was generously furnished from the kitchen, to the bathrooms, to the patio and everything in between! Owners great to work with! Highly recommend! - 8/08/2021

Jill M.

Great stay Clean and spacious. Well stocked with the comforts of home. Garage parking was a bonus. Location was great and fit our hunting party amazingly. Wifi was not strong enough to work, was able to do low quality netflex. Wish the living room accommodated more sitting and had a bigger TV. - 1/08/2022

Mike T.

This was exactly what we needed to relax and unwind. Very clean and well-kept. - 5/30/2023

Neil S.

Excellent in all regards. This is a beautiful well-equipped property and we thoroughly enjoyed our stay. Derrick and Chris answered all of our questions and provided lots of information about the area in general. They were excellent with whom to work and made us feel welcome from the onset. While there were only six in our group, the home could certainly accommodate larger groups. I recommend them and their property highly! - 6/11/2021

Brent V.

Summer Fun
Great spot. Will stay again if available. - 7/25/2023

Kathy Tesmer

What a fantastic weekend. Beautiful views, fantastic accommodations, and a warm welcoming host. Definitely on the repeat list. - 2/12/2019

Rachelle M.

Beautiful & peaceful Quiet and beautiful location in the bluffs. Extremely clean, comfortable bunk house. We'll stay again! - 8/13/2021

Vrbo

Private setting on 80 acres overlooking the Root River Trail. The Bunk House is attached to the shed and includes heat, air, bath, and a Kitchenette. It is decorated with a log cabin theme, has tile, carpet, and granite counter tops. The Kitchenette has a full size refrigerator, microwave, hot plates, and coffee makers (Keurig also - bring your own k-cups). There is a charcoal grill available, stored behind the bunkhouse. We also supply firewood for use in the fire pit.

For single night rates you can make a request and we can evaluate.
The house on this property is also rented out. It is about 100 feet from the bunkhouse. Guests do not share common areas such a fire pits or patio areas. Trails are accessible to all guests.

The property is ~3miles from the trail access in Whalan, MN and ~7 miles from Lanesboro. We have several miles of mowed walking trails throughout the property that are available to all guests. Great opportunities for walks, snowshoeing, or cross country skiing.

There is a security camera mounted to south side of the house above the garage. It provides a view of the driveway as you enter the property.

Our prices include all fees. No hidden fees. - 4/01/2024

Jen

Pictures do not do this place justice, easy checkin, quick response, beautiful surroundings, and SUPER clean! - 3/28/2021

Sandy Olson

Just spent our annual cousin's reunion at this fabulous location. This was our second year at Bluff Country and we are already planning on 2020! This property has everything you can possibly need, kitchen has everything you could possibly need, beds are super comfortable, it is quiet and peaceful and only minutes from Lanesboro. We all enjoy the large crafting room for our projects and love playing cards in the family room and of course the view is unbelieveable! Can't wait to go again next year! - 7/23/2019

Jesse

As advertised. Great place, location, views, etc. - 3/23/2025

Linda E.

The property was clean and ready for our use. Derrick contacted us prior to arrival to make sure the heat was turned on and the unit was warm before we got there. We had a slight issue with Netflicks but a quick call to Derrick resolved the problem immediately. We would definitely rent this again and are considering renting the big house and bringing our entire family. - 10/20/2022

Kim

Beautiful location! The Bunkhouse was perfect, very clean and had everything we needed!! Enjoyed relaxing by the fire after a long day of biking. Close to town with good restaurants and the community was very friendly.
Derrick was a great host , very responsive and gave great instructions on staying at the bunkhouse.
Thanks for a great vacation!! - 5/21/2023

Bao

Held a sisterhood union with my cousins here and the place is amazingly peaceful and clean. Derrick is a wonderful host and provided great suggestions for what is in the surrounding area but we had so much fun just staying at the house and hanging outside with the beautiful view. We will definitely come back again. - 8/10/2019

Mary Kay

In one word, Fantastic! The bunkhouse is a great cozy space in the beautiful bluffs. It was impeccably clean and beautifully decorated - we felt at home immediately! Everything we needed to enjoy a winter break! The mowed walking trails were wonderful to explore, and to our delight, mother nature provided 4" of fresh snow while we were there. We were then able to enjoy the trails in the beauty of a winter wonderland on our cross-country skis - just gorgeous! Derrick did a super job of communicating with us and was very responsive to any of our needs - going above and beyond what we could have expected. We'll definitely be coming back with our bikes in the summer or fall to enjoy all that the Root River Valley has to offer. - 12/31/2021

Mary

Feels like the top of the world! Views from the property are stunning. High quality furnishings and very clean! Peaceful and comfy, just what we needed after a long day on the bicycle! - 10/09/2022

Zachary

Beautiful, clean, quiet stay. Excellent communication, easy check in and check out. The trails are great for a walk and the room excellent for relaxing. Beware of the note in the description regarding the house next door being rented out. We knew that but expected a family or another couple there. It is actually a huge house, about ten cars and a pile of guys hanging out in the front yard made for an awkward first impression when we arrived. If you're ok with neighbors this is a wonderful place to stay, highly recommended. - 7/31/2022

Shawna

This place is amazing! We loved our stay with my husband’s family! We were able to enjoy the outdoors, games and puzzles! We hope to be able to enjoy staying here next year!!! Thanks for making our stay amazing!!! - 6/30/2019

Debra Z.

We thoroughly enjoyed this property. It was clean and well-stocked with everything we could imagine. We found it to be comfortable and cozy with all the amenities we needed. The front door was difficult to open and constantly stuck. You might want to see about making a change to it. Otherwise, we had a fabulous stay and would definitely return again. - 8/05/2024

Sara L.

Loved the cleanliness of the property & the seclusion from the rest of the world. The 2-3 mile gravel road was a bit of a surprise to us, but no biggie. Visited the area for a few days of biking & the weather wasn't the greatest. Very grateful for a lovely cabin to take shelter in! Great getaway to relax & recharge!! - 7/06/2024

Cara Wright

Bluff Country Retreat is amazing! The home is top of the line in every detail. It is lovely inside and out, with a well-stocked gormet kitchen, comfortable beds/bedrooms, excellent living areas for relaxing and crafting, most luxurious bathrooms I've ever seen, beautiful grounds to walk through, and a you of the valley to just sit and enjoy. Chris is great with communication and so helpful with every part of the stay! Very highly recommend! - 9/16/2019

Star T

This place is AMAZING! I recently spent a weekend at Bluff Country and was not disappointed. The lodging is comfortable, spacious, inviting, and extremely clean (and I'm a clean-freak so that's saying something). The kitchen is well equipped. There's even a nut roaster, which I realized after I toasted some on the range. I spent time on the walking trails which were very peaceful, private, and scenic....plus I saw 19 deer! The hosts are very accommodating and responsive to any questions. Bluff Country is the place to stay if you're planning a stay in the area. I'll definitely stay there again! - 3/01/2018

Nicole

This place is fantastic - clean, tastefully decorated, well appointed. Great walking trails. We had an amazing weekend, thanks Derrick! - 8/30/2020

Jody

The Bunk House was even better than we expected! Derrick thought of many details that made our stay pleasant and comfortable like shampoo, conditioner and body wash in the shower, ziploc bags to take home leftovers, plenty of extra blankets, comfy chairs to sit and have a chat. The grounds were beautiful with lovely views. Derrick was particularly considerate by texting me about a forecast storm with hail. He gave me the code to put our car and bikes in the garage. So thoughtful! - 5/16/2021

Nanette G.

This rental property was comfortable, clean, and inviting. There isn't one thing we needed that wasn't already provided. We actually spent more time at the property then we have other years on our annual "Girl's Weekend" when we have rented VRBO's. This by far was the nicest and most accommodating place we have stayed at. Everyone loved it. Thank you Derrick and Chris for a wonderful experience. - 10/22/2018

Beautiful quiet getaway. Thank you for sharing your property with us. The trails on the property are beautiful. We enjoyed our getaway to southeastern MN. - 8/01/2020

Nancy F.

This is a beautiful and well-equipped property in a very peaceful setting. The host is wonderful! We had misplaced the instructions to get into the bunkhouse and Derrick emailed, texted, and called until we were able to connect and get in. We highly recommend it! - 6/13/2026

Chris W.

Our family loved this house! It was close to the river, which was ideal for our fishing trip. The facilities were fantastic, and we felt right at home. Thanks for the great time! - 5/15/2023

Todd Henderson

Bluff Country Retreat was a great place for our annual summer get together! We have people aging in range from Senior Citizens to 6 years old, including teenagers and they all enjoyed the atmosphere and location. It was very clean, very comfortable, spacious and overall and very relaxing fun place to be. The morning views of overlooking the fog in the valley below and seeing the wildlife added to the enjoyment of the weekend. Highly recommended by all in the Henderson family. Thanks for a great weekend!
My dad mistakenly gave it a 1/5 stars, he meant to leave a 5 : ) - 8/06/2018

David

Beautiful place on top of the bluffs. Derrick is an excellent host. - 6/19/2021

Kim W.

Attention to Detail We had a wonderful stay at Bluff Country Retreat Bunk House. The attention to detail was amazing all the way down to the light switches being labeled, which I appreciated. The walking paths throughout the property we nicely mowed for evening walks. This place is truly a paradise! - 7/25/2022

Andy

Derrick is a fantastic host!!!! He worked with us on a "washed out" because of local flooding in his community. Despite having to cancel at the last minute he worked with us to make it a positive experience. We really look forward to getting down to his beautiful place and enjoy everything that the community there has to offer. - 7/05/2026

Tasa Deden

This place has EVERYTHING you could possibly need AND more. It seriously deserves more than 5 stars. To say this is "God's Country" is an understatement. Owners are FANTASTIC! We have stayed twice and foresee many more stays! - 2/25/2019

Amy

We absolutely loved our stay in the bunk house! We hiked the grounds on the trails and it was so beautiful, especially at sunset! The bunk house was decorated so well and had every single thing we needed. It was also one of the cleanest AirBnBs I’ve ever stayed in, so well cared for! - 9/09/2024

William T.

Great place near Lanesboro, secluded and very good for families. The kitchen is for chefs! We cooked up a storm. Nice fire pit with views of the valley.Needs a few double beds. - 7/09/2018

Terry K.

Wonderful place. Trails on property to walk and enjoy wildflowers. Near the root river trail. Well taken care of. - 8/12/2024