Entire home·Private host

Winter Sale!! Lakefront Location. Premium Accommodation. Incredible Value!

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Pool
Property grounds
Exterior
Interior
Outdoor dining

Reviews

10 out of 10
Exceptional

Entire home

3 bedrooms2 bathroomsSleeps 10204 sq m

Popular amenities

  • Beach view
  • Parking available
  • Washer
  • Pet-friendly
  • Barbecue grill
  • Outdoor space

Explore the area

Map
Backus, MN
  • Horseshoe Lake
    ‪1 min walk‬
  • Rainy Lake
    ‪6 min drive‬
  • Northern Lights Casino
    ‪28 min drive‬

Room options

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About this property

Entire place

You'll have the entire home to yourself and will only share it with other guests in your party.

Winter Sale!! Lakefront Location. Premium Accommodation. Incredible Value!

Now on Winter rates. Incredible value!

Our Four-Season Cottage is Small Enough to be Romantic and Large Enough for a Family.

This professionally designed beautiful 3 bedroom - 2 bath cottage is available year around. Our cottage was newly constructed in the spring of 2013. The cottage is well maintained. The interior is clean, uncluttered, and bright with natural light. New or improved features are added to the interior and/or to the property exterior each year.

Whole Home. Non-contact self-check-in. No shared interior spaces or facilities. This home, and the immediate surrounding towns, are situated in a low population density region. That remains so even in peak vacation schedule periods.

The installed internet service will support work simultaneous with schooling. Bring your family for a week or two away.

Great value year around. Try it. You will like it!

September and October are my own absolute favorite times of the year!!

Special winter rates are implemented for many non-holiday weekends/periods between October 15 and early May each year.

Cleaning charge will always be applied. Extra charge for more than six people. Extra charge for one pet.

Typical Repeat Visitors: multi-generation family vacation; weekend or week getaway for a couple; Thanksgiving, New Year day, or Christmas family celebration; extended family groups; hobby groups; craft groups; women's weekend away groups; small group reunions; church groups; quilting groups; wedding groups; special anniversaries; engagement proposal weekends; honeymoon cottage; snowmobiling groups; ice fishing groups; XC skiing groups; winter weekend getaways; waterskiing groups; wakeboard groups; wake-surfing groups; fishing opener groups; hunting groups; and more......

DATES IN MID-SUMMER ARE GENERALLY RESERVED THREE OR MORE YEARS IN ADVANCE. Dates in mid-October to mid- May will often be reserved 6 months to 1 year, or more, in advance. Reserve now to acquire a week in the early fall and winter 2024, or winter and spring of 2025

Grand piano is provided for your enjoyment.

Two tiled bathrooms and full separate laundry area

Exterior fire pit, exterior gas and charcoal grills, interior gas grill and griddle, and interior gas fireplace.

Relaxing recreational location

Large commercial grade kitchen for family special meal prep and relaxed gourmet dining or just serving a family reunion crowd.

Nearby access to Paul Bunyan and Heartland trails for great bicycling, inline skating, and X-C skiing.

Great bass fishing (1 lb to 5 lb) from dock. Good walleye and northern when trolling lake shallows and sand bars

Quiet, calm, and nearly weed free lake good for fishing, canoeing, kayaking, water skiing, and recreational boating. Ultra-clear and clean spring fed lake with a sandy bottom

Loons live here. You should see/hear adults and offspring every day/night in spring, summer, and fall. Variety of other animal life is almost endless. A keen wild-life observer might well see: Hawks, eagles, owls, otters, beavers, bears, raccoons, ground hogs, deer, coyote, pelicans, egret, herons, ducks, geese, swans, common and rarer songbirds, various squirrels, chipmunks, skunks, and more.

Docks: Semi-private dock will be, installed in and removed from, the lake as seasonal weather permits. Exact installation dates in spring and exact removal dates in the fall are affected by availability of the dock vendors, the ice out in the spring, and very low air temperature and/or prospect of early ice on in the fall. Docks are often in by late April. and often out before mid-October. Sometimes the docks are not in by late May. Sometimes docks come out in September. There are two 3000 lb boat lifts. One is for the owner's boat and one is for the guest's boat, if any. The owner, or owner's family members, may sometimes be present and use the dock and the owners boat lift. Guests have shared use of the dock, and access for use of (1st of 2) 3000 lb boat lift/canopy cover. Owner will access dock, 2nd lift, and store owner's boat on one of the two lifts (2nd of 2)

Boats: Supplied with Old Town canoe and Lund 15' fishing boat. Outboard motor not supplied but available for rent at limited regional commercial locations. Best option is to buy a well maintained used outboard motor and bring it with you. The cost of a used motor will likely be less than one week's rental cost if you find a local rental

Property has multiple exterior video cameras and monitored interior house/ and garage security sensors. Video systems include (24 hr X 365 day) exterior video surveillance and recording. There is no video interior to the occupied sections of the house (basement is monitored)

CAN SLEEP UP TO TEN PERSONS IN A LARGE FAMILY. THIS MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR 8, 9, OR 10 ADULTS EACH REQUIRING PRIVACY. BEST SUITED FOR 3 OR FEWER ADULT COUPLES OR AN ADULT COUPLE AND THEIR CHILDREN. EXTRA CHARGES FOR MORE THAN SIX PERSONS. See bedrooms discussion in website AMENITIES section for further explanation/clarification.

Not fully handicap accessible: Most of the house is on one level. One step up to the porch. One step up at the entrance to our home. The kitchen, dining room, both bathrooms, both first floor bedrooms, the sunroom, and a portion of the living room are all on the entry level. One step down between most of the house first floor and just a portion of the living room. 10 steps down (or gentle sloped walked on grass) to lake in front of house. The interior doors are generally 30 in. width. No ramps are provided. The lawn is gently sloped to the lake shore. Lake can be accessed from the lawn easily as well as the steps. The lake bottom is also gently sloped and ideal for handicapped entry, teaching swimming, and monitored child's play.

Pets: Please let me know the breed, weight, and temperament of the pet as soon as you know that you want a pet to be part of your reserved stay. I need to approve any pet in-advance of your stay. There is an extra charge for a pet.

If/when a pet is approved you will need to always keep the pet on leash when outside; you will not leave the pet outside off-leash, unattended, or barking; you will not leave the pet in the house unattended without placing and retaining the pet in a portable kennel; and you will pick up and dispose of pet waste bagged separately within the trash, not leave same in the yard. In addition, I charge a $150 pet fee per pet that covers added cleaning that is needed (pet dander, pet hair, pet odor and etc), and damage that pets cause to flooring in the house no matter how well behaved (wood floors which I have had to refinish every two to three years). That extra fee does not cover damage such as a pet scratching or chewing on a piece of furniture, or scratching/ruining a door or a piece of trim. Your job is to prevent that, and/or to personally cover the costs of that sort of damage if it occurs. Depending on how extensive such damage might be it may not be totally covered under the limited insurance policy.

Owner may often not be present during a portion of guest stay. Guests do not have access to the owner's boat, the lift supporting owner's boat, the house basement, or the garage at any time. Owner retains access to the house basement, the garage, and one of two boat lifts on the dock at all times. All non-guest spaces will frequently be locked. Owner will store one boat on a lift (2nd of the 2) at the dock. Guests will not use the owner's boat or use/park in/operate the owner's lift at the dock. Owner may routinely access those areas. Owner will be considerate of time of day and guests needs if/when accessing the dock or the basement. Owner/family sometimes work from and may infrequently spend an extended period in the two-story garage. Windows are carefully offset between the house and the garage so that persons in the garage do not have a view into the house interior, and vice versa.

Exterior of house and all property have full recorded video surveillance at all times. Interior of house ground level, and second floor upper level have extensive security sensors BUT DO NOT include ANY video cameras or audio receivers, except glass breakage sensors. Interior of the garage has extensive security sensors and video/audio as well. Basement has extensive security sensors and recorded video, but no audio sensors.

The entire rest of the property has extensive security sensors but in addition includes extensive recorded video surveillance. Any access to the garage or basement will immediately initiate automatic notification of owner and recorded video surveillance. The house ground level and upper-level security alarms will be disabled when guests are present. The garage and house basement security alarms may not be disabled unless owner or owner's family are present. If an alarm occurs other than immediately after guests enter the main house, it is likely the garage system. If officials arrive to investigate an alarm, direct them to the garage first, unless the alarm occurred promptly upon initially attempting to access the main house for the first time, or upon entering the house basement.

Cottage features, furniture, and facilities are improved every year. A portion of each rental is set aside for improvements and maintenance of the home. I try to keep it interesting and in a like-new condition. There are many antique pieces of furniture in the cottage. Antiques are obviously not and should not be new. Those too will evolve year to year.
During your stay at this cottage, you're just a quick walk from Horseshoe Lake. Enjoy features like a water park. The cottage offers free WiFi and a kitchen.
  • Air-conditioned cottage with kitchen, washing machine, and 2 bathrooms
  • Free WiFi
  • Splash around at the water park
  • Steps from Horseshoe Lake and a 4-minute drive from Lindsey Lake
This cottage offers its guests a water park. The family-friendly cottage also features barbecue grills and a garden.

This Backus cottage is smoke free.

Property manager

John Swailes

Languages

English, Spanish

Property amenities

Beach

  • On the beach
  • Beach sunloungers

Ski

  • Cross-country skiing and snowboarding nearby

Internet

  • Free WiFi

Parking and transport

  • On-site parking options include a garage
  • On-site parking
  • Car required

Kitchen

  • Fridge
  • Stovetop
  • Microwave
  • Oven
  • Dishwasher
  • Electric kettle
  • Blender
  • Cookware/dishes/utensils
  • Kitchen island

Dining

  • Dining table

Bedrooms

  • 3 bedrooms
  • Bed sheets provided
  • Sofa bed

Bathrooms

  • 2 bathrooms
  • Shower
  • Toilet paper
  • Towels provided
  • Hairdryer

Living spaces

  • Fireplace
  • Living room
  • Dining room

Entertainment

  • Smart TV with cable/satellite service
  • DVD player
  • Books
  • Games
  • Stereo
  • Music library
  • Video library

Outdoor areas

  • Balcony
  • Charcoal grills
  • Garden
  • Outdoor furniture
  • Firepit

Laundry

  • Washing machine and dryer
  • Near a laundromat

Work spaces

  • Desk
  • Desk chair

Comfort

  • Air conditioning
  • Heating

Pets

  • Pet friendly
  • 1 total (up to 23 kg per pet)
  • Welcoming dogs only

Suitability/Accessibility

  • If you have any requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
  • Hardwood flooring in public areas
  • Smoke-free property
  • Note from host: 24 X 365 recorded video of property exterior

Services and conveniences

  • Iron/ironing board
  • Phone

Location highlights

  • On the lake
  • On the waterfront
  • In a rural location
  • Near a hospital
  • Near outlet shopping
  • Near the bay

Things to do

  • Water park
  • Water sports equipment
  • Snow sports gear
  • Fitness facilities nearby
  • Kayaking on site
  • Boating on site
  • Golf on site
  • Kayaking nearby
  • Golf nearby
  • Scuba diving nearby
  • Mountain biking nearby
  • Casino nearby
  • Water tubing nearby
  • Hiking nearby
  • Snowmobiling nearby
  • Ice skating nearby

Safety features

  • Carbon monoxide detector installed (host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property)
  • Smoke detector installed (host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property)
  • Fire extinguisher
  • First aid kit
  • Deadbolt lock

General

  • Unit size: 2200 sq ft (204 sq m)

Policies

Check-in

Check-in time starts at 3:00 PM
Minimum check-in age: 25

Check-out

Check-out before 10:00 AM

Special check-in instructions

You will receive an email from the host with check-in and check-out instructions

Pets

  • Pets are welcome
  • Only dogs are allowed
  • Maximum 1 (weight limit: 50 lbs per pet)
  • Service animals are exempt from fees
  • Note from host: Owner permission. Pet fee of $150.

Children and extra beds

  • Children are welcome.
  • Note from host: Loft stairs not suitable for young children.

Important information

You need to know

This property is managed by a private host (a party not acting within their trade, business or profession). EU consumer law, including the right of withdrawal, will not apply to your booking. The cancellation policy set by the private host will cover your booking.
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Note from host: Families?-Yes. Frat/graduation/event parties?-No!
Host has indicated there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit, and a deadbolt lock
This property is managed through our partner, Vrbo. You will receive an email from Vrbo with a link to a Vrbo account, where you can change or cancel your reservation
You will receive an email from the host with check-in and check-out instructions. You will also receive an email from Vrbo with a link to a Vrbo account which will enable you to manage your booking.

Property is also known as

Cozy Enough be Romantic. Large Enough Family House Backus
Cozy Enough be Romantic. Large Enough Family Backus
Cozy Enough be Romantic rge E
Cozy Enough to be Romantic. Large Enough for a Family

Winter Sale!! Lakefront Location. Premium Accommodation. Incredible Value! Reviews

Reviews

10

Exceptional

Rating 10 - Excellent. 159 out of 169 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 10 out of 169 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 169 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 169 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 169 reviews

9.8/10

Cleanliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Claudia L.

Liked: Cleanliness
Tgiving on the lake
It's a beautiful home, decorated in a cabin style with a truely gourmet kitchen. Our second stay for Tgiving knowing we could make our feast there we went all out. A lovely stay. Cold clear nights so we could really see the stars. And so quiet. Delightful.
Stayed 4 nights in Nov 2024

10/10 Excellent

Pamela R., North Oaks, MN, USA

Liked: Cleanliness
Excellent getaway!
This was our second stay at the cabin. Kitchen is wonderful! We’re a group of two musical families and very much enjoyed the piano.
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2024

8/10 Good

Michael P.

Liked: Cleanliness
Very quiet
Went in October. Wonderfull to see leaves changing. Very quiet and nice.
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Laura Y.

Liked: Cleanliness
Great spot
Beautiful kitchen, very peaceful home.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Kevin R.

Liked: Cleanliness
Lake Charm #5
Fifth time here, always quiet, beautiful, peaceful
Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Barb P.

Liked: Cleanliness
Great for relaxation..
Beautiful home, quiet solitude, wonderful kitchen w/everything you need, and had fun fishing. Fortunate to have met Host/Wife while there. Thank you for sharing your paradise with us,we’d love to come back!
Stayed 7 nights in May 2024

10/10 Excellent

Elise B.

Liked: Cleanliness
Just lovely
A beautiful place to get away and unwind. We had a wonderful time.
Stayed 4 nights in May 2024

10/10 Excellent

Laurie P., Where do you live?

Liked: Cleanliness
Very nice place!
We enjoyed our stay at this rental property. If you like to cook this place is for you! The kitchen was amazing with high end appliances and well stocked for everything you need. The place was very comfortable for watching movies and playing games. Everything was clean and well kept. I would stay here again, it was very nice.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2024

8/10 Good

Judi G.

Liked: Cleanliness
Weekend stay
Beautiful setting, lovely cabin with state of the art kitchen. Lovely rooms, but bathrooms could use new grouting in showers and attention to toilet in 2nd bathroom. Overall a lovely stay - everyone enjoyed the weekend.
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2024

10/10 Excellent

Ned W.

Liked: Cleanliness
Great cabin
Very nice cabin. Kitchen is exceptional. John is great to work with as well.
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2024

10/10 Excellent

Regina M.

Liked: Cleanliness
Great friends getaway
This was beautiful relaxing home. We loved every minute there. I would highly recommend this listing. I would definitely rebook this home.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2024

10/10 Excellent

sivanaga pavankumar c.

Liked: Cleanliness
Beautiful cabin
Highly recommend this beautiful and very clean property
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Luanne D.

Liked: Cleanliness
Scott
Great stay as always. Hot water heater broke but owner went out of his way on a holiday to get it fixed.
Stayed 7 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Douglas G.

Liked: Cleanliness
The perfect quiet holiday getaway
This is my second time staying here with my parents over Thanksgiving, and it's the perfect place to have a quiet holiday with family and just enjoy being together. Everything at the property is always well kept, I highly recommend you try a family holiday! You won't be disappointed!
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2023

10/10 Excellent

Pamela R., North Oaks, MN, USA

Liked: Cleanliness
Beautiful cabin!
We had a fun relaxing stay and enjoyed the lovely kitchen!
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2023

8/10 Good

Ashley N.

Liked: Cleanliness
Great location to meet up!
Beautiful property, pictures don’t do it justice! We enjoyed the fireplace and the views of the lake. Beds were very comfortable and kitchen was well stocked with everything you could ever need. Bathrooms were gorgeous and we enjoyed games around the dining table. We had a great stay!
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Jeff F.

Liked: Cleanliness
Anniversary trip
Very tranquil setting. We had a great trip!
Stayed 5 nights in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Elizabeth T.

Liked: Cleanliness
Breath of fresh air
Beautiful cabin with craftsmanship surprises around every corner. We didn’t use the kitchen a whole lot, but just sitting in the space made me happy. Thanks for the quiet, peaceful stay.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Lisa E., RENO

Liked: Cleanliness
Beautiful Lake House
We really enjoyed our stay near Backus Minnesota for the month of September 2023. The house was great. The garage was unavailable for our use but there was plenty of room to park in the driveway. The view from the back patio was beautiful. The dock below the house was available for our use. It was nice to enjoy the lake and to have a coffee out there in the morning. There were other houses nearby but we were never bothered. All the appliances worked well. The kitchen area is quite large with high end finishes and appliances. There was a good-sized smart TV in the living area. Cable was available but we also brought our own firestick to access our online subscriptions. This was a working vacation for my husband. The internet was okay and adequate for our use with access issues occasionally. The master bedroom is on the first level at the back of the house. The queen bed is comfortable but quite high. Master bath is attached with a large walk-in shower and large tub. There is a small walk-in closet in the master and ample drawer space available in two dressers. There is a second bathroom on the main level accessed off the hallway. A second bedroom is on the main level. It is not directly attached to the second bathroom. The washer and dryer were in a separate laundry room off the hallway on the main level. The owner’s communication was prompt and complete. We would rent this property again if we return to the area.
Stayed 30 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Shawn G.

Liked: Cleanliness
Another Great Stay!
This was our third time staying at this lovely home. Once again, lots of great meals made in the amazing commercial sized kitchen along with a ton of great memories made!
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Ron S., Rochester, MN

Liked: Cleanliness
A nice experience
Many well thought out details make this a very special destination.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Sammy L.

Liked: Cleanliness
Peaceful
My husband and I enjoyed a relaxing and quiet stay here. The lake is beautiful with a lot of wildlife. The house is amazing!
Stayed 2 nights in May 2023

10/10 Excellent

Kevin R.

Liked: Cleanliness
Family Reunion
Awesome cabin and location, our 4th stay here and will be back again.
Stayed 6 nights in May 2023

10/10 Excellent

Kerry J.

Liked: Cleanliness
Workation
Lovely place to get a change of scenery while working remotely!
Stayed 5 nights in May 2023

10/10 Excellent

Kerry G.

Liked: Cleanliness
Relaxing location to stay and make meals
My wife, adult children and I enjoyed an extended weekend relaxing together. Even with a late Minnesota snowstorm, we enjoyed time outside having a snowball fight on the surrounding trails. The location is lovely and secluded and I image summer over the lake would be wonderful. The kitchen was great for the family making meals together. Definitely would consider going again.
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2023