Historic Westhaven Lodge on Lake Vermilion - Since 1935

Photo gallery for Historic Westhaven Lodge on Lake Vermilion - Since 1935

Lakefront View of Lodge and Cabin 1
View of Lakefront from Deck
East Elevation of Lodge
Lakefront Elevation of Lodge
Large Dock with Own Boat Lift

Reviews

9.8 out of 10
Exceptional
6 bedrooms3 bathroomsSleeps 183200 sq ft

Popular amenities

  • Beach view
  • Dryer
  • Parking available
  • Fireplace
  • Barbecue grill
  • Gym

Explore the area

Map
Tower, MN
  • Lake Vermilion
    ‪4 min drive‬
  • Fortune Bay Casino
    ‪12 min drive‬
  • Soudan Underground Mine State Park
    ‪18 min drive‬
  • Ely, MN (LYU-Ely Municipal)
    ‪56 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

6 bedrooms (sleeps 18)

Bedroom 1

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 2

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 3

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 4

3 Twin Bunk Beds

Bedroom 5

1 Double Bed

Bedroom 6

2 Twin Bunk Beds

3 bathrooms

Bathroom 1

Bathtub or shower · Toilet

Bathroom 2

Bathtub or shower · Toilet

Bathroom 3

Toilet · Shower only

Spaces

Deck or patio
Porch or lanai
Kitchen
Separate dining area
Outdoor play area
Garden

About this property

Historic Westhaven Lodge on Lake Vermilion - Since 1935

In existence since 1935, Westhaven Lodge has a private setting with a premier location on the south side of Big Bay of Lake Vermilion. Recently remodeled, the 3,200 sq. ft. single-story lodge has its own large dock with a 4,000-lb. boat lift, a fire ring, a wood-burning sauna, a fish cleaning house, a swing set and playhouse, and a large pebble beach that it shares with our two-bedroom seasonal cabin (Cabin 1 at Westhaven Lodge--which is also available for rent if you need more than six bedrooms for your group).

The lodge can easily handle a large crowd. The master bedroom faces the lake and has a queen bed; two more bedrooms with lake views also contain queen beds; and a fourth bedroom has a full bed. Two more bedrooms contain multiple bunk beds. The lodge also has a large great room with a beautiful granite fireplace, a spacious four-season porch, a large kitchen, and a large dining room that can fit up to 16 at the table.

Note that a 10% discount is offered on the nightly rate if you rent for a whole week or more.

If your party is even larger, Cabin 1 at Westhaven Lodge, which is next door and has its own lake frontage with a separate dock and boat lift, can handle more guests. One bedroom has a queen bed and a second bedroom contains a bunk bed and a separate twin bed. Both lodging facilities are completely finished with pine interiors that have granite fireplaces dating back to the 1930s. Please see VRBO Listing #682304 for more information on Cabin 1. Note that while the lodge is great for use all year 'round, Cabin 1 is only available early May through mid-October.

No additional fees for either cabin other than sales tax are applied; however, a damage deposit is required. Questions? Please contact Rodger.

A canoe, two kayaks, and small paddle boat are also included with the lodge, as are a couple fishing boats without a motor. They are shared with Cabin 1. Pets are allowed in either cabin, and both structures have decks facing the lake. Because the sun rises and sets so far to the north in the summer, and because we're on a little point, Westhaven Lodge is ideal for watching both as it faces due north with more than a180-degree view of Big Bay.

The Lodge's large dock has a main boat lift that can accommodate a speed boat or fishing boat up to 4,000 pounds, and a second smaller boat lift can take up to 2,400 pounds. The nearest free boat launch is just over a mile away, and a large parking lot and trailer storage area also serve both structures.

Other features include a baby grand piano, a playhouse, a swing set and a basketball hoop. (The nearest pickleball courts are only a mile or so away at the Greenwood Township Hall, as is a tennis court and a large picnic shelter.)

Property manager

Rodger Skare

Languages

English

Add dates for prices

Amenities

Kitchen
Dryer
Pet friendly
Free WiFi
Gym
Outdoor Space

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House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 25
Check out before 9:00 AM
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Children

Children allowed: ages 0-17
Large yard w/ swing set & playhouse, also a beach.
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Events

No events allowed
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Pets

Pets allowed: limit 3 total
Don't let them bother others & pick up after them.
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Smoking

Smoking is not permitted
Please smoke outdoors.
If you bring a pet, please keep them from bothering the neighbors, and pick up after them.
We try to supply firewood, but it is hard to keep up with and costly to have delivered. Contact us to find out where you can get more if it's out.
Check in and check out times are firm unless special arrangements have been made in advance. Housekeeping needs time to thoroughly clean the cabin.

Important information

You need to know

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
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

We should mention

This property does not have elevators
A car is recommended for transportation to and from this property

About the neighborhood

Tower

Located in Tower, this cabin is on the beach. Timbuktu Marina and Giants Ridge Golf and Ski Resort are worth checking out if an activity is on the agenda, while those wishing to experience the area's natural beauty can explore Lake Vermilion State Park and Soudan Underground Mine State Park. Be sure to check out the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.
Map
Tower, MN

What's nearby

  • Lake Vermilion - 4 min drive - 2.0 km
  • Fortune Bay Casino - 12 min drive - 7.6 km
  • Lake Vermilion State Park - 18 min drive - 18.2 km
  • Soudan Underground Mine State Park - 18 min drive - 18.4 km
  • Bear Head Lake State Park - 41 min drive - 37.3 km

Restaurants

  • ‪Vermilion Club - ‬6 min drive
  • ‪Sunset Steakhouse At Fortune Bay - ‬12 min drive
  • ‪The Good Ol' Days Bar & Grill - ‬14 min drive
  • ‪Poor Gary's Pizza At The Vermilion Club - ‬6 min drive
  • ‪Sulu's Expresso Cafe - ‬14 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Historic Westhaven Lodge on Lake Vermilion - Since 1935 pet-friendly?

Yes, this property allows pets (limit 3 total).

What time is check-in at Historic Westhaven Lodge on Lake Vermilion - Since 1935?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Historic Westhaven Lodge on Lake Vermilion - Since 1935?

Check-out is at 9:00 AM.

Where is Historic Westhaven Lodge on Lake Vermilion - Since 1935 located?

Nestled on the beach, this Tower cabin is 1.2 mi (2 km) from Lake Vermilion and 3.1 mi (5 km) from Fortune Bay Casino. Portage Bay and Taconic State Trail are also within 12 mi (20 km).

Reviews

9.8

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labeled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 53 out of 61 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 8 out of 61 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 61 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 61 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 61 reviews

9.8/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

9.8/10

Communication

10/10

Location

9.8/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Kevin S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
February Snowmobile trip
Great place to stay for a larger group!! Facilities are great!
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2025

10/10 Excellent

Jacob Z.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Another great winter stay at Westhaven
Always very happy to stay at the Westhaven Lodge. A new stove top really was a great upgrade! Great time with friends and lots of room.
Stayed 4 nights in Feb 2025

10/10 Excellent

Jeff M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Westhaven Lodge is fantastic!
Great fall fishing trip with lifelong friends.
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Kevin S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Lake Vermillion trip
Great property! Had an awesome stay!
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2024

10/10 Excellent

Jacob Z.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great place for a big group.
We had an excellent weekend on the lake with family and friends.
Stayed 4 nights in Feb 2023

10/10 Excellent

Noel H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Westhaven lodge
Great place to relax and enjoy nature. Views were absolutely amazing. We had a blast!
Stayed 6 nights in Jun 2022

10/10 Excellent

Rebecca S., Minnetrista

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great location and space
We enjoyed our stay and the ample cabin rooms/beds were great. We had a lot of fun snowmobiling and skiing. The kitchen was well stocked and we appreciate the chance to rent.
Stayed 4 nights in Dec 2020

10/10 Excellent

Wendy M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great for multi family stays
We enjoyed the sauna and fireplace on cool, rainy days and exploring beautiful Lake Vermilion. Loved this unique historic vibe from this 1935 Westhaven Lodge!
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2023

8/10 Good

Jennifer R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great Family Time
We enjoyed our second visit to Westhaven Lodge. We loved the sauna and the fires by the beach. Would recommend this property.
Stayed 6 nights in Aug 2019

10/10 Excellent

Dawn F.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
50th birthday celebration!
This cabin accommodated our group of 10 adults very nicely! The sauna was lovely, the outdoor sitting area by the lake was heavenly, the canoes and kayaks were a fun addition, and the kitchen, living room and dining room gave us ample space to cook and gather. Bonnie (the caretaker) was responsive to my on-site needs. One small downside was that the bunk beds were a little short for a taller adult to sleep in. We were very pleased with this property!
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Christin G.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Wonderful place
Our stay at Westhaven Lodge was wonderful. I realize many enjoy this property in the summer but it is a gem to enjoy winter in MN. A great place for family fun.
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2021

10/10 Excellent

Dallas B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Awesome
Was great
Stayed 4 nights in Feb 2023

10/10 Excellent

Lairdie K.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Amazing week
The lodge was a great place for our family. There was room inside and out for the kids to play. The bedrooms were on one end so the little ones could nap. Everyone enjoyed the firepit, the beach and the area in general. We will definitely book it again.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Babs H., Philadelphia

Beautiful view, great house a large group.
The house was great, roomy and cozy. Was the perfect setting for our large family to gather and enjoy the lake. The kitchen had everything we needed, the house is well appointed and larger than we expected. Outside there was plenty of things to do to keep everyone amused, from the 5yo to the 92yo. Will visit again!
Stayed 5 nights in Jun 2018

10/10 Excellent

Jesse B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Such a great spot!
We had such a great time at the Westhaven Lodge. The property was nicely laid out so all the bedrooms were on one side and people could sleep while others enjoyed the rest of the space which was great for a very multi-age group. The outdoor green space, dock, and water access were awesome and we'll forever be thinking about the very large dining room table that could host us all at once! The kitchen is really well stocked (with more than is mentioned in the listing). Bring dish washer soap! The stove takes kind of a while to boil water so plan to start cooking your meals early!
Stayed 6 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Michael H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Book it while you can!
We've stayed at many different cabins around Lake Vermilion, this is the first cabin that we attempted to book AGAIN only two days into our trip. It's perfect for large families: Has lots of yard space for activities, it's plenty spacious inside and fishing off the dock was great!
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2022

10/10 Excellent

Ronald S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Mid February stay
Very cold out , 39 below so limited outside activities. Went to Wolf Center in Ely and really enjoyed it. Very functional for group with younger children.
Stayed 4 nights in Feb 2021

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Jims fishing party.
As usual the accommodations were perfect in every way. Plenty of room for our party of twelve. Our party has a few good cooks who loved the big kitchen. To top it off we caught some big walleyes and perch. Thanks again Rodger
Stayed 4 nights in May 2019

10/10 Excellent

JoAnne E.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Just beautiful
It is tough to find a cabin to accommodate large family and dogs...the ‘Lodge’ was PERFECT!! So much room to spread out on a rainy day....large dining table for meals and games......nice kitchen, a second refrigerator was a bonus. Huge property to run and play. Love Vermillion....love the walleye...love the sunrise on the dock. Thank you for making our family vacation a dream.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2021

10/10 Excellent

Danny P.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Just beautiful!
We were there for thanksgiving and it was really cold-we are from Florida, but it was great. We saw a huge buck in the driveway when we arrived. The lodge is very spacious, we only had 4 adults but there is room for a lot of people. We made Thanksgiving dinner and the kitchen was well stocked-we found a mixer, whisk, measuring cups/spoons and there are crock pots, salt etc. We had a great time-we will have to come back in the summer.
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2021

8/10 Good

Karon O., Maple Grove Mn

Liked: Check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Disliked: Cleanliness
Wonderful building with some issues
It was perfect size for our group. However there is a mouse infestation. Droppings were found in silverware drawer. The outside grill is in terrible shape for use.
Stayed 6 nights in Jul 2020

10/10 Excellent

Bridget Y.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Snowmobile Adventure - 12 Adults
This property was amazing. Plenty of room, open space for cards, eating, fires, plenty of places to sit and relax, Amazing views of the lake, etc. Owner was wonderful about answering any questions about the area. I would highly recommend this to a group of people. We had 12 adults and had plenty of room! They were also stocked with everything you need (towels, plenty of extra blankets, kitchen was stocked with enough glasses, and all other kitchen items). I would defiantly stay there again with a group! Hope to see you next year!
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2020

8/10 Good

Bonnie j.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Family week at the lodge
We enjoyed our week at Windhaven lodge. Our grandkids loved the big yard and the lodge house had plenty of space for both the adults and 7 children. We all enjoyed the games and puzzles found in the lodge. The kitchen was well stocked with dishes and cooking pots and pans. Since our week was hot/warm, we were happy to find crockpots and a gas grill. The lake was good for swimming if we jumped into the deeper water. The shore is rocky and the rocks are slippery, so need water shoes to protect feet if wading into the lake from the shore. Our grandkids enjoyed their first “Minnesota” sauna experience - jumping in the lake after the sauna. We used the kayaks but not the canoe or fishing boat with oars. We did rent a pontoon one day. If we return, will consider renting a boat for the week.The rental was very clean (thanks Bonnie) and Kevin quickly responded to problems.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2024
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

8/10 Good

Heidi Z.

Great week in Historic Lodge on Lake Vermilion!
This property is very special- 6 bedrooms/3 baths/large gathering spaces combined with a ton of outdoor space and frontage on Lake Vermilion. Loved the giant deck/unobstructed views/boat lifts (we rented the Lodge and Cabin 1 so we had two lifts)/ two refrigerators in Lodge. For a large group this is perfect! The Lodge and Cabin 1 are older so that needs to be appreciated when staying here. We are finicky sleepers so we needed to bring with memory foam mattress toppers to be comfortable on the existing mattresses so I would recommend that for future guests. The proximity to the restaurants at the Vermilion Club and Fortune Bay Casino was excellent! Rodger- the owner- was very accommodating on an important request so we really appreciated that. The caretakers and maintenance crew were so friendly and enjoyable. We have great memories of our week here and hope to return next year.
Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2017
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Sarah H.

Hidden gem for a beautiful vacation
Really loved our time at Westhaven lodge. The home is a former resort with it's own small beach, dock and boat lift as well as a canoe and some other water gear. The first morning we woke early to go fishing and the sun was just rising. The view of the sun rising over the lake from the master bedroom was unbelievable! The whole week we thoroughly enjoyed our time- boating fishing, having family time around the campfire by the dock. The piano provided my daughter the chance to play some wonderful music in the books, and the kids entertained themselves with the many board games available. The kids watched a couple movies from the collection provided. A few minor issues were dealt with promptly by the cleaning staff. Basic kitchen utensils were available and plenty of table settings for a large group, the only things we missed were an electric mixer, lids to the larger pots, spices and tupperware containers. We ate all our meals there except one evening when we went out. We hope to return to this location again soon as it was one of our all time top annual family reunion vacations!
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2017

About the host

Hosted by Rodger Skare

Host profile image
The Skare family bought Westhaven Lodge, all of its cabins, and an additional 20 acres of heavily-wooded upland back in 1978 and operated the entire property as a resort for 20 years. Most of the original cabins making up the resort still exist, but the six furthest to the west were sold off to two great families who are now great neighbors. The next generation of the Skare Family continues to rent out the Lodge and Cabin 1, which were (and still are) the best of the original cabins.

Why they chose this property

Excellent family retreat with a private setting and unbelievable amenities; all in a resort area with a wealth of things to do---rain or shine.

What makes this property unique

Unique, historic fishing lodge containing six bedrooms, built in the 1930s and recently remodeled with a large dock, your own boat lift, a beach, a lakeside fire ring, a wood-burning sauna and a separate fish cleaning house.

Languages:

English