On lake.At this Mc Grath cabin, you'll be within 6 miles (10 km) of Snake River and 20 miles (32 km) of Kettle River. Mille Lacs Lake and Banning State Park are also within 20 miles (32 km).
Federal Correctional Institution, Sandstone - 50 min drive - 53.1 km
Grand Casino Hinckley - 56 min drive - 67.8 km
About this property
Entire place
You'll have the entire cabin to yourself and will only share it with other guests in your party.
Spiral Staircase Leads To The Lofted Bedroom And Overlooks The Birch Woods.
The Birches is our largest of the “small” cabins. It has a spacious two level design. The entryway has a wraparound screened in porch with just enough room for some chairs and a table for summertime outdoor relaxation. You enter into the kitchen which has a small refrigerator with a freezer, a microwave, a two burner cook top, a large toaster oven, coffee pot, crock pot, tea kettle, and all the necessary kitchen utensils and dinnerware. There is a small dining space in the kitchen as well as one by the large viewing windows facing the bird feeder and birch woods. Facing the fireplace is the kingsize day bed/couch. There is also a 3/4 bath on the main level. The spiral staircase leads to two beds upstairs with a rocking chair nestled in the corner by one of the beds which creates a perfect spot for some nighttime reading. Surrounded by unique windows, the room fills with sunshine on sunny days. A CD player, air conditioner, floor/table fans as well as ceiling fans, additional oil filled heater, off peak electric storage heater, Wi-Fi, an outdoor grill, a tree swing, and an outdoor fire pit are also available.
Property manager
Michael Bonnette
Languages
English
Similar properties
Pet freindly cabin in the meadows on the edge of the forest with big windows
Pet freindly cabin in the meadows on the edge of the forest with big windows
Carbon monoxide detector (host has indicated there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property)
Smoke detector (host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property)
First aid kit
Fire extinguisher
General
Garden
Property located in a resort
Unit size: 600 square feet
Policies
Check-in
Check-in time starts at 4:00 PM
Contactless check-in available
Minimum check-in age: 18
Check-out
Check-out before 11:00 AM
Special check-in instructions
You will receive an email from the host with check-in and check-out instructions
Pets
Pets are welcome
Maximum 1 pets
Restrictions apply
For more information, you can reach out to the property at the number on the booking confirmation
Service animals are exempt from fees
Note from host: two pets see pet policy
Children and extra beds
Children are welcome.
Note from host: There is a balcony with ledge at top of stairs
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
Parties and events (including family gatherings, birthday parties and weddings) are allowed on site; maximum attendees: 77
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 and a first aid kit
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
Charges for extra guests may apply and vary according to property policy.
A cash deposit, credit card, or debit card for incidental charges and government-issued photo identification may be required upon check-in.
Special requests are subject to availability at the time of check-in. Special requests can't be guaranteed and may incur additional charges.
This property is managed by a private host, not a professional engaged in trade or business. Parties and events (including family gatherings, birthday parties and weddings) are allowed on site. Maximum attendees: 77. For guests' safety, the property includes a carbon monoxide detector, a fire extinguisher, a smoke detector, and a first aid kit in each accommodation.
We should mention
To make arrangements for your pet, contact the property directly using the information on your booking confirmation.
Spiral Staircase Leads To The Lofted Bedroom And Overlooks The Birch Woods. Reviews
Reviews
8.4
Very good
All reviews shown are from real guest experiences. Only travellers who have booked a stay with us can submit a review. We verify reviews according to our guidelines and publish all reviews, positive or negative.
Rating 10 - Excellent. 15 out of 24 reviews
10 - Excellent
15
Rating 8 - Good. 4 out of 24 reviews
8 - Good
4
Rating 6 - Okay. 1 out of 24 reviews
6 - Okay
1
Rating 4 - Poor. 2 out of 24 reviews
4 - Poor
2
Rating 2 - Terrible. 2 out of 24 reviews
2 - Terrible
2
8.4/10
Cleanliness
Reviews
8/10 Good
Andrew H.
Oct 3, 2024
Liked: Cleanliness
Cozy!
We used this cabin for a two night stay as a sort of base camp as we road-tripped around northern Minnesota chasing autumn leaf color change. It definitely matched my expectations based on the listing, although my wife found it a bit too rustic for her taste. Definitely very cozy - it was awesome rolling out of bed and getting a fire started in the wood stove on a chilly morning! We didn’t explore the immediate area much so I can’t speak to that. But it was a very nice and quiet stay. I’d stay again.
Andrew H.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2024
10/10 Excellent
Verified traveller
Jun 2, 2023
Liked: Cleanliness
Perfect weekend get away spot
Loved the Cozy cabin, the property was well maintained and it was just what we needed for a quick weekend in the woods!
Verified traveller
Stayed 2 nights in May 2023
10/10 Excellent
Greg G.
Sep 12, 2022
Liked: Cleanliness
Very Nice Getaway
Very clean, lots of trails to hike. The best part was it was very quiet and peaceful and only 2 hour drive. I would highly recommend this place.
Greg G.
Stayed 5 nights in Sep 2022
10/10 Excellent
Sharon B.
Jul 8, 2022
Liked: Cleanliness
Quaint Cabin
We enjoyed our stay. The cabin was sweet and had what we needed to cook and enjoy our time there. We loved seeing the animals on the property and felt we had plenty of privacy. The proprietor was responsive and brought up a new coffee maker when our's was not working. We would probably like to return in the fall when it is not so buggy.
Sharon B.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2022
10/10 Excellent
Meghan M.
Jun 10, 2022
Liked: Cleanliness
Hark! This here's a mighty fine establishment indeed!
Twas a a late spring afternoon. The sun shone with it's gentle grace common for the time of year, and a gentle breeze welcomed us as we drove up the driveway. The property manager had greeted us in a timely manner and swiftly we were settling into a cabin most quaint and welcoming. The grounds were sprawling, forested and simply radiant with the pristine majesty of Minnesota's woodlands. All of the amenities left us wanting for nothing. The wood burning stove, who's ambience and warmth, staved off the penetrating blackness of night was a notable highlight. I could not offer a higher recommendation.
Meghan M.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2022
4/10 Poor
Linda Z., United States
Aug 16, 2021
Weekend Getaway
This property is NOT in Finlayson. It’s located over 30 miles from Finlayson in McGrath and takes about an hour to get to from Finlayson. Beware of the exotic birds.
Linda Z.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2021
10/10 Excellent
darcy t.
Aug 1, 2021
Liked: Cleanliness
Beautiful.
The place was peaceful and the people were friendly. We had a great time and plan on coming back.
darcy t.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2021
10/10 Excellent
Travis L., USA
Mar 21, 2021
Liked: Cleanliness
Late winter getaway
Lovely getaway from life. Michael and The Shire offer low key relaxation in cozy spaces with plenty of outdoor access. We love the fireplace and the mini kitchen setup which gives the ability to have a little slice of home comfort while away.
Travis L.
Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2021
6/10 Okay
Stacey S.
Jan 1, 2021
Beautiful spot, quaint cabin
It’s a quaint, unique cabin on a beautiful chunk of property in the woods. so nice to be able to walk out the door and take a hike.
So nice that linens and towels are provided.
Nice to have a small full kitchen.
Description said two bedrooms, which it only has one loft bedroom. The other “Bedroom” is the main small living room where the pull out bed/daybed is.
The description said that some dry goods were available in the kitchen, but only half of them were. Maybe that’s because of Covid, or an oversight.
A few lightbulbs needed replacing.
The owner was more responsive before arrival. But upon arrival I took several hours to respond to texts or calls. It wasn’t anything urgent, and I would hope they would be responsive if it was.
All in all a quaint cabin in a gorgeous location. Next time will prefer to book directly with the owners.
Stacey S.
10/10 Excellent
Steven O., Lakeville, MN
Nov 11, 2020
Liked: Cleanliness
Everything advertised
Very cozy, clean and relaxing.
Steven O.
10/10 Excellent
Kirsten A.
Oct 6, 2020
Liked: Cleanliness
A quiet place to relax and do some hiking
We enjoyed our stay in the Birches cabin. The cabin was cozy and even though there are other cabins close by, it still felt like we were in a remote location. There was always something interesting to see on the trails. We would definitely stay here again.
Kirsten A.
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2020
2/10 Terrible
Verified traveller
Sep 19, 2020
Disliked: Cleanliness
BUYER BEWARE
MY HUSBAND AND I STAYED FOR NEARLY TWO WEEKS. WE HAD A HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE! THE PLACE WAS FILTHY AND FULL OF MOLD AND COB WEBS, DIRTY SHEETS, ETC....AMENITIES LISTED WERE NOT AVAILABLE, LIKE INTERNET, ESSENTIALS, TOILET PAPER, FRESH BEDDING, CLEAN TOWELS....WE WENT INTO TOWN TO PURCHASE OUR OWN BECAUSE THE OWNER THREATENED TO CHARGE EXTRA AFTER AN ALREADY WAY INFLATED PRICE, WE BOUGHT TOILET PAPER, PAPER TOWELS, SHOWER TOWELS...THEY WERE RUDE AND NOT WELCOMING TO 2 FAMILY MEMBERS THAT CAME FOR THE DAY, VERY UNWELCOMING, WE LEFT OUR RESERVATION EARLY DUE TO THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, SAVE YOURSELF FROM THIS EXPERIENCE AND KEEP LOOKING. WE TRAVEL A LOT AND THIS WAS THE WORST EXPEREINCE WE HAVE EVER HAD
Verified traveller
Stayed 11 nights in Aug 2020
8/10 Good
Corey D.
Jul 25, 2020
Liked: Cleanliness
Beautiful quiet getaway
Good
Corey D.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2020
2/10 Terrible
Christina L.
May 29, 2020
Disliked: Cleanliness
Not as Advertised
Our stay started pretty routine after online booking. We were then notified by the owner that he messed up our booking due to a family issue and offered us another unit on his property to rent, which was appreciated as it was Memorial Day weekend and places were limited. The owner stated the place was a bigger cabin with same amenities. We stated we’d take a look when we got there, attempting to be gracious. Upon arrival, the grounds were covered in horse and chicken poop. The chickens were free range and running everywhere. The place was very unkempt with litter on the grounds. The “cabin” was dirty and old and had a strong chemical smell. The owner was lurking around feeding his horses and chickens, leaving very little privacy. When we told him we wanted to cancel our reservation, he refused to refund our money. He was rude and argumentative and disputed the charge with VBRO. I would never stay here again! Creepy and dirty!
Christina L.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2020
10/10 Excellent
Andrew G.
Jan 19, 2020
Liked: Cleanliness
Very Quiet and relaxing
We stayed here and a weekend get away, I was great. Very peaceful and quiet
Andrew G.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2020
10/10 Excellent
Mike A.
Sep 3, 2019
Liked: Cleanliness
I will be returning
Quite and private
Mike A.
10/10 Excellent
Ziying W.
Jul 19, 2019
Liked: Cleanliness
It was fun
It was nice. Property is cute and clean. Property manager is friendly. Everything is good except too many bugs outside.
Ziying W.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2019
4/10 Poor
diana m., North Branch
Aug 27, 2018
Mediocre, but not what I was looking for
The Cabin was cute but disappointing. I thought it was more private, not next to others. Staff were friendly and the grounds were okay; too buggy to go anywhere the woods. The cabin was stocked very nicely and had everything we needed. The cabin was full of spiders and cobb webs, dust bunnies, very outdated, had spare items laying around like several tiny used bar soaps in the cupboard, odds and ends of large bathroom hardware in the towel cupboard, dark towels with bleach stains and long strings hanging from them. The grill had a two fuzzy fur balls in it, looked liked dead animals. Cabin next door was smoking THC both nights. Sorry, just wasn't planning on this for a getaway. Spent our time away from the location and only slept there.
diana m.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2018
10/10 Excellent
Andre G.
May 22, 2018
It was amazing
Great get away from the city, my phone and a lot of enjoying nature the beauty that surrounds. Reminds me of where I grew up as a kid, 10/10 would recommend !
Just pack your own drinking water and stay up on gas because gas stations are far!
Andre G.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2018
10/10 Excellent
Kris H., St. Paul, MN
Jan 25, 2018
Super chill
Birches is a really lovely place to relax away from it all. The cabin is very thoughtfully set up - everything you need. It was unseasonably warm for January so we walked instead of skiing. Beautiful. We'll stay again!
Kris H.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2018
10/10 Excellent
Dana B., Minneapolis
Jan 9, 2017
Cozy Winter Getaway
The Birches cabin was a wonderful getaway for my partner and I and our 3-year old. Everything is set up so well for rest and relaxation, and we loved making a fire in the wood stove each day. Reading in the loft, games in front of the fire, and walking the trails around the Shire. Strongly recommend this cabin, and thanks again to the wonderful owners!
Dana B.
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2016
10/10 Excellent
Laura C.
Aug 22, 2016
Cozy getaway a perfect distance from the cities
I was looking for a cute and cozy cabin to get away from the hustle of the cities. The Shire was perfect. about 90 minutes straight north, easy to find and in the middle of nowhere, it felt like we were really able to get away. I loved how remote the location was and how focused on nature the Shire was. It was quiet and peaceful, there was no TV, there was plenty of wood to make a fire. The cabin (we stayed in the Birches) was incredibly well thought out with everything you could want or need for the weekend. Be sure to bring your own groceries because there are some dive bars/restaurants but they are a bit of a drive, nothing super close by. And make sure to fill up on gas about 30 miles out because eventually the towns get so small there are no gas stations. But it was fabulous, I can't wait to go back again. I feel so rested, I wish I could have stayed longer.
Laura C.
8/10 Good
Kristina S.
May 25, 2016
A nice place to get away for the weekend
Easy to find, quiet and peaceful. Felt welcomed during the check-in process. Appreciated the screened-in porch - great place to sit and enjoy the weather without being hassled by bugs. Ceiling and floor/oscillating fans were great to keep the temps reasonable inside. Nice to have the kitchen stocked with necessary plates/utensils/pots, etc. Nice to have multiple windows for viewing and cross-breeze. Overall, a pleasant place for a weekend get-away.
Suggestions: perhaps a more comfortable chair in main room (chair currently by the bathroom wasn't easy to sit on for very long). Pricing: include the cleaning fee as part of the standard rate, not as extra charge (especially if guests are expected to do some of the cleaning themselves). Also firewood - we didn't use any, but we were still charged. Perhaps include automatically in winter months, but let guests opt for the extra charge in the summer months.
Thanks!
Kristina S.
8/10 Good
Amy B.
Mar 25, 2016
Adorable!
I would recommend staying here. Very cute place. No complaints at all. We were able to just keep to ourselves, have a nice fire and relax. Thank you!