Rainy Lake Houseboats

I had an unforgettable trip to Rainy Lake last September, and staying on a houseboat with Rainy Lake Houseboats made it absolutely incredible. I went to celebrate my birthday with a close group of friends, and it was the perfect getaway. There were so many activities to choose from. Some of us spent the days fishing, others enjoyed getting lost in a good book, relaxing in the hot tub, kayaking across the calm water or exploring the nearby hiking trails. No matter your pace or interests, there was truly something for everyone. The Rainy Lake Houseboats crew was also amazing. They made sure we were fully prepped for our weekend and felt confident heading out. When we hit a literal road bump—running into a rock—they were quick to respond and had someone out to help us in no time. Their support made a big difference and gave us real peace of mind. I would highly recommend Rainy Lake Houseboats to anyone looking to unplug and enjoy the outdoors, whether you're an avid angler or just want to relax with friends. It was the perfect mix of adventure and downtime, and I can’t wait to go back.

We had a group of 6, none of which ever fished rainy, on a 4 day trip. The staff was absolutely great and very informative. The process of booking went smooth and all our questions were answered. I would definitely do this trip again through rainy lake houseboats, and would recommend them to anyone. We also did pretty good fishing, very fun trip.

Very and knowledgeable helpful staff. It was our first time ever boating and we felt confident after their directions. They were readily available for help or guidance out on the water as well. Beautiful scenery!

What an incredible trip! Was a bit nerve wracking at first learning to drive the big boat but once we got the hang of it and the navigation it was an unforgettable trip. The staff were friendly and helpful. We stayed on the water three nights and really should have done a few more to see the entire lake. Of note - the mosquitos were absolutely crazy, way worse than anything I have seen before! Bring some painters tape to make sure there aren't any gaps in the screen they can come in because they will crawl through some pretty small areas to get inside and bring plenty of bug spray. Only caught a couple of small fish unfortunately but that may have been related to the weather. The scenery is just gorgeous and plenty of wildlife to see, we saw bald eagles, beavers, otters, a variety of birds, and heard wolves at night.

Two dads. Seven children. One dog. What an epic adventure. Despite our inexperience our first ever houseboat trip on Rainy Lake was amazing. I would highly recommend Rainy Lake Houseboats if you're thinking about this sort of trip. The staff was friendly and easy going and they made the trip a breeze. We already reserved a boat for next year and plan to keep coming back.

Rented out a houseboat and the pull Out couch had pee on it. Told the manager, I wasn’t gonna write a review, but they sent out the boat that had pee on the couch to the next guest. This is gross and needs to be addressed. This is not right to the customers that rent the boat for thousands of dollars.boat 40

First time and won't be the last. Rented the Kempton that slept 12. 7 kids 4 adults. Highly recommend downloading the Navonics app for navigating this large body of water. It shows you where the houseboat sites are and the main navigation routes. Able to communicate with Base with any problems or questions. They were very generous in compensating us with troubles we had with our refrigerator. The only trouble we had which was minor. Plan on coming back with just adults to really take advantage of the great fishing. Coming back with the grand kids also. The houseboat was very clean and disinfected when we arrived. Cannot say enough about the staff the dock boys. They loaded the firewood and bait that we ordered. They are very knowledgeable of the area and feel free to ask them questions in regards to fishing or campsites. The young man that gave me the rundown of the houseboatand and drove us out on the channel was on the high school fishing team and had taken several first places. Really great person very helpful and informative. Wish I could remember his name but you know who I'm talkin about. Thank him again for us. Plan on seeing you twice next year and for a longer period of time.

What a wonderful experience! The reservation personal (Laura & Lindsey) were so helpful prior to our trip. The crew that were instrumental in loading our ridiculously amount of supplies 😂. The staff was so accommodating, SHOUT OUT to employees Noah & Gage! Such fine young men to have on your staff! Kudos to all that assisted us! Thank you!

Staff were helpful. My family took a trip on a houseboat. It was a great way to visit different camping spots on the large lake and have good swimming spots. The boat were older/ worn. The boat seemed good for fisherman and many users not use to driving a big boat. The basic guides were helpful provided were helpful.

We had hoped to rent a fair sized houseboat but our other families couldn't make it at the last minute due to their work and COVID travel restrictions. The kind helpful folks at Rainy Lake Houseboats let us trade for their rental house, which was terrific. I'm sure we will return (although it is quite a drive for us but it was well worth it). I was going to shout out a few of the people who helped us but looking back I'm pretty sure everybody there helped us in one way or another. Nice people!

Friendly staff. Several cleanliness issues.. Several series of boats have out dated furnishings. Carpet, sofas, bedding. Appliances are ok.

Our family of five had a spectacular time exploring Voyageurs National Park with our Rainy Lake Houseboat. The staff was so exceptionally helpful and friendly, from the young guys and gals doing the boat loading and site navigation assistance, to the ladies behind the desk/on the phones and emails. We were complete houseboat novices and were given some basic instructions and a map/app, then they let us go! Staff checked in with us periodically to make sure we were doing okay piloting and finding a good site. Our three boys swam and went down the waterslide to their absolute hearts' content, we enjoyed stargazing from the roof deck, we took the accompanying skiff out for some fishing, we hiked around and explored the rocky shores, we took the paddleboards we also rented out for many turns around the many bays. The boat is not fancy or new but was clean and in good repair, and I for one desperately wanted to steal some of the very very cute sheet sets we were provided. Seriously that strawberry set was an absolute highlight . My eldest said this was his favorite trip ever and we travel to different National Parks every year. We *highly* recommend this company for any adventurous family wanting an unforgettable National Park experience.

Spectacular but dilapidated - cannot recommend This is not a houseboat, but the Casa Loma property is run by the houseboat company. Casa Loma has a fantastic location, but the house has significant deferred maintenance and safety issues. We made a list of these issues and gave it to management at checkout, but the owner wasn't even interested enough to turn around and talk to us. We note now that similar issues were reported by other reviewers as far back as 2018. The house has a wrap-around deck. Many screws have popped up as much as an inch above the deck boards. Even though we tightened them repeatedly, the joists are so rotten that the screws have nothing to bite into, so they just popped up again a few hours later. Some of the deck boards bent nearly a half inch when stepped on - we tried to step only directly above a joist. The hot tub has leaked and rotted the boards around it - the joists have separated from the beams, and some of the boards have warped into "S" curves. The 4x4s holding up the hot tub are simply sitting on cinder blocks that aren't even level. None of our party felt safe getting into the hot tub, for fear it would collapse. The outside stairs are *seriously* in need of repair - the boards are split and rotted, and there are holes in the house next to the steps. We do not believe the deck and stairs would pass an inspection. The soffit and fascia are literally falling off the house on the east side (right above the deck). Inside the house, there is a hole in the master bedroom wall. The owner's response from similar previous comments was that they were booked solid and couldn't find time to repair the deck. For three years?? Smaller issues - which could all be easily fixed but weren't: The shade on the east master bedroom window should have been replaced years ago - it doesn't work, the tie-back won't stay in the wall, and it's a broken mess. The coffee pot didn't work, the dishwasher was too dirty to use, the base of one of the lamps was shattered. We found something that looked like droppings on a kitchen shelf. Lamps were missing light bulbs, which we replaced. The deck furniture is torn. There is nowhere to hang coats or wet clothes. Don't even think of bringing little kids here - the railings on the inside stairs aren't up to modern code and they have open risers. There is poison ivy along the walkway to the lake. The bunk bed had no way to get to the upper bunk and the railing was loose. And there is WHITE CARPETING in a vacation home meant for anglers - the owners requested that we didn't wear shoes in the house - while the throw rugs they provided had permanent creases in them that made them into trip hazards. Even if it hadn't been $3,400 for the week, we do not believe this property lived up to its advertising. It's unsafe, and we would not return.

A group of six of us rented a 50' houseboat called The Saginaw with a 16' Lund boat and motor. We noticed that the motor was kind of askew but didn't take a photo of it before leaving. We loaded everything on the houseboat and took off for a docking spot 3 hrs from the entrance. After we docked the houseboat, we noticed that one of the clamps on the motor of the fishing boat was broken. Also the fishing boat was taking on water. We literally had to bail every single time we went out fishing. There was also a hole in the hull of the fishing boat with duct tape on both sides. The houseboat was purchased in 1982 and in desperate need of painting and it was carpeted and dirty/stained looking. The "screened in porch" was also carpeted and when it rained or was dewey it was constantly wet. The bedrooms were ghastly! The beds were 2x4's and plywood with a mattress thrown on top. The bedding was stripped pastel like your grandmas and probably that old. The mattresses were hard as a rock. The only good things about this houseboat were the refrigerator, coffee maker, microwave and grill. The oven had temperature problems. When we returned, we told the owners about the broken bracket and they accused us of breaking it and charged us $350. So be sure to photograph everything before leaving port. You need vast experience on inboard motors, generators, and engines.

Would have offered no stars if possible. Understand I never write reviews, however the vacation we paid over two thousand dollars for from was so awful I must. Rented a Saginaw for three night, full of mold, front deck smelled so badly like rotten fish it was un-useable. Could not sleep in the rooms because of gas smell. Final day we had to jump start their boat to even call back to base on the marine band radio all the while no one checked on us once. Please do not make my same mistake and stay away!!! If not and you have issue do not expect any remorse from the owners or staff.

Wow. Spent a long weekend up here for a Bachelor party. 5 stars, as good as it gets. You can order from a supermarket that will pack it onto your boat. They will' deliver ice, bait, etc. while your on the lake. We had a blast and would definitely return. Had what amounted to our own beach area each day for 5 days. Great sleeping conditions, Bathroom worked fine, great stereo on board, played bags on the roof, caught fish all weekend.

Our group reserved two 16' boats from Rainy Lake Houseboats back in early May 2018. In June we received an email saying they couldn't fulfill our reservation. At this point we've booked lodging, travel arrangements, etc. and don't have a boat. We're very disappointed a reservation doesn't mean much for Rainy Lake Houseboats. Boaters beware!