Perfect location, serene and peaceful, right on the waterfront with a beach. Our dogs particularly loved it! The house was immaculately clean and contained everything we needed for a perfect break away.

There is nothing in particular that we disliked!

I’m not sure I’ll be able to say enough positive things about our experience at Hartley Lake Hideaway because it was so different from your average vacation home. My wife and I have booked several vacation home/B&B experiences over the years through multiple sites and in several different destinations around the globe (US, Canada, France, UK) but this experience outshined them all both in the quality of the home and the outstanding, very welcoming communication from the host. John’s home is lovingly decorated and furnished to such a high standard, far exceeding anything we’ve seen in a vacation home before. The kitchen is well stocked and is equipped with high-end appliances which creates a sense of luxury that we loved. Every detail throughout the home and grounds has been well thought out. We wanted for nothing! The home was EXCEPTIONALLY clean, which was so, so appreciated! The bed (ground floor) was extremely comfortable and great for the sore backs we both suffer from. Hartley Lake itself is lovely. We saw and heard several loons, which is always a delight. It’s a private lake, which provided peace and quiet. There is a sandy beach and, while we didn’t go swimming this time, swimming would be really nice in this lake as its depth only gradually increases, but still not too deep at the end of the dock, so probably pretty safe for young kids (which we do not have). The fire pit is nice and the Adirondack rockers on the deck were great. Very comfortable. I didn’t want to get up. Lol. We could never grow tired of the view of the lake from the deck. The location is secluded yet an easy drive to get anything you need, whether in Baxter or Brainerd, so very convenient. The restaurants we tried were good and we would go back (Dunmier’s on the Lakes, a 3 minute drive, and Ernie’s on Gull Lake). More importantly, not only WOULD we go back to this home again, we have already booked another stay for a week, later in 2025. Looking forward to it, for sure!

I really can't think of anything we didn't like, probably because the host clearly thought of everything in advance. Just wish we could have stayed longer.