Beautiful border waters lake retreat, 50ft from waters edge! Private dock!

4 bedrooms2 bathroomsSleeps 81800 sq ft

Popular amenities

Hot Tub

Fireplace

Outdoor Space

Kitchen

Barbecue grill

Washer

Explore the area

Ranier, MN

Smokey Bear Park6 min drive
St. Thomas Aquinas Parish6 min drive
International Falls, MN (INL-Falls Intl.)9 min drive
Voyageurs National Park13 min drive

Rooms & beds

4 bedrooms (sleeps 8)

Bedroom 1

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 2

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 3

1 Twin Bunk Bed and 1 Twin Bed

Bedroom 4

2 Twin Beds

2 bathrooms

Bathroom 1

Bathtub or shower · Bathtub · Toilet

Bathroom 1

Toilet · Shower only

Spaces

Deck or patio

Kitchen

Garden

Dining Area

About this property

Nestled on beautiful Rainy Lake, on the US/Canadian border, is The Lake House. Owned by Bill and Terry Lahmayer since 1983, this very unique home is situated in the quaint, historic, lakeside village of Ranier, MN, just two miles east of International Falls. Just 50 feet from the water's edge, The Lake House offers stunning sunsets and lake views. Directly across the lake is Ontario Canada. A private, 44ft. dock, lakeside fire pit, and sand-bottom swimming are yours to enjoy. Built in 1936, The Lake House is tastefully decorated in a mix of traditional and vintage furnishings and comfortably accommodates 6-10 guests.

A stone's throw away is Ranier Beach, Loony's Brew Pub, Tara's Warf ice cream shop, and our local Fishing Hall of Fame fishing guide -- Woody's Fairly Reliable Guide Service. A public boat ramp is right there as well for convenient boat launching. A few more blocks away is the Ranier Municiple tavern, train depot, post office, darling community building, and wonderful Ranier Park. In winter, a snowmobile trail runs through town, and Ranier boasts two ice rinks (one for pick-up hockey games and the other for free skating), as well as a sliding hill for the kiddies.

Voyageurs National Park, the only national park accessible only by water, is a mere 8 miles east. So whether you are looking to enjoy some fishing, boating, kayaking, swimming, canoeing, biking, snowmobiling, cross country skiing, skating, or just relaxing, we have it all!

It is our desire to bless others with the opportunity for a wonderful getaway on Rainy Lake and all that The Lake House has to offer. So come and spend a few days, a week, or even longer, with us! (Maybe you will even get to experience the incredible Northern Lights!)

Fun fact! Although built as a home in the l930s, the original owners, Merville and Helen Trompeter, converted it into a restaurant in the l950s. Named the Twin Elms -- "Home of hot biscuits", Helen herself did the cooking and baking. People even came by boat for some of Helen's delicious fare! We have incorporated much of the history of the house and the area, into our decorating.

Property manager

Terry and Bill Lahmayer

Amenities

Hot Tub

Kitchen

Washer

Dryer

Outdoor Space

Barbecue grill

Kitchen

Washer

Dryer

Pet friendly

House Rules

Check in after 3:00 PM

Minimum age to rent: 25

Check out before 11:00 AM

Children

Children allowed: ages 0-17

Lake/dock are water hazards. Low windows upstairs.

Events

No events allowed

Pets

No pets allowed

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

No smoking anywhere on property.

Use of dock is at guests' own risk. Owners are not responsible for any damage or loss to water craft or other property. No frying fish on deck.

This is a non-smoking property in its entirety. Violation of this rule may result in loss of damage deposit.

Quiet hours between 11pm and 8am. No fireworks allowed.

Damage and incidentals

You will be responsible for any damage to the rental property caused by you or your party during your stay.

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

A car is required for transportation to and from this property

About the neighborhood

Ranier

Located in Ranier, this vacation home is on a lake. The River Golf Course and Kitchen Creek Golf & Country Club are worth checking out if an activity is on the agenda, while those wishing to experience the area's natural beauty can explore Voyageurs National Park and Rainy Lake Visitor Center. Be sure to check out the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.

Ranier, MN

What's nearby

Bronko Nagurski Museum - 6 min drive
Smokey Bear Park - 6 min drive
St. Thomas Aquinas Parish - 6 min drive
Voyageurs National Park - 13 min drive
Rainy Lake Visitor Center - 17 min drive

Getting around

International Falls, MN (INL-Falls Intl.) - 9 min drive

Restaurants

Hardee's - 8 min drive
La Place Rendez-Vous Hotel - 10 min drive
Border Bar Pizza Parlor - 5 min drive
Dairy Queen - 6 min drive
McDonald's - 8 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Beautiful border waters lake retreat, 50ft from waters edge! Private dock! pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

What time is check-in at Beautiful border waters lake retreat, 50ft from waters edge! Private dock!?

Check-in begins at 3:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Beautiful border waters lake retreat, 50ft from waters edge! Private dock!?

Check-out is at 11:00 AM.

Where is Beautiful border waters lake retreat, 50ft from waters edge! Private dock! located?

Situated on a lake, this vacation home is within 6 mi (10 km) of Bronko Nagurski Museum, Smokey Bear Park, and St. Thomas Aquinas Parish. The Fort Frances Museum and St Mary's Roman Catholic Church are also within 6 mi (10 km).

10

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labeled.

Learn more

10/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

10/10 Excellent

Jeannie C.

Aug 28, 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wedding

Our family was in I Falls for our son's wedding. Terry & Bill were very gracious hosts. The house is very organized for all your needs, everything you forgot or didn't think you wanted to bring, was there! Beautiful location, we really were able to enjoy the week, our grandchildren had permanent smiles on their faces.

Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Patricia T.

Jul 31, 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

The Lake House on Rainy Lake

This is a beautiful home fully equipped with everything needed for a relaxing vacation on Rainy Lake. We cannot say enough about the lovely, gracious hosts Terry and Bill. They were responsive to all our questions and are a wealth of information on things to do in the area and the best places to fish. We hope to be back soon!

Stayed 6 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Maddy H.

Aug 7, 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect family vacation!

We stayed at the Lake House for a week with our family (kids aged 18, 15, 11, 9) and had a great time! The house is clean and fully stocked. Bill and Terry are so kind and communication was excellent. There was enough room for everyone to spread out and have their own space indoors and outdoors. We loved the fire pit, sunbathing on the dock, drinking coffee on the porch, and family movie nights! We brought our fishing boat and spent most days on the lake catching walleye, pike, and small mouth bass. Our son caught a 41”, 13 lb pike and another one just slightly smaller. We enjoyed the Rainy Lake Grill and ice cream at Tara’s Wharf. Parents even got away for a drink at Cantilever, so good! Everything is within walking distance in Ranier. We golfed in International Falls, went to Voyageurs a couple times to hike, and had lunch at Sha Sha Resort. The Lake House was perfect for our family and we will definitely be back!

Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

Lori W.

Aug 22, 2021

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

GREAT LAKE HOUSE IN RANIER

We had a great time at the Lake House in Ranier! It is quiet and you are very close to the town. Everything we needed was in the house. It is very clean and contacting Bill and Terry was quick and they are extremely helpful! The lakefront of the home has it's own swimming area, plus there are two beaches in town that are very close. We enjoyed our stay very much and there is plenty of room in the home for your family. Thank you again, Bill and Terry, for a wonderful home for our family to stay!

Stayed 9 nights in Jul 2021

10/10 Excellent

Janette H.

Aug 3, 2021

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wonderful home!! Property was excellent!

Good!

Stayed 6 nights in Jul 2021

About the host

Hosted by Terry and Bill Lahmayer

We (Bill and Terry), purchased The Lake House when we were in our early twenties with a 1 year-old son. Both born and raised in Wisconsin, we moved to Ranier in 1983. Originally we planned to stay in the area for just a "few years", but the people, Ranier, and Rainy Lake captured our hearts. We decided to stay and added two more children to our family along the way. In 2011, we made the very difficult decision to relocate to the Duluth area, but decided to keep our Rainy Lake home as a long-term rental. Because we missed spending time there, we recently decided to try operating a vacation rental instead. That way, we could give others the opportunity to enjoy it short-term, and still have time there for ourselves. I think you, too, will find that it's a very special place.

Why they chose this property

While looking for a home to purchase after our move to the area in 1983, we couldn't find anything that really appealed to us -- until this one. In spite of its unattractive exterior at that time, and it's need for a great deal of work, we fell in love with the place the first time we saw it. The vaulted ceiling, huge living room, massive fireplace, second story railing/hallway overlooking the main living area, and the darling little window --- were just too much to resist! We spent the next 30 plus years updating, replacing and remodeling. With the exception of one of the bedrooms, every single room was taken down to the studs and renovated. Also fascinating to us was the history of the house. Built in the 1930s by the Trompeter family, the house became a restaurant for a number of years in the 1950s. The Twin Elms, as it was called, was known as the -- "home of hot biscuits and honey"! We have incorporated the home's history into it's décor, along with photos of Ranier in it's earliest days. In those formative, wild years, there were many houses of "ill repute". However, our house was not one of them, lol! But even more captivating than the house and it's history, was the beauty of Rainy Lake. It's medicine for our souls and we are so thankful that the Lord has blessed us with it for all these years.

What makes this property unique

With the water's edge just steps from your door, there's no hassling with the hauling of coolers, chairs, toys, blankets, etc. up and down a long stairway or over rocky ground to get from house-to-water. The yard, the dock, the water --- it's all right there! And hearing the gently lapping of the waves at night, is so wonderfully calming. Stunning sunsets never fail to dazzle, no matter how many you've seen. Hearing the call of a loon on a quiet summers evening is a special kind of music. Watching the mama ducks paddle by with their babies in tow, as well as seeing geese, pelicans, seagulls and sometimes beavers and otters, is so rewarding. The sight of a Bald Eagle circling overhead and swooping down to catch a fish in it's talons is amazing. And then there are the Northern Lights! They are not a regular occurrence, but if you happen to catch them, they will take your breath away. Other things we have enjoyed immensely... the privilege of having a boat tied up to the dock, ready to go out for an evening of fishing just down from the Ranier bridge... lounging around on the dock and watching the kids play in the water... And one of my very favorite activities --- having a campfire at the waters edge on a calm, summers night. It can't be beat. However, I have to be honest and say that the mosquitoes can be challenging, especially during the first half of the summer. Fogging the yard and wearing a good bug dope will make a huge difference. While wonderful in many respects, we need to remember that no place is perfect!

Tell us how we can improve our siteShare feedback