The Outing Lodge

I had a Groupon which I used for my wife's birthday early this month. So, I jumped on opportunity to give this place a try. We had already came here in March for their March Chocolate B&B Tour. So, we were impressed with the wonderful landscaping as well as actor-themed rooms. I was lucky to book early enough for us to stay at the Eva Peron room (largest in the house) over this weekend. Check-in was recommended at 3PM with the other Groupon guests to have the house tour followed by wine and cheese. Our host helped us up to our room. We were surprised at the layout with 3 rooms inside. There was the bedroom in the main room. To the immediate right, there was a separate large bathroom (jetted hot tub and shower). The 2nd room to the right was another smaller bedroom/study room with 2 desks. One of the desks had an old typewriter and loved the antique style picked out by the owner's wife, Carlota. We used this room to do some work if we didn't want to bother each other in the wee hours in the night. The 3rd room was straight in the back along the window which was a sun room. It had a recliner chair with a small fold-able cot along with fridge and microwave. With temperatures in the 90's, we avoided this room until the sunset or early in the morning.Once it reached 3:30PM, all the guests arrived and we walked down to the lobby for tour of the library as well as the grounds. It ended in the basement floor where there is a bar setup with tables. We got to taste both red and white wines along with some cheese and crackers with the other couples. Afterwards, we were torn to use the coupons our host gave us to some downtown Stillwater restaurants. We decided to try out Lolo's which I remembered was mentioned to me when I booked the room.After returning back, we took a stroll in the Pine Point Park which is behind the Outing Lodge. We got a little lost but found our way back using the Gateway bike trail. We had a Redbox DVD so was able to enjoy that in our room since there was a DVD player with the TV.The next morning, we were awoken to a large rainstorm and later came down for breakfast at 9AM. Wow, the layout was truly unique with European style breakfast with croissants, puffy pastries, some fresh baguette slices with cold cuts and cheeses, cheese omelet, melon berry with yogurt as well as granola and fresh fruit cocktail. There are more but my photos will be better to show you what a thorough and thoughtful job for the true B&B experience.We later came back to our room and packed up to check out. Wow, my wife was very impressed so hope to come back again. Be sure to wear bug spray as well as long pants when you go exploring the trails in the backyard. We had rainy weather so the bugs were biting. Plus, the state park signs warned of ticks too. There is WiFi which is a huge plus since the last B&B that we stayed at didn't have it.https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g43386-d123473-r381965640-Outing_Lodge_at_Pine_Point-Oak_Park_Heights_Minnesota.html#

Very disappointing experience. My husband and I and two friends stayed there for one night. The place is dirty, one room was cold since the heating didn't work. Our friends had to sleep with their winter jackets on. Beds are one of the most uncomfortable ones I have ever slept in. Three of us are vegetarian and basically the option for us was to get rice and the meat had been taken out from the dish. Not something you want to pay so much for. For our vegan friend there were no options at all. The place is dated, dirty and what you can feel everywhere is the astonishing and completely ungrounded sense of entitlement and pride that the owners project in the descriptions and policy signs they placed all over the establishment.It all happened a few years ago yet our friends and us can't stop going back in disbelief to that awful experience.

This place is very outdated and not kept up well. Walking in the front door we were struck by an 'old, dank smell'. Our bedding even felt damp. I asked for two beds, we got one. Rooms were unfinished with old, dirty decor on the walls. We made a point to be in the room just for sleeping and got out first thing in the morning. Who markets that there are dead people buried on the property? The place has potential, but needs serious work!

Went for a one night stay. We came for a quick micro vacation over the weekend. We had delicious chicken pot pies, lovely -25F snow shoeing by moonlight walk and relaxing fire side book reading. The history, staff, and unique factor make this quirky charming B&B a must. It did the trick to help us recharge our batteries over a snowy MN weekend.

I really wish I could give a higher rating. However if I could give a 2.5 star rating I would. There are things really great about the place, such as the friendly host, the complementary wine and cheese sampling and tour upon arrival, Choco the friendly and lovable chocolate lab who loves to go for walks on the gorgeous state park trails, the cozy first floor fire place, and the tasty breakfast served each morning. We read bad reviews about the dog, however he was the sweetest dog we had met. He's really a perk of staying here. However the downsides were finding dog hair all over our bed sheets and ants in our bathroom and bedroom area in the winter months. Unsure why there would be ants in the bathroom? But they were crawling all over the floor by the sink. The host was so nice I didn't have the heart to tell him about the ants. We had a good time however probably would not return. If you like history, this place has some great history behind it (was a poor house, then a nursing home and now a b&b). You can tell a lot of work has gone into remodeling it however some areas could use some more help, such as updating the bathroom a bit in the Picasso room #3. My boyfriend and I are up for adventures, this was def an adventure! :) we had a restful and relaxing stay. Although my boyfriend had a difficult time sleeping the second night cause the bed was sinking in.

My husband and I recently stayed at the Outing Lodge. The house had a charming exterior. I imagine the grounds are even more beautiful in the summer and fall. The interior decor was interesting- some unique design elements. The multiple fireplaces and the upstairs library intrigued us the most. We stayed in the Bob Dylan room - decor included some Bobby Z memorabilia. The room was compact; the bed seemed a bit hard; the TV was small; and the bathroom tub was somewhat strange with bricks used as faucet knob stoppers. However, we did not expect a Radisson - we expected a historic home with a personality -the Outing had that.We were provided champagne and chocolate truffles. I was not fond of the champagne. We were disappointed and frustrated to be advised we were not to bring our own wine and then find the bar in the lodge was not open so we could not purchase a bottle either.Breakfast was pleasant and had a variety of options - yogurt, cereal, fresh fruit, breads, eggs, meat and cheese, and juice, milk and coffee/tea. We enjoyed it. The fresh flowers on each table were a nice touch. This B & B may not appeal to everyone. It is a bit rustic; it doesn't have top of the line amenities; the interior design and decor are both unusual and "messy". But, for us, the intent was to get away from the chaos and hecticness of our everyday routines. The Outing Lodge gave us the time and place to do just that.Although we most likely will not visit again (so many other B&Bs to try) we had a relaxing and restful stay.

This is a great Bed and Breakfast in the rural area of Stillwater. The breakfast was delicious! Nice variety of pastries, eggs, French toast, meats, cheeses and beverages. The location is very close to Gateway Trail and Pine Point Park. The rooms are very spacious and clean with good air conditioning on a hot humid summer night. It was very quiet overnight! We enjoyed one of theme dinners to get a feel for the place before our wedding. Our wedding was perfect! We could not have been happier with how the entire experience turned out! We look forward to coming back every year for one of their theme dinners to enjoy atmosphere and food again.

The room and lodge were clean. Otherwise, this was disappointing. The lodge is beautiful but the grounds aren't maintained well. The room is very basic and although "themed", it wasn't. It's definitely over priced and we can't recommend it.

Welcome to Grey Gardens! (ahem) I mean the The Outing Lodge...Oh boy, where to begin? While it is extremely tempting to write a lengthy novella of a review about the Outing Lodge (est. 1858) as an homage to it's past as a Victorian Dickenseque poor house I will have to tell this unsettling tale using the modern conventions of lists and bullet points. This is a review of the B & B experience only. If you want the short version here it is...* Outrageous cost ($215) for a run down room that felt like price gouging* As an event center, the grounds offer a unique faded beauty and charming gardens and are lovely -- as a B & B it is a tragedy* The owner REALLY needs to do some market research and stay in a few similarly priced places to understand their competition, and why that price point is completely off base for what is offered* As a competitive example... the last B & B I stayed in at this price point was the amazing Savannah Bed and Breakfast Inn in Savannah, GA and it was fantastic. And now the long version...Let's begin with the tale of two sisters -- myself J., and my younger sister A., who decided to enjoy a one-night stay at the lodge on a Friday in August, 2019. Two sisters, who by the end of a 24 hour stay, felt just like the infamous "Little Edie" and "Big Edie" of Gray Gardens. Why you ask? Here are the reasons in order of most problematic:Unhealthy and Potentially Unsafe Elements * Overpowering musty, moldy and mildew odor was pervasive, especially near the bar area and rooms 1 and 1A. There was a sickly sweet chemical smell of some type of Pine-sol cleaner or air freshener that was attempting to mask or address the mustiness, but with no luck. Those with allergies should NOT stay here, and I would imagine the air quality in those areas is not good for anyone. * Bathroom in our room - Amelia Earhart had a sunken 1970s/1980s style bathtub in the floor which took up nearly half the room. No safety handles or steps - a huge tripping/falling hazard for anyone getting up in the night to use the bathroom* Minimal or no lighting in common areas at night made it feel pretty spooky hard to navigate without a cellphone light at nightBad Value for a Bedroom* Although the rooms were quiet, the beds were either 1) squeaky or 2) super low to the ground like a college futon * Bed linen was sub par -- thin sheets, cheap blankets, extremely thick and heavy pillow, mattresses were so-so. If you are charging $155 - $215 a night, it needs to be plush (100% cotton), super clean. * Bathroom toiletries were something you'd find at a discount or dollar store - large value sized basic shampoo and soaps instead of the typical smaller sizes of a unique kind which are meant as a complimentary gift to visitor* Rooms had areas showing damage to the walls like unpainted plaster patches Breakfast was Basic* Breakfast was just o.k. - meat, yogurt, and eggs, a good bread pudding and average coffee. Again as a comparison - in another B & B at same price point I had an order form to select a custom breakfast from a cook * Common Area need TLC...Lobby area had ice in what looked like an Igloo cooler and liters of soda - c'mon - get a classy glass dispenser to match the era and furniture. * Clutter in the foyer and lobby area detract from the "wow" factor of it's natural features - the desk and computer need to be behind a counter of some kind* Some outdoor areas had quite a bit of "junk" around as TripAdvisor reviews have mentionedExcessive Policy Signage = Unwelcoming vibe* Almost immediately upon entering we noticed a great deal of signage and policies posted in multiple places that undermined the welcoming, homey, friendly feeling great b & bs cultivate so well. A few examples:* Video surveillance - many signs in various areas telling you are being watched * Alcohol policy - no outside alcohol and a fine if you bring any in - this despite the fact that the "bar" didn't really appear to be open* Toilet signage - oddly overly detailed - "Do no throw in the toilet trash that is not guaranteed to flush. Kleenex are bad, same as tampons, condoms, cigarettes, cardboards [sic], wood or plastics. Thank you!" What an image!"Do not move the rocks!!" - the ultimate in bizarre. In an surprise hack move two large square rocks were wedged in between the faucet area to keep them steady. So do not move...or else what...? It will open the portal to the underworld located beneath the jacuzzi? We'll be able to change the weather like a Pylon-loving Slestak in "Land of the Lost" ? * Staff was friendly but fairly lax. Coco, the doggie resident was cute. Do not stay here unless you want to feel like two oddballs gals from the 1970s living in a mangy mansion room. Signed, "Little Edie and Big Edie"

Would like to start by saying how wonderful, kind, welcoming, and hospitable the staff is here. Choco, the happy chocolate lab, greeted us at our car when we arrived. Our room was standard. Everything was clean. Had a hard time getting hot water (had to leave the sink running). Enjoyed the variety of movies to choose from. The breakfast was good. A variety of options, just wish there was a better way to keep things warm. My boyfriend is a big eater, and I upgraded his breakfast to include an "omelette for 2." Was disappointed with the portion size for $16. We would never have been able to split the omelette. Too expensive for what we got. Overall, we enjoyed our stay. Had fun walking Choco and were tickled with the kindness of everyone working there. Just wish there were updated amenities and would have hoped for a larger upgrade for the price.