Timber Bay Lodge and Houseboats
8347 Timber Bay Rd, Babbitt, MN 55706-8044
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About
#1 of 2 Specialty lodging in Babbitt
Location
5.0
Cleanliness
4.9
Service
4.9
Value
4.6
Timber Bay Lodge and Houseboats is located on Birch Lake in Babbitt, MN. With 13 housekeeping cabins and 13 houseboats it is a premier resort in the Babbitt and Ely area.All cabins are fully furnished in Northwoods décor, have fireplaces and decks with great views. Kids can enjoy the Kids Klub program while mom and dad fish, hike or relax. Cabins are from a cozy one bedroom up to a 6 bedroom lake home.Seven different size houseboats can accommodate anything from 2-12 people. Cruise 20 miles of pristine undeveloped Birch Lake and have a campfire at night. Fish off the back of your boat or enjoy the sunshine in your chaise lounge from the top of the boat.Bikes, canoes, kayaks all free for your use. Fishing boats and pontoon boats available for rent. There is truly something for every member of your group/family
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Property amenities
Free parking
Free High Speed Internet (WiFi)
Yoga classes
Happy hour
Beach
Archery
Babysitting
Books, DVDs, music for children
Parking
Wifi
Outdoor dining area
Badminton
Bicycle rental
Bicycles available
Boating
Canoeing
Game room
Golf course
Hiking
Entertainment staff
Fishing
Patio
Waterslide
Children's playground
Children Activities (Kid / Family Friendly)
Kids club
Highchairs available
Pets Allowed ( Dog / Pet Friendly )
BBQ facilities
Convenience store
Gift shop
Non-smoking hotel
Outdoor fireplace
Picnic area
Shared lounge / TV area
Sun deck
Sun loungers / beach chairs
Sun terrace
First aid kit
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Room features
Air conditioning
Additional bathroom
Fireplace
Housekeeping
Coffee / tea maker
Cable / satellite TV
Sofa bed
Walk-in shower
Private balcony
Sofa
Private bathrooms
Kitchenette
Dishwasher
Microwave
Oven
Refrigerator
Stovetop
Kitchenware
Flatscreen TV
Radio
iPod docking station
Hair dryer
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Room types
Bridal suite
Non-smoking rooms
Family rooms
Good to know
HOTEL STYLE
Great View
Languages Spoken
English
Location
Contact
8347 Timber Bay Rd, Babbitt, MN 55706-8044
Getting there
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78Reviews1Q+A14Room tips
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This is the first time My wife and I rented a houseboat. I really was not sure what to expect. I spent my whole working career in the hotel and hospitality industry, I spent 15 years at Disney in Orlando. I thought Disney has a corner on service. The service and commitment the owners and staff have is unbelievable. You are reading this; I can only describe how well we were treated. You MUST experience it yourself. If you wish the experience of a Houseboat or cabin on a lake Timber Bay is for you. The lake if wonderful. The lake is what you expect in Northern Minnesota. Birch Lake, Babbitt, Minnesota I have traveled throughout the world and find Timber Bay and Northern Minnesota above and beyond any place I have visited from the friendly people and the great attention to detail that Timber Bay has to offer. My wife and I again Thank the owners for everything you did for us. This is a week we will never forget. Great memories to reflect back on in January,…
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Date of stay: August 2022
Value
Rooms
Service
Room Tip: leave this up to one of the owners, Beth. Just tell her what you are looking for and she can...
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
We just back home from a three day houseboat stay on Birch Lake. Would definitely suggest this for those looking to get away from devices, social media, and the stress of every day life. We picked a new location to camp every night, and they all had something unique to them. Our favorite is the island with the rope swing. Who doesn't want their own island? The boat itself was nothing too fancy, but everything worked as it should, and the mattresses were sufficient. Staff was great to us, and we hope to be back again next year.
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Date of stay: August 2022
Value
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Just spent a week at Timber Bay with family members. We rented 3 cabins and a pontoon boat. It was beautiful and a great place to relax for a week. Quiet, well kept grounds and cabins. There are so many things to do for all ages. The owners are so friendly and helpful. A great place to stay. Hope to go back again.
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Date of stay: July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Once again Timber Bay Lodge and Houseboats helped us make family memories! The staff couldn't be nicer and the boats are clean and functional. We hit a big change in weather but that didn't stop us from catching some nice fish, From walleye, to jumbo perch, northern and a musky! The service can't be beat, newspaper delivery 2 times a week, fresh bait, whatever your needs are they will deliver! Thanks again for a great week!
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Date of stay: June 2021
Location
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Four of us ladies came up for a winter getaway, and stayed in the Bent Paddle cabin. We were greeted with a welcome sign, wine, and porch ice candles; a perfect start to our relaxing stay. The cabin was beautiful (looked brand new), clean, and fully stocked with any cooking items we could have needed. It is a huge cabin - very spacious for just the four of us. The grounds were shoveled and kept nicely, and we saw lots of deer each morning in the snow outside our full-view windows. The cross country ski trails were just a short walk up the entry road, which we enjoyed. I highly recommend!
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Date of stay: January 2021
Value
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
We rented Houseboat #6 for six nights in late July 2020. We had never stayed in a houseboat before and our first experience was incredible. Beth and Ron are gracious and responsive hosts. They walked us through the operation of the boat and Ron told us exactly where to tie up at night. The boat was easy and safe to operate. The lake is stunning with multiple wooded islands and a seemingly endless number of beautiful campsites to explore. Our kids loved the water slide and day program offered at the main resort. We already booked our trip for 2021!
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Date of stay: July 2020
Rooms
Location
Service
Room Tip: Book a guide boat to tow along for fishing and watersports!
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Just came back from 4 days on houseboat #8. We had three generations of adults and kids with everyone having the best time. The water was great for swimming and much warmer than expected. Most days were spent in swimsuits. We spent each night at a different campsite. Each one being unique. Eagles and Loons were heard and seen each day. Owners and staff were all very helpful for answering our questions, putting us at ease and providing whatever we needed. Shout-out to Hag for giving us a few pointers both on the first day and midweek. We hope to repeat again. Bob
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Date of stay: August 2020Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
+1
My family of six just got back from a 3-night Houseboat trip on Boat #14. The trip was worth every penny! Driving and docking the boat is not as challenging as feared. The boat was well stocked with all the needed utensils and the gas grill on the back of the boat was fantastic. Ron and Beth sent people out to check on us one night when the weather was forecasted to be severe (it wasn't!) and my wife was nervous about our campsite location. Two things we learned for next time: 1. The best campsites go quickly in the morning. For example, there is one with a Rope Swing that people get too early and spend the entire day there and 2. Bring a hand towel for use in the bathroom. Lastly, we rented a small fishing boat and motor that we towed along and it was great to have it. We used it once to run back to the lodge when we forgot something, used it for fishing, and used it as a "scout boat" when confirming campsites. The sites are marked on the lake map, but they are still difficult to differentiate from all the brush and nature that exists around Birch Lake. Also, bring floaties to pass the day in the Lake. Pool floaties are one of the best things we brought! We had an awesome trip. I'm recommending this to my friends who are asking about unique trips. Thanks Ron and Beth for the hospitality!…
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Date of stay: July 2020
Value
Rooms
Service
Room Tip: The best campsites go early in the day!
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
1 Helpful vote
Helpful
+1
My husband and I just stayed in Houseboat #10 for 4 nights (9/13/19 to 9/17/19. Originally our trip was booked for July for us and our six kids, due to unforeseen events we had to cancel that trip. Ron and Beth were great to work with and allowed us to rebook the houseboat for another time. It didn’t work to take our kids with us this time, but it was the perfect getaway for the two of us. So instead we celebrated our Wedding anniversary early (9/22) and my husbands birthday (9/17). Beth was amazing during our check in and showed us some of her favorite campsites on the lake. We tried out most of her recommendations and loved how unique each one was, it’s hard to pick a favorite as they each were different. The boat was very well stocked with plate, cups, silverware, pots/pans and cooking utensils. The gentlemen from the boathouse helped us unload our truck and get everything onto our boat were also great. I didn’t catch their names, but the main one who helped us Friday met us at the dock Tuesday morning when we came back. He walked us through how to run the boat and everything on it. The young man who stopped out on Sunday during a supply run was very helpful and polite. He suggested two amazing camp sites to us for our last two nights. We didn’t catch many fish, but we still had a great time relaxing and refreshing ourselves. We did catch some amazing sunrises and sunsets, along with a few naps in our hammock. We would highly recommend Timber Bay Lodge and Houseboats to anyone looking for a unique vacation. We hope to make it back again! Thank you, Ron, Beth and staff for making our vacation so enjoyable. …
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Date of stay: September 2019Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from timberbay, Owner at Timber Bay Lodge and Houseboats
Responded Oct 15, 2019
Thank you!! We were so happy you were able to reschedule your trip.And had two great occasions to celebrate while you were on the houseboat. I'm glad the houseboat had all of the items/utensils etc that you needed for your trip. Birch Lake does offer great campsites and even better sunsets. We look forward to seeing you again. Thanks!
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
+1
Last week we rented a house boat for 4 nights. We had a great time even though we didn't catch any fish. The amount of camp sites you can beach your boat at were plentiful. Bich lake is beautiful and as you can see we had a visit at one of our camp site. We would recommend Timber Bay Lodge and House boats. The staff were friendly and very helpful.
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Date of stay: September 2019Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from timberbay, Owner at Timber Bay Lodge and Houseboats
Responded Oct 15, 2019
So happy to hear you enjoyed your houseboat trip! With over 30 campsites, it's hard to decide which is a favorite. I'm glad you enjoyed. Thank you!
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
LOCATION
United StatesMinnesotaBabbitt
NUMBER OF ROOMS
26
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Claim Your ListingTIMBER BAY LODGE AND HOUSEBOATS - Reviews (Babbitt, MN)
Frequently Asked Questions about Timber Bay Lodge and Houseboats
Which popular attractions are close to Timber Bay Lodge and Houseboats?
Nearby attractions include Babbitt Municipal Golf Course (2.8 miles).
What are some of the property amenities at Timber Bay Lodge and Houseboats?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free wifi, free parking, and kids activities.
Which room amenities are available at Timber Bay Lodge and Houseboats?
Top room amenities include a kitchenette, air conditioning, and a flat screen TV.
What food & drink options are available at Timber Bay Lodge and Houseboats?
Guests can enjoy barbeque facilities and an outdoor dining area during their stay.
Is parking available at Timber Bay Lodge and Houseboats?
Yes, free parking is available to guests.
Are there opportunities to exercise at Timber Bay Lodge and Houseboats?
Yes, guests have access to yoga classes during their stay.
Are pets allowed at Timber Bay Lodge and Houseboats?
Yes, pets are typically allowed, but it's always best to call ahead to confirm.
Does Timber Bay Lodge and Houseboats have any great views?
Yes, guests often enjoy the lake view available here.