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About
#1 of 3 in Deerwood
Location
4.6
Cleanliness
4.3
Service
4.5
Value
4.2
Located in the Brainerd Lakes area on Bay Lake, this historic resort is the oldest continually operating resort in the state of Minnesota. It is also one of the closest resorts to the Twin Cities, at only a short two hour drive. Ruttger's Bay Lake Resort features five different lodging options, 18 holes of championship golf (and a 9-hole resort style course), four food and beverage options, numerous amenities including a sand beach, guided fishing, trips, pontoons and wave runners, wine tastings, spa services, and numerous retail shops and our ice cream parlor on Ruttger’s historic Main Street. At Ruttger's, we have been creating traditions for generations. We look forward to welcoming you and your family soon!
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Property amenities
Free parking
Free High Speed Internet (WiFi)
Pool
Coffee shop
Bicycle rental
Boating
Children's playground
Kids' outdoor play equipment
Wifi
Hot tub
Pool / beach towels
Indoor pool
Outdoor pool
Heated pool
Fence around pool
Restaurant
Breakfast available
Breakfast buffet
Kids' meals
Canoeing
Golf course
Tennis court
Board games / puzzles
Business Center with Internet Access
Conference facilities
Banquet room
Meeting rooms
Spa
Concierge
Convenience store
Gift shop
Non-smoking hotel
Self-serve laundry
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Room features
Air conditioning
Fireplace
Telephone
Kitchenette
Refrigerator
Flatscreen TV
Bath / shower
Complimentary toiletries
Hair dryer
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Room types
Non-smoking rooms
Suites
Family rooms
Good to know
HOTEL CLASS
Hotel links
Location
Full view
Contact
25039 Tame Fish Lake Rd, Deerwood, MN 56444-8544
Getting there
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191Reviews7Q+A44Room tips
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Was at resort last weekend, toured new lakefront homes which were rented but the people renting let us in to look. WOW! 4 huge king bedrooms with en suites in each room, sweet bunk room for 9 people, upstairs and downstairs entertainment/TV areas. They had 14 people, from 3 families in there and told us they were super comfortable! Boat slip in front of homes, fire pits, the works! As usual the folks at Ruttgers are so special and kind, thanks! Food was great at lakeside places, greta outdoor patio.Golf course was in great shape and the bar/restaurant up there was fun.
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Date of stay: June 2022
Value
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip: Lakefront new homes
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Helpful
Response from Kim Rathsack, Owner at Ruttger's Bay Lake Resort
Responded 2 days ago
Thank you for your kind words and the amazing review! We're thrilled to hear you had a great time staying with us and enjoyed seeing the new lakefront homes! We always work hard to create a memorable, fun, and relaxing experience and are so happy to see that reflected in your last visit. Thank you again and can't wait to welcome you back soon!
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Hotel's Favorite
Can't say enough about how perfectly Ruttger's fit the bill for an ideal fall excursion. From clean and comfortable accommodations with a view, to the hospitality of the staff, to the AMAZING food on site at Ruby's I can't say enough. The beauty of the lodge and surrounding area makes this a place I definitely plan to return.
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Date of stay: October 2020Trip type: Traveled
1 Helpful vote1 Repost
Helpful
My family has vacationed at Ruttger's many times in the past. However, three years ago this family-run resort was sold. I just returned from a two night stay in a 3 bedroom cabin with 6 friends. We are very disappointed. Our cabin was not properly stocked and the air conditioner did not work. I had to make several requests to get it sorted out. It is mid-June, and none of the activities listed on the website were available, except for the pool and ball court. The sauna wasn't working; no yoga or bonfire; no evening pontoon ride; the main restaurant was not open, and none of the boutique businesses were open. It took 2 hours for someone to find the activities person so I could get pickleball racquets. Even then, I had to buy the balls. I asked to rent a pontoon boat for 2 hours and was told it had to be a minimum of 4 hours. I pointed out that no boats had been rented and 2 hours was better than no rental income. In addition, there should be an attitude of flexibility to accommodate guests. Pricing was not transparent, even though I called to reserve. Total cost was $2,050 for 2 nights for 7 people in a cabin with no cooking facilities. I was NOT informed that the cost was determined by the number of people, not by the unit. I was also not informed of the resort fees, even though most of the amenities were NOT available. …
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Date of stay: June 2022Trip type: Traveled
Room Tip: Find a different resort!
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Helpful
Response from Kim Rathsack, Owner at Ruttger's Bay Lake Resort
Responded 2 days ago
Pamela, thank you for your honest feedback. We're sorry to hear you had a disappointing experience staying with us. We have an excellent rating and when we fall short we always want to learn and improve. We are glad you notified us of any issues with your room as we will always do our best to address concerns and anything you need to make your stay comfortable and enjoyable. It was clearly labeled activities did not begin until June 17 and are sorry you were not able to partake. We have addressed the pickleball issue with staff so the equipment is easily accessible and the inconvenience will not happen again in the future. For dining and boutiques, we're not sure why it might have been the case that they were not available to you, as our boutiques were open 10am to 5pm every day and on-site restaurants Bear Pine, White Oak Grill, Auntie M’s coffee shop and our award winning breakfast buffet were open. The only outlet not open was Ruby’s restaurant. We are sorry you were not allowed a two hour pontoon ride and have updated that policy due to your input. For pricing, the resort fees and taxes and grand total do appear on your email confirmation. We would be happy to speak with you further about your stay. Please contact us directly to let us know a good time that we could have a call to discuss your experience, and to ensure that your experience won't be replicated in the future.
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Last year during COVID a group of us from our neighborhood in Burnsville, MN rented cabins for Octoberfest. Even though in 2020 the activities were cancelled due to COVID, we had a blast. We can again this year and had a blast for the Octoberfest 2021 event. What better way to attend festivities while staying in a cabin. We played cards, ate at the buffet, shopped, walked and just had a great time. The 3 cabins we rent are right by each other and overlooks Bay Lake. Beautiful sunsets and great chairs to watch the fall colors. We have booked those cabins again for 2022. We hear that the resort is going to be upgrading and I am sure we will appreciate that as well. The cabins are old and without full kitchens, etc., but who needs all that when you have such a great atmosphere and time with friends. Cheers.…
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Date of stay: October 2021
Value
Cleanliness
Service
Helpful
Response from Resort Management, Other at Ruttger's Bay Lake Resort
Responded Oct 30, 2021
This review made our day! We're thrilled to hear you had blast staying with us and during Oktoberfest — one of our favorite events too! Creating a memorable and wonderful experience for our guests is our priority and your review reaffirms the hard work we put in every day. So thank you for your kind words. We can't wait to welcome you back again!
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I visited Ruttger's Bay Lake Resort with my husband and we had a great getaway. The golf course is beautiful, the dining hall has great food and great service, and the lake front views are stunning. We loved taking their kayaks out during the day and sitting by the pool to watch the sunset at night.
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Date of stay: August 2021
Helpful
Response from Resort Management, Other at Ruttger's Bay Lake Resort
Responded Oct 4, 2021
Thank you for the 5-star rating and for taking the time to leave us this amazing review, Kristen! We're thrilled to hear you had a great getaway and enjoyed your stay with us. We are so lucky to have our resort situated in such a beautiful location right off of Bay Lake and glad that you were able to take advantage of the gorgeous views and scenery. We are so grateful for your kind words and hope to welcome you and your husband back soon!
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+1
We had a fantastic stay during peak fall colors. The golf course was BEAUTIFUL and we loved the views over Bay Lake. The staff was all super friendly and accommodating. Great food at all the restaurants, I recommend getting Walley po'boy or fish and chips!
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Date of stay: October 2021
Value
Rooms
Service
Helpful
Response from Resort Management, Other at Ruttger's Bay Lake Resort
Responded Oct 2, 2021
Thank you for the fantastic review, Wanderlust Rose! We so appreciate your wonderful and positive comments and will pass your compliments on to our staff. We're so glad you enjoyed your stay with us — fall is definitely one of our favorite times of year to experience the beautiful colors and views at Ruttger's and on Bay Lake as well! We look forward to your next stay with us!
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We came to Ruttgers shortly after our 14 year anniversary, for my grandmother's memorial service in Brainerd, MN. My wife and I were both excited to stay in the North Bay condos as we got married at Ruttgers and loved it, all of our family was going to be there also again for grandma. I grew up going to our cabin on Bay Lake to see my grandmother and family, we always held Ruttgers in very high esteem, they were second to none if a family wanted a wonderful place to stay. I find it very sad to say how disappointed we were with our accommodations this time. The buildings were run down, the floors were dirty(I took a shower upon arriving, walked to the living room and the bottoms of my feet were black!), my wife and I went to have a glass of wine and the wine glasses all still had lipstick on them(we ended up having to clean all of the dishes before we used them), there were cobwebs in every window and the bed was so wobbly that we almost fell off of it. I will bring my family to Bay Lake again when I take leave from the Air Force, but we will never stay at Ruttgers again unless they can change their cleaning habits. The one bright spot was the staff at the restaurant, they were outstanding! This review breaks my heart and I wish I didn't have to write it, but I don't want other families to be put in the same position we were.…
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Date of stay: September 2021Trip type: Traveled
1 Helpful vote
Helpful
Response from Resort Management, Other at Ruttger's Bay Lake Resort
Responded Sep 10, 2021
Thank you for your kind comments on our fantastic restaurant staff. As for your comments on cleaning, we would have been more than happy to remedy any issue had we been notified. One of the new owners is personally doing housekeeping with the crews, a shame you did not let us know, it would have been fixed.
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Our family has been going to Ruttger's for many, many years for an annual gathering. Sadly, this year will probably be our last. The Ruttger's family made the resort warm and welcoming. You felt that they cared about their guests, and the hospitality extended was genuine. This was not the feeling this year. And it wasn't Covid, or the inexperienced but trying their damndest staff. This lack of hospitality filtered down from the top. The new ownership is taking the resort in a whole new direction. A 1.4 million dollar villa, dock your expensive boat, kind of direction. Which is fine, but not welcoming to those of us who have loved the Up North, rustic cabin appeal of Ruttger's. It's a shame that some preservation of the unique cabins, and layout is not part of the plan. There is a market for that (see Grand Rapids, MN for how to tap that market) and it is with great sadness that we say farewell to this wonderful slice of Minnesota family history. I suggest the name be changed to Bay Lake Yacht Club, which seems to be the market they are now trying to reach. It is no longer our much loved Ruttger's.…
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Date of stay: September 2021
Location
Cleanliness
Service
2 Helpful votes
Helpful
Response from Resort Management, Other at Ruttger's Bay Lake Resort
Responded Sep 10, 2021
We decided to honor the fantastic Ruttger family and traditions as a new ownership group. We also decided to ask Chris and Joanne Ruttger to stay on as valued team members. The hospitality continues to be genuine from the new ownership, with all of them working daily at the resort. You mention the new lakefront villas which will be fantastic and at a same rate structure to current rates, with a much better and upgraded stay with new amenities. There will continue to be Bay Lake Villas and North bay accommodations. As you must understand, it is very hard to maintain 50-60 year old cabins and we have chosen to provide our guests with a vastly enhanced experience. We respectfully decline your idea for a name change, we love and respect the Ruttger family too much to do such a shameful thing.
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The new owners of Ruttger’s Bay Lake Resort do not seem interested in retaining their old clientele. The highlight of our trip Labor Day weekend was Chooch’s Pop Up Cafe. We’d come back just for that!
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Date of stay: September 2021Trip type: Traveled
2 Helpful votes
Helpful
Response from Resort Management, Other at Ruttger's Bay Lake Resort
Responded Sep 10, 2021
We care deeply about our long term guests, they are a large percentage of our bookings, and go to great lengths to recognize and care for them. The fact that there are new owners, who have Chris and Joanne Ruttger still working with us as valued team members, changed your experience only in your preconceived notions. We have and will continue to honor the Ruttgers traditions.
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Huge disappointment- a very expensive mistake. The entire resort exhibited poor management. No clean towels, no room service at all. We tried two restaurants, sub par quality in each. Wait staff was poorly trained, unorganized and very slow. There is not a top quality restaurant on premises. From our room we could observe room cleaners getting ready for new guests in a near by unit. No wonder guests can’t check in until 5 PM - they were a classic example of business school time motion study. Unbelievable. We are finished with Rutgers.
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Date of stay: August 2021Trip type: Traveled
Room Tip: Don’t waste your money.
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2 Helpful votes
Helpful
Response from Resort Management, Other at Ruttger's Bay Lake Resort
Responded Aug 26, 2021
Jay, Sorry to hear you are "finished" with Ruttgers, in spite of new ownership working through the Pandemic on new menus, Golf course improvements, remodeled dining and entertainment venues, not to mention 2 brand new beaches, pontoons and main restaurant upgrades. We had hundreds of guests when you stayed, and have received 5 star reviews on Google reviews. Despite short staffing issues affecting practically every restaurant in the country, in your area also, I am sure, we have maintained all of our venues open for guests and work diligently every single day on provided great service and experiences. And yes, our housekeeping crews do work extremely hard to prepare all of our rooms for incoming guests, the fact that you saw them and are confused observing them work is a bit hard to understand. Best wishes in your future travels.
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PRICE RANGE
$166 - $235 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
ruttger`s bay lake hotel deerwood, ruttgers bay lake hotel
LOCATION
United StatesMinnesotaDeerwood
NUMBER OF ROOMS
160
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Claim Your Listing Frequently Asked Questions about Ruttger's Bay Lake Resort
Which popular attractions are close to Ruttger's Bay Lake Resort?
Nearby attractions include Traditions Mini-Golf (4.8 miles).
What are some of the property amenities at Ruttger's Bay Lake Resort?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include an indoor pool, free wifi, and an on-site restaurant.
Which room amenities are available at Ruttger's Bay Lake Resort?
Top room amenities include a kitchenette, air conditioning, and a flat screen TV.
What food & drink options are available at Ruttger's Bay Lake Resort?
Guests can enjoy an on-site restaurant and breakfast during their stay.
Is parking available at Ruttger's Bay Lake Resort?
Yes, free parking is available to guests.
What are some restaurants close to Ruttger's Bay Lake Resort?
Conveniently located restaurants include Lonesome Pine Restaurant and Bar, The Deerstand, and Coach's Corner.
Are there opportunities to exercise at Ruttger's Bay Lake Resort?
Yes, guests have access to an indoor pool during their stay.
Does Ruttger's Bay Lake Resort offer any business services?
Yes, it conveniently offers a business center, meeting rooms, and a banquet room.
Does Ruttger's Bay Lake Resort have any great views?
Yes, guests often enjoy the lake view available here.
Is Ruttger's Bay Lake Resort accessible?
Yes, it offers reduced mobility rooms. For specific inquiries, we recommend calling ahead to confirm.