The Black Lantern Resort & Campground — Hotel in Bemidji

We were speechless as we turned in the drive of Black Lantern off of County Red. 2. The sign was unique but as we traveled the several blocks to the main entrance you were immediately impacted by the quality of the rock creations beckonening you in. A little further we saw terraced rock walls/risers with a beautiful wood pavilion at the top with a pergola-like covering - it took our breath away. The signs indicating which way to go were all lovingly hand-made on local wood and each was very unique. We found our way to cabin Eleanor nestled on a hillside with forest all around. The door to the cabin was again lovingly designed/routed and painted by Annie and it was so welcoming - green pines to replicate the forest was so beautiful. We turned the key and came inside to again be awestruck. The detail and craftsmanship of this home was immediately visible - it just hit you right between the eyes. The pine tongue and groove is light and you can spend hours looking at the knots and color variances and try to picture what the tree looked like when it was in the forest. The floor is tile, with beautiful rugs colored with bear, most, leaves and again the bright colors of the forest and these continued throughout the living room/kitchen/bath and bedroom. There is a gas fireplace with remote control to vary the temperature to suit. There is a beautiful maple bunk bed in the corner which is sided by three windows for a gorgeous spot to lay and look at the stars, watch the birds fly by in the trees or just to take a cozy nap or read. The bathroom is quite large with a beautiful basket of small sized items one might have forgotten. The shower is HUGE with two shower heads and a bench for sitting. The bedroom has a queen sized bed which is very comfortable, a tv/dvd player with a nice selection of movies. In the living room are dozens of books - something for every taste. Games in the drawer and puzzles. The kitchen has a great electric range/double door fridge/freezer/ microwave, double sink and utensils for everything you might want to cook., There is a wrap around deck which is uniquely designed, again with the thought that it needed to be functional, safe and blend with the forest. This is the most comfortable, unique retreat for peace, quiet, reflection, down time, that we have ever come across. Call Annie to find out more about this really unique venue, she is enthusiastic about their plans. The Black Lantern's specialty is weddings, reunions, large get togethers, company groups and others. She will be able to get you set up for whatever you might need and they do a...

Our family of three spent a week in cabin Eleanor. I have never experienced such a well-stocked rental. Annie has thought of EVERYTHING you could possibly need during your stay--linens, kitchen supplies (including coffee, seasonings, dishes, utensils, cookware, etc.) toiletries, games, books, puzzles, DVDs . . . I could go on and on. There is no TV service, but both TVs in the cabin have DVD players. We spent many hours in the cabin watching movies, playing board games, doing jigsaw puzzles, and just relaxing. It was actually really nice to be forced to "unplug" for a week, as there is no wireless and cell phone service can be iffy. We spent one afternoon kayaking on the lake, which was really fun. We also rented a golf cart to cruise around the large property, which our daughter especially loved. Annie and crew do an amazing job making you feel like a valued guest. We felt very well cared-for, but we also had our privacy. The Black Lantern is close to Bemidji and Itasca State Park, so we were able to visit both places on our trip. But we spent most of our time at the cabin and resort. The property is gorgeous! You can see many thoughtful touches throughout the property. We are already looking forward...

The hospitality of the folks at Black Lantern Resort truly go beyond words. My girlfriend and I traveled up to the resort from Iowa for New Years, and little did we know that this would end up being the coldest weekend of the year. Our car broke down and stranded us about 30 minutes from the cabin, at about 9:00pm, in -30 degree temperatures. Anne drove out to pick us up, helped us get our car somewhere that it could be fixed, gave us time to pick up items from Walmart, and dropped us off at the cabin sometime after midnight. Then the next day, she arranged for us to get a ride to town with her parents to pick up our car from the mechanic. For the price of little more than a hotel, this was the service we received. On top of all that, the resort is beautiful, and the Eleanor Cabin was immaculate, and very well stocked with basic items. Though we weren't able to spend much time outside due to the low temperatures, we could not have asked for a better New Years. Anne and her family turned what could have been a life threatening situation into an...