Wild Rice Retreat — Hotel in Town of Bayfield

I stayed at Wild Rice Retreat for a couple nights with my college age daughter who was on Spring Break. We stayed in a “rice pod” so it had two twin beds, a nice kitchenette (complete with tea kettle & French press), heated floors, Bluetooth speaker, a table/two chairs and chair/ottoman, books. Lots of modern finishes and no TV (WiFi is available) Plenty of power outlets, good lighting, and other amenities ( lotion, plates, silverware, umbrella, blow dryer, even a flashlight!) ||The included classes (yoga, forest walk, coloring, aromatherapy all varies by day) and other events we attended were stellar. The yoga/meditation instructors were knowledgeable and talented and the Ojibwe elder who we spent an hour with learning about her culture and personal history along with a fun craft/activity about maple syrup harvesting in the area left me and my daughter feeling so grateful to have the opportunity to learn from her and even participate in her tribe’s customs all while learning lots of history about the Bayfield area. ||The food was also nourishing and tasty with lots of flavors! I would describe the food as sophisticated, artful “clean eating”. Fresh crisp salads, homemade sauces/dressings, lots of fresh vegetables, rice and roasted veggies, potatoes, artisan breads, vegan dishes (but well balanced with some fish and chicken!) coffee, tea and water and all included for overnight guests. Three meal times include: Early breakfast, brunch and dinner, all self- served. My daughter has Crohns Disease and she really appreciated the freshness and variety of the food. She is typically a light eater but I watched her eat a full plate and go up for seconds! We talked to the chef/cooks multiple times and they were all super friendly and appreciative of our positive comments and feedback. ||It was a bit chilly and snowy while we were there in late March (in Northern WI this is common but the resort offered a discount and I’ve always wanted to visit), but the Swedish sauna and rain shower made up for the cold! I visited the building twice during our stay and loved the warmth/heat of sauna that released so much tension I had been carrying. The building was super clean with lots of towels, hooks, water, restroom etc. I loved walking back to my “rice pod” in my plush robe still warm from sitting in the sauna and then looking up and seeing all the beautiful bright stars in the sky…well more than I can see in my day to day back in big(ger) city limits.||Ok, I feel like I could go on and on with my review but if you are looking for a relaxing, quiet, beautiful-in-nature, peaceful place where you will feel thoughtfully taken care of while experiencing healthy food, mindful movements, hiking, nature, simple and slowing down life for a little while then check this place out! You don’t have to be a “yogi” by any means the classes were simple, with lots of options all levels can make it there own. I appreciated the stress on not trying to be like everyone else we are all different and experience things in our own ways and that is OK. ||Go to Wild Rice Retreat & you will not regret it, in fact, you may even come back just a little bit different (and better) than you were when you...

I would not recommend staying here. The service was inadequate compared to other resorts or retreats. You are paying for 5 star service and receive much less than that. I have stayed at multiple other retreats (less fancy and much more extravagant), and the service, room, and amenities were better at all other places I have stayed.

The Treehaus queen rooms should only have a full or twin bed and should NOT be rented to 2 people. There is a reason they do not list the room size online - it is TINY. Think queen bed plus maybe 3 feet at the end. The "minimalist" look with all white walls and 0 decor makes it feel claustrophobic. The door essentially opens right into the foot of the bed. (I see a photo here that has a much larger room than the one I received, which makes me wonder why they gave a couple such a small room).

There is a coat rack and two nightstand cubbies. That is it for storage in your room. No blackout curtain so it is very bright in the room at an early time. The bed and linens were comfortable at least. The only way to stay in those rooms is alone (but your clothes will live on the floor or in your bag).

I had many issues with my keys and spent much time in the retreat building while they tried to figure it out, and there was nearly 0 follow up with me by staff. Staff seemed fairly checked out and confused about issues that arose. The service compared to other resorts is poor. I had to do all of the work of trying to get in touch with the staff. When we were locked out of our building at 10:45 at night because the keys didn't work, it took 20 minutes for someone to unlock it. The next day the issue was not solved.

The only real amenity is the sauna, which is hot at least. It is small so if all of the guests were to use it at the same time, it would be very uncomfortable. The cleaning times they pick for it are very strange. There are some pathways on the grounds, but no access to the lake for a cold plunge, which is a hugely missed opportunity.

The grounds are pretty overall. The wood of the buildings is not aging well, and the buildings are literally right next to each other.

Rent a small cabin in the woods somewhere else and you'll have a great retreat on your own.

The only 5 stars is the food. It...

The staff gave me excellent, enjoyable, and caring service about a month ago when I stayed with my family there for several days. It was soothing and peaceful and felt like having a manicure for my soul.It felt good to be in the presence of staff who are on a spiritual path themselves and for whom it seems that it is more than only a paying job to make ends meet.

I enjoyed my conversations with Zooey and how kind and friendly and professional she was in the way that she assisted me with questions and food matters and opened up to me personally when I asked her about herself. It felt like she genuinely cared about me and appreciates and enjoys being there in her role.

Also, I appreciate Bridget’s luminous presence and attentiveness and how she seems to be using her spiritual path to align with supporting others with her poise. She seemed friendly and always ready to answer any of my questions.

In addition, I appreciate Colton’s gentle and soft spoken consideration and generosity in the ways that he accommodated my vegan diet and how he would personally come out and check in with me to see my needs and requests and would also ask me after I ate the meals how well it agreed with my tastes.

Heidi was knowledgeable and genuinely caring in the way she related to me and the other yoga students one morning during the practice and afterwards. I appreciate her intention to have Wild Rice Retreat be a collective effort rather than be run only be one person’s decisions.

All in all, it was a deeply peaceful and splendid place to be which I would love to return to sometime. I look forward to seeing the place grow.

Best wishes,

Tom Keller Minneapolis,...