Oak Ridge Resort

We'd been visiting Oak Ridge for a few years and always rented a boat and motor. This time the motor cord snapped, and the resort charged us $150, though it was clearly wear and tear and not misuse on our part. We've been loyal visitors and never mistreated the equipment or facilities, so it's hugely disappointing to be charged for what seems like a lack of standard maintenance.

The worst surprise was finding spiders throughout the cabin, on top of an old, cramped interior and no AC or fans. Oak Ridge Resort is deep in the woods, not close to the lake, and mosquitoes made it impossible to sit outside. Our group spent a week there, first six people for two nights, then four for five, and the advertised full-size fridge was too small, so we used two coolers for food and drinks. The mattresses were thin enough that you could feel the springs; the air mattresses we slept on were much better. The host said the futon had been broken by the previous guest, yet they still wanted to charge extra for two people even though we couldn't use it. There was also an extra charge for the boat lift, which I thought should be included among the amenities. They don't take credit cards but ask to keep one on file, which makes no sense to me. We went to clean fish for dinner and found the fish-cleaning house had no power because the owner had shut it off. In 30 years of going to Northwood, this was the first time I'd paid $6 for six pieces of firewood. An 8 AM checkout is especially inconvenient with children. They could hire a cleaning crew and make checkout 10 AM like other places. I know Wisconsin's season is short, but this felt greedy. I wouldn't recommend these cabins. I can't say whether the others are like cabin 4, but I don't trust the owners to be truthful. No surprise the reviews are so bad.

Not having lake access for ice fishing was a real letdown, and the roads were absolutely awful. We won't be back, even though the cabin served its purpose. It was cute and clean, with a nice view, strong WiFi, and plenty of hot water. Everything worked as the rental listing said. The furniture could use an update, the cookware wasn't good, and the furnace was very loud.

We stayed in cabin 3 earlier this year and saw right away why people say it's impeccably clean. It's about 70 yards from the lake, which seems close enough to me. There were mosquitoes, sure, but that's not the owners' fault. They do accept credit cards, despite what another reviewer claimed, and asking for one at check-in is normal. If you're expecting modern amenities, I'm not sure why you'd book a cabin in the Northwoods. Don't hesitate to stay here. It looks like a bad apple got others to post false information.