Grand View Lodge to Become MN’s Largest Resort with Addition of New, 60-Room Boutique Hotel

As the number of resorts in northern Minnesota continue to shrink, Grand View Lodge is taking the opportunity to grow.

The iconic Brainerd Lakes establishment announced Thursday the ground breaking this spring of several upcoming additions that, upon completion, will make it the largest resort in Minnesota. The developments are part of a $30 million overall expansion plan for parent company Cote Family Destinations.

Standing as the centerpiece of the Grand View Lodge, Spa and Golf Resort updates is a new 60-room boutique hotel, to be named North. Set for a May 2019 completion, it will be located near the main lodge and activity hub. In addition, the project involves expansion of the Glacial Waters Spa, and the additions of a recreation center, wedding chapel, and two new residential communities.

“We are so excited for this significant development and expansion as we continue to evolve this iconic property into a full-service resort with even more experiences and accommodation types for our guests,” said Cote Family Destination’s CEO Tom Juliano.

Grand View Lodge, which is spread over 750 acres around Roy and Gull Lake, already boasts 2,500 feet of sandy beaches and activity offerings including jet skiing and horseback riding, among other options. It operates year-round, featuring winter activities including ice skating and ice fishing.

Designed by Brainerd-based architecture firm Nor-Son, with interiors by Looney and Associates, the look of the resort’s upcoming hotel is described as “an urban take on the traditional guest lodge” and a “departure from the current cabin-style accommodations.”

North will include a 5,000-square-foot conference room and breakfast area, which is expected to boost Grand View’s appeal as a host for various meetings and events. The presence of the hotel will bring the number of accommodations – including the homes in the new residential areas, as well as existing cottages, vacation homes and hotel rooms – to 269 total, with a capacity for as many as 1,500 guests.

The two new residential communities are Fairway Pines and the Garden Cottages. With some homes already completed, Fairway Pines will ultimately be comprised of 20 craftsman-style two to four-bedroom houses featuring views of the Pines Golf Course, an outdoor pool, a 100-yard putting course, and more. The Garden Cottages neighborhood will include 21 four-bedroom, luxury craftsman-style vacation homes.

Meanwhile, Grand View’s spa will get eight new treatment rooms, a year-round Japanese soaking pool, an expanded women’s locker room, a new relaxation area and more amenities and services.

The new recreation center, expected to open early 2019, will feature indoor and outdoor pools, a cornhole stadium, sand volleyball courts, ice skating rinks, a basketball court, a children’s activity area, a mini golf course, lawn bowling and courts for croquet, pickle ball and tennis. The building will also house a fitness center and yoga studio, among other elements.

Set to be completed well before the recreation center is the new wedding chapel – with a debut scheduled for July 2018, it will be the first finished piece of the Grand View project. The rustic, intimate 1,200 square-foot structure will accommodate ceremonies of up to 75 people.

“It has been an honor being a part of the Grand View Lodge team and seeing its evolution over the past 40 years,” said General Manager Mark Ronnei. “When we celebrated the 100th anniversary in 2016, we started thinking about what lies ahead and how we can ensure the property’s success for another century. These new facilities and amenities will do just that.”

As the Grand View Lodge project unfolds, other Cote Family Destinations properties set to undergo their own enhancements include Camp Lincoln for boys and Camp Lake Hubert for girls — both in Nisswa, Minnesota. The boys’ camp is getting a new indoor recreation center and Camp Lake Hubert is getting revamped kitchen and dining facilities. Additionally, the company’s Tanque Verde Ranch in Tucson, Arizona is getting a 20,000-square-foot event barn this fall.

“We are reinvesting across the entire Cote Family Destinations portfolio in what will be an exciting year of growth for the company, setting it up for another 100 years of success,” said Juliano.

Source:  TCBMag.com