Great place out of the Twin Cities to relax near pond & lake and the St. Croix River. Our booking and communication with the host and check-in arrival was easy. The St. Francis Cottage on the hill above the retreat center was comfortable with heat or fans, fireplace if desired and the close proximity to a few walking trails and a stroll down to the pond & lake. It was easy to get canoes and fairly easy paddling upstream on the River (with some effort for our beginners) and we floated back to the landing. The cabin has what we needed for preparing all our meals and with some of the extras for comfort (coffee, tea, ice cubes, spices, etc.). Beds were comfortable and we slept well (didn't try the sofa bed). Patio table and chairs were comfortable overlooking the parking and the pond. Wifi worked after a bit of fiddling with it and supported several devices. Nature was abounding and quiet even with a few groups and other cabins nearby. Overall, we were very happy with the two-night stay and then continued up to nearby Marine on St. Croix, Franconia and Taylor's Falls for other activities. We'll keep this in mind to return in another season to explore again.