Pro housekeepers clean thoroughly and provide fresh linens before every stay.
Local support
Count on 24/7 guest care and local teams everywhere we operate.
Self-service
Smart locks or lockboxes at many homes offer smooth, contactless check-in.
Elegant, lakefront getaway with a large furnished deck, and dock!
What started as an old 42-foot railroad boxcar is now one of the Northwoods' premier private lodges. Welcome to The Hiawatha on Star. This newly built six-bedroom lodge boasts awe-inspiring views overlooking endless miles of undeveloped Northern Highland State Forest shoreline just 30 feet from the water’s edge on Star Lake. As evening approaches, you will enjoy graceful sunsets in the oversized screened-in porch and dinner served next to the wall-of-windows; end the night sharing stories around the campfire next to the shoreline or the spacious fireplace in the lodge. In the summer, the music of the loons and the orchestra of bullfrogs will gently put you to sleep.
What's nearby: Sitting on 270 feet of level shoreline, The Hiawatha on Star utilizes walls of glass to maximize the views overlooking the crystal-clear waters of Star Lake. With 92% of the shoreline undeveloped and part of the Northern Highland State Forest, the lodge offers one of the most private and beautiful destinations in the Northwoods. Whether you enjoy kayaking next to loons, water skiing as bald eagles soar overhead, fishing for trophy musky, relaxing on the many sandbars and private coves, or hiking miles upon miles of trails right on Star Lake, the lodge offers it all with the solitude that is sought by many but enjoyed by few. If you're into winter sports, head to the Minocqua area where you can find several options that include snowmobiling, ice fishing, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, and fat-tire biking!
Things to know: Free WiFi Full kitchen Radiant floor heating on the lower level Hulu streaming Electric car charger available to guests free of charge
This property is managed by Vacasa Wisconsin LLC.
Parking Notes: Guests may park anywhere on the property that is paved in front or on the side of the home. Please be considerate as to not park in another guest from the property next door. There is parking for up to 10 cars plus additional parking at the top of the driveway.
Dock Details:
Water Access: The closest boat launch is located at East Star Lake Campground. State Park & Forest vehicle admission sticker required. Blacktop to concrete planks to lake bottom launch. The route of travel, to the permanent boarding dock, is not ADA accessible (April/2016). No power loading. Take County K to County N East. The road to the launch is unnamed, but clearly marked with a sigh that says East Start Lake Campground.
You must be 25 years or older to rent this property.
AMENITIES
Internet
Lake view
Lakefront
Washer/dryer (Private)
Cable
Gas fireplace
Firepit
Bedrooms
Pack-N-Play
Children
High chair
Features
Washer/dryer : Private
Heating & cooling
Central AC
Fireplace
Partial AC
Gas fireplace
Kitchen & dining
Dishwasher
Fridge
Microwave
Stove
Location
Water view
Waterfront
Media
Internet
TV
Cable
DVD player
Wireless router
Nearby activities & attractions
Downhill Skiing
Playground
Dock
On-site activities
Board games
Kayaks
Outdoor
Gas grill : Private
Balcony
Patio
Deck
Firepit
Lanai
Parking & access
Electric vehicle charger
Theme
Snowbird-friendly
23 reviews
DAVID V.Jul 2021
Large kitchen and dining area. The screened in porch was great for early morning coffee and young children to play in. Sun deck on boathouse was wonderful for being in the sun, relaxing and enjoying the lake. Lots of room to spread out and the two mini fridges helped with refrigerator space. Good facility with good amenities.
Cecilia M.Jun 2021
We loved the home and location. It was amazing!
Kathy W.Jun 2021
This home has an exceptional gathering space for large families! There were 20 of us and we never felt overcrowded. There’s a beautiful view of the lake right from the kitchen/great room area. Definitely a do-over!
James K.Mar 2021
Nice place! Comfy. Easy to entertain. Needs a hot tub on the deck!
Toleka M.Feb 2021
Beautiful home. Large living spaces. Lots of room. Lots of parking
jack g.Nov 2020
This is a great home if you want privacy, remote living, beautiful views, immaculate home, clean, spacious and wonderful outdoor space!
Bob M.Aug 2020
Beautiful comfortable home and crystal clear lake. An extremely well furnished kitchen. More than we expected. We loved it and can’t wait to go back.
Therese G.Jul 2020
First of all we just LOVE this vacation rental house!
We are a family of 17 and the house meets all of our needs for adults, children & babies. Great spaces for games, relaxing, eating, food prep..its all here.
However.....You did make a point to note that there were special COVID cleaning practices that were implemented this year.....I fail to really agree with that. I realize it is extremely difficult to turn a house this size around in 6 hours to be ready for the next guests...however we did expect a certain level of cleanliness which we did not find. When we swept the kitchen floor after dinner...we found a few "leftover surprises" from the previous guests. The kitchen table could not have been moved and cleaned under before we arrived!! We also found a contact lens on the bedroom floor, miscellaneous toys when we searched for missing toys under the couches..again...the furniture could not have been moved and vacuumed under before we arrived, or those items would not have still been there from previous guests. We also found playing cards under the rugs when we swept....again....not ours! Also as far as COVID cleaning implies...there would not have been baskets with magazines left out, playing cards, books etc. These items would have been removed if true COVID cleaning practices were in place. WE moved all these items ourselves when we arrived, as well as condiment shakers etc. Several blankets were also left out which made us a little leary of past occupants usage. Also, the home decor is very well appointed, however I am questioning why so many personal decorative items that are breakable are left on display when the house is to be occupied by such a large group. We have rented from VACASA & VRBO several times previously and find that when personal items are left out...it is our job to relocate all those items so there is space for the items we are bringing and also to insure there is no breakage.
As much as we truly enjoy Hiawatha on Star Lake, we were dissappointed in the cleanliness, especially when several emails we received prior to arrival insured specific COVID cleaning practices were in place.
We did of course have a fabulous week, and the house certainly is arranged nicely for a large family.
Manager response:
Hi, Therese! We appreciate your review and are so delighted you loved the house! We sincerely apologize if cleanliness was lacking for your visit; a deep clean has been done on the home, and we have spoken with the housekeeping staff about your comments. Thank you!
Kathryn N.Jun 2020
Our family of 13 had a great stay at Hiawatha on Star! The open floor plan was awesome and the island in the kitchen was a popular hangout. The wine fridges in the kitchen and the basement were a bonus. We utilized the three season room for reading and games. The warm breeze was refreshing. The deck on top of the boat house was an excellent touch! We could hang out in the sun or read, and still watch the kids swim and kayak. Lots of bald eagles flying around, even got a great picture of one flying right in front of the main window. The playground was also a big hit with the kids. We utilized the yard to play bocce ball, toss around the football and hit the volleyball back and forth. We were close to some hiking trails, too, which was nice. The bedrooms did get pretty warm at night, especially the bunk rooms. All the other bedrooms have ceiling fans. Only have a couple complaints: 1- the refrigerator was nice, but not big enough for feeding a large family for the week. We had to make several trips to the general store for more milk and water because we couldn’t fit everything in the fridge. 2- the last couple days, the pollen was so bad and really made swimming off the dock impossible.
Overall, amenities were great! The house was very clean and well taken care of. Beds were comfortable and the sheets and towels were in great repair. Great location! We already looked to book for next summer, but see the price has significantly increased. 😩 Would highly recommend.
Manager response:
Thank you for sharing your feedback, Kathryn. We are glad you enjoyed your stay! We appreciate you letting us know there is room for improvement, and we'll pass your comments to the owner for consideration. We hope to have another chance to impress you in the future!
Robin K.Feb 2020
Myself and a group came up for 5 days for a snowmobile trip. The home was everything you see in the pictures on the website. We had no issues with the home and our stay there was very pleasant. Our only concern was parking for several vehicles with trailers. We were advised that parking was adequate and areas were plowed out for our use. The small road going down to the property is quite steep and we were advised to leave any 4-place trailers at the top of the driveway in a plowed out area. When we arrived it was apparent the area at the top of the driveway was not plowed out as well as it could have been and we could only get a small 2-place trailer in there. We had to park one 4-place trailer down the hill and then had difficulty getting the rig back up the hill when it was time to depart. I reached out to Brian (Property Manager) and he sent someone over to salt the drive. Brian was very helpful in providing information prior to our arrival and during our stay. I would recommend this property, especially during the summer months. For smaller groups who snowmobile and arrive with only 3-4 vehicles with trailers, they should be fine.
Matt E.Jan 2020
We used the house for a snowmobile trip plenty of room well built. the only knock is the parking they say there is plenty of parking, (not with a snowmobile trailer) don't attempt to take a 4 place trailer to the house. other than that it was great.
Manager response:
We apologize if parking was difficult for your group. There is parking for up to 10 cars plus additional parking at the top of the driveway. We appreciate your feedback and hope to host you again soon!
Larry W.Oct 2019
The lake home was the best ever! We have extensive travel under our belt and this property was the very best. Beautiful view. High end home with every thing you would need and so much room. 10 person stay for a week, could have had more.
Linda P.Aug 2019
We loved our stay at Hiawatha on Star Lake. Large kitchen/family room area easily accommodated our group of 14. Really enjoyed the adjacent screened in porch! We didn't even use the large lower level but it would be perfect for groups with lots of children wanting a separate area. The small amount of steps leading into home and down to the lake plus a first floor bedroom made it great for elderly guests. Only negatives are one bathroom on second floor for 3 bedrooms and lack of closet space/dresser space in one of the upper bedrooms. Plus the lake was great for swimming and boating! Clear water and sand beaches everywhere. Beautiful untouched shorelines along most of the lake due to state park property. Would highly recommend.
David V.Jul 2019
Home was well appointed with nice touches of decorations. Lot's of room for 5 adults and 9 children. Pocket doors limited the noise to the bedrooms and the screened in porch offered an area for the smaller children to play. Swing set was a bonus with lot's of yard for the kids to run and play. The kitchen had everything you would need and the grill was a high end Weber, making grilling easy for a large group. The deck on top of the boathouse was great for early morning coffee, reading or late night cocktails. Fire pit offered firewood. Star Lake is extremely clear with multiple eagle families nesting near the lake this year. One of the best homes we've stayed at over the last 43 years.
Teri G.Jul 2019
Hiawatha on Star Lake, as a perfect setting for our family of 17...ages 65 years-3months!
The bedrooms offered plenty of room for pack'n'plays, there was ample space for everyone to have dinner, play cards, kids toys etc. The lake is beautiful, quiet, shallow and CLEAN!
We do have a few suggestions that would truly help in the future: some box fans, as the upstairs bedroom especially the bunk bed room was pretty warm. Some over the door hooks and additional hooks or shelves in the bedrooms would also be helpful as there are no dressers. A clothesline would be great for towels, suits etc. Other than those few things the house met every need you could think of. Clean, organized and spacious! The screen porch is a FABULOUS feature! Thank you for sharing your amazing home with us! We already booked for next year!! It was a most awesome family week which created cherished memories!!
Shane Y.Jul 2019
We had a wonderful week mid-July on Star Lake. Hiawatha on the Star was host to 16 family members and it did not disappoint. We have rented homes in Northern Wisconsin for the past 10 years. The combination of this home and lake are difficult to beat. The home is situated so close to the water and views are wonderful. The 16 of us all agreed that we had room to ourselves and the family room area allowed us all to congregate in the evenings to reflect on the day. The lake is so quiet and peaceful. Just a handful of homes near The Hiawatha make you feel as though you are on a private lake. We spent many days on sand bars and caught a handful of fish throughout the week.
There is a small general store just down the road that was useful for odds/ends. We enjoyed the hiking trail for morning runs and the hills surrounding the home make for one difficult jog if you're up for the challenge.
Our only disappointment of the trip came when we attempted to book the home for next year. We ALL decided we would love to experience the home and lake again and again. Upon attempting to rebook the home next year, we realized Vacasa had raised the rates for a week in July by over $4000. As stated previously, we have rented homes in this area for a decade and have never seen such an increase in pricing from year to year. Unfortunately, we had to book elsewhere due to the outragous up-charge. The home was initially managed by a smaller company where the rates were kept manageable. Vacasa seems to be making a pretty penny on this amazing home.
S S.Jun 2019
We stayed as a group of families with kids. Had a great time and enjoyed the house and the location! So many positives about the house - kitchen, bedrooms, family rooms upstairs and in the basement, all were nice! Overall experience was amazing and great customer service from the property management team, immediate response for any needs!
Michael T.Jun 2019
Great house. Plenty of space for 16 people. Kitchen was great, bedrooms were nice, and location was excellent. Outdoor space was good. Enough yard for games and doc easy to use. Would stay again in a heartbeat
Nathan W.Apr 2019
Beautiful home that is designed to allow multiple families to coexist easily. Lake is beautiful and mostly undeveloped. True northern Wisconsin experience.
matt r.Feb 2019
Great location
Nikol B.Jan 2019
Right on the lake, atmosphere great! Huge rooms and beds, gorgeous kitchen, lots of parking, games and toiletries included. We enjoyed our stay, planning again for next year!
Mark M.Jan 2019
We had the greatest time at Star Lake! Snow mobiling, hiking, snowball fights, sledding. It was an incredible time with family. We had 9 kids and 9 adults staying in the house and it was plenty of room for us all!
