Urban Retreat

Minneapolis. Great time, everything we could ask for and more. Wonderful space in a location that was close to everything we were looking fore and more.

- Bill M , Posted: 06/27/2017

Lance went above and beyond, wonderful house, accommodations, location, etc. thank you so much!!

- Lauren , Posted: 05/23/2018

Great stay in Minneapolis. Lance is the best host EVER! Property was spotless and all the amenities were there and some which were not expected (a basket full of often-left-at-home grooming items in the bathroom for instance). Lance also provided a booklet with maps and personal reviews of neighborhood restaurants and attractions. Very thoughtful! He was in touch with us via e-mail from the time we arrived until our departure making sure our stay was enjoyable and comfortable. Would highly recommend.

- Michael B , Posted: 08/21/2016

We had a wonderful stay! The house was gorgeous and our stay their felt relaxing!

- Jessica , Posted: 10/29/2018

Felt like home. Our family of three stayed here for two weeks in June 2016. We have family and friends in town but wanted our own place to spread out while we visited and this place delivered and then some. It is exactly as described on VRBO if not better. The unit was very clean, organized, and well stocked. The kitchen had everything I needed to cook meals and bake. We hosted friends and family for dinner several nights and I had everything I needed. The owner truly understands outstanding customer service. Each email, text, and voicemail before, during, and after our stay were returned promptly. If we needed anything he made sure we had it. Before our stay I asked if the unit included a few things for us to use out and about like camp chairs, a cooler, and picnic blanket. He had all of them waiting for us when we arrived. He even brought over a few toys so our preschooler could entertain herself. Outstanding customer service! We took in many of the wonderful things to do with a preschooler in Minnesota and the owner helped us with ideas several times. We ate at Pat’s Tap, Hola Arepa and Butter Café during our visit, all within walking distance. Butter Café is quaint and environmentally conscious. Pat’s and Hola Arepa both had good food. I would definitely recommend this place to my own family and friends although I secretly want to keep it a secret so we can always rent it when we visit. Thank you Lance for making us feel at home!

- Marti S , Posted: 07/04/2016

Excellent stay at this duplex, it was exactly as we expected. The host was very communicative and available, but we didn’t really need him as everything at the property was intuitive and easy to use.

- Ben , Posted: 12/28/2018

The house was very clean, well kept. With all the amenities. Several restaurants within walking distance. We had most of our business in St Paul, and it was a maximum of 20 minute drive. The owner answered emails promptly and we had his phone number to reach him, but it wasn't necessary. This is a second story duplex, and the main bedroom suite (which is beautiful!) is at a "third" level- so if you have difficulties going up steps, this may cause a problem-though there is a king size bedroom in the main floor. Overall I highly recommend this place, and I would rent it again if I return to the St Paul/Minneapolis area.

- Tanya V. , Posted: 09/19/2017

This home is a beautiful, charming, and well maintained gem in the heart of the city. It is meticulously clean and well stocked with supplies to provide a very comfortable stay. Lance has gone out of his way to create a welcoming environment by supplying quality beds, linens, and toiletries. We even received a bottle of wine as a welcome gift! The home itself is a beautifully preserved and restored Craftsman, full of character and tastefully furnished with interesting art pieces and photos from around the world as well as comfortable, quality furniture. Lance himself is friendly, open, easy to communicate with, and available to address issues or answer questions. Our stay in this home was one of our best Airbnb experiences thus far. We highly recommend it! Thank you, Lance, for making our stay delightful!

- Karen , Posted: 11/10/2018

Very nice and great owner! The owner was very responsive before we even got to the place. The rental is on the second floor of a duplex. It is very nicely decorated and has comfortable seating in the living room. The bed was amazing! We both slept wonderfully even though at first we were afraid it was too firm, but whatever it's made out of made us super comfortable and I have fibromyalgia, so I'm very sensitive. I'm a lite sleeper and it was very quiet at night. The backyard is very nice as well. We enjoyed the large tv for a movie night!

- Erica H , Posted: 08/04/2016

Beautiful property and furnishings with everything you need for a comfy stay. Second floor bedroom suite is a luxurious hideaway. Great location near restaurants and coffee. Wonderful host! We were greeted with a bottle of wine and nice note. Lance answered all our questions immediately and let us have a late check out. Can't wait to go back!

- Elizabeth G , Posted: 11/21/2018

We were extremely happy with Lance’s Minnestay Urban Oasis. There was a group of us, so we used both the first and second floor as well as the master suite on the third floor. My husband and I have stayed at many Airbnb’s and this house was the most fully decorated of any we’ve ever rented, and every mattress received rave reviews. The location is excellent and each floor has a lovely enclosed porch to hang out in. There were six of us and no one had a complaint. Lance was extremely helpful and responsive. We would all highly recommend staying here.

- Jill , Posted: 03/23/2018

Highly recommend! Comfortable stay in a great area. Stayed here for baseball games at Target Field. Would stay again.

- Carly B , Posted: 05/08/2017

Lance did a fantastic job of staying in touch during the check-in process and our stay. The space was fabulous, clean, and had everything we needed. We were well taken care of with a comprehensive guide to activities and food in the area and were able to enjoy a comfortable family reunion in the gorgeous homey common areas--kitchen, living room, loft, and backyard. We would recommend this place for anyone looking to have a cozy, luxurious stay in downtown Minneapolis.

- Bri , Posted: 10/16/2017

Great family accomodation. Perfect for Our Minneapolis Adventure We are a retired couple that was traveling with my 87 year old mother. Lance's property was a perfect fit for our stay. We have always jumped on the opportunity to travel anywhere we can when we are able to find inexpensive airfare and so our Minneapolis trip came into being. The home is only 3 1/2 blocks off of Interstate 35 south of Minneapolis making it very convenient for our daily trips into the city to see the sights as well as for our day trips to Austin, MN to see the Spam Museum and up to Duluth and Lake Superior. All of the attractions we wanted to see in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area were within 8 miles from this location.The home was supplied with all the items needed for a comfortable stay - - a good supply of cookware all in excellent condition, as well as dishes, glasses, cups and silverware. Lance also supplied dishwashing liquid, dishwasher pods, laundry detergent, stain remover, fabric softener, dryer sheets, extra toilet paper, paper towels, miscellaneous items needed for the bathroom, tissues, all needed towels for the bath as well as extra blankets if needed. The beds (one queen and one king) were heavenly with their memory foam mattresses. The home is accurately portrayed in the VRBO photos. It had a Minnesota feel to it with all of the woodwork. We spent every morning enjoying the sunroom in the front of the house. We had no problem with access to the home, even though we arrived at about midnight, in that a lockbox with code was provided. From my first inquiry regarding the rental I received prompt responses. The whole process in renting with Lance was a stress free, pleasant experience. Should our travels have us return to the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, we will, without a doubt, be renting from Lance once again.

- Julie D , Posted: 07/09/2017

Fantastic - awesome place - highly recommend!!! Great place! It was perfect!!! Very clean and furnished beautifully!!! Owner is very attentive and you have everything you could possibly need!!! Great bed and fabulous TVs!!! Fantastic location - would definitely stay again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

- Bonnie L , Posted: 04/30/2016

The arrangement of the living spaces was ideal for our extended family with small children to feed and entertain them without waking those still on West Coast time. The beds were incredibly comfortable, the place was immaculate (even under the sofas as we discovered when fetching rogue toys) and the kitchens were the best equipped that I have seen. The fenced backyard was an unexpected bonus for rambunctious kiddos. We chose to eat in, but the welcome book with restaurant suggestions was very interesting.

- Eileen and Gus , Posted: 11/22/2018

Fantastic stay at a clean and comfortable place. We were in town for a family gathering and rented both units. It was comfortable and great for the 9 of us with kids/babies. The beds are so comfortable. The upstairs master suite is amazing! I would definitely stay here again.

- Freyja , Posted: 12/02/2018

The Property Is Spot On. Lance has named his vacation rentals "urban living at its finest" and he does not exaggerate. If anything he could have been more generous in his description if he wished. Just moved to Minneapolis and in-between closing on our property and getting things moved in, we stayed at Lance's other property. We were set to check out and at the last minute asked Lance if we could stay just a "few more days" as we were not quite ready to move into our new home. As with all communication, he replied immediately and was very accommodating. A quick and easy move and we were at his second location which is just, if not more, beautiful than the first. The location is quite ideal with great coffee shops and restaurants nearby, very easy street parking, walkable, etc. We were greeted with a bottle of wine which is a nice touch. Appreciate the very clean and welcoming feel of Lance's place and are happy this was our fist stay in Minneapolis. We wholeheartedly recommend this property without hesitation. If you stay, head down (you can walk) Nicolette to Pat's... great place for drinks, dinner, and skeeball! Enjoy and thanks again Lance. We'll keep you in mind if we have family in town and not enough room at the house.

- Cynthia N , Posted: 06/03/2016

~Customer Service, Class and Comfort~ My husband and I had to travel to Minneapolis for a family matter and work. We experienced difficulty with another owner, and ended up with no place to stay while driving to Minneapolis! I sent a message to Lance to inquire about his units. He immediately got back to us and offered us this unit-I believe we were the first to stay. He sent me a text later in the day to be sure we had found it and were inside, and also to check if everything was in order. (Over and above in my book).It is absolutely stunning! A mixture of beautiful refurbishing in this older duplex, high quality furniture and electronics, and an amazing kitchen, I am not sure we could have asked for more. The unit was very quiet even though it is located on a fairly busy street. We walked in the neighborhood and felt very safe-lots of restaurants close by as Lance will share with you on arrival. All in all, I would recommend Lance and his rentals to all who are looking for a worry free stay in Uptown. Thank you Lance-We are going to contact you soon to rent again in March!

- Patricia M , Posted: 02/09/2016

Amazing apartment! Two retired women stayed in this apartment to visit Minneapolis. It was by far one of the nicest units we have rented (and we have rented many vacation units). First it was impeccably clean and well furnished. The furnishings were comfortable, functional and tasteful. The rooms were of generous size. The air conditioning worked well (in high 80 degree days). The internet was very fast and reliable. The kitchen was more than adequate. There were enough spices and cooking supplies to meet most needs. There was not an item that we lacked in the unit. We particularly liked being on the second floor. It was very quiet. The second bedroom and loft on the third floor were particularly quiet and roomy. The location was ideal. We could easily get to theater, museums, hiking areas easily. There seemed to be plenty of reasonably priced parking lots of garages everywhere we went. If I were to return to Minneapolis, I would certainly rent here again. Lance was a great host. He let us know he was there and available if we needed anything.

- Linda S , Posted: 06/09/2017

This house was just as pictured. It was very clean and had everything we needed for our stay for a week. It was centrally located - nothing too far away. Great restaurants and coffee shops that we could walk to.

- KC , Posted: 05/05/2018

Location is great and Lance's place is really homey. Beautiful back yard and Lance could not be more helpful and responsive-can totally see why he is a super host!

- Molly , Posted: 08/06/2017

This place is phenomenal. It's very clean, well located, great for groups, and well appointed. The master suite is extremely comfortable and all the shared spaces are as well. Lance is very accessible and hospitable as well. If I'm ever out in the area again I wouldn't hesitate to rebook.

- Jeff , Posted: 10/06/2018

This was our first trip to Minneapolis, so we originally picked this home based primarily on location and having King sized beds available. Once we arrived, we were blown away by this lovely and comfortable house. The decor was beautiful, with great natural light and comfortable furniture. We fell in love with the "sunroom" and used it as our reading room. The kitchen was well appointed, and the owner had even left us a bottle of wine. He also left a little basket in each bathroom with travel sized toiletries, which saved us since I forgot to pack our shampoo and conditioner. The upstairs bedroom was awesome. It had a nice couch and window seat for lounging and a desk. It also had great windows and skylights, but with curtains and shades that allowed it to get really dark if desired. Best of all, the bed was seriously comfortable. We actually slept in twice, which almost never happens anymore! The kids shared the downstairs bedroom and said their king bed was also very comfortable. As expected, the location was perfect...a block walk to great restaurants and bus stops, and a little longer walk to beautiful lakes. We took advantage daily, walking to Butter Bakery and Blackbird Cafe each morning. If we get the chance to return to Minneapolis, we will definitely be booking this home again.

- Monika W. , Posted: 09/05/2017

Terrific Apartment and Location. We loved our week on Nicollet. The listing and photos are right on. The apartment was clean, very well maintained and wonderfully equipped with paper products, soaps, all the small things so often not available in rentals. We were happy that Lance happened to be there to introduce us to the place in person, but his booklet and instructions would have sufficed, as well. The kitchen is new and such a treat to use for breakfast and light entertaining. The sun room was our favorite spot all day long - so bright and warm on sunny, Fall days. Altho located on Nicollet, it is a quiet area and we felt very safe. We never had a problem parking in front. We loved the shops and restaurants just one or two blocks up the street. They could not have been more convenient. "Blackbird" was especially good for both brunch and dinner! The convenience store had a little of everything for light eating and even had "Aleve" in stock. The store's staff could not have been more friendly and inviting. We highly recommend the property and hope to return ourselves one day! Thank you Lance. Kathy and Alger

- Kathy and Al C , Posted: 10/20/2016

Urban Retreat was a perfect, centrally located place for our week long stay in the Twin Cities. The house was updated, clean and spacious. We enjoyed the extra room (and washer/dryer) with two kids. The neighborhood has a lot to offer - coffee shop, breakfast spots, yummy dinner locations. We would definitely stay again.

- Alison , Posted: 08/23/2017

Unique house with multiple options for privacy and separation on different floors. We rented the entire house for a friend weekend and loved that we could spread out on the different floors. Having the option to "get away" within the house was nice for our group! Loved the walkable neighborhood, too.

- Frances , Posted: 09/09/2018

Loved the location, very convenient for the city, the beautiful lakes and the airport. The property is very well equipped and perfect for a few nights or an extended stay. Every question we had was answered promptly and we felt very much at home. We will be back

- Jeremy B , Posted: 10/24/2017

I can not say enough how much we loved our stay, and how wonderful a host Lance is. My three generational family stayed a week over Christmas, during one of the coldest periods in recent memory. This was our first visit to Minnesota, so we didn't really know what to expect. Lance was responsive to our needs and answered our questions well in advance of our arrival. He was willing to get and set up a Christmas tree for us if we chose. The house is actually more beautiful and more spacious than the pictures show, especially the kitchen. There were games and toys for children around the house, which I so appreciated as it made my daughter feel at home. We loved the neighborhood too. We could walk to little grocery stores, bakeries, and restaurants, and being right by the highway everything was quickly accessible by car. It is by far the most generously appointed vacation rental we have ever booked; we wanted for nothing. I don't think it is possible to choose a better place to stay in the twin cities!

- Tracey , Posted: 12/30/2017

Best Urban getaway in town. What a pleasant surprise to arrive at this beautifully decorated and comfortable home we would be staying in for 5 nights. All the amenities of home and more provided by the owner with warm greetings and a bottle of wine. The location is wonderful as you can walk to so many amazing restaurants and coffee shops within blocks. It is also close to the freeway for quick access around town as well. There are also countless lakes and parks you can walk to and bike rentals as well. Lance the owner has also provided maps of the area and menus of the restaurants and bars nearby to help out. If your going to Minneapolis STAY HERE. You won't be disappointed .

- Becky W , Posted: 10/07/2016

Great stay at the Urban Retreat. My husband and I stayed at the Urban Retreat for a long weekend while visiting our kids and new granddaughter. Everything went smoothly and we were very comfortable. We made lots of food to take to the new parents, and the well-appointed kitchen was a delight to cook in. The location was great: My husband took a run every morning down to the lakes and we had lots of choices for dinner within walking distance. We will definitely stay here next time we visit.

- Nancy D , Posted: 08/16/2016

Well located property. Nicely furnished and maintained. This is a well equipped apartment with easy parking and a nice yard. The owner is very communicative and helpful. We plan to return when visiting our daughter at Univ. of Minnesota.

- John O , Posted: 09/03/2016

Great Place. I have kept it saved so that we can stay here again next year.

- Rich , Posted: 10/09/2018

We will be back!

This was a perfect spot right in the city for My friends and I to stay, We had a relaxing weekend and the hosts communicated with us about everything we needed for our stay. 

- Keri W , Posted: