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A perfect Family Reunion or group Retreat

A perfect Family Reunion or group Retreat

Photo gallery for A perfect Family Reunion or group Retreat

Exterior
Property grounds
Bar (on property)
Bar (on property)
Dining

Overview of A perfect Family Reunion or group Retreat

Reviews
9.2 out of 10 Wonderful
10 bedrooms8+ bathroomsSleeps 36743 sq m

Popular amenities

  • FireplaceFireplaceFireplace
  • Breakfast availableBreakfast availableBreakfast available
  • Free WiFiFree WiFiFree WiFi
  • KitchenKitchenKitchen
  • Barbecue grillBarbecue grillBarbecue grill
  • Outdoor spaceOutdoor spaceOutdoor space

Explore the area

Map
Wattsburg, PA
  • Popular LocationWilderness Lodge1 min walk
  • Popular LocationPeek'n Peak Ski Resort17 min drive
  • Popular LocationLake Erie Speedway21 min drive
  • AirportErie, PA (ERI-Erie Intl.)47 min drive

Rooms & beds

10 bedrooms (sleeps 36)

Bedroom 1

+1

Bedroom 2

Bedroom 3

Bedroom 4

+1

Bedroom 5

Bedroom 6

Bedroom 7

+1

Bedroom 8

Bedroom 9

Bedroom 10

8 bathrooms, 2 half bathrooms

Bathroom in room 4

Towels provided · Toilet · Shower only

Bathroom in room 5

Towels provided · Toilet · Shower only

Bathroom in room 6

Towels provided · Toilet · Shower only

Bathroom in room 7

Towels provided · Bathtub · Toilet

Bathroom in room 10

Towels provided · Toilet · Shower only

Bathroom in Room 3

Towels provided · Toilet · Shower only

Bathroom In room 2

Towels provided · Toilet · Shower only

Downstairs Men's

Toilet

Downstairs Women's

Toilet

Upstairs Hallway Bathroom

Towels provided · Toilet · Shower only

Spaces

Deck or patio
Kitchen
Separate dining area
Garden

About this property

A perfect Family Reunion or group Retreat

The Wilderness Lodge was founded in 1969 by James and Nansi Janes (my grandparents). Jim wanted to create a unique place in the image of a european style inn. As you enter the lodge you are greeted by the main dining room and a huge round fireplace. The natural rustic feel of the hand hewn beams with the granite floor and bar instantly feel as though you have stepped back in time. There are 9 available guest rooms with a max capacity of 31. There are 7 bathrooms in the upstairs and 2 downstairs. In order to properly care for this huge property, I (Ryan), my wife Emily, and our 3 children live here on property in a separate residence that is attached to the Inn. Not only am I able to help guide you to local activities and attractions, I am also available to be your private Chef during your stay your stay so please inquire about menu options when you book. The Kitchen was fully upgraded in January 2015 with a Vulcan Convection oven and 6 burner top, Vulcan IR Salamander Broiler, Garland 36" flat top with a conventional oven and a commercial dish machine.
There is a huge selection of area attractions to fill your days. We are close to multiple wineries in the North east Area as well as a couple of fantastic brewpubs such as Southern Tier, Voodoo, and Sprague Farms. The Beaches of Presque Isle and Bemus point are both easy drives. There are 3 Casinos within an hour. When you book the Lodge for your stay you will have the entire place to yourself including all of the grounds and a full commercial kitchen. The lodge sits on 350 acres of private land and the trail network expands over 1200 acres including the neighbor property that we manaintain. Enjoy hiking on 26 miles of groomed trail, fishing in the pond, or shooting on our private ranges. (10yd, 50yd, 100yd,) There are frequently deer at the feeders in the back yard and the nights here are even more beautiful than the days because of our extremely low level of light pollution. On a clear night literally millions of stars are visible. There is a stocked fishing pond on the property (no barbed hooks please) and it is also fun to go and feed the collection of Japanese Koi. There are multiple campsites and fire pits spread around the property as well. Please allow us to prepare your group a picnic lunch and deliver it to any spot on the property that you choose.

Property manager

Ryan Janes
Premier Host
Premier Host

Amenities

Kitchen
Free WiFi
Air conditioning
Outdoor space
Breakfast available
Barbecue grill

House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 25
Check out before 11:00 AM

Children

Children allowed: ages 0-17

Events

Events allowed: family gatherings and weddings

Pets

No pets allowed

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted
The kitchen is to be cleaned back to the standard of your arrival including the flat top and all dish ware. A commercial washer is provided.

Damage and incidentals

You will be responsible for any damage to the rental property caused by you or your party during your stay.

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Parties and events (including family gatherings and weddings) are allowed on site; maximum attendees: 99
Host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip
Host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit, and a deadbolt lock

We should mention

A car is required for transportation to and from this property

About the area

Wattsburg

Located in Wattsburg, this vacation home is in a rural area. Lake Shore Railway Museum and Painted Finch Gallery Inc. are cultural highlights, and some of the area's attractions include Wilderness Lodge and Erie County Fairgrounds. Traveling with kids? Consider Burch Farms Country Market, or check out an event or a game at Lake Erie Speedway. Enjoy the area's slopes with skiing, and don't miss out on the sledding.
Map
Wattsburg, PA

What's nearby

  • Wilderness Lodge - 1 min walk
  • Peek'n Peak Ski Resort - 17 min drive
  • Lake Erie Speedway - 21 min drive
  • Splash Lagoon - 31 min drive
  • Presque Isle Downs and Casino - 34 min drive

Getting around

  • Erie Station - 33 min drive
  • Erie, PA (ERI-Erie Intl.) - 48 min drive

Restaurants

  • Pine Junction - 24 min drive
  • French Creek Tavern & Liquors - 15 min drive
  • Alexander's - 17 min drive
  • Bistro 210 - 14 min drive
  • Davis' Country Kitchen - 16 min drive

Reviews

9.2

Wonderful

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
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Rating 10 - Excellent. 21 out of 31 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 7 out of 31 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 2 out of 31 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 1 out of 31 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 31 reviews" "

8.6/10

Cleanliness

9.6/10

Check-in

8.8/10

Communication

9.6/10

Location

9.0/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Joe M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great rustic spot
We celebrated my 40th bday with 30 friends and family. The lodge is great for a big group of varying ages. It is accurately depicted in the pictures; you don't get other amenities - I was hoping they would have a foosball or ping pong table.The kitchen is indeed fully stocked -- all the cooking surfaces, coffee pots, pots, pans, knives, silverware, plates, etc you could need. The grounds were nicer than expected. I'm sure it's a great place to cross country ski -- wasn't enough snow for us. Only small hiccup was communication. It took a few days to hear back, and the recommended caterer never called back. Worked better when I looked up the number and called the Lodge directly. All in all -- a great rustic place to gather with a big group of friends and family. -Joe
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2024

10/10 Excellent

Lynn L., Arcade

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Memorable family reunion
Perfect property for a family reunion! It accommodated 17 people very comfortably.Fireplace and commercial kitchen were a plus!
Stayed 4 nights in Nov 2023

10/10 Excellent

Matthew J.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great stay for our Youth Group Retreat!
Our church Youth Group Retreat went fantastic here! There was plenty of room for everyone, plenty of space and opportunity for games. The kitchen (especially the stove top and the industrial dishwasher) were amazing for quickly cook up food and cleaning up afterwards. Ryan was always prompt in getting back to us when we had questions. We would definitely stay again and recommend for others!
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2023

8/10 Good

Judith M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Perfect Lodging for our group of 31
Our group has stayed at this location many times over the last few decades! This was the first time we rented the ENTIRE LODGE, which includes the commercial kitchen for us to prepare our own meals. This was fantastic once we figured out all of the quirks of the appliances. I think that a laminated instruction sheet for the ovens, stove, broiler, and dishwasher would be a tremendous help for future guests. The beds were comfy and all linens and towels were clean and included. We enjoyed hanging out in the bar / dining area playing games and listening to our friends play the piano! The fire place is FANTASTIC and the rustic atmosphere is cozy and perfect for our large outdoorsy group. We had hoped to have a weekend full of Nordic Adventures... however Mother Nature did not provide enough of the fluffy white stuff. That did not keep us from having a great time! We hiked every day - so many places with in an hour drive: state parks, lakes, antique shops, breweries, wineries etc. I highly recommend this Lovely Family Owned Lodge for large groups looking for a rustic adventure :)
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2023

10/10 Excellent

Amy L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
A true lodge experience
The kitchen is huge and well equipped, lots of space to spread out, and the many bedrooms gave each family group their own private space. It’s an easy drive to the ski slopes and worked wonderfully for our large group! The rustic decor is extra fun and we’d gladly stay there again!!!
Stayed 4 nights in Jan 2023

About the host

Hosted by Ryan Janes

Host profile image
The lodge has always been a part of my life. Although I have lived in Meadville, Pittsburgh, London and elsewhere, the lodge has always been the center of my heart. I live in an apartment on property with by amazing wife Emily and our 3 children. In addition to running the Lodge we also operate a free range beef and chicken ranch on the property. I am a 2000 graduate of Allegheny College and a lifetime outdoor enthusiast. I am also available if desired to teach classes in woodcraft and sustainable forestry.

Why they chose this property

I have always known that the Wilderness Lodge is a one of a kind place. It is hard to put into words the unique nature of this place but I can say this much. There is nothin quite like it and once you experience it you will be back. The vast majority of out guests have been coming for 10 years or more, some as many as 30 years.

What makes this property unique

Fireplaces
Bar
Commercial Kitchen
Beautiful Woodlands
Fishing Pond
Bocce
Hiking
Birdwatching
Hunting

This is the perfect place for a family of outdoor enthusiasts.

Here on property we also run a Free Range beef and chicken ranch called Wilderness Free Range. We ethically raise cattle and poultry with a state of the art rotational grazing system and acres of open pasture. There is a lot of pride in bringing the highest quality products to market with no antibiotics, added hormones, and no feed lots.

Premier Host

Premier Host
They consistently provide great experiences for their guests
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