There is no chain hotel in Three Lakes, and that is part of the appeal. Three Lakes lodging is mostly small, family-run cottage resorts on the lakes, plus one indoor-pool resort, one motel in town and one campground on Big Stone Lake.
That makes the choice simpler than it looks. Decide whether you want to be on the water or in walking distance of Superior Street, decide whether you are coming in summer or for the sled trails, and the list narrows to two or three places.
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How lodging works in Three Lakes
Most places to stay here are cabins and cottages with kitchens, set on a lake, with a pier and often a boat. They are built for families and fishing groups who come for a week, cook their own meals and spend the day on the water.
Cottage resorts are small, and July and August weeks go early. Many work on weekly stays in peak season, so ask about minimum stays and whether a cabin is winterized before you commit. For hotel-style rooms with a front desk, the nearest chain hotels are in Eagle River and Rhinelander.
Private lake homes on the chain are also listed on the big rental sites, and for a large group they can be the easiest option. Check the exact location on a map, because some list themselves under Three Lakes and sit well outside town.
Cottage resorts on Big Stone Lake
Big Stone Lake, east of downtown off WI-32, has the biggest cluster of cottage resorts, and it sits on the chain, so a boat at your pier can reach the other lakes. Three resorts stand out.
Hintz Cottages Resort is right on the water with four piers and swim rafts, and guests get a paddle boat and a 14-foot fishing boat. The cabins have full kitchens and a rustic, Northwoods feel. Reviewers love the sunsets and the owners, and a few note it costs a little more than neighbors that have fully remodeled their cabins.
A Lot of Lakes Resort has five lodges on Big Stone, with a playground, fire pits and pontoons to rent. Four of the five lodges are open all year; Black Bear Lodge is the one that is not winterized. Snowmobile trails run right past, and some cabins have views from an upper balcony.
Stone Lake Resort on Golf Course Loop is a smaller cluster of lakeside cabins on the same lake, close to the golf course and the ski show. It keeps a low profile online, so call to ask about cabins and dates.
All three are a short boat ride from the rest of the Three Lakes chain, which is the main reason to stay on Big Stone rather than in town.
Northernaire: indoor pool and a bar
If your group wants a pool and a bar under the same roof, Northernaire is the resort to book.
Because the pool is indoors, Northernaire works in any season, and it is a good fallback if the weather turns on a summer week.
Smaller and cheaper
For a simple room in town, the Triangle Motel on US-45 is a no-frills roadside motel, clean, quiet and well priced, about 0.4 miles from downtown. Some guests have come back for decades. It is the place to stay if you want to walk to dinner and do not need a lake view.
North of town on Russell Road, Rustlewood Resort has fully equipped cabins on a sandy beach with a gentle slope into the water, which suits families with small children. It is about 1.6 miles from downtown in a straight line, and it advertises snowmobiling in winter as well as swimming and fishing in summer.
Camping on the chain
Three Lakes Campground is the town's campground, and it suits RV owners far better than tent campers.
Food is close by. 32 South Bar & Grill is next to the golf course, a short walk from the sites, and Sunset Grill is on the same stretch of WI-32.
Just up the road in Eagle River
If Three Lakes is full, Eagle River is about 9.5 miles north-northwest and has more rooms. Eagle Waters Resort & Supper Club has a lakeside resort with its own supper club, a pool and boat docks, about 9.7 miles from downtown Three Lakes in a straight line.
Staying in Eagle River also puts you at the other end of the Three Eagle Trail, so you can ride between the two towns.
On the lake or in town
The main trade-off is simple. The cottage resorts on Big Stone are about 2.6 to 3.6 miles from downtown in a straight line, so you drive to dinner but wake up on the water. The Triangle Motel puts you about 0.4 miles from Superior Street, so you walk to dinner but drive to a launch.
If most of your plans are the boat, the ski show and fishing, stay on Big Stone. If they are the trail, the winery and the Center for the Arts, stay near town. Rustlewood sits between the two, about 1.6 miles north of downtown on its own beach.
What to ask before you book
Small resorts do not all list the same details online, so a two-minute call saves surprises. Ask whether the cabin is winterized if you are coming between October and April. Ask whether a boat is included, or whether there is a slip for your own.
Ask about pets, because policies vary: Northernaire does not take them, so ask each cottage resort directly. Ask about the minimum stay in summer, and whether linens and towels are provided or you bring your own.
If you are coming to fish, ask whether there is a fish-cleaning station. If you are coming to ride, ask whether you can reach the snowmobile trail from the property.
Flying in
Three Lakes has a small public airport, Three Lakes Municipal Airport, about 3 miles southeast of downtown, used by private pilots. The campground on Big Stone sits next to a grass runway, and some seasonal campers fly in to reach their sites.
For airline service, the nearest airport is Rhinelander-Oneida County, about 20 miles southwest. You will need a rental car from there.
Choosing by season
Summer is about the water: pick Big Stone for the boat and the ski show, Rustlewood for a beach with small kids, or Northernaire if you want a pool.
In winter, ask every resort whether the cabin is winterized, and pick one on the trail system. The snowmobile trails around Three Lakes pass close to several resorts, and A Lot of Lakes has trails right outside.
Spring and fall are quieter and cheaper. Some resorts close or shorten their seasons, so confirm opening dates, and expect cold nights well into May.
Eating near where you stay
Most cabins have kitchens, so plan a few nights in. For the rest, Friday fish fries and lake bars you can reach by boat make up a lot of eating out here.
If you are still working out your route north, Three Lakes is about 230 miles north of Milwaukee where US-45 meets WI-32, and every place on this list is within a few miles of that junction.
Once you are settled, a day in Three Lakes is mostly spent on the lakes or along Superior Street downtown.
Frequently asked questions
Published September 14, 2026
