The Aurora- Award Winning The Aurora- Life as Art

  • Surrounded by greenery in summer- flowering crabs and polinator gardens.
    Surrounded by greenery in summer- flowering crabs and polinator gardens.
  • The Aurora at tre søstre, as featured in Mn Monthly
    The Aurora at tre søstre, as featured in Mn Monthly
  • The Tre Søstre micro neighborhood, Aurora is on the right.
    The Tre Søstre micro neighborhood, Aurora is on the right.
  • Panoramic views, gas fireplace, unique architectural details
    Panoramic views, gas fireplace, unique architectural details
  • Mornings in the Aurora at Tre Søstre. There is one bedroom in the home.
    Mornings in the Aurora at Tre Søstre. There is one bedroom in the home.
  • Aurora is a completely free standing home. Amazing windows frame views of the harbor, the beach and the town.
    Aurora is a completely free standing home. Amazing windows frame views of the harbor, the beach and the town.
  • A private stone patio
    A private stone patio
  • Your address in Grand Marais
    Your address in Grand Marais
  • Modern kitchen with top of the line appiiances- everything you need.
    Modern kitchen with top of the line appiiances- everything you need.
  • Original artwork by area artists
    Original artwork by area artists
  • Amazing architectural details
    Amazing architectural details
  • Cozy and private bedroom with walk out to patio, lighted wardrobe, and planning desk. Heated floors. This is a one bedroom home.
    Cozy and private bedroom with walk out to patio, lighted wardrobe, and planning desk. Heated floors. This is a one bedroom home.
  • An informational custom guide to our favorite "Secret Spots" in the area.
    An informational custom guide to our favorite "Secret Spots" in the area.
  • Sleek, modern bathroom
    Sleek, modern bathroom
  • Planning desk in bedroom and additional work area
    Planning desk in bedroom and additional work area
  • Top of the line, full sized washer and dryer.
    Top of the line, full sized washer and dryer.
  • The village inside the village. Aurora is the lower right.
    The village inside the village. Aurora is the lower right.
  • The buildings are a wonderful interplay of forms. Aurora on the left.
    The buildings are a wonderful interplay of forms. Aurora on the left.
  • Hidden motorized smart TV- shown hidden in the cabinet
    Hidden motorized smart TV- shown hidden in the cabinet
  • Work area
    Work area
  • Panoramic views of the harbor and Lake Superior while nestled back against the Sawtooth Ridge.
    Panoramic views of the harbor and Lake Superior while nestled back against the Sawtooth Ridge.
  • Park you car and walk to everything, Aurora on the left.
    Park you car and walk to everything, Aurora on the left.
  • Aurora on the left
    Aurora on the left
  • tre søstre in winter, Aurora in the middle left.
    tre søstre in winter, Aurora in the middle left.
$199-459/night
1 Bedroom • 1 Bath • Sleeps 1-4
Allows pets Internet Fireplace Beach View Forest Downtown (more...)

The Aurora is a free standing, inspiring home with incredible views created by local couple Todd and Susan Miller, and is in the heart of Grand Marais overlooking the harbor. Designed by celebrated Minnesota architect David Salmela and newly constructed in 2018/19. The Aurora is one of three in a collection of modern homes that have been featured in Mn. Monthly, Midwest Home, Arch Daily, and other publications around the globe. We have even won awards for this architecture as far away as Sweden. The Aurora is the smaller sister to The Sky House and the Horizon, two sibling properties to Aurora in the small but exclusive enclave called "tre søstra" which means "three sisters" in Danish. Many of our guests ache for a connection with nature (with high thread count sheets), reconnection with each other, and permission to come to a full stop for deep rest. Aurora has one bedroom, one bath, plus a very nice sleeper sofa for one adult or two children, and floor bed for one. There is a roomy main living space that seems to float above the area buildings and treetops and has wonderful view of the harbor. Although designed ideally as an upscale oasis for two, 4 people can stay here nicely. The Aurora provides an inspiring modern space that allows for privacy among those sharing the lodging, and also provides a captivating view from the great room area on the top floor of the Grand Marais harbor, the neighborhood, and the town close by. Everything is close by- shopping, coffee shop, walks on the beach... She has a desk area in the bedroom, a walk out blue stone patio from the bedroom, a planning desk in the hall, an all tile bathroom with walk in shower, a large entry area for organizing luggage and winter clothes, a top notch laundry, a beautiful flight of stairs to the upper level, a balcony for star gazing, panoramic windows, fully modern kitchen with top of the line appliances, lighted drawers and butcher block countertop. Dining for 4, a custom sofa that sleeps one adult, or two children, a custom floor bed for one, and a gas fireplace. Everything is in walking distance from our little micro community in the heart of Grand Marais. Imagine the best exclusive lodge experience without sharing walls or having to pass through a front desk. Every restaurant, bar, coffee shop, gallery and Grand Marais' famous beach are all within a very short stroll from your private residence. The home is designed in modern Nordic fashion based on the original Stabur design- a work building commonly seen in Northern Europe. This design culminates a timeline of Scandinavian and Nordic design that the Miller’s began on the property next door that also honored northern work buildings in the roots of their designs. There is off street parking under a sod roofed car port. There is an electric car charging station in the carport as well. Here is a brief tour of the property and the Aurora: Begin by driving right in to the heart of Grand Marais and pause by the harbor. You will be turning left up the hill. Pull in to the parking area just outside of the lodging. Walk up to the entry area past the nordic arch to the first deck where there is room to store bikes in summer, and once inside, plenty of room for the whole group to shake off the snow, hang the coats and set down the skis or snowshoes. Head down David Salmela’s trademark stairway one half flight to bedroom one. On the way there is plenty of cabinetry, as well as a bathroom and your bedroom with built in cabinets, desk, and walk out to your own private dry stacked bluestone patio. The floors are heated. Continuing up the inspiring staircase leads you to the primary gathering area on the top floor. This area is breathtaking with its expansive windows, view of the town and harbor, Lake Superior and the private grounds. There is a fully modern and capable kitchen, an architect designed built in sofa and contemporary gas fireplace. Note the unique skylight with modern light treatments and the push button electronic pop up television that you can leave hidden if you wish. There is also a wrap around deck. The entire home has slate floors and modern cabinets. There is a utility room with full size washer and dryer. Everything about The Aurora is designed with environmental sustainability in mind. These homes have an incredibly small footprint both structurally and environmentally. The foundations were designed to take up as little of the yard as possible- by being small at the start and increasing as you go up just like the old Stabur upon which this design is based. The energy efficiency is profound because these are composed of structurally insulated panels which are incredibly efficient. No cost has been spared to make the Aurora the highest quality, most significant architectural addition to Grand Marais’ beautiful landscape. We hope you will find it warm, welcoming, and a once in a lifetime experience in one of the world’s most magical places. We have written a detailed guide to what we consider the most special "secret" places in the area. You can pick and chose your own adventures with it for reference depending on your tastes and the weather. That guide is available to you inside the home.

Lastly, we are implementing an incentive for you to choose trip insurance. We have discounted our rates on our direct website here by an additional 7% (the total savings between our direct site and say... AirBnB is now 14-21% only if you book on this direct site). We are doing this so that you may select trip insurance during your booking process. It will be offered to you while you are completing your booking and they charge 7%. We do not make any money on that.  The cancellation policy we have had for 10 years is as follows:

You may cancel within 48 hours of your booking for any reason. After that you can cancel with a 10% penalty up until 60 days prior to your arrival. After that you may cancel but your deposit can not be refunded.

If you have trip insurance you can be reimbursed according to which policy you chose. And we are subsidizing it for you by having reduced our rental rates well below any other rates where our properties can be found. It's up to you, pocket the savings and run the risk of cancellation, or still get some savings and have the peace of mind of having some of your investment in your vacation protected in case of unforeseen events. Here is a link to the insurance company, otherwise it is all presented to you when you book so that you can make an informed decision at that time: https://cdn.orez.io/sc/content/docs/RentalGuardian%20-%20Overview.pdf?v=0116da11ea74cfb3b939b87f3a2c5dc676da5f83 

The owners and managers of the Fisherman's Cabin are Todd and Susan Miller. Susan is originally from Duluth Mn and Todd from the Twin Cities. They have sailed the world's oceans together on their 35 foot sloop 'Snow Day', and have now settled down here in Grand Marais since 2003. Todd is a licensed Captain, and served on the local park board and planning commission for many years. He is also active in community projects with area youth and founded the Grand Marais Music Collaborative, a 5013c non profit focused on raising funds for music lessons for area youth. Susan is the Special Education teacher at the local charter school. Todd's interests include leading a local dance band, building and restoring fun things, messing about in boats, and managing Real Estate. Susans interests include gardening, thrift store exploring, and cooking. They both love to travel and learn.

Grand Marais, Minnesota

Property Type House
House Rules
  • Maximum occupancy: 4
  • Smoking not allowed
  • Wheelchair inaccessible
  • Minimum age of primary renter: 19
  • Pets welcome
Setting & View
  • Water View
  • City
  • Beach
  • Lake
  • Forest
  • Downtown
  • Beach View
  • Lake View
  • Rural
  • City Skyline View
General
  • Internet
  • Fireplace
  • Air Conditioning
  • Central Heating
  • Linens Provided
  • Towels Provided
  • Washing Machine
  • Clothes Dryer
  • Hot Water
  • Private Living Room
  • Hair Dryer
  • Iron & Board
  • Wifi
  • Laptop Friendly Workspace
  • Basic Soaps
  • Paper Towels
  • Shampoo
  • Toilet Paper
  • Hangers
  • Private Entrance
Kitchen
  • Kitchen
  • Refrigerator
  • Stove
  • Oven
  • Microwave
  • Dishwasher
  • Dishes & Utensils
  • Spices/Pantry Items
  • Coffee Maker
  • Toaster
  • Ice Maker
  • Freezer
  • Pots & Pans
Bathrooms 1 Bath
  • Bathroom – Shower, Toilet
Sleeping Arrangements 1 Bedroom, sleeps 1-4
  • Bedroom – 1 Queen bed, 1 Sleeper Sofa/Futon
  • – 1 Couch, 1 Floor Mattress
Entertainment
  • Television
  • DVD Player
  • Stereo
  • Games/Board Games
Family
  • Baby Gate
Outdoor
  • Deck/Patio (uncovered)
  • Balcony/Terrace
Vehicles
  • Parking
  • Garage
Other
  • Massage
Theme
  • Adventure
  • Family
  • Romantic
  • Tourist Attractions
Attractions
  • Coin Laundry
Sports & Adventure
  • Fishing
Safety
  • Carbon Monoxide Detector
  • Deadbolt Lock
  • Emergency Exit Route
  • Fire Emergency Contact
  • Fire Extinguisher
  • Medical Emergency Contact
  • Exterior Lighting
  • Police Emergency Contact
  • Smoke Detector
  • Enhanced Cleaning Practices
  • Cleaning Disinfection
Expectations
  • Requires Stairs
Season Rate
Regular Season
5/16 - 11/1
Night
$339
Weekend Night
$389
July 4th time period.
7/1 - 7/5
Night
$399
Weekend Night
$459
July/ August rates
7/1 - 8/31
Night
$359
Weekend Night
$409
Off Season
10/20 - 5/15
Night
$199 - $229
Weekend Night
$219 - $299
Free up Saturdays
11/15 - 1/15
Christmas season
12/24 - 12/25
Night
$319
Weekend Night
$379
Christmas 2022
12/24 - 12/26
Night
$329
New Year's rates
1/1 - 1/1

Cancellation Policy: Ninety percent (90.00%) of the total booking charges will be refunded if the cancellation is made more than 60 days prior to the arrival date of the reservation. For cancellations made within 60 days prior to the arrival date, no refund will be issued.

Rates include 2 people, a 3rd or 4th person may be added at $30 per person per night. 4 people maximum. Dogs are allowed at this property with prior approval and acceptance of our dog rules and a $100 per dog fee. No wedding/ birthday gatherings with non guests or parties of any kind without a discussion with the owner and a negotiated event fee in advance. Infants up to 24 months are free, children at 25 months and older are charged at the same rate as adults. Maximum 4 humans in this home of any age. Book directly for the lowest possible price by booking here on Grand Marais Vacation Rentals. Travel insurance- a more popular option than ever before in these uncertain times! If booking direct you are saving roughly 12-15%. Travel insurance costs between 7 and 9.8%. You can still come out ahead and be fully insured. Or, if. you are confident (and we really hope you are)  just pocket the savings and treat your group to a good dinner when you get here. But please don't just book some dates and then cancel and assume there will be a refund- you must make the correct decisions now that suit your comfort level.