The Deepwater Bay Bed and Breakfast occupies an expanse of land just off the Deepwater Creek Bay in North Dakota. Ronna and her husband have been operating the business since 1987, the year the houses were first built. Farmlands and rural areas encompass the majority of the land surrounding the acreage. Due to the property's close proximity to the lake, many fishermen and hunters come to the area to participate in outdoor recreation. The bed and breakfast rents out five units among three separate buildings on the premises: The White House, the Guest House, and the Bunk House. Breakfast is provided for visitors who stay in one particular guesthouse that is known as the "owner's house." Breakfast options for those occupants include French toast, eggs, fruit, oatmeal, and other similar items.
The Deepwater Bay Bed and Breakfast can be found in the central northwestern region of North Dakota. A total of three buildings, which the owners call the White House, Guest House, and Bunk House, can be found on the premises. Five units are spread throughout the three houses. One of the three buildings is known as the "Owner's House," which is the only building with units that include breakfast as part of a guest's reservation. The Owner's House is also considered to be the base of operations or the principal bed and breakfast building.
In addition to the guesthouses, a machine shed and shop are also on the grounds of the property. Farmlands cover a considerable portion of the land surrounding and conjoined with the Deepwater Bay Bed and Breakfast acreage. As the owner's husband has grown up on the farm, a barn can be found on the grounds as well. One of the common areas where guests can lounge is a firepit area across from the Bunk House.
Amenities such as internet access and Dish Network are available to occupants during their stay. The rooms in the Owner's House have two beds in each of the three rooms that can be rented out. A TV is provided in one of the rooms in the bed and breakfast building. A fridge and microwave are available in the majority of the units. In the garage of the Owner's House, there is a stove, fridge, and sink where fishermen can cook the fish that they caught at the lake. Alternatively, patrons are able to utilize the grills located outside of the guesthouses. The Guest House and White House have two rooms and two showers. Each guesthouse contains eight beds per building, which can sleep six to ten people, according to the owner.
The breakfast options offered at the Owner's House include eggs, a type of meat on the side, fruit, potatoes, juice, and a type of bread made by Ronna, the owner. Ronna bakes sourdough, steel-cut oat, and molasses bread, which can be made into French toast as well. Ronna may also ask visitors beforehand how they would like their eggs, giving them the options of scrambled or omelet. Coffee is additionally available to patrons. In such cases where a guest prefers one breakfast item over others, the owner can be flexible in accommodating those preferences. Dietary restrictions or food allergies can also be accommodated, though visitors are required to let the owner know about such restrictions in advance. Ronna does the baking while her husband does the cooking.
One of the main attractions in the area is fishing due to the close proximity to Deepwater Creek Bay. Guests may have access to the lake as it is a relatively short distance from the Deepwater Bay Bed and Breakfast across a road. Fishermen can utilize the on-site fish cleaning station that is provided on the premises. The property is also situated across from a couple of boat ramps about three miles away. In conjunction with fishing, hunting is also a popular activity that a fair amount of visitors to the area engage in.
Deepwater Bay Bed and Breakfast is open from June to October, with the busiest months typically being June and July. The business generally receives very few visitors during the months of August and September; however, October tends to become busier as hunters visit the area. The general demographic for the bed and breakfast is mainly hunters and fishermen, with very few children and families. Repeat guests come often each year to engage in the outdoor recreation that is nearby the property.
Policies are implemented at the bed and breakfast, which guests are required to act in accordance with during their stay. Pets that shed excessively are not allowed to stay at the establishment, though aside from this, the majority of pets are allowed to come. The owner, Ronna, mentions that hunters typically bring their dogs with them during their trip, but they are kept in the kennel. Furthermore, smoking is prohibited inside any of the guesthouses.
One of Ronna's favorite aspects of operating the business is meeting new people and getting to know her guests. In the words of Ronna, "it helps [her] to keep busy," and she enjoys the fact that it "doesn't get overly busy." She is also content with the fact that she feels she can get things done while still being able to visit with others. The experience that Ronna hopes to provide for those who stay at Deepwater Bay Bed and Breakfast is for guests to "feel at home." In an attempt to further emulate this atmosphere and experience, Ronna puts forth the effort to interact with patrons often, telling them about the area and trying to be aware of needs they may have. One visitor who had previously stayed at the bed and breakfast remarked, "Calvin and Ronna are wonderful. Great location for a hunting or fishing getaway. Amazing food."
According to Ronna, word-of-mouth is the main way that visitors discover the property, and she explains that it has "built up our business." They receive hunters mainly from New Hampshire and Pennsylvania, while fishermen come from states including Nebraska, South Dakota, Minnesota, and Colorado, to name a few.
Ronna mentions that Medora, near Theodore National Park, is "worth the drive," though it is located approximately three hours away. One particular attraction in Medora is Old Western Town, which hosts musicals every evening. Theodore Roosevelt National Park, southwest of Deepwater Bay Bed and Breakfast, is one attraction that Ronna recommends to visitors. Another attraction is the rock museum in Parshall, and Ronna explains that Walt Disney had wanted to purchase this rock museum, but it never happened. New Town, located about 38 miles from the bed and breakfast, includes a casino, plus a steakhouse known as Ranchman's 23 Saloon and Steakhouse, recommended by Ronna. Ye Olde Malt Shoppe, 40 miles from the property, is another restaurant that Ronna often directs patrons to.
Ronna and her husband have owned the Deepwater Bay Bed and Breakfast since 1987. They are the original owners who built the houses on the property. Her husband was a farmer who grew up in North Dakota, while Ronna had spent much of her life in Minnesota. Previously, the acreage was Ronna's husband's family farm and they decided to add a bed and breakfast to the property for the extra income. When they first started operating the business, hunters were the only ones that they would allow to stay in the guesthouses.
Eventually, people who were working in the oil fields needed a place to stay, so Ronna and her husband then allowed oil workers, who would stay for months at a time. Due to the development of infrastructure in the area, the oil workers had trailed off, and Ronna and her husband went back to allowing hunters and fishermen to stay at the bed and breakfast. One particularly unique aspect of the establishment's location is that across the Deepwater Creek Bay, visitors may find Native American items and trinkets that date back to the first settlers of the area.
7152-A 22nd St. NW
Parshall, North Dakota 58770
United States
Bed and Breakfast
Ronna Gilbertson
