Loon Lodge Review

Guest: Rick (Medina, Ohio)
Date of Stay: 10/03/11 Review Submitted: 01/23/12

Are you looking for a quiet & secluded "Up North" Cabin on a beautiful and tranquil Northern Michigan lake? Are you looking for the feel of being nestled in the woods yet right on the water? Do you want a sand bottom lake, a dock for your boat and a private fire pit overlooking the water? How about hearing the sounds of the lake at night through your bedroom window? If so, then Loon Lodge is the perfect family vacation spot for you plus you will have the added bonus of only being approximately 15 minutes from Downtown Traverse City. We had a wonderful stay and we enjoyed the home very much. Rick & JoAnn (Medina, Ohio)

Recommended for:Sightseeing, families with young children, pet owners, romantic getaway, age 55+, families with teenagers.

Loon Lodge Review

Guest: Rick (Medina, Ohio)
Date of Stay: 10/03/11 Review Submitted: 01/23/12

Are you looking for a quiet & secluded "Up North" Cabin on a beautiful and tranquil Northern Michigan lake? Are you looking for the feel of being nestled in the woods yet right on the water? Do you want a sand bottom lake, a dock for your boat and a private fire pit overlooking the water? How about hearing the sounds of the lake at night through your bedroom window? If so, then Loon Lodge is the perfect family vacation spot for you plus you will have the added bonus of only being approximately 15 minutes from Downtown Traverse City. We had a wonderful stay and we enjoyed the home very much. Rick & JoAnn (Medina, Ohio)

Recommended for:Sightseeing, families with young children, pet owners, romantic getaway, age 55+, families with teenagers.

Great location but not so great experience

Guest: Traverse ( LANSING)
Date of Stay: 09/03/11 Review Submitted: 11/28/11

My family and I had stayed at the Loon lodge, Long Lake, Michigan for two nights. While the location was beautiful, unfortunately the condition of the lodge was below par. The appliances in the kitchen, especially the toaster, microwave, and coffee maker were not cleaned after the previous guests had left and we could not use them. The kitchen sink was extremely dirty and we had to clean it by ourselves before we could use the kitchen. The living room was also unclean with dust and pet hair all over. The floor rugs and the upholstery were stained and battered and badly needed to be changed. While the bathrooms were useable, they were also not thoroughly cleaned after the previous guests. Overall, we enjoyed the location but we were disappointed with the living conditions of the lodge. The owner was apologetic, but there was not much he could do at that point to resolve these issues. While the place has a lot of potential, I would not recommend it in its current condition. This place badly needs a thorough cleaning and updates. Rejoinder: After coming back from our trip I spoke with the owner about the issues we faced. He expressed his concern and indicated this was an unusual situation. It appears that there was a problem with the cleaning service who did not do their job properly and the owners are hiring a new cleaning team. I believe that future renters will have a better experience at the lodge than what we did.

Owner response:We were disappointed to hear about these issues! We've been renting for several years and rarely encounter any troubles, so we were surprised and dismayed by this report. I spoke with this guest and offered to have the cleaner return, but since it was such a short stay we agreed it wasn't feasible. In 2012 we will have a new cleaning team, new rugs, a new grill and new furniture. Loon Lodge is a special place and we work hard to keep it in top condition.

Recommended for:Sightseeing, families with young children, families with teenagers.

Another great stay at Loon Lodge

Guest: kalamazoo gal (Kalamazoo, Michigan)
Date of Stay: 10/01/11 Review Submitted: 11/23/11

This is our third year at Loon Lodge. We take our vacation in the Fall and the colors were magnificent this year and the weather couldn't have been better. Loon Lodge is located on the prettiest lake in the area and is quite private. As we aren't summer people the Fall at Loon Lodge is perfect for us from the post-summer quiet to the hooty owls late at night. The location is great as it is easy driving to all sites the area has to offer. And the deli store just down the road is great for picking up meals from pizzas to stuffed potatoes. We normally don't take our dogs on vacation but our pet sitter had medical problems and our back-ups were booked so we ended up taking the dogs with us. As Loon Lodge is pet friendly this worked out well and the dogs enjoyed the change of scenery as well.

Recommended for:Girls getaway, sightseeing, families with young children, pet owners, romantic getaway, age 55+.

Authentic and rare, Lood Lodge is a piece of magic

Guest: Scott (clarksville, TN, usa)
Date of Stay: 09/15/11 Review Submitted: 10/28/11

Part#1 If you are looking for a bit of Long Lake/Traverse City the way it used to be, the real "up north" experience, then you can't do much better than Loon Lodge. My family has been Traverse City Since the turn of the century and there are even roads named after them--Stricker and Rokos. I was raised there so when I talk about Traverse City the way it used to be, I know what I'm talking about with regards to the Traverse City area in general. Growing up it seemed everyone had a lake cottage and if you didn't you knew somebody that did whether it be on Lake Leelanau, Lake Ann or some other beautiful local lake. I spent much of my youth on Long Lake, just down the road from Loon Lodge past the Long Lake Grocery, so I know Long Lake well. This is the end of part#1, it ends with part#2

Recommended for:Girls getaway, sightseeing, families with young children, romantic getaway, age 55+, families with teenagers.

Great Cabin!!!

Guest: Jacki Mac (Centennial, CO)
Date of Stay: 06/01/11 Review Submitted: 06/13/11

This is a great cabin, secluded, quiet and clean. Pet friendly; our dog was very happy exploring and swimming all week. Great fire pit on the deck, we roasted marshmallows and watched the sunset every night, very special. You owe it to yourself to rent a boat to fully appreciate all that Long Lake has to offer. Great fishing! Make sure to bring bug spray; mosquitos and horse flies are in abundance. Downtown Traverse City is only a few minutes away. Lots of good restaurants nearby. Check out Moomers, for some awesome local ice cream!!! Also, if you have time drive 30 minutes south of Traverse City on US HWy 31 to Beulah and stop by The Cherry Hut; the best cherry pie you will ever put in your mouth!!! We had a great time in Northern Michigan and hope to return very soon!!!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with young children, pet owners, romantic getaway, age 55+, families with teenagers.

Great place!

Guest: Andrea (Royal Oak, MI)
Date of Stay: 05/27/11 Review Submitted: 06/01/11

This is a perfect cabin if you want something secluded and quiet, yet near downtown Traverse City. It has everything you need (full kitchen, washer/dryer, AC/Heat) and you won't need to bring much unless you want to bring a boat. It even came with kayaks and canoes! We had 6 people total and the only downfall was that one couple had to sleep seperate because there are only two large beds and two single beds. Other than that the place was perfect! Very clean and very peaceful. We hope to come back again soon!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with young children, pet owners, romantic getaway, age 55+.

Pleasant and Peaceful

Guest: kalamazoo gal (Kalamazoo, Michigan)
Date of Stay: 10/11/10 Review Submitted: 02/09/11

My husband and I have been Up North for fall vacations for the last three years and have stayed at different lake properties each year. After the last trip, we decided that going forward Loon Lodge will be our only choice as it is very clean and smoke free, dog friendly and peaceful. Long Lake is beautiful and Loon Lodge is comfortable and quiet. We've tried other places but none have compared to Loon Lodge.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, girls getaway, sightseeing, families with young children, pet owners, romantic getaway, age 55+, families with teenagers.

Peaceful, Scenic Long lake

Guest: Beth (Chicago)
Date of Stay: 09/18/10 Review Submitted: 02/03/11

This place has got it all! We are familiar with the area and knew that Long Lake is just beautiful. Clear and clean and has very cool islands you can boat to. We love this site for the dog friendly feature. The house is on the north side of the lake with very few neighbors and is set up on a hill for spectacular viewing of the lake and the sunsets. It has a nice long dock if you want to bring a boat. It comes with a small dingy and a canoe. You are 7 minutes from downtown Traverse City. There are tons of good places to eat. We recommend Apache Grill for fish and Boones Long Lake Inn for prime rib. We take a 3-4 hour day trip each day, maybe to Sleeping bear dunes, Fishtown in Leland, shopping in Suttons Bay or wine trips up the Mission Pennisula. There is also a music camp in Interlochen and fine arts all over. Adventures abound, if you have kids, you will have trouble getting them out of this lake... The cabin is comfortable and has all you need. The beds are comfortable and plentiful. It is an adventure driving in to the cabin! We really enjoy that and the few neighbors are always interested in your dogs! We come every other year and will continue to do so. Don't miss the best ice cream ever right down the road, Moomers!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, girls getaway, sightseeing, families with young children, pet owners, romantic getaway, families with teenagers.

Loon Lodge Sunsets

Guest: Beth (Chicago)
Date of Stay: 01/14/11 Review Submitted: 01/14/11

My husband and I have stayed at Loon Lodge twice and are looking to make it an every other year trip. I wish we could go more often but we have to fit in Florida and Mom and Dad! The initial draw was the dog friendly feature. As we get older we are less interested in going out to bars, etc. and more interested in staying at a cottage with our 2 mini weiner dogs. We both love to fish and this lake is just beautiful. (and has some very cool islands!) The marina closed, so getting a boat is not that easy, but the cottage comes with a canoe and very small dingy, and you could bring your own boat. The Traverse area is stunning! Sleeping Bear Dunes is something all Americans should see! We have a nice routine here, get up not too early, walk the dogs, eat in or go to town which is 5 minutes away for some great food. Take some kind of a 3-4 hour day trip, maybe Fishtown in Leland, maybe Torch Lake for the sheer beauty of it, wine tours, fine art shows or shops, shopping in town or up in Suttons Bay, Interlochen music camp (not to be missed), scenic drives up the Old Mission penninsula, Sleeping bear dunes for one or more days (we take the dogs at least once).....I could go on and on. Home for a nap, read or listen to music, play with the dogs in the lake, make dinner and watch the spectacular sunsets with a glass of wine and a pint of Moomers ice cream. There are so many good choices for food up there! Don't miss Apache grill if you like freshwater fish and the lobster/shrimp chowder is to die for. There are several beaches on lake Michigan that allow the dogs, which they love. Take a trip to Beulah for shopping and beautiful Crystal Lake. If you go later in the day you can go by Gwen Frostics for prints and every kind of card and letterprinted on site, stop and see the beach in Frankfurt and the Betsie Lighthouse just outside of Frankfurt for the greatest sunset ever on your way home to Loon Lodge. You can see I really love it here. The cottage has everything you need. The beds are comfortable and plentiful. If you have kids, they probably will never get out of the lake which is crystal clear and shallow. There is no one around to bother you or be loud. The patio over the boathouse is great for settin. The pine trees are spectacular all around us. Gee, I wish I could go back today, I better stop.... Beth K and George

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, sightseeing, families with young children, pet owners, romantic getaway, families with teenagers.