Vacation Rentals by Owner

The Cozy Condo

Guest: Markie (Richland)
Date of Stay: 09/20/11 Review Submitted: 09/30/11

Stayed in the "Cozy Condo" on the ground level with the Crystal River just 20 to 30 feet outside the patio door. Salmon were running upstream in late September and provided additional entertainment. Lake Michigan was just a short walk over a foot bridge. The studio condo is perfect for two and everything was new, clean, bright and in working order. We have been visiting the Sleeping Bear Area for 20 plus years, usually staying in Empire or Glen Arbor. We are making plans to return to the Homestead next year. The owner was kind and helpful and went out of her way to make us comfortable. Walked many miles on the Lake shore and found a lot of beach glass. Weather was beautiful but a little too cool to try the kayaks. Maybe next year.

Owner response:Am so appreciative that I have been so fortunate to have such desireable and wonderful guests. Thank you so much: you are welcome to return any time. And, I truly enjoyed meeting you!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Fantastic!

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 05/19/11 Review Submitted: 07/12/11

I stayed here for a week toward the end of May. It was a perfect getaway....the condo is clean, quiet, and in a beautiful location. The river, the beaches, walking trails, quaint little towns to explore....beautiful, relaxing and lots of fun. The owner of this condo is very kind and goes out of her way to ensure that your stay is pleasant. You should not hesitate to stay here!

Owner response:This condo owner truly enjoys and looks forward to meeting so many wonderful and interesting guests from far and near. This particular guest, Sally from Homer, Alaska, was especially interesting /fun and I learned so much about Homer and Alaska that I may have to visit that special, beautiful, very unique, quaint, artistic place in Alaska that is amid white-capped mountains and pure waters. My goal is to try my very best for each guest to have a wonderful vacation no matter which one of the 6 condos they are renting. from me. Meantime, thank you Sally!,

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Perfect Fall Weekend

Guest: JLo (Chicagoland)
Date of Stay: 10/13/10 Review Submitted: 10/13/10

Called the owner on short notice and she was able to reserve this Cozy Condo for me. The condo was neat, very clean, and well organized. It's perfect for a weekend getaway, or a longer stay if you prefer. There is plenty to do to keep you occupied, or you can just hang around and relax to the sound of waves gently rolling in and out. The weather was perfect and I was able to walk out the patio doors, cross the river, and stroll down the Lake Michigan shoreline to enjoy the beautiful Autumn days. The fall colors were absolutely beautiful, and I was pleasantly surprised to see a red fox darting around, and a family of otters playing like little children in the river. It was a much needed and anticipated mini-vacation, and I cannot wait to return.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Magical Vacations Await in these Lovely Units

Guest: Christa (Jacksonville, FL)
Date of Stay: 09/01/10 Review Submitted: 09/11/10

My husband and I have stayed in this owner's "Cozy" Condo, next door to the unit pictured here two years in a row. The unit is very clean, very well furnished (the leather and teak recliner is insanely comfortable), has a very well-equipped kitchen and bath, and is full of light. The owner, who we were fortunate enough to meet this year, is a lovely and delightful woman, who strove to help us enjoy both of our stays by sending us information, answering all of our endless questions, and mailing us much useful information about the area. Further, I saw how well she takes care of her guests; when tenants in another unit had trouble sleeping, she had a brand new bed delivered and installed in their unit by that evening...how many times have you ever seen an owner who cares that much and is that responsive?? As I said, we stayed last year, came back this year, and plan to return for many years to come. With such a lovely place to stay, owned and managed by such a kind and generous woman, you cannot beat renting these units. I don't want to tell my friends about this place because I'm afraid they'll all rush there and we'd never be able to get on the schedule!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Michigan Magic

Guest: Julie (Fort Wayne, IN)
Date of Stay: 08/28/10 Review Submitted: 09/05/10

The most important thing I can say about this condo is location, location, location. It is ground level with little sparkling Crystal River right outside your back patio. You can either wade through the river and over a little dune or take the pretty bridges that are throughout the property, and both will lead you onto the beaches of big beautiful Lake Michigan. This area, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, has been recently reviewed as the Malibou of the midwest, but without the crowds. There is wildlife along the river and the resort grounds that will astound you - families of river otters, foxes in the hills, and swan on the lake. What makes this experience relaxing and unforgettable is the studio condo. It is very clean with an extremely comfortable bed. The unit is well appointed with everything you would need - all this at an extremely reasonable rate. You can't beat it! The owner of the property was wonderful - very helpful in answering any questions about the area. She was also a very joyful, energetic and kind woman. I would highly recommend this condo to any couple or single person wanting to have new experiences in Mother Nature with the great place to stay.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, people with disabilities, age 55+, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

"Cozy Condo" - We'll Return!

Guest: Archie (Ann Arbor)
Date of Stay: 07/24/10 Review Submitted: 08/02/10

Glen Arbor is a magical place and the cozy condo played a big role in our enjoyment. Hiking the dunes, biking all over the place, swimming in the lake, and kayaking/canoeing makes this ideal for those who like the outdoors. The restaurants in town are great. The cozy condo, while on the small size, is so very well furnished that a couple doesn't really need extra space. The a/c works great which is helpful in mid-summer (many units in the Homestead do not have a/c). The patio overlooking the Crystal River is a delightful place to relax. One can easily wade across the river and over the dunes to the Lake Michigan beach. The owner sent us a lot of useful information/maps/guide books ahead of time. We look forward to returning.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Exceeded our Expectations, Didn't want to Leave, Miss it all.

Guest: Janith (Birmingham, Michigan)
Date of Stay: 07/17/10 Review Submitted: 07/27/10

We very much enjoyed our stay in this small, clean, bright, well-organized, and beautifully furnished condo. The Lake Michigan beach is beautiful and we walked along the beach into Glen Arbor for breakfast, and built beach fires, in the condo's fire pit, into the sunset and moon lit and shimmering Lake Michigan, How great is that? We hiked many of the Sleeping Bear trails and rode our bikes far and near. We even put our bikes in our SUV and drove to Leland and Northport where we explored those villages riding our bikes there, discovering the Lighthouse in Northport, a fudge shop in Leland's Fishtown, and a small delightful place for a swim near Leland Harbor. Whatever we did, and wherever we went, we looked forward to "going home" to the condo we rented. It was our cozy home away from home and we can't wait to return. We want to recommend this place to friends and family, but if we recommend it too much, it might not be available when we want it next, The lady we rented from is very helpful. We really felt she wanted us to fully enjoy our vacation and generously gave of her time and effort Everything was perfect for us in this condo. No problems, Condo is exceptionally well-maintained and clean (unlike other places we've stayed) The friendly and casual atmosphere here, coupled with all that river and lake and beauty, is so relaxing, We forgot our woes fast. Only home a few days and already I want to rent again!

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

No WIFI/unit key didn't work from outside

Guest: A.T. (Lake Forest, IL )
Date of Stay: 06/22/10 Review Submitted: 06/27/10

Just returned from staying in this condo for four nights. Owner did send the welcome packet and a welcome gift and bought a second gift for me, while I was there. But, condo description misleading. There is no wifi in this condo. Sporadic wifi outside premises. Only reliable wifi in registration bldg 1/2 mile away. Owner claimed she didn't say advertise unit as having wifi, but look at VRBO description for contrary view. Also: owner very blase, when I tried key, but it didn't work in outer lock. Replied it only locked from inside. Which meant packing my laptop into carrying case and locking it and putting clothing in suitcase and locking, when I left each day for security. Finally, bathroom light above sink out, reading light didn't work. Have never stayed in a VRBO property with this many problems. Wouldn't stay there again.

Owner response: Guest kept inserting the right key into the wrong lock, and did not try correct bathroom switch for light. Reading lamp plug was loose from socket: a slight push "in" provided electricity for the lamp light. Guest never expressed concerns to owner even though owner (1) asked guest if everything was all right on several occasions and guest responded "yes, everything is fine", and (2) owner was in-residence next door to guest and was always available for assistance. WiFi is available at the resort and sporadically in condo.

Recommended for:

PERFECT: Had a Another Really Great Time in this Cozy Condo

Guest: Becca (Ann Arbor, Michigan USA)
Date of Stay: 06/14/10 Review Submitted: 07/14/10

Great Location! Condo was very clean, owner is always kind, accomodating and gracious. Condo is better than description. Open, airy and water everywhere. This was our third stay in this condo and we wanted to stay here again before getting married in August. We became engaged here in 2009. We recommend owner's kayaks/canoes and the Pyramid Point Trail, the awesome views atop Pierce Stocking Trail and the Ferry trip to South Manitou Island. A lot of vacation for these rental rates (thanks)

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Great Cozy Condo! Great Location! Great Time!

Guest: Rob (Winnetka/Chicago)
Date of Stay: 05/21/10 Review Submitted: 07/18/10

Wife and I spent a week in "Cozy Condo" which was ideally situated for us. Everything was very clean, condo is perfectly located and situated, Air Condition came in handy (we later learned only a few condos have A/C), nicely furnished, and we sure liked the Spa Shower! Condo was, actually, more than we expected especially at these rates. This was our first trip to the area so the information we received in advance was very helpful in setting vacation priorities. Owner was very helpful and knowledgeable. Hence, we saw and did a lot and, afterwards, did a lot of relaxing on the chaisse, the beautiful beach by the condo, and floating down the river in the kayaks. We recommended "Cozy Condo" to our friends and we look forward to returning. We like to dine-out and found the food in the area to be very good. Recommend LaBeCasse (Country-French) and the Mexican Restaurant in Sutton's Bay (forgot the name).

Owner response:What a pleasant surprise to see this review! Thank You very much! The name of the Mexican Restaurant in Suttons Bay is Village Inn.

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

Guest: Alan
Date of Stay: 09/19/09 Review Submitted: 04/22/10

The was an excellent week at an excellent rate ..... We'd like to return next year for an entire month.

Recommended for: