Vacation Rentals by Owner

"Great Place to Celebrate Husband's Birthday"

Guest: Mary C. (Park Ridge, Illinois)
Date of Stay: 05/11/12 Review Submitted: 05/22/12

    "We really enjoyed staying at your house. The property is awesome, the scenery beautiful, and your attention to details was amazing. We can't wait to return. Again, I thank you for helping make my husband's birthday so great!   Mary C.  Park Ridge, IL "  

Owner response:Thank you for choosing my home for your celebration. See you next year!

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Dream Retreat

Guest: anne s.
Date of Stay: 01/27/12 Review Submitted: 03/31/12

"Our family was very pleased with being together at your home for the weekend. We hope to be able to do it again. Thanks, Anne S."

Owner response:Anne: Thanks for the kind words. It was a pleasure meeting you and your family and I look forward to seeing you again real soon! Jim Pappas

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Dunes Beachfront Home

Guest: Barbara G.
Date of Stay: 12/26/11 Review Submitted: 02/01/12

We really had a wonderful time! We all had plenty of space to spread out (our girls used the 2nd floor loft space as a major sewing/craft area, and were still able to feel connected to everyone else while they worked on their projects). We had unusually mild weather for December --- it made walking on the beach in the mornings so pleasant. It was a great place for an extended family group like ours --- thanks for making it available!

Owner response:Thanks for the kind words, Barb! Glad everything worked out so well. You're welcome back anytime...See you soon!

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Absolutely beautiful!!!!

Guest: Reny
Date of Stay: 11/10/11 Review Submitted: 01/10/12

Met with a bunch of girls who all Scrapbook. That's what we did from Thursday until Sunday in Nov. 2011. Beautiful home, beautiful location, beautiful times!! Would I do again? In a heartbeat!! Oh and did I mention the hot tub. This would be a great place for a small family reunion or maybe a New Years Eve party. Very lovely--hoping to make plans to do it again.

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Found a new home for our annual family trips

Guest: Tim B.
Date of Stay: 08/24/11 Review Submitted: 10/23/11

My family was looking for a new home to have our summer get-togethers since our previous one in WI was recently sold (bummer). Well, weve found it in Miller Beach and have already rebooked for next summer! Chicago was easy enough to get to for my spread-out family and it’s only about an hour from Ohara airport. We have never heard of Miller Beach prior to this vacation so we were naturally apprehensive at first. After checking out the website and speaking to the owner, Jim was spot on—the house had everything we need (info packet was especially good for stuff to do in the area and the personal tour at check-in was rare and helpful). It’s hard to find a beach house with no neighbors next door. We had no problems playing our music with neighbors or anything. The park trails, dunes, and beach are amazing! Also had a good run at the casino too (actually paid for the whole trip, ha!). Looking forward to next year already.

Owner response:Thanks Tim. Look forward to seeing you and your family this Summer!

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THE best of everything and something for everyone!

Guest: Alice P.
Date of Stay: 07/08/11 Review Submitted: 10/06/11

Each year my extended family tries a new location in for our family reunion. There are 25 of us so it is difficult to find a place that can comfortable accommodate us all. We definitely found it here. With the connected guest house, there was plenty of space to spread out. The stuff in the house was surprising such as DVD’s, CD’s, blender, shampoo, body wash, beach towels, etc. Free Wi-fi was a bonus! We had a great time. The walk to beach was beautiful and the sand was soft and white. Our kids had fun swimming on the shallow sandbar. I didn’t have to worry about undertows or rip-tides—very safe. We were initially concerned since Miller Beach is so close to Gary, but is actually 8 miles away. There is no reason to set foot in Gary unless you want to catch the semi-pro baseball game, the RailCats, which was a good time. Jim met us in person and gave us a tour of the premises and a binder with all the best of the stuff to do in the area: grocery store, casinos, outlet malls, hiking, golf, dining, etc. We’ve been having family reunions now for about 5 years and have never had such a relaxing time. Marty (I think that’s his name) and staff truly care and make sure that everything is set up perfectly prior to arrival. The cleanliness of the house was immaculate. We have already reserved the same week next summer. I think that says it all...we will no longer be testing other locales, etc. we’ve found what we’re looking for. I highly recommend this vacation rental!

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Perfect getaway for the girls!

Guest: Isabel (Indiana)
Date of Stay: 01/28/11 Review Submitted: 02/06/11

I just recently stayed in the dream retreat for a girl's weekend and absolutly loved it! Everything was as described on the website and when talking to the owner.... Was personally greeted upon arrival and given a tour of the house and amenities. Which was a pleasent surprise compared to other properties I have stayed at. The amenities were amazing and perfect for the season....Fireplace, hot tub (one of my favorites!) Great sound system.... Beautiful kitchen any woman would dream of! The entire house was beautifully decorated....the bedrooms and bathrooms were spacious and accomodated 10 women getting ready at the same time spectacularly! No worries about forgetting anything because everything is included.....the place was also very well maintained and clean! Very Important! Area that the house was located was perfect....very private, felt like we were the only ones there....but always felt safe.... All in all we had a blast! Easy to get downtown Chicago but definetly had a blast just hanging out in this gorgeous property! Definetly found our new yearly girl's getaway vacation home! Thanks again!!!!

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, pet owners, romantic getaway.

Excellent!!!

Guest: Brad Countrymen (Chicago, IL.)
Date of Stay: 08/20/10 Review Submitted: 10/08/10

My wife and I rented the Main House and Guest House for a family vacation this summer and had an incredible time. Wonderful management, impeccably clean, tons of amenities! We were really blown away by the size of the house and all it had to offer, but spent the majority of the time on the beach. The water clarity and temp. were perfect. When we weren't at the beach we spent the rest of the time on the back padio playing sand volleyball court and cooking on the gas grill. Really an incredible place to spend time with the family!

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

Family Vacation Review

Guest: kristeng (Cincinnati)
Date of Stay: 04/15/10 Review Submitted: 04/22/10

We had a terrific family vacation at this rental! The house was very clean and spacious and easily accommodated all 17 of us (plus our 3 dogs). The views were lovely and the breeze off the lake was delightful. We all slept very well on the comfy matresses and airbeds. We loved walking around Marquette Park (right next to the property) and especially enjoyed the fact that the beach was pretty much ours this time of year! The owners had a great collection of CD's, games and movies. There were a few ticks to contend with but that didn't deter us from thoroughly enjoying the accommodations.

Owner response:Thank you Kristen. It was a pleasure having you and your family spend your vacation with us and hope you come back real soon! A word on the ticks...yes, they are present in the IN Dunes National Park. Based on your feedback, we have since had an exterminator spray the perimter of the compound to kill and keep them, mosquitos, and other pests away. The tick season here at the Dunes usually starts in Mid-April and ends in early June. Please contan Jim for more informations. Thanks again!

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

Awesome Experience...Best Vacation Yet!

Guest: jack1965 (Cleveland, OH)
Date of Stay: 03/28/10 Review Submitted: 04/23/10

talk about amenities!...everything is included and readily accessible right down to all linens, huge selection of DVDs, CDs, and books, firewood, kids games, poker table and chips! We've stayed at many vacation rentals over the past decade (we are a large family (approx 22 people) and have annual reunions. We decided to focus on Miller Beach due to its fabulous sand, climbing dunes, trails, National Park, etc. We couldn't have made a wiser choice. Our kids loved walking the dogs on the beach, we love mountain biking on the trails right behind the home, and relaxing after a day of "fun" in front of the wood-burning stove with a nice glass of wine. The staff was incredibly responsive and actually met us on-site to give us a guided tour of the grounds and give us the keys--we never had that level of service--usually the keys are mailed and you're left to fend for yourselves in the dark...not here. OUr security deposit was promptly returned. We have already booked for the same time next year and see no reason to go elsewhere. If you're looking for a totally relaxing, luxury experience, look no further.

Owner response:So glad you have a nice vacation...you're welcome back any time!

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

Beautiful, Pararadise-like setting and home!

Guest: jack1965 (Cleveland, OH)
Date of Stay: 02/07/10 Review Submitted: 05/05/10

From the moment we arrived until the time we left was pure bliss and convenience. It was our family reunion and we usually try out a new home/location each year. I don't think we'll be looking elsewhere and plan to come back next year already. A person gave us a tour on check-in (never before). I couldn't believe they have about 300 DVDs for us to watch! The poker and large game table were also a huge hit for the kids. The best part was hanging out in the loft watching movies on the large sofa and enjoying the heat and smell of burning wood in the fireplace.

Owner response:it was a pleasure having you...see you next year!

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

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 11/10/09 Review Submitted: 11/10/09

This home is unbelievable! Very rarely do I feel so inclined to leave feedback online, but my party had such an enjoyable time, I felt it necessary. The many levels and rooms allowed our large group to spread out when needed, however, the common areas were big enough to gather as a group (i.e, gather around the big island near the wood burning stove in the kitchen, etc.) The Master Suite was breathtaking. Its open floor plan, separate vanities, enormous jacuzzi tub, and steam shower really made it feel like a spa. There was also a giant balcony that wrapped all the way around the suite and had incredible lake and Park views. There was literally no detail that went unattended to. Home theatre and tons of DVD movies to choose from were really surprising, and theater recliners were comfortable. Bedding and towels were plentiful and game cabinet was well stocked. You honestly don't need to pack a thing, this place has it all!

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Retreat is right....

Guest: Jay Monte (Chicago)
Date of Stay: 08/14/09 Review Submitted: 08/18/09

The surrounding area might be a bit seedy, but the walls of the "compound" are amazing...so you can turn off the "Gary"! The volleyball court is in great shape, the hot tub is very clean and the neighbors are very accomodating to group noise...we were loud on occasion but not a peep from the neighbors because they are on the front side of the house ~ very private. I would recommend this retreat to anybody looking to make some memories with a group of people. Great time!

Owner response:I believe Jay is referring to an apartment complex on Lake St. (over 1 mile from my home) that you must drive by to get to the retreat. There is a bus stop at the apartment building and he probably saw people waiting for the bus to get to work or school. We are approx 10 miles from Gary, IN and have never had a single problem. I would not have built my family's dream home if it we're not the perfect and safe location--right on the Indiana Dunes National Park, views of Lake Michigan from most rooms in the home, Chicago skyline views from the top decks, semi-private, sugar-sand beach, rolling dune-scape, ultra-private and quiet, etc. My home is on a cul-de-sac street (no traffic) and corner lot. My neighbors include a judge, federal agent, and retired policeman. I'm not sure how any of this can be described as being "a bit seedy".

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

A Memorable Experience

Guest: LilT (Michigan City)
Date of Stay: 11/21/08 Review Submitted: 12/02/08

I rented this home including the guest house, which is like an apartment to do something special, and memorable for my 50th birthday. Upon arrival, it was more than I had expected. It is roomy, very clean, with comfortable beds, plenty of restrooms with baths, and quiet with a lot of privacy. Although my friends, and I traveled with weekend supplies, we did not have to. The home pretty much has all the amenities of a home-away-from-home. The kitchen is fully equipped, as well as the refrigerator. In addition, there are spices, coffee, storage bags, etc... of things you would not think of in a vacation home. Also, the entire home has a welcoming feeling that allows everyone to be relaxed, and feel at ease. The birthday party was a success with just a few close friends, and family, and it became a memorable occassion that have all my friends, and family sharing their experience at the home with others. I would definitely recommend this property for a great getaway of any kind. My friends, and I are already checking our schedules to see when we will be able to return to the property just to get away for a couple of days. Thanks for such a wonderful memory.

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

Guest: Venetta (Highalnd, IN)
Date of Stay: 01/07/08 Review Submitted: 01/07/08

My family of 10 spent 4 days 3 nights over Christmas 2007 in this beautiful and luxurious home. The experience was one we will never forget. The home is very accessible, and although the surrounding neighbor hood isn't the best, but once you are in this home you are in a different world. The property manager has thought of everything. We never had to go to the store to get household items, everything was there and in amble supply. The furniture was comfortable and elegant. The ammenities were top notch. This beats the 4 seasons any day. I highly recommend this home, I can only imagine it's 10x better in the summer.

Owner response:Venetta has been a repeat guest every year and recently got married at my home on the beach! Thank you Venetta and congratulations again!

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