Guest: Deb (-)
Date of Stay: 05/17/10 Review Submitted: 07/15/10

One guest wrote: "The DriftAway cottage is bright, clean and homey. We were impressed by all of the amenities! This cottage has everything that you need. The owners were very responsive, kind, and welcoming. I would reccomend this cottage to anyone!"

Recommended for:

All the way from Idaho

Guest: Came a long way (Idaho)
Date of Stay: 08/08/09 Review Submitted: 08/26/09

The driftaway is a nice place for a small family gathering on the lake. It's located close enough for stepping out to Traverse City, and is on a quiet arm of the lake and we didn't see lots of boat traffic. The views from the cabin are really nice and it has nice casual decor with some custom pieces. We had a large group so the cabin was a little cosier than we expected. A group of 6 would be very comfortable. The cabin is actually a 2 bedroom, the downstairs room (single bunkbeds) is a family room/common area and has a curtain to separate the sleeping area from a pass through to a three season porch, still probably fine for your kids. The kitchen had everything you could need to make a wonderful dinner. There was even a giant elec. skillet to do up hotcakes for a crowd. The dining table, though large, has only 4 chairs (but there are tv tables to spread out at); we used the table as a serving buffet and had several meals on the lower deck so we could all eat together, the weather cooperated everyday. Had pizza from Pegeo's delivered one night (Yum!) definitely ask for coupons or specials. There are lot's of steps down to the lake (like most cabins) and those inside (to the full bath) were steep; so definitely take care if anyone in your group has issues with stairs or if your children are small. We had fun taking the pontoon boat out to the islands to look for petosky stones. The lake has a mostly sandy bottom and is really nice. We really enjoyed our trip and spending time together at the lake.

Recommended for:Sightseeing, pet owners, families with teenagers.

Great Time at the Driftaway

Guest: Buckeye Fanatic (Columbus, Ohio)
Date of Stay: 06/29/08 Review Submitted: 12/28/08

We spent a week at the driftaway cottage in July, 2009. First let me say that the cabin is very nice. The cabin was very clean and inviting when we arrived. The cabin is quaint, but has plenty of room with the extra area downstairs. The kids loved having their own area with the bunkbeds and living room downstairs. All of the extras are very nice as well (XM radio, internet, Xbox, etc.). The kitchen has plenty of utensils, etc., and we enjoyed cooking several meals at the house. There is also a small gas grill outside that we used a few times. All in all a very nice cabin. We also had a great time at the lake. Spider lake is a very nice lake for just cruising around on the pontoon boat, fishing, or skiing/tubing if you have a ski boat. The lake is not real big, but had pretty low boat traffic while we were there. We rented the pontoon boat while we were there. It is a basic pontoon boat, but you can't beat it for the price. If you have ever checked on boat rentals in the area you will know that they are quite expensive. We had a great time exploring the lake and islands with the boat. It was also nice to take out for fishing. There is a small area next to the dock and the kids loved playing in the shallow water. At night we enjoyed the firepit down by the dock. We really loved our time at Spider Lake. As noted by another review, there are a lot of stairs to get down to the lake. Anyone that has issues with stairs should be aware. Finally, let me make a few comments on the owners of the cabin. I don't think you will ever find nicer people to rent a cabin from. We experienced a few unexpected issues with the cabin during our visit and they were very kind and helpful every time. All of the issues that we experienced while we were at the Driftaway were just unforeseen things that happen sometimes. The owners were very responsive and helpful every time. They were genuinely concerned that we were enjoying our stay and fixed the issues as quickly as possible. I should also note that they have a local lady that helps manage the cabin. She was also very kind and helpful with the issues that we had. She helped coordinate visits from a repairman (toilet) and mechanic (boat). She kept us informed so that we did not have to alter any of our plans. We will defintely return to the Driftaway and would recommend it to anyone looking for a great Northern Michigan vacation in a great cabin on a great low key lake.

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

Great place to stay

Guest: cody's mom (oxford, MI, USA)
Date of Stay: 08/02/08 Review Submitted: 08/05/08

We loved the cottage. It is very modern and quaint and had everything we needed. It was nice having the upstairs for the adults with the separate downstairs sleeping area for the kids. The lake is nice for water sports (tubing and skiing) and fishing as it is clean, quiet and was warm (73 degrees). Be aware of the no-wake hours before 11:00 am and after 7:30 pm. The area by the dock was shallow and clean for kids to play in while not out in the boat. We had a great time hanging at the island sand bar everyday. I was not expecting the house to be so high on the hill so we all got a good workout all week walking up and down the stairs. I would not recommend the properties on this lake for anyone that has problems with lots of stairs. The only consideration is the limited parking situation depending on how many families and/or vehicles you have. We had 2 separate families with a total of 2 trucks and the boat trailer and there was no room for anymore. We had to borrow the neighbors driveway when some people stopped by to visit. My dog had a good time in the boat and could stay on the shore without fear of the water being too deep. He could also venture out and explore the couple of islands when we were vegging on the lake. It was also close to Wine-country as we did a wine tour one day in Leelanau when we wanted to get out of the sun for awhile. I would definately go back to this property.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, pet owners, families with teenagers, girls getaway, families with young children.