Gaze from the living room through a wall of windows to the lake beyond
Location: Central Lake, Northwest, Michigan, USA (Near Charlevoix/Petoskey/Traverse City/Torch Lake/Bellaire)
Accommodations: House, 2 Bedrooms + Convertible bed(s), 1.5 Baths (Sleeps 8)
We've slashed the cost of a idyllic get-away to just $99 a night, plus 10% off for stays of 3 or more days, through the winter and early spring! For pre-holiday fun or post-holiday recovery, luxuriate at our well-furnished and stocked sunny, cozy, newly remodeled home-away-from-home on tranquil Hanley Lake. Enjoy your own private 110-foot stretch of lakefront and the woods beyond through floor-to-ceiling windows. Then walk, boat, snowshoe or drive 3/4-mile to town for treats and eats.
Dogs, children (and yes, adults!) love our peaceful retreat, tucked into a glacial valley and nestled in the hills of northwest Michigan. When you confirm your stay, we'll send you an 18-page (and growing) welcome letter flooded with fun stuff to do in and around the area. At your vacation retreat you'll find a file box literally stuffed with articles, brochures, maps, and still more resources. Don't miss the guest reviews below for more cool ideas.
Holiday shopping, wineries, art galleries,and food...Forget the wintertime blues at home. Suffocated by mounting house chores, bored kids or grandkids, a restless partner (or parents!)? Wintertime at our peaceful Hanley Lake hideway offers welcome relief.
Go sledding down the backyard slope to the lake. Keep going and do some ice fishing right off our dock (ice huts available for rental). Go cross-country, downhill skiing, or snowmobiling. Or get cozy inside our toasty warm, year-round home and enjoy the snow-covered lake without putting on any winter gear! Make coffee or hot cocoa, bake brownies, throw a stew in the crockpot, a mix in the bread maker (or order a pizza!). Pull out the s'mores maker or chocolate fondue kit. Then choose one of our many games, books, toys or movies, watch your favorite cable TV shows, relax...
Just a few miles up the road, treat yourself to a salon and spa visit, where superb and very affordable massages, facials, manicures, pedicures and more are done overlooking the lake (both indoors and, come summer, outdoors on the lakeside deck). A couple of miles more takes you to a gourmet restaurant.
Wander less than a mile from home into the friendly village of Central Lake for great food and drink. Or visit nearby Bellaire's restaurants, cafes, pubs, and Schuss Mountain's championship golf courses and downhill and cross-country skiing. It's just a few minutes to indoor putt-putt, a movie theatre and bowling alley.
Just a few minutes more takes you to Boyne Mountain for more downhill and cross-country skiing and Michigan's largest indoor water park. Or drive just eight minutes to the sandy beaches of Grand Traverse Bay (where in the winter you'll find groomed trails and frozen waves that kids love to climb on!)
Take a little drive to Charlevoix, Petoskey, Traverse City, Alden or Gaylord, go shopping, skiing, snowmobiling, ice fishing or antiquing. Enjoy any one of dozens of city and country delights.
We're also already getting bookings for next spring and summer so plan ahead for a great deal (pre-pay by Dec. 31st and save $150)! Spring and summer are gorgeous: Bike, drive or walk along winding, rolling country roads. Fish (great pickings right off the dock). Take out our canoe or a variety of kayaks. Rent a pontoon or motor boat right down the road or bring your own (you're on a chain of lakes that stretches 75 miles!)Swim. Nap in the hammock beside the beach, or on one of the decks. Or put up your feet indoors and enjoy the beauty outdoors from every room in the house. At night, roast s'mores on a campfire by the lake or relax indoors.
Lie on the sandy beaches of Lake Michigan and Torch Lake; discover new restaurants, boutiques, and wineries on day trips to charming nearby Up North towns and "cities." Go hot air ballooning and fruit picking, visit art galleries and yard sales.
Remodelled in 2007, the light-filled single-level open-plan design includes a:
--Master Bedroom: New queen with memory foam and an antique headboard; sliding glass doors leading to a private deck and the lake beyond; TV and DVD player.
--Second Bedroom: Two sets of bunk beds each with a double and single bed (featherbeds for the doubles--or use them on a sofabed); Xbox/DVD player & games.
--Living Room: three sets of sliding glass doors leading to a deck w/a new gas grill, picnic table, and a glorious view of the lake a few dozen steps away; two couch/sofabeds and an overstuffed chair; ceiling fan; TV, DVD, stereo, movie, music, book, toy and game collections.
--Dining Room: Sliding glass doors; couch/futon; dining table(s); ceiling fan and a small library.
--Kitchen: Open to the living and dining rooms with a lake view and a breakfast bar with seating. Fully equipped and well stocked with staples, spices, condiments, basics and more. There's enough food to get started before you find time to run to the store!
--One and a half bathrooms: ceramic tile floor; shower/tub & double sinks in primary bath, second small bath.
--Garage: for storing bikes, fishing rods, snowmobiles, and extra stuff we provide for kids and pets.
We have lots of additional photos available; just ask. Come play at what our son lovingly calls our "Hanley Lake Hideaway."
Vacation Rental Features
- Amenities
- Washer
- Dryer
- Linens Provided: (Linens updated in spring 2009)
- Garage: Available to store bikes, supplies, etc.
- Off Street Parking: by the front door.
- Parking for RV/Boat/Trailer
- Beds
- Queen Bed: with memory foam cushion/mattress pad on antique bed in master bedroom
- Double Bed (2) : Two doubles attached on bunkbeds plus three sofabeds (with two featherbeds to place for added comfort where needed).
- Twin/Single Bed (2) : Two twin beds on top of the bunkbeds.
- Bunk Bed (2) : Doubles below on both bunkbeds in the second bedroom. One can be converted into a couch.
- Convertible Bed (3) : Three sofa beds--two in the living room and one in the dining room. Featherbeds available for two.
- Entertainment
- Cable/Satellite TV (2) : In the living room and master bedroom.
- DVD (3)
- Video Library: Many DVDs for children and adults. (More available at the Corner Store a 1/2 mile down the road.)
- Video Game Console: XBox/DVD player in second bedroom
- Video Games: Xbox games for kids and adults
- CD Player
- Stereo System
- Music Library: Large collection of CDs for children and adults--pop, folk, jazz, rock and classical.
- Kitchen
- Full Kitchen: Fully equipped (the usual, plus a small convection oven; microwave; purified water cooler; regular and French Press coffeemakers; waffle griddle; KitchenAid mixer; crock pot; juicer; snow cone maker, etc.)and well-stocked with coffee; tea; cocoa; staples, spices, condiments and lots of other basics to get you started.
- Cooking Utensils Provided: (everything you'd expect plus some extras to make cooking here easy)
- Refrigerator
- Microwave: (new winter '09)
- Outdoor Features
- Gas/Electric BBQ Grill: four-burner gas grill (new spring 2009)
- Deck/Patio (2) : New deck out the sliding doors of the master bedroom; another deck out the sliding doors in the living room w/ picnic table and deck chairs.
- View/Location
- Lakefront: Private, secluded stretch of 110 feet, surrounded by pines; 30-second walk down a grassy slope to the dock, small sandy beach, and water. The fresh, clear water in Hanley Lake flows 55 miles through a chain of 14 lakesthrough four counties.
- Other Amenities
- Dock, small sandy beach, shaded hammock inches from the water; 2 fire pits and a porch swing hanging from a tree by the water's edge; two double kayaks; single kayak; canoe; life jackets and water toys; outdoor/beach chairs. Spa (massages, facials, waxing, hair styling and more)down the road serves you on its outdoor deck overlooking the lake when weather allows and treats our guests well. Pontoons, motor boats, and jet skis can also be rented down the road.
- Suitability
- Pet Friendly: Well-behaved dogs allowed. They love the lake! Small dog bed, water and food bowls, and a dog "tent" available.
- Handicapped Accessible (may have limitations): Ranch house, all on one floor. A step onto the porch, and then another to enter the house. Both the decks require stepping over the sliding glass door floor frame. There are a handful of steps down from the decks to the lawn and a short walk to the water's edge; hammock, and swing, or you can walk around from the front, where your car is parked.
- Kid Friendly: Two bunkbeds, indoor and outdoor (beach and water) toys, high chair & booster seat, youth-sized kayak; children's life jackets, floating noodles, kickboards, and blow-up rafts (for water or snow!), XBox and games; art supplies, books, DVDs and music. Toddlers and young children will enjoy the little beach; water shoes recommended for the lake. We've also filled a crate with additional toys for your use.
- Smoking Not Allowed
- Activities (on site and nearby)
- Golf
- Tennis
- Theme Park (Amusement Park)
- Shopping
- Sightseeing
- Restaurants
- Rafting
- Kayaking
- Boating
- Waterskiing
- Jet Skiing
- Shelling
- Swimming
- Biking
- Mountain Biking
- Cross Country Skiing
- Downhill/Alpine Skiing
- Snowboarding
- Snowmobiling
- Sledding/Tubing
- Wildlife Viewing
- Hiking
- Fishing
- Hunting
- Health/Beauty Spa
- Basketball Court
- Antiquing
- Cinemas/Movie Theaters
- Museums
- Miniature golf
- Horseback Riding
- Hot Air Ballooning
- Other Activities
- Pontoons and motor boats for rent minutes away right on the lake. You can canoe, kayak or motor along for hours or days along our 75-mile chain of lakes; you're minutes from Torch Lake, Grand Traverse Bay's sandy beaches, championship golf courses and a great spa/salon; short drives to the tourist attractions of Petoskey (36 miles); Charlevoix (19 miles); Traverse City (39 miles); and Gaylord (36 miles); downhill and cross-country skiing, and mountain biking at nearby Shanty Creek and Boyne Mountain (with Michigan's largest indoor water park). Nearby Bellaire (10 minutes) has a movie theatre, bowling alley, indoor miniature golf, and nice restaurants and pubs.
Rate Details (In US Dollars)
May 2-June 12, 2010: $145/night...$895/week June 13-26, 2010: $995/week
June 27-Sept. 6, 2010: $175/night...$1,150/week* (weekly only June 13-Sept. 6)
Low fall/winter rate: Oct. 21-Apr. 30, 2010: $99/night..$595/week; 10% off 3+ days
Holidays and special event arrangements may vary; please ask us!
10% discount for multi-week rentals. Michigan tax of 6% charged.
$75 cleaning fee for all stays. Pets: $10/day per dog.
Reservations are held with a $200 refundable security/damage deposit.
Summer weeks run Sunday through Sunday. *Just $995 if prepay by Dec. 31!
Note: Until confirmed, rates are subject to change without notice.
Credit Cards Accepted:
Owner's Profile
Owner Description
Year Purchased: 2005
Your hosts are two self-employed parents and a sweet 10-year-old boy. We live full-time in Ann Arbor and visit up north whenever we can sneak in between guests. One of us adults is originally from the Great Britain and the other from New York (and the small person is a native Ann Arborite who speaks American English with a few Britishisms slipped in!) We're now permanent Michiganders, especially with our glorious retreat on Hanley Lake.
Why the Owner Chose Central Lake
We love the gentle beauty of this northwestern Michigan chain of lakes. We were ecstatic to find a tranquil lake we can see from almost every room in the cozy year-round house. (My gold standard for vacation heaven was a place where I could take a cup of coffee out onto the deck and see--and be in--the water within seconds.) We can draw or eat breakfast on the dock or in the dining room, play in the sand, take out a canoe or kayak, swim in warmer waters (instead of waiting until the end of August for the chill to subside in the big lakes), and fish without worrying about the screams of power boats. We can sled right to the lake and cross-country ski nearby. We wander into a welcoming village to play and eat without being swarmed by overdressed tourists and overpriced food. We were delighted to find this peaceful little retreat, which offers the pleasures of an all-sports lake without the noise and chaos of one. The passing "traffic" is generally kayaks, pontoons, and people fishing (including ice fishing in teh winter). We were thrilled to discover we're just a few miles from the long sandy beaches and waves of Lake Michigan, which are great fun in every season. We're glad to do day trips to fudgey towns like Charlevoix and Petoskey, to wander Traverse City or even more nearby Bellaire. But we love coming home, whether it's raining, snowing, or blazing hot: to play outdoors, or hang out inside doing jigsaw puzzles, playing games, making soup or brownies, or drawing the changing colors of water, sky and trees. We love going out on the placid water (our son can steer his own kayak) and paddling past kingfishers and great blue heron, turtles nestling in the tall grasses, and weeping willows along the shore, or watching the water from our comfortable home. It always refreshes us to get away there.
The Unique Benefits of this House
Thanks to our 2007 renovation, we love the fresh, new open-plan kitchen with views outside almost everywhere. We went window-crazy, creating four sets of sliding doors in the connected living and dining rooms. We added a a new, private deck we can step out onto from the master bedroom with another set of sliding doors. This spring we splurged on new curtains and linens, found and painted large round wood picnic table for the deck and added more lawn chairs. We're having a blast adding CDs, DVDs, games, kids' toys and books, and a host of comforts for our guests--and for us! We keep discovering new winter pleasures: our son loves sledding down the back lawn onto the frozen lake; I like sketching the winter scenes from a deliciously warm, light-filled living room, and we've discovered the wooded hill right across the street is ripe for hiking, snow-shoeing and cross-country skiing.
Property Photos
- Gaze from the living room through a wall of windows to the lake beyond - Central Lake Vacation House with Great Lake Views
- Enjoy each other and the lake as you bake brownies or make a quick soup! - Central Lake Vacation House with Great Lake Views
- Relax in a bright & spacious living room overlooking the lake - Central Lake Vacation House with Great Lake Views
- Roast marshmallows at the fire pit between the lake and secluded cottage
- Kayak or canoe minutes into town or for days on the 75-mile chain of lakes
Guest Comments (18)
First (10) of (18). View all comments
Vacation Rentals by Owner Listing #204414
There have been 6131 visitors to this page since the counter was last reset in 2008.
This listing was first published here in 2008.
Date last modified - November 18, 2009
Positive Rating
The Bates , Ypsilanti, MI 48197
Homeowner Response:
Can't wait for your daughter to swim in the BIG POOL (i.e., lake) in the summer. You were too kind bringing your special doghair vacuum--we'll clean up after you next time (as, of course, we normally do). Come back soon.
Positive Rating
Cheryl , Petoskey, Michigan
Homeowner Response:
We loved hosting your family gathering: next time maybe you'll add the third generation!
Positive Rating
(From an email:) We had a fabulous time at your cottage. Our dog Chip had a wonderful time launching himself off your dock. My husband took some wonderful pictures of the sunset from the deck. The swans came up in the morning for breakfast and I loved feeding them. Your cottage is darling. We canoed from one end of Lake Hanley to the other. Both Richard and I had a facial at the Swan Cove Spa and it was terrific. What a relaxing day that was. We got a chance to visit the art fair in East Jordon while we were there and purchased some great items. I just loved all the little towns so close by. Thank you Dianne Whisner
Positive Rating
Nora Heath , Clinton Township, MI
Homeowner Response:
Sorry we couldn't control the temperature but we're glad you found so much to do inside. Come back when it's hot--or when it's cold enough to sled down to the lake!
Positive Rating
Positive Rating
Robert , Chicago, IL
Homeowner Response:
Glad you had fun. Thanks for the restaurant and museum suggestions--we're on it!
Positive Rating
Homeowner Response:
I notice food (or drink) showed up in every wonderful experience--glad you found our place a "glorious spot" to enjoy it in! Come back soon.
Positive Rating
Joe Lowe , Grand Rapids, MI
Homeowner Response:
Tell you what: come back in March 2014 to celebrate your fifth anniversary and we'll honor your 2009 honeymoon rate! But come back sooner too.
Positive Rating
Laurie Galia , Ann Arbor, MI
Homeowner Response:
Isn't it gorgeous on Lake Michigan--all year long? Hope the kids enjoyed being belly surfers!
Positive Rating
Sarai ,
Homeowner Response:
You're making my mouth water!