Work Retreat

Guest: Kathleen C. (Chicago, Illinois)
Date of Stay: 10/14/11 Review Submitted: 12/04/11

We had 9 staff from our organization stay at this amazing house for 2 days and I have to say that the airy layout, well-appointed kitchen (with the exception of the coffee maker which I have been told has been addressed with a new Capresso coffee maker), and very comfortable sleeping arrangements was just perfect for the work we had to do. The outdoor spaces were well layed out, and our brief walk to the beach took moments on a private road. The kitchen was a central feature we all enjoyed since we spent a lot of time at dinner doing some "team cooking". We found everything we needed, had plenty of seating, and the dinner table and settings were like what you'd find at home. We didn't use the washing machine or dryer, but used the dishwasher, microwave and oven and found everything in order. We did have one person who could have benefited from the elevator (yep, it did seem like there was a working elevator), but we could never figure out how to operate it, so better instructions would be helpful there. Overall, we'd love to come back out for our next retreat. In fact, I'd consider bringing my own family out here over the summer. A very lovely space.

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Our Dunes Haven

Guest: richard l.
Date of Stay: 06/18/11 Review Submitted: 07/18/11

We've stayed in this lovely Dunes house for four years now, and hope to come back again and again. There usually are eight of us -- the two of us, our son and his wife, and our daughter, her husband and their two toddlers. The house is perfect for all ages -- plenty of bedrooms, a big living room for when we're together, and a lot of hideaways -- not only the bedrooms but the porches and decks -- when we just want to sit alone and read or snooze. The master bedroom is huge, as is the upstairs bathroom, with its vast shower, which is worth the trip in itself. The screen porch is perfect for loafing and big enough for family dinners beside the grill. The decks and lawn are great for the kids. The beach is about a block away, an easy walk: handy steps go straight down to the beach, which is much less crowded than the bigger main beach up the road. Mount Baldy, the huge sand dune, is just down the road. The kids love it! There are many nearby farms for berry-picking in season. Mostly, we cook in and the kitchen is great -- all the cooking comforts of home. The setting of the house is perfect: other houses are nearby, of course, but the surrounding hills and trees makes us feel we're far from the outside world. Most days, cross breezes keep the house cool. Air conditioning takes over when the real heat hits. The Dunes are a little short on restaurants and stores, but Bartlett's, a quick five minutes away, is a real addition to the eating scene and Chesterton, with its restaurants, stores and Saturday farmers market, isn't much farther. The Duneland Beach Inn, on the other side of Michigan City, is great for more elegant dinners. The house is beautifully furnished --the owners have given it a personal touch without making guests feel that they're trespassing in someone else's home, not an easy balance to strike. The listing description was absolutely accurate. The house is scrupulously clean -- Michelle sees to that. Service is excellent: one day, a passing tree trimmer knocked out the TV connection. A quick phone call to the owner had a repairman around instantly. For disabled visitors, there's even an elevator from the ground up to the first (main) floor. Over the years, we've rented several different houses in the Dunes/Michigan area. This is by far the best. We'd recommend it to anyone, and we plan to be back. Dick and Barbara Longworth

Owner response:Thanks for staying with us year after year! Barb and Jim

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

Great Girl's Weekend!

Guest: Bethany (Lake Village, IN, USA)
Date of Stay: 02/18/11 Review Submitted: 03/04/11

A group of Scrapbooking Ladies has visited the Dune's house twice now, and we look forward to many more. The home is amazing and well equipped. We were in need of NOTHING...it allows every luxury, and is truly a wonderful get-away experience. Working with Jim & Barbara is wonderful.

Owner response:Always a pleasure having our repeat customers back! Did you know that over half our clients come back and stay with us again! All the Best, Jim and Barb

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

We loved it

Guest: dari_bo (Chicago, Il)
Date of Stay: 12/24/10 Review Submitted: 02/08/11

We rented the property for Christmas and we had wonderful time. It is so much nicer than the pictures. We loved the big windows and the kitchien is a dream of any women. It is a place that you will like to visit again.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, people with disabilities, families with young children.

AWESOMENESS IN THE AWESOMENESS!!!

Guest: The Family of Ten (Indianapolis, Indiana)
Date of Stay: 04/25/09 Review Submitted: 04/03/10

The house was great!! It was spacious and open. There were ten of us and we were not stepping all over each other. With all the sky lights and windows, the house was very well lit. The elevator was very helpful for our Grandmother who cannot use stairs. It was very clean and the kitchen had lots of pots and pans to use. The three downstairs bedrooms were very nice and worked well for the seven people who slept in them. The bathroom was accomodating to all. The living room upstairs had plenty of seating for all of us and the dining table was big enough for all of us to eat together. The master bedroom and bathroom was AWESOME!!!! Everybody wanted to use the jacuzzi tub. The outside was very nice as well. The screened in patio was large and the grill could accomodate all of our cooking meat needs. We could hear the lake at night because it is only a block away. Jim and Barb, the owners, were excellent. They were easy to get ahold of and they answered all our questions promptly. I would recommend this house to anybody who is thinking about renting it out. Usually, the pictures on the website make the house look nicer than it really is. This house was much nicer than the pictures of it. Thank-You for a fantastic house to rent!

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

Guest: Michael Richter (Skokie, IL)
Date of Stay: 08/17/09 Review Submitted: 08/17/09

Tired we trudge The sun-rouged dune With burns and empty juice boxes We rebequeath you your tranquility O beach grape and Little foxes The Dunes House was the perfect setting for our family gathering from around the US. Eleven of us (including four young'uns) were easily housed, with lonely spots still to spare outside the gathering room. I've been coming to the Dunes since I was born 46 years ago (my grandparents lived in Dune Acres), but this was the first time I've seen tree frog and fox. A fitting goodbye to the region as we head overseas, but if we return to visit, the Dunes House will be at the top of our list of places to stay. Thanks, Jim and Barb!

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Guest: Patty Boyd (Pittsburgh PA)
Date of Stay: 06/30/09 Review Submitted: 06/30/09

What a comfortable, gorgeous home for celebrating our son’s graduation from U. of Chicago! We had wanted a place near the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore—a house where we could have a celebratory cookout, rain or shine, for our family and a place where we could enjoy relaxing at the beach with a set of grandparents and another sister-in-law and her family. Dunes House was just the ticket! Nestled in the woodsy dunes, with plenty of large windows to enjoy the surrounding deck, flowers, and woods, the house is an easy walk to a gorgeous beach. In the super-well-appointed kitchen (nice, heavy pots and pans, pretty dishes, good chef’s knives, etc.), in the comfortable beds, and with our choice of shade or sun on the verandas and porches, we felt at home but in the lap of luxury! We appreciated all the little touches Jim and Barbara thought of: field guide books, great board games for all ages, books, fireplace, an outside fire pit (at which we scared the youngest with ghost stories--whoops!), hair dryer, and comfortable beach chairs. Showers, tub, and laundry room are commodious and a joy (well, calling laundry a joy is stretching it) to use! We played volleyball and football on the beach, collected beach glass, hiked Mount Baldy, and took a train to downtown Chicago (an easy one-hour train ride from the train station, which is about a 15-minute walk or one-minute drive from the house). Shopping in Michigan City or Chestertown has all the usual groceries and other things you might need. Though the outside shot of the house makes it look a bit modest, the real thing is far nicer than the pictures: It’s a luxurious, solid, beautiful home in a lovely, quiet location, which is probably the nicest beach in the Chicago/Indiana area.

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Guest: Gary Rayl1 (Chicago, Il)
Date of Stay: 05/08/09 Review Submitted: 05/08/09

The Dunes House is an incredible space for rest, relaxcation and celebration. We had 4 couples stay together for a long weekend and found the Dunes House more than met our needs. Each couple had adaquate private space. Yet, when we gathered the kitchen, dinning room, living room, pourch and deck were wonderful spaces with which to gather and enjoy one another. Each space offered special enjoyment and shelter for our shareing. We even put together a huge jig-saw puzzle in the living room. The lake is just down the road and the beauty is grand. We sat at the Great Marsh each morning and being bird nerds found the bird watching a joy. All in the group made positive comments about the setting. We had fun in a place which accommodates our needs with luurious surroundings. It is a wonderful place to stay. We highly recommend "The Dunes House".

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Guest: Krista Redlinger-Grosse (Roseville, MN)
Date of Stay: 09/15/08 Review Submitted: 09/15/08

We thoroughly enjoyed our time at the Dunes house. We couldn't have asked for nicer accomdations, especially considering our "crew" (there were 4 adults and 6 kids all under the age of 5). There was the perfect amount of space for us all to not feel that we were cramped and we took full advantage of every sleeping quarter. We were also delighted to all be able to eat around the large dining table! The outside amenities also fit our needs, especially the large deck which was well used. The beach was perfect for our young kids as we never felt crowded or that we were imposing on other beach go-ers. All in all, we had a great vacation! Better than we could have ever hoped. We feel fortunate to have found the Dunes house and hope to stay again.

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Guest: The Ryan/Jacobsberg Kids (-)
Date of Stay: 09/01/07 Review Submitted: 09/01/07

From our Dunes House guest book...... another younger perspective! We had a great time! On August 26, we celebrated my Grandma's 93 birthday. All of my cousins came for the party. We went to the beach every day. We played bingo and other games. This is the third year of coming to this house, we love it here!

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