Vacation Rentals by Owner

Wonderful Weekend Retreat

Guest: Doug and Dorothy (Grand Ledge, MI)
Date of Stay: 02/18/12 Review Submitted: 02/22/12

This condo was a great place to relax and enjoy the beauty of the Sleeping Bear area. The listing was accurate in description and photo's. It was clean and had plenty of linens. The owner was prompt in communication and gave detailed instructions regarding the condo. My husband and I enjoyed hiking, cross country skiing, and relaxing at the condo. We would definitely return and would recommend this condo to others.

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

Fall Weekend Getaway

Guest: Jennifer N.
Date of Stay: 10/14/11 Review Submitted: 10/17/11

My husband and I had a fantastic visit. The condo was true to the description and provided a great base from which to visit Sleeping Bear Dunes and the quiet towns of Leelanau Peninsula. The furniture was comfy and the fireplace warmed us up nicely. A great place to stay if you want to sightsee in the Fall, but want to avoid busy Traverse City.

Recommended for:

Quiet and peaceful

Guest: Mariann W.
Date of Stay: 08/22/11 Review Submitted: 08/30/11

We loved our week in the woods. The condo was pristine and very comfortable - beautifully decorated with lots of thoughtful items close at hand. Especially appreciated the washer/dryer and the ability to go home with clean clothes!

Recommended for:Age 55+, girls getaway, pet owners, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

True to the description, great place!

Guest: Up north traveler (Kalamazoo, MI)
Date of Stay: 04/21/11 Review Submitted: 04/28/11

Recently enjoyed a stay, and already looking forward to a return trip. This was the first time I'd booked entirely based on only online information. I was impressed with how the accommodations matched the descriptions well. The condo is nicely appointed in all ways. Deer walked right passed the windows in the morning. The owner alerted me to some construction being done near the property before our arrival which was really helpful. As I mentioned, we will definitely return.

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

Cozy, comfortable winter escape

Guest: Glen Arbor fan (IL)
Date of Stay: 12/25/10 Review Submitted: 12/29/10

My wife and I just got from our stay at this lovely condo at the Homestead resort. I have to say, I was very pleasantly surprised with these accommodations. We decided somewhat last minute to get away for a few days during the Christmas holiday and felt like this is just what we needed. It looked even better in person that it did in the pictures in my opinion. For the two of us, the size was just right. As other reviewers have mentioned, yes, the kitchen is small, but you can make it work for a few days without a problem at all. Since we arrived on Christmas day and no other restaurants were open in the area, we planned in advance and brought pasta, salad and some red wine. It would be difficult to cook much more than that in this kitchen, but we knew this and it worked out just great. It was also perfect for breakfast and making sandwiches for lunch to save some money for a nicer dinner. I liked how easy it was to access this condo from the main entrance, but still felt very tucked away in the woods. You can park very close to the door, so bringing luggage in was not a hassle as some condos on the property might be. You are in easy walking distance to "the village" where there are a few restaurants and other stores, ski hill, etc. right on the property, as well as a 5 minute drive to downtown Glen Arbor. The king sized bed was awesome -- so good that my wife now wants one for our own house. The renters we extremely friendly and easy to work with and everything went off without a hitch. I would recommend this condo highly and hope to return in the near future.

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

Fall Splendor

Guest: Ed & Jan (East Lansing, MI)
Date of Stay: 10/08/10 Review Submitted: 10/20/10

No surprises. The condo was exactly as it looked in the pictures. Everything was clean, the Jacuzzi bubbly and the king bed comfortable. It is perfect for two people (or using the fold out sofa, four close friends). The kitched is small, but we weren't expecting to prepare gourmet meals. This unit is tucked in a wooded area and the fall foliage was turning. We had nice color from every window. There are so many things to eat and see in the area, we didn't spend that much time at the condo. But when we returned, it was easy to relax. Very close to plenty of northern Michigan natural wonders and million dollar sunsets over Lake Michigan. We would definitely stay in this unit again or recommend it to others.

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

Cozy and peaceful!

Guest: A Wonderful Vacation! (McCordsville, Indiana)
Date of Stay: 08/27/10 Review Submitted: 09/05/10

Very close to Lake Michigan, hiking, kayaking, horseback riding, great restaurants and shops. If you haven't been to the Glen Arbor area in the summer months, you must go. The waters of Lake Michigan, (and the Crystal River) are clear as can be, and the blues are as beautiful as any Caribbean beach. This condo is cozy, comfortable and stylish. You're not going to cook any big meals in the tiny kitchenette, but other than that, it's just right! (Who wants to cook on vacation anyway).

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

Wedded Bliss

Guest: Brandi (Ionia, MI)
Date of Stay: 08/05/10 Review Submitted: 02/15/11

The Homestead Resort was the sight of our beautiful wedding in August 2010. We loved the resort but were elated to find a condo within the resort at such a great price! It was perfect for the two of us. My sister and I had plenty of room to get ready for the wedding at the same time and we added a couple others that helped us. The accomodations were perfect. My husband and I would love to get the brand name of the mattress because it was the most comfortable bed! For the first time in many months we both woke up without a backache. There was plenty of closet space for all of our wedding clothes and honeymoon wardrobe for a continued trip further up north. We cannot thank you enough for taking some of the worry ut of our wedding planning. The condo was the perfect place to unwind and relax. What a great way to start our married life!

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

Bumpy ride

Guest: Mich lover (Evanston, IL)
Date of Stay: 08/01/10 Review Submitted: 08/11/10

Our family loves the Homestead and Glen Arbor so that was great. However, I was disappointed in the unit because their were 4 of us and the hideabed was broken (badly broken) so even when it was the sofa it was really unable to be sat on. The bed was tied together with string. Very uncomfortable furniture (old) and even the mattress on the king bed needed to be replaced. For the money charged the unit needs NEW furniture or lower the price.

Owner response:I'm surprised, we usually get really positive remarks about the bed. As far as the sleeper sofa goes, sleepers just do not have the same support as a regular sofa. In fact, we just rented a very nice cottage through the internet and they placed a board under their sofa cushions to give the needed added support. I never thought of doing that but we plan on putting one in. the sofa is not badly broken. When folded out, the corner is reinforced where the mattress mat attaches to the frame because sometimes those last two springs slide out of place. Since I don't particulary like sleeping on a sofa sleeper myself (I don't like the "bar" that goes across the middle), we often recommend that people take the mattress off the sofa and place it on the floor.

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Love it

Guest: Suzie (EGR, MI)
Date of Stay: 07/28/10 Review Submitted: 07/28/10

My husband and I frequently visit the TC area from GR, and this condo is our favorite place to stay, even tho we aren't skiiers.The combination of the big whirlpool bathtub and the wood-burning firplace and privacy is just heaven after a day roaming the wineries. It's situated in a quiet woods, where we often see deer, and it's an easy walk to the restaurants/ski hill, etc. We usually eat in Glen Arbor, where I really enjoy the unique stores and restaurants, but you could certainly make your own breakfast in the kitchen. It's so relaxing - we always look forward to staying there.

Recommended for:Age 55+, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Needs Improvement

Guest: Brock (Glen Ellyn, IL)
Date of Stay: 07/04/10 Review Submitted: 07/21/10

I love Glen Arbor and have stayed at various Homestead rental condos with my family almost every year for the last 25 years. I've stayed in Wilderness, Loggers Run, Beach Walk and Hawks Nest. This is the first condo unit that I have encountered where things just did not meet our expectations. Appearance wise the condo is lovely, just like the pictures online. But unfortunately, it wasn't cleaned to our standards upon arrival and some of the 'amenities' were not functioning properly. Specifically, the coffee pot still had wet coffee in it and there was mold in the pot and filter area. We were disgusted and resorted to buying a tea pot at Great Lakes Tea and Spice Company. After a few days I stomached washing it so we could enjoy some Leelanau Coffee Roasters coffee. The pots, pans, utensils and drinkware in the cupboards were all nice, but each was crusty with dried on food particles and we had to wash everything before we used it. The toaster was broken, the risers were bent and wouldn't raise the toast and on our second attempt to use it the element would not heat in either slot even though the toast light was on. The garbage disposal was out of order, water was rising in the sink on first use of just running water and we avoided the garbage disposal from there. There was a bathroom towel out on the picnic table upon our arrival. We didn't go out there to get it, since the mosquitos were so bad we couldn't sit outside. We ate our breakfast/lunch inside sitting on the couch eating at the coffee table, not comfortable. We didn't realize there was a dining table until one of our last nights there. The chairs for the dining table were in use for our suitcases in the bedroom, we thought nothing of it as there was no where to put our suitcases or to really unpack two peoples large suitcases for a week. The dining chairs were staged in the bedroom as if they were intended for suitcases upon arrival. We took the trash out during our stay but found no replacement garbage bags, so we sought out those from the Homestead. We decided if we venture to the Homestead again we will try a more quiet unit, likely one up in Hawks Nest, away from the pool and sound of kids/people and car traffic. The last review references a 'fan' in the condo, we looked high and low and didn't find one, it was so hot in the day a fan would have helped in the evening. Based on our experience we would not recommend this "villa" for the cost unless the items specified are repaired.

Owner response:We strive to provide a clean, comfortable and well-appointed villa for all of our guests. We have been renting for 12 years and have never had negative feedback like this. It was particularly upsetting because most of it could have been avoided. In the information sheet we provide when booking, we ask that if any needs arise during your stay, that you give us a call. If our guest would have called, we could have immediately notified our cleaning lady who would have taken care of the coffee pot and towel. We could have told them that the garbage bags were under the sink, the fan was either in the closet or bedroom armoire, the table in the living room folds out to seat 4 and the dining room chairs were just feet from the table. The toaster, which turned out not to be broken, could have been replaced the next day along with the garbage disposal which was replaced the day it was reported broken. Prior to renting on our own, we were the only South Village unit considered a "house of distinction" on the rental program of the Homestead Resort. We strive to maintain that same distinction and will continue to do so.

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Homestead stay

Guest: Wanting to come back soon! (Michigan)
Date of Stay: 06/11/10 Review Submitted: 08/08/10

Just wanted to tell you how much we enjoyed renting your condo again! We love the cozy setting in the woods. The condo was clean and was stocked with everything that we needed. We can't wait to have the time and come up and stay at the Homestead again. The stay in the winter was just as beautiful as staying in the summer. Thank you for sharing your wonderful place with us and looking forward to another stay!!

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

Homestead

Guest: Olivia (Owosso MI USA)
Date of Stay: 05/07/10 Review Submitted: 08/17/10

Great place to stay, clean, with amenities, just like advertised. It's our 3rd time staying there and we will certainly go again. It has everything you need, and the decor is welcoming. It's great to have the deck for those early morning breakfasts, and quiet evenings. The setting is beautiful and we are so close to everything yet tucked away from any unwanted contact with vacationers if we don't want it. We love waking up in the bed (one of the most comfortable I've ever slept in) with the trees right outside the window and the light filtering through...

Recommended for:Girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

great condo ! very very happy !

Guest: mojolakejake (minneapolis)
Date of Stay: 08/20/08 Review Submitted: 09/05/08

great location. safe. great neighborhood. very happy with the condo itself. good size, comfy. my wife was extremely happy with the whole place. everything went off without a hitch. glen lake area is wonderful ! no a/c, but the fan kept us cool and comfortable in the middle of august. (the area is nicely wooded, so it doesnt suffer from a lot of direct summer sunlight anyway.) thankyou !!

Recommended for:Sightseeing