Lake Michigan Sugar Sand Beachfront with Spectacular Views

• Wouldn't be my first choice, but great location

  Wouldn't be my first choice, but great location

  • Guest Melanie B.
  • Date of stay 08/31/12
  • Review Submitted 09/06/12
  The view was beautiful and beach was awesome. The owner was very nice. The home itself needs some TLC. There were some safety concerns for my young children- the railing to go upstairs did not feel very stable, it was missing a spindle at the very top creating a space that a toddler or baby could easily fit through and fall to the level below. The metal chains that control the blinds were the continuous loop style which can be a strangulation concern. The oven didn't work (just got warm), the washing machine seemed to be leaking and the water damage in the basement ceiling tells me that it wasn't a new problem. We arrived and there wasn't any toilet paper (though she did bring some upon my request) and very little hand soap was there. The cleanliness was ok, some clean fanatics might not find it acceptable. Some of the windows were not fully functioning, and the ceiling fan switch was broken. On the plus side the kitchen was nicely stocked, as were the towels, linens and laundry soap. The decor was probably from '90s, so not super outdated but not super modern either. The house was generally nice, and really the main thing that would stop me from staying again was that the third "bedroom" was really a wide open loft and not a bedroom at all. Not good for people with young kids or light sleepers. They did have some beach toys, but not really anything for kids to play with inside. We did enjoy the porch and the patio though. Great views of the beach and great atmosphere.

  Owner response: The majority of comments I have gotten on the decor are "It's much nicer than we expected and the view is outstanding" so I have been investing upgrade dollars on patio furnishings and landscaping. This past year I added a high-end conversation set (love seat, 2 chairs and coffee table) and new chairs for the table to the patio which is in the shade under the deck. I am glad you enjoyed them. I also added a sandbox next to the patio for toddlers. The planter box and stone path along the side of the house will be finished by next season. The ceiling fan does work via the switch but the remote has failed. I am not able to get a new one from the manufacture so I am trying to get it repaired before I go to the expense of replacing the fan. Concerns for small children have not been voiced before, but I will work on addressing them for next season. A baby gate can be put at the bottom of the stairs, but the walls are such that it is not possible to put one at the top of the loft stairs. Most couples with babies use the main floor bedrooms but school age children love the top bunks in the loft. I live nearby and respond to any reported problems as deemed necessary by the tenant. The nonworking oven or leaky washing machine had not been brought to my attention. I will address the issues of supplies with my cleaning crew as I do expect them to top off the soap dispensers and notify me when paper supplies are low. They address "once in a while" tasks as time permits in the change-over window so it is helpful if people leave them a note when they see something beyond the normal that needs to be cleaned. I like to have it "sparkling" and the cleaners came with great references. There is a basket of kids toys stored inside one of the end tables but maybe they weren't found or have been "depleted" by others during the season. There is also a supply of adult games and jigsaw puzzles for ages 6-adult in the other end table. For next year, I plan to eliminate some of the books and CD's to make room for storing the games and toys in an obvious location.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 0/0

• Fantastic Vacation

  Fantastic Vacation

  • Guest Summer Fun
  • Date of stay 08/19/12
  • Review Submitted 09/05/12
  Your home was the perfect location to get our children and grandchildren together for a summer vacation. The family arrived from three different states and your home and location offered something for everyone. The location is so ideal that we walked or biked to most activities and the views from the upper deck were spectacular. The grandchildren especially enjoyed walking to the channel to fish, walking to the beach and of course the camp fires in the evenings. Thank you for sharing your home.

  Recommended for: Sightseeing, romantic getaway, adventure seekers, families with young children, families with teenagers, age 55+, tourists without a car, girls getaway.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 0/0

• Not what we expected

  Not what we expected

  • Guest Barbara
  • Date of stay 10/14/11
  • Review Submitted 11/11/11
  Beds were very comfortable and kitchen well stocked. Good location for lots of activities in area. Easy to find. Pictures are deceiving- it is much smaller inside than it looks. And the fire pit area is small and surrounded by houses. View is good but house is one street off beach so house in front of it as shown in picture distracts from the view. Beware of all the steps if you have elderly, disabled or small children. There are 14 outside wooden steps to access the house which owner neglected to tell me although I specifically said I was traveling with my elderly mother. They were quite slippery when wet. The only working shower when we were there was in the loft which was another 14 steps up and the only working DVD player was downstairs in the lower level. The VRBO owner ad states that there is a telephone and computer. There were neither. Luckily I did get service on my cell phone but you never know when traveling and I decided at the last minute to bring a laptop. I had to email and then call the owner the night before arrival to ask for door code although I had sent my check well in advance.. It took almost two weeks and one reminder call before our security deposit was returned after our two night stay. Over all, we had a pleasant time but it was not what we expected from the ad or pictures.

  Recommended for: Girls getaway.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 1/1

• Relaxing time

  Relaxing time

  • Guest Sarah
  • Date of stay 09/16/10
  • Review Submitted 10/12/10
  My family and I rented this house and it was so nice and relaxing!! I loved staying here:-) I did not get to meet the owner, but my in-laws did and they said that she was very sweet. We hope to be able to make this a yearly family mini vaca for us. She was so sweet, worked with our time that we wanted to stay till and there was everything there that you needed! It's like your staying at your parents, grandparents, or family's house, so welcoming!! We loved it!!

  Recommended for: Families with young children.

  Owner response: Sorry I missed you. I try to meet all my guests in the first couple of days of their stay to answer any questions and take care of any issues. I am usually nearby and can quickly address any problems. Peggy

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 2/2

• Beautiful cottage with great view

  Beautiful cottage with great view

  • Guest PattyK
  • Date of stay 07/27/08
  • Review Submitted 08/12/08
  My group of 4 adults and 4 children stayed at this cottage and found it perfect for us. We were directly across the street from such a beautiful beach, and there is a lot to do in the immediate region. The cottage was very clean and well-stocked, and the owner checked in on us several times to see if there was anything else we could need. The first floor has a little half bathroom and a family room, and is on a patio with a nice view of the lake. The main level (the second floor) has the living room/dining room area, a full bath, a kitchen, and two bedrooms with queen beds; also, big patio windows/doors give access to the deck with plenty of seating and, again, excellent views. The loft has no doors (so we had to turn off the living room lights when the kids went to bed), but has two bunk beds (double on bottom, single on top), a full bath, and plenty of room for kids to spread out. We also were pleased that the cottage has high-speed internet access (bring your own laptop). We are strongly considering staying at this property next year!

  Recommended for: Families with young children, families with teenagers.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 17/17

Books from Sunday 3:00 PM until Sunday 10:00 AM
June 15 - Sept 7, 2010: $2195 per week + 5% tax.
Call for last minute or off-season (September to May) daily rate.
Winter rate (October - March) $900/month.

Note: Until confirmed, rates are subject to change without notice.