Truly a Marvelous, Magic, Miniature Mushroom House!

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 09/03/11 Review Submitted: 09/17/11

For many years, I have wanted to spend time in one of Earl Young's "Mushroom Houses" in Charlevoix since Young came from my hometown and I have a photo of a stone--mason uncle by marriage and Young working on a project together. Finally, my dream came true as when I found this small, perfect guest house. We've just returned from an early September totally successful week there. The house is enchanting and exactly as described; the owner Karen greeted us with a delightful champagne welcome tray of delectables; the house was superbly clean, cozy, and well-outfitted with plenty of towels, high pressure hot water, sheets, soaps, cleaning supplies, spices, oils, and basic cooking supplies. The two bathrooms, one off the bedroom and one off the living room area, make it easy to have guests on the comfortable hideaway bed/largle comfortable leather sofa in the living room. The beautiful, flower bedecked grounds leading down to the shores of Lake Michigan had many comfortable places to sit and to eat and to take advantage of the lovely weather that we had the whole week. When we had trouble getting on the internet, our hosts were right there and worked with us to make sure we got connected and then checked back the next day to see that all was still working. A particularly delightful event a few miles away on the Mission Peninsula is at the beautiful :Chateau Chantal Winery, where, on two nights a week during the summer and fall, a special Chef Perry Harmon 7-course, 7-wine dinner is served to showcase their wines. We all agreed that the foods served as this dinner were among the very best we have eaten anywhere in the world...and a bargain at $55 plus tax and tip for both dinner and wines. We've rented vacation homes throughout the U.S. and in Europe; this was one of the most welcoming, charming, cleanest, best-equipped ones, one that we have already enthusiastically told friends about and one to which we plan to return next summer.

Recommended for:Girls getaway, sightseeing, pet owners, people with disabilities, romantic getaway, age 55+.

Wonderful!

Guest: Mary and Fred (Chicago, IL)
Date of Stay: 07/09/11 Review Submitted: 07/23/11

Our week was perfect - perfect weather, and a perfect cottage! We loved being able to wander the beautiful grounds, relax and watch the boats pass by, and watch amazing sunsets each night from the front yard. The serene neighborhood was great for riding bikes, spotting deer, and enjoying other Earl Young homes. The welcoming touch of champagne, cheese, crackers, fruit garden-cut flowers was especially thoughtful. Plenty of linens, well-equipped kitchen, and a comfortable pull-out couch for our two mid-week guests. The reality definitely matched up to the pictures on this site! This was our first trip to the Charlevoix area, and we found plenty to do - the owners were more than happy to share their knowledge of the area. Karen, thanks for the plants - I now have a lasting reminder of a special vacation in my little city yard! We hope to return!

Recommended for:Girls getaway, sightseeing, pet owners, romantic getaway, age 55+.

We had an awesome week!

Guest: Frank and Penny (Ann Arbor)
Date of Stay: 06/25/11 Review Submitted: 07/02/11

We just returned home after a relaxing, beautiful week in your cottage. It is so warm and inviting and you have thought of everything to equip the cottage. We had absolutely no problem with the water. It was nice and warm each time we used it. The front yard is more than you could wish for. We sat out there and watched the beautiful sunsets. The view is spectacular. It is such a wonderful place to relax and town, with its many great restaurants, is an easy walk if you prefer to go that way. The Grey Gables Restaurant was outstanding. My husband said it is the best salmon he has ever eaten. We enjoyed biking with your bikes and walking the beautiful neighborhood. This is an experience you don't get by staying in a hotel or bed and breakfast. We would highly recommend this for a magical week of living in this little cottage. It was wonderful. Thank you to Karen and Phil for their hospitality. You certainly made us feel welcome.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, sightseeing, families with young children, pet owners, romantic getaway, age 55+, tourists without a car.

Somewhat Disappointing

Guest: Sooz (Northville, MI, USA)
Date of Stay: 06/02/11 Review Submitted: 06/16/11

The cottage is clean and quiet with a wonderful view of Lake Michigan. The 1 1/2 bathrooms were very dated and hard to use (sinks too low, no way to mix the hot and cold water) and there was a problem with the hot water heater, so that ofter only 9 minutes the shower ran totally cold. The shower issue was brought to the owners' attention several times, beginning on the second day of our one week stay. Thier response was to raise the temperature of the thermostat, making the water run hotter but not longer. The hot water heater was not repaired or replaced during our stay. Very disappointing and we wouldn't recommend this rental to our relatives or friends,

Owner response:This was our first negative comment after 7 years of renting our guest house. When we were notified about the hot water concern we contacted our plumber who told us over the phone that the heater was only 30 gal and if someone takes an excessive amount of time to wash hair (woman's) or take long showers the heater will not re-generate quickly enough to provide continual hot water. After the second complaint the plumber came and did adjust the temp and again told us that the capacity was only 30 gal but it is working fine. Our guest suggested that the heater may be old since it was installed in 2004. We informed them that the heater is only used 4 months of the year and not 12 months so the life expectancy is greater then normal. After guest departed for the week the owner took a shower to test water supply and found it to be adequate with plenty of hot water to wash hair and take shower. Perhaps a woman with long hair may find it necessary to wash and rinse for an extended period of time and perhaps might run out of hot water. We did everything we could to satisfy the guest but to no avail. Even though the guest house was constucted in 1929 all the fixtures are new and were installed in 2004 with updated copper plumbing. We are sorry our guest thought we were ignoring their problem but I can assure you we were very responsive to it.

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Amazing little getaway for the price.

Guest: Jordan (Mishawaka, IN)
Date of Stay: 05/25/11 Review Submitted: 05/28/11

My wife and I stayed at this cottage while my wife was in town doing photography for a wedding. Unfortunately for us, when we arrived the Lake Flies began hatching and COMPLETELY took over the property like a plague. We could barely go outside and even avoided getting in/out of the car in front of the home. This is no ones fault except mother nature, as these lake flies only stick around for a week or two at the most once a year before dying off. So we had a little bit of bad luck : ( With the exception of the lake flies, the cottage itself and location it sits on is nearly perfect! It has a stunning view of Lake Michigan shore right from the yard and a firepit (with firewood) to use at your own leisure. Sitting out next to the fire and observing the beautiful star filled sky was a memory I will not soon forget! It is also very close to the attractions in town as well as the harbor. Karen (the owner) was a very gracious host, greeting us upon arrival and making sure we were satisfied. We plan to come back...and next time without the lake flies!!! -Jordan and Kate

Owner response:The lake flies are actually fish fly hatches at least that is what I have been told. For sure they were a bother this year and seemed worse then ever. Some years they are of little consequence. Anyway they do not bite, come and go quickly (usually within a week) and are gone now. Horray! Am glad they did not scare off Jordan and Kate. We look forward to having them back!

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

Like a fairytale!

Guest: hausfrau (Rochester, MI)
Date of Stay: 09/11/10 Review Submitted: 10/12/10

Our family of three (including our 2-year-old daughter) spent 5 fabulous nights in this adorable cottage in mid-September. We couldn't have asked for a more perfect getaway from our busy lives. The pictures do not do it justice...it looks like something out of a fairytale. The bedroom is beautiful and amply sized, and the half-bath off the bedroom was very convenient since we had our daughter sleep in a pack 'n play in the living room. The kitchen is well-provisioned. The living room is small but very comfortable, with a TV and internet connection. Both bathrooms are very small but meet all the basic needs. The hosts are wonderful and we had everything we needed for our stay. The grounds are lovely, the nearby beach is gorgeous, you can walk downtown and see all the other Earl Young cottages, and the sunsets are amazing! On windy days you can hear the waves from the cottage almost like you're at the ocean. We would stay here again in a heartbeat.

Recommended for:Sightseeing, families with young children, romantic getaway, age 55+.

What an idyllic spot!

Guest: Amber (New York)
Date of Stay: 08/21/10 Review Submitted: 10/10/10

Every morning I woke up certain that I was oceanside on the North Shore of Hawaii. The lake was right outside our front door, just beyond an expansive lawn. The cottage was perfect for two plus two dogs. My husband and I stayed here for my sister's wedding and we will definitely stay here again. Absolutely Nirvana!

Owner response: Amber, We are so pleased that you enjoyed your stay in the guest house and do hope to see you again in the future! Karen and Phil

Recommended for:Girls getaway, pet owners, romantic getaway, age 55+.

Wonderful relaxing place to stay!

Guest: Jeri (Midland, MI)
Date of Stay: 06/20/10 Review Submitted: 06/29/10

My husband and I just finished a week at this beautiful little cottage. The cottage had everything to make our stay comfortable. If you want to experience part of the Earl Young history this is the place to stay. The owner has a wealth of knowledge about Charlevoix, Earl Young and the area around this charming city. Bike trails nearby travel along Lake Michigan to Petosky and beyond. We hope to return again next year. June 2010

Recommended for:Sightseeing, romantic getaway, age 55+.

Guest: Mark & Tommie Clark (Louisville, KY )
Date of Stay: 06/29/09 Review Submitted: 06/29/09

From the minute we drove up to the cottage we knew we had made the right choice. Beautiful surroundings and views. The sunsets viewed from the grounds are spectacular. The cottage was the perfect place for us to stay while we golfed, shopped, walked, rode bikes and enjoyed Charlevoix and the other towns and areas which are very close for day trips. Very cute and cozy. Our hosts could not have been more accomodating and made our stay very comfortable and relaxing. We had never travelled to this area before but we will definitely make the trip again. The cottage and grounds really are as nice as the pictures shown in the website.

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Guest: Tina Emenheiser (Huntington Woods, MI)
Date of Stay: 10/28/08 Review Submitted: 10/28/08

We really enjoyed our week at this lovely, magical cottage. This is actually our second time we've stayed at the cottage and it was just as wonderful and exciting. The cottage is warm, cozy and inviting and has so much charm, you just have to fall in love with it. The whole area has so many beautiful places to visit and explore, you wish time could stand still. We loved it and hope to visit soon again.

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