Top 10% of guest reviews in this areaTop 10% of guest reviews in this area
Highlights
Room to spread out
Enjoy spacious layout that give everyone more room to relax.
Beach equipment
A rare find — beach equipment ready to go for your days by the sea.
Discover nearby landmarks
Close to Lake Michigan
2 bedrooms1+ bathroomSleeps 6
Popular amenities
Deck or patio
Barbecue grill
Internet access
Air conditioning
Kitchen
Refrigerator
Explore the area
Ephraim, WI
Eagle Harbor
Place, Eagle Harbor
1 min drive
Francis Hardy Gallery
Place, Francis Hardy Gallery
3 min drive
Sister Bay Beach
Place, Sister Bay Beach
5 min drive
Rooms & beds
2 bedrooms (sleeps 6)
Bedroom
2 Queen Beds
Downstairs living room
1 Double Futon
Master Bedroom
1 King Bed
1 bathroom, 1 half bathroom
First Floor powder rm
Toilet
Upstairs bathroom
Bathtub · Toilet · Shower only
Spaces
Deck or patio
Kitchen
Separate dining area
Garden
Dining area
About this property
THE ESSENCE of DOOR COUNTY, spacious & beautiful, and surrounded by gardens.
"Plum Retreat" is a private, and cozy-and-yet-very-spacious portion of an adorable cottage hiding behind an ornate garden gate, and sleeps 2-5 guests over two levels. The property is part of the picturesque "Green Gables" property in the north part of Ephraim, and is within easy walking distance to galleries, shops, mini-golf, breakfast and pizza, and a short drive from Ephraim village and the water. Green Gables itself has the flavor of a romantic bygone Americana era, and boasts beautiful gardens and is adjacent to a much larger, exciting, and Smithsonian listed garden project, “The Secret Garden,” unique in Door County! The property is suitable for couples or families and at night it's dark and quiet for stargazing. The house oozes feel-good charm, with lots of windows and natural light, architectural details, and plenty of space indoors and out, to play and relax in. Outside there's a fantastic patio lounge area, and inside, a formal fireplace invites you to curl up on the sofa-bed (with an old record playing on the vintage stereo/record player)? Full kitchen, with oven, fridge, dishwasher, microwave, toaster etc. Upstairs there are two very large bedrooms (each with a king bed), and there's a true queen sofa-bed downstairs. All the bedding is non-allergenic. Wi-fi, a 49" TV with cable channels, Netflix and Amazon Prime in the living room, and a washer and dryer upstairs. The space works well for families, or just for a couple looking for a romantic or memorable Door County vacation. If this is booked, and your party is small, please consider VRBO listing #1656219, nearby. Thank you!
Our prices include all fees. No hidden fees.
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Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has indicated there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit, and a deadbolt lock
About the neighborhood
Ephraim
Located in Ephraim, this vacation home is in a rural area and on a lake. The Skyway Drive-In Theatre and Historic Noble House are local landmarks, and the area's natural beauty can be seen at Lake Michigan and Peninsula State Park. Pirate's Cove Adventure Golf and Peg Egan Performing Arts Center are also worth visiting. Kayaking and scuba diving offer great chances to get out on the surrounding water, or you can seek out an adventure with hiking/biking trails and hunting nearby.
Green Bay Austin Straubel Intl. Airport (GRB) - 90 min drive
Restaurants
Al Johnson's Swedish Restaurant & Butik - 5 min drive
Wilson's Restaurant & Ice Cream Parlor - 5 min drive
Husby's Food & Spirits - 5 min drive
Wild Tomato - 5 min drive
Door County Ice Cream Factory - 8 min drive
Frequently asked questions
Is THE ESSENCE of DOOR COUNTY, spacious & beautiful, and surrounded by gardens. pet-friendly?
No, pets are not allowed at this property.
How much does it cost to stay at THE ESSENCE of DOOR COUNTY, spacious & beautiful, and surrounded by gardens.?
As of Oct 5, 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at THE ESSENCE of DOOR COUNTY, spacious & beautiful, and surrounded by gardens. on Dec 6, 2026 start from $327, including taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.
How much is parking?
Onsite parking is available at the property.
What time is check-in at THE ESSENCE of DOOR COUNTY, spacious & beautiful, and surrounded by gardens.?
Check-in begins at 3:00 PM.
What time is check-out at THE ESSENCE of DOOR COUNTY, spacious & beautiful, and surrounded by gardens.?
Check-out is at 10:30 AM.
Where is THE ESSENCE of DOOR COUNTY, spacious & beautiful, and surrounded by gardens. located?
Situated on a lake, this vacation home is within 1 mi (2 km) of Eagle Harbor and Lake Michigan. Francis Hardy Gallery and Frykman Studio Gallery are also within 2 mi (3 km).
Reviews
10
Exceptional
Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labeled.
Such a charming place. The garden is beautiful and creates such a peaceful atmosphere. If you are looking for a quiet escape from downtown this is it! Highly recommend visiting!
This was the first time we stayed at the larger unit at Green Gables. So spacious and cozy. We enjoyed the beautiful surrounding gardens and the relaxing and private patio. We love spending time in Door County and this VRBO combines the pleasure of vacation with the comfort of home.
Very cute place to stay, even better than the pictures. House was clean, well organized, and very accommodating. Host had great communication and thought of everything. Highly recommend for a family getaway, girls weekend or a relaxing time away.
This property was beyond beautiful! We had a lovely stay. It was also the cleanest place I have ever stayed. The beds were so comfortable. We can’t wait to come back!!
We came to door county for a wedding and brought our 15 month old with us. This property was very spacious for him to play and the grounds were absolutely breathtaking. The only thing I will note (was not a negative for us) is that all the bedrooms have sky lights without a shade. My son goes to bed before the sun goes down but it didn't bother him at all. I also love to wake up to the sun so it was perfect for me in that instance. However, if you are light sensitive you might want to use an eye mask. Overall we loved this property and the host was great at answering our questions, even brought over more coffee pods for us. I thought it was a drip coffee system so we brought ground coffee and it ended up being a keurig. We would love to come again and stay at this same location!
Great location, comfortable beds, spacious place and beautiful gardens. If morning light bothers you, bring a sleep mask as both bedrooms have skylights.
Plum Retreat is so cozy and comfortable, we felt right at home. The house is very clean and the owner thought of everything! It was just perfect for us 4 friends. Thank you
The Plum is a wonderful place to stay with great features. We celebrated a birthday and had more than enough room for family and friends.. Colin took amazing care of us and we loved everything about our stay.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2020
Response from VrboOwner on Aug 15, 2020
Thanks, Jim. I’m so glad you enjoyed your time. Please consider revisiting next year/ I’m really excited about the garden development that just got underway!
Cozy, quaint, relaxing. 4days of eating at great restaurants, beautiful sights. The kitchen had everything needed, fireplace was wonderful to end our day. Beds were comfortable and beautiful grounds.
Wonderful place to stay. The patio and gardens are very pleasant, and being expanded (so we'll need to return). Felt like I was in a spacious manor, yet had all the modern conveniences. Ultimately, this is a place to decompress + venture out into Door County.
Plum Retreat was a great place to stay. Clean, welcoming, full of amenities and comfort. Beautiful gardens. Unlike lots of rentals, this is larger than the photos show. We’ll be back!
This rental was clean, comfortable, and up kept. It was a very good and centralized location. Colin was very easy to work with and will rent from him again, when we get back up to Door County!
Stayed 2 nights in May 2023
Response from VrboOwner on May 10, 2023
Thanks Tom. I look forward to welcoming you again, perhaps when Green Gables is in full bloom!
This property was clean and well maintained and spacious and comfortable for our family of four. The fireplace was a welcome addition for our cooler chilly nights. The place had absolutely everything we needed. We will return! Thanks to Colin for offering such a lovely space.
Enjoyed a comfortable and cozy stay! Lots of attention to details, including labels on light switches and kitchen drawers. Unit was quiet and clean. Great location! Thanks, Colin!
Plum Retreat was perfect for our stay in the Door County area with our family. Very spacious for the 6 of us, meticulously clean and extremely comfortable furniture/beds! The gardens are beautiful and we wish we would’ve had more time to stay and just enjoy being at the property. The host was readily available, although we didn’t have a single issue with our stay. We will definitely stay here again on a return trip.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2024
About the host
Hosted by Colin Welford
I am a musician - an orchestra conductor of ballet and Broadway musicals, a pianist and composer - originally from Manchester, England. I first landed in the U.S. (more than a few years ago!) as a grad student in Miami. Since then, music-making has led me to visit (or live in) all sorts of places on five different continents: From Shreveport to Budapest, The Philippines to Swaziland. Of course, along the way I've enjoyed, encountered, or endured hospitality of all styles: a room-for-rent in a stranger's house (100% language barrier included), corporate apartments, a corrugated-tin shack in the jungle, hotels ranging from 5 to 0 stars, cruise-ships, dive-boats and leaky barges, private island mega-mansions, African desert tents - and most recently, a very high floor in a glass and steel skyscraper! I had been working in vibrant Chicago where I was the Music Director of "Hamilton" for almost three years. At the same time I frequently found myself heading North to Door County, WI - a very special and different place, with all the 'small-town' charm and ways of a bygone era; whether during its pristine white winters, fresh springtime greens, its exciting summer buzz, or the stupendous fall colors.
I like meeting people of all ages and from different places and walks of life, and am interested in art, architecture and history, while being ever on the lookout for completely new experiences. I enjoy scuba-diving (I’m a licensed PADI Assistant Instructor - although I’m probably a bit rusty), longer-than-planned hikes, creating music & lyrics and outrageously improbable plot-lines for new comedic musicals, escape rooms, chess, puzzles, campfires (but NOT at Green Gables!), playing games on my iPhone that keep me up all night, foreign films, LEGO, and reading.
Languages:
English
Premier Host
They consistently provide great experiences for their guests