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Torch Lake Exceptional Lakefront Cottage
| Sleeps | 10 |
| Bedrooms | 4 |
| Bathrooms | 3 |
| Space | 1,855 sq. ft. |
| Property type | cottage |
| Minimum Stay | 3 - 7 nights |
Overview
COTTAGE: 3 Bedrooms, 2 baths, sleeps 6; GUEST HOUSE (extra fee): 4 beds, 1 bath
Located on breathtakingly beautiful Torch Lake, this Non-Smoking property has been owned by the same family since the late 1800's. The cottage features natural wood interiors, two woodburning fireplaces, shelves of books, gorgeous views of the lake, coziness, and simplicity.
Equally suitable for families with young children or older couples, it comfortably sleeps six people, with a GUEST COTTAGE sleeping four more for an additional fee. We have 150 feet of lakefront, including a sandy beach, a private dock and boat hoist. The lake's sandy bottom is shallow for a fair distance, making it ideal for children. The cottage sits at the end of a private road in a secluded setting thick with mature trees. Its location on the east side of the lake affords spectacular views of the setting sun, especially from the large open air deck which overlooks the lake, and the near-constant lull of water lapping at the shore. There is also a smaller private deck, complete with a hammock swing (one of several on the property), off the master suite.
TORCH LAKE was named the third most beautiful lake in the world by National Geographic Magazine. The water is so clear you can see the sandy bottom all the way out to the 'drop-off.' On sunny days, the lake has ribbons of turquoise color that are reminiscent of the Caribbean. Torch is the largest lake in Michigan (19 miles long and about two miles wide) and is part of a chain of lakes which allows boating from Elk Rapids to Bellaire. See this article for a good overview and some great pictures: http://www.mlive.com/travel/index.ssf/2017/07/torch_lake_facts.html
A 15-minute stroll takes you to the small and charming village of ALDEN. It has one of Torch Lake's four public boat ramps, a number of restaurants (both casual and fine cuisine), art galleries, a variety of shops, a playground, a public tennis court, and a library. Green woods and broad fields extend out from the town, offering great cycling and walking.
Popular tourist destinations such as Traverse City, Charlevoix, the Leelanau Peninsula, and Petoskey are all within an hour's drive. Should you choose to venture further afield, Interlochen National Music Camp (offering excellent concerts), Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes, Mackinac Island, or Hartwick Pines are well worth visiting.
Because the cottage is a family heirloom, we request great care and consideration from our renters.
Keywords: Cottage
About Nan Reed Twiss
My great grandparents bought this property back in the eighteen hundreds, and it's been the beloved summer home to generations of my family (my children are now the fifth generation). The cottage which was left to me was built by my grandmother during the 2nd world war, and even though I've lived on both coasts of the US, in Europe and in Asia, I've never missed a summer. Birchwood cottage remains my favorite spot in the world...I just wish I could still spend all summer there as I did as a child. Now our family of five treasures the three weeks we save for ourselves, and scared though I was to share the cottage with strangers, so far, renters have treated the place beautifully.
Nan Reed Twiss purchased this cottage in 1890
Why Nan Reed Twiss chose Torch Lake
I was lucky enough to inherit this gem. But why I would buy it (and I would!) is that Torch Lake is an extraordinarily beautiful lake, more beautiful than any I've ever seen. The colors are like the Caribbean, and the water is so clear you can see the bottom all the way out to the drop-off. The sandy bottom makes it especially beautiful. The area is so peaceful if it's peace you're looking for... and yet, if you want activity, you don't have to go far at all for inland entertainment. There are lots of artist's towns nearby, nice shops, some great restaurants, golfing, hiking...and the town of Alden is a brief walk away.
What makes this cottage unique
Our cottage is right on the water, so we sleep to the sound of waves lapping the shore. We watch the sunsets from our deck that overlooks the water or from one of our three hammocks placed throughout the property. The beach is perfect for small children since it stays shallow for a long way. In addition to the obvious sand-castle building, the kids also love to explore the woods and build forts with the driftwood or play on the raft. We love to swim, sail, walk or bike into town. There's so much to do in the area, but honestly, we're so happy at the cottage and on the lake, we generally just stay there.
Guestbook comments from the owner
We absolutely recommend Birchwood cottage. There were so many highlights to our trip, it’s hard to choose. Sitting and reading on the deck in the afternoon. Motorboating around the beautiful lake. Bicycling around the lake as well (the hills to the east were tough!). Coffee and rolls in Alden. We had a great time overall.
Amenities
Alden Cottage Accommodation and Amenities
- cottage
- Guests provide their own meals
- 1855 sq. ft.
- Max. occupancy: 10
- children welcome ...
- pets not allowed ...
- non smoking only
- Beachfront ...
- Lakefront
- Away From It All
- Family
- Romantic
- Sports & Activities
- Clothes Dryer ...
- Fireplace ...
- Internet
- Iron & Board
- Linens Provided
- Living Room
- Parking
- Telephone
- Towels Provided ...
- Washing Machine ...
- Wireless Internet
- Wood Fireplace ...
- Coffee Maker
- Cooking Utensils
- Dishes & Utensils
- Dishwasher
- Kitchen
- Microwave
- Oven
- Refrigerator
- Stove
- Toaster
- Dining Area
- 3 Bathrooms
-
Master Bedroom Bathroom -
toilet
,
combination tub/shower
Cottage Bathroom - toilet , shower
Guest House Bathroom - toilet , shower
- 4 Bedrooms, Sleeps 10
-
Master Bedroom -
1 queen
,
There is also a Daybed
Upstairs Bedroom - 2 twin/ single
2nd Upstairs Bedroom - 2 twin/ single
Guest House - 2 twin/ single , 1 bunk bed
- The Cottage sleeps 6. For an extra fee, you can also rent the Guest House to sleep 4 more.
- Books ...
- DVD Player
- Games ...
- Satellite / Cable
- Television
- Balcony ...
- Deck / Patio ...
- Golf ...
- Kayak / Canoe ...
- Outdoor Grill
- Tennis ...
- cinemas
- restaurants
- boating
- horseback riding
- miniature golf
- shopping
- sight seeing
- wildlife viewing
- ATM/bank
- fitness center
- groceries
- cycling
- fishing
- golf
- hiking
- hunting
- kayaking
- sailing
- swimming
- tennis
- water skiing
- wind-surfing
Reviews
Excellent!
4.5/5 -
(39 traveler reviews)
Beautiful lakeside setting, private, rustic charm - a pathwalk away from quaint Alden.
We have enjoyed Birchwood Cottage for two summers - one week is never enough. The cottage provides a private setting, amazing views of the lake by way of big windows, a spacious lakeside deck, dock, beach, & hammock in the trees. We love the natural treed setting, the large dining and living room spaces and view from the Master. Much of the cottage is rustic. The kitchen is fully equipped, but older. The two bathrooms are small and could use some TLC, but the owner is sensitive to any/all requests and feedback, and responds promptly & kindly - to help make your Torch Lake stay a good one. We love the wooded walking path near the driveway that leads into the friendly, quaint town of Alden - where there are cute boutiques, small restaurants, a wine tasting room, ice cream stand, a store for basic supplies and food, and more. For us, the pluses outweigh the minuses . . . we will/would return for a third year.
Claudia, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
Overall 2.5 stars
Beautiful lake and nice beach but overall house while quant was below expectation for the cost.
Great weekend getaway!
Great location, very well kept house, and had everything to accommodate our yearly Memorial Day Weekend getaway. I would highly recommend this place to anybody looking to relax on gorgeous Torch Lake for a few days.
A wonderful vacation spot by the lake
The location of this cottage at torch lake is one of the most relaxing, beautiful places I've been to. The dock area is great for grilling food and hanging out on the hammock and swing chairs. The fact that this place also has a beach with a fire pit is a great plus. Taking the canoe and kayaks out on the water was lots of fun.
The cottage itself is very homey and comfortable. The grand piano is a great touch and is soothing to play by the lake. There are many helpful notes and signs put up around the house so you know where everything is.
This house is very close to a playground/ basketball court/ tennis court, so my friends and I would walk out there to play some sports and then head back to the cottage for a dip back into the water. There are also cool stores nearby so you can grab ice cream on the walk back home.
This cottage was a great time and I can't wait to come back to it sometime!
Everything a weekend getaway should be
My family and I just returned from a truly wonderful weekend at Birchwood on Torch Lake. The occasion was to celebrate my 70th birthday. This was the best birthday ever. Everyone had a great time and did not want to leave to go back home. Beautiful lake, great views from the deck and house. And the house itself is roomy, comfortable and all you would expect a house on the lake to be.
Cozy Cottage in a wonderful location on Torch Lake.
The cottage was very cozy and clean. The view of the water was incredible. Especially the sunset! The beach area was clean and the kids loved it. Just a few minute drive and you could grab groceries or a bite to eat in Alden. We had a few very minor issues when we arrived to the cottage but the owner was very responsive and prompt to our request to get handled. She was also very polite! Our only disappointment was the master bedroom did have a "musty" kind of stench. Maybe could use some fresh paint to clear that up. And also the water is very hard (It's well water). So definitely bring bottled water to drink. We would definitely stay here again!
Map
We often have set up a badminton net in our yard that our children (12-17) enjoy a lot. (They make up all sorts of games with bouncy balls and racquets.) So when they have had enough fun in the sand, water and sun, or enough time playing games indoors, there yet one more activity :-)
Photos
Rates & Availability
- Available
- Unavailable
Additional information about rental rates
| Damage Insurance | $59 |
| Damage Deposit | $500 |
For more than 6 people (up to a total of 10), you can also rent our Guest House for an additional $700/wk ($100/night during Spring/Fall seasons). (We only rent the Guest House in conjunction with the Main Cottage.)
Signed Rental Agreement & first payment due within 3 days of booking to reserve dates. Please review details carefully and feel free to contact us with questions.
Owner's Cancellation Policy
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