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Serene Retreat Awaits You!

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Beautifully Decorated
Living area
Long wood table that seats minimum 8
Private kitchen
Dining

Reviews

9.6 out of 10
Exceptional
4 bedrooms2+ bathroomsSleeps 12

Popular amenities

  • Dryer
  • Washer
  • Fireplace
  • Kitchen
  • Parking available
  • Barbecue grill

Explore the area

Map
Highland Park, IL
  • Chicago Botanic Garden
    ‪6 min drive‬
  • Lake Forest College
    ‪8 min drive‬
  • Naval Base Great Lakes
    ‪16 min drive‬
  • Chicago, IL (PWK-Chicago Executive)
    ‪18 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

4 bedrooms (sleeps 12)

Brooklyn Bedroom

1 Queen Bed

Master Bedroom

1 Queen Bed

Two Twin Beds

2 Single Beds

Zen

1 Queen Bed

2 bathrooms, 1 half bathroom

Bathroom 1

Toilet

Bathroom 2

Bathtub or shower · Toilet

Bathroom 3

Bathtub or shower · Toilet

Spaces

Deck or patio
Kitchen
Garden
Dining area

About this property

Serene Retreat Awaits You!

Set in the midst of an affluent neighborhood, this spacious and sunny four bedroom retreat offers all the comforts of a home away from home. With it's perfect location close to Lake Michigan, Chicago Botanical Garden, Ravinia, Naval Base, and Six Flags Great America to name a few, our family home is within reach to Chicago as well. If you feel very adventurous, just leave your car in garage, pick up a bike and ride the Lake Shore Bike trail all the way to downtown Chicago, enjoying the beautiful scenery. If you feel less adventures but still would like to enjoy beautiful scenery, you can do it by taking a train. Metra can get you downtown Chicago in less than 45 min. and the stop is within walking distance.

Property manager

Lana and Luca
Premier Host

Languages

English, French, Greek, Italian
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Amenities

Kitchen
Washer
Dryer
Air conditioning
Outdoor space
Parking available

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House Rules

Check in after 3:00 PM
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Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17
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Events

Events allowed
Must be respectful to our home.
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Pets

No pets allowed
Case by case basis.
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Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Important information

You need to know

This property is managed by a private host (a party not acting within their trade, business or profession). EU consumer law, including the right of withdrawal, will not apply to your booking. The cancellation policy set by the private host will cover your booking.
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
Parties and events are allowed on site
Note from host: Must be respectful to our home.
Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit and a deadlock

About the area

Highland Park

Located in Highland Park, this holiday home is near theme parks. The Glen Town Center and MainStreet Libertyville are worth checking out if shopping is on the agenda, while those wishing to experience the area's natural beauty can explore Lake Michigan and Kent Fuller Air Station Prairie. Travelling with kids? Consider Par-King Skill Golf, or check out an event or a game at Ryan Field. Make sure you get close to the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.
Map
Highland Park, IL

What's nearby

  • Chicago Botanic Garden - 6 min drive - 8.1 km
  • Lake Forest College - 8 min drive - 6.3 km
  • Ravinia Park - 8 min drive - 9.2 km
  • Ravinia Pavilion - 9 min drive - 10.6 km
  • Naval Base Great Lakes - 16 min drive - 16.9 km

Getting around

  • Highwood Station - 2 min drive
  • Chicago, IL (PWK-Chicago Executive) - 17 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Starbucks - ‬2 min drive
  • ‪Wendy's - ‬10 min walk
  • ‪Taco Bell - ‬10 min walk
  • ‪28 Mile Vodka Company - ‬2 min drive
  • ‪Tacos El Norte - ‬3 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Serene Retreat Awaits You! pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

What time is check-in at Serene Retreat Awaits You! ?

Check-in begins at 3:00 PM.

Where is Serene Retreat Awaits You! located?

This family-friendly Highland Park holiday home is within 3 mi (5 km) of Moraine Park and Lake Michigan. Highland Park Ambulatory Care Center and Park Avenue Boating-Fishing Beach are also within 3 miles (5 km). Highwood Station is 21 minutes by foot and Highland Park Fort Sheridan Station is 26 minutes.

Reviews

9.6

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 35 out of 43 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 7 out of 43 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 1 out of 43 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 43 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 43 reviews

9.4/10

Cleanliness

9.8/10

Check-in

9.8/10

Communication

9.6/10

Location

9.8/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Rosanne U.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Holiday Retreat

On our third year at this property, we once again connected with our Chicago-area family in a beautiful setting. The hosts remained accessible before, after and during our visit.
Stayed 4 nights in Nov 2024

10/10 Excellent

Michelle A.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great experience

We stayed for 5 nights visiting my son and his family. Location was perfect, close to where we needed to be and very clean and spacious. Would definitely stay again.
Stayed 5 nights in Mar 2024

10/10 Excellent

Margie F.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

excellent rental

highly recommend. Kitchen has it all, beds very comfortable with high quality linens. Outdoor nicely landscaped, comforable with great seating. CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

greg v.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

We enjoyed our stay. Very interesting layout but functional for a large family

The twin beds need new mattresses. Other than that, very comfortable weekend for the family.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2023

10/10 Excellent

Karen N.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Comfortable/Good location

Great for proximity to Highland Park activities. Our friends live less than 10 minutes from the property and it is close to downtown HP and train into the city. There were 2 couples and one single and plenty of room for all. Property was clean and spacious. Would stay again.
Stayed 5 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Abner O.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great stay in Highland Park

Five friends and I stayed at Serene Retreat, and it worked very well for us. We were close to the METRA station, which made it simple to get into Chicago; the house was roomy and easy to manage; and we spent each morning drinking coffee and sitting on the back patio, as chipmunks scurried back and forth. Also the hosts were incredibly responsive. Will definitely use again when we're back in Chicago.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Cathy W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Unique Layout

Loved the design of the house! Super clean and organized. We’ll stocked kitchen and linens. Owners are very accommodating!
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2022

10/10 Excellent

Dan A.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Graduation

I believe our traveling party had a wonderful visit and the home fit the bill to celebrate my daughter and a few of her classmates’ graduation from Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary.
Stayed 4 nights in May 2022

10/10 Excellent

Stuart G.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Suburban Setting

Particularly appreciated for this 7-night stay were the hosts' gracious manner, informative messages, and prompt response to questions. The home's highlights include its large dining room table, comfortable lower-level family room w/ large screen TV, spacious laundry room, and 2-car garage. The home's location is quiet yet provides quick access to major transportation routes. Overall, the home is well-appointed, welcoming, and comfortable. Would rent again.
Stayed 6 nights in Apr 2023

10/10 Excellent

Emma I.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great stay!

This property was perfect for 9 of us. The check in was easy and instructions clear. There was an issue with the gas (no fault of the hosts) and they were extremely responsive and the issue was resolved immediately. Great location with easy driving to downtown and surrounding suburbs.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2025

8/10 Good

Rachael V.

Liked: Check-in, communication
Disliked: Cleanliness, listing accuracy

Lake Forest College Graduation

Proximity to college and activities is good and overall worked very well for our family gathering, but some details lacking in description and surprised us. House sits on a corner lot on VERY busy streets next to a FIRE STATION. The best thing about this house is its large, open (well-equipped) kitchen and dining area were GREAT for hosting family graduation celebration. Backyard area and patio had nice seating areas and area for a couple yard games (dead plants and pots could be cleared away). House is actually a SPLIT LEVEL with several flooring levels/transitions- difficult for elderly and no main floor bedroom or bathroom. Disclosing bedroom and bathroom locations should be required in VRBO description since some people have accessibility concerns. The bathrooms are very small, and the upstairs bathrooms need updated. A few updates, deep cleaning, and decluttering (abundance of real and fake plants) would be beneficial. The basement pull-out sofa is not a traditional queen sofa (does not fit 2 adults since you have to sleep sideways). The other sleeping accommodations for the 11th/12th person is an even smaller couch or blow-up mattress. The property comfortably sleeps 8 adults with 2 sleeping in the twin beds. Overall, the house worked fine and accommodated us for a fun graduation celebration.
Stayed 4 nights in May 2025

8/10 Good

Michael W.

Stayed 4 nights in Jan 2025

10/10 Excellent

emma n.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great stay.

Nice quiet neighborhood. Great for large families.
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2022

10/10 Excellent

Rosanne U., Sarasota

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Ideal Hosting Home!

We wanted a house where out three generations could stay comfortably and we could also host the nearby extended family. This was perfect for us to host about 20 for a holiday dinner. It's unusual to find a large dining table, enough seating, modern bathrooms and little touches like kids' games. The air hockey table got constant use! When we texted the owner because we had a little trouble with the keys, the owner was responsive and everything went smoothly after that.
Stayed 4 nights in Nov 2022

8/10 Good

Rob K.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Very nice stay

We had a great stay at this home. It fit all of our needs and the hosts were very helpful.
Stayed 10 nights in Jun 2022

10/10 Excellent

Abby F.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Family gathering

The location, house, and accommodations could not have been better for our multi-generational gathering. There was privacy for all and a big kitchen, dining room, and backyard for us be together. We had everything we needed and the owners could not have been more helpful and responsive. Thank you!!!
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2022

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Excellent house

Everything was perfect. The kitchen is fully stocked which was an added plus. The only thing I would add is direction on how to work the thermostat. Fortunately, we were able to figure it out but it took a day or so.
Stayed 4 nights in Dec 2021

10/10 Excellent

Mike C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great house in an amazing location!

The house was comfortable for the 9 of us.
Stayed 4 nights in Dec 2021

8/10 Good

Janis B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Clean house/good location

Property was very clean. Lots of room with a nice finished basement. Good backyard , good garage
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2021

10/10 Excellent

JULIE F.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Zen Haven

The home has a very peaceful vibe and the decor contributed to the peaceful, relaxing feel. It is larger than I thought it would be which was great for our large family group. It provided the perfect setting for celebrating our sailor and his accomplishment.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2021

10/10 Excellent

Jeri K.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Fun stay in Highland Park

We had a fun stay, the air hockey was an added bonus along with the kids games for our young family traveling with us!! We didn't know it had a pack n play or a high chair at the house--it was not listed as an item you had offered--that would have helped to know ahead so we wouldn't have had to pack and take our own. Otherwise it was a fun stay--thanks, Jeri
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2021

10/10 Excellent

Justin G.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

A wonderful place to make memories

We rented here to attend our son's Navy graduation. It was close to the base and easy to navigate. I was nervous seeing the firestation across the street but we only heard them the last morning of our stay. The nearby restaurants were excellent. The home was big enough to host all of our family members. The beds were comfy. The home clean and nicely designed. We had everything we needed to prepare meals there. We made great memories here and would rent again from Luca & Lana!
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2021

10/10 Excellent

Heather & Patrick G., Cohasset, Massachusetts, USA

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Roomy

Great place for wedding in Lake Forest.
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2021

8/10 Good

Susan M.

Liked: Communication, location, listing accuracy

Great location just outside of Chicago.

This large house will easily fit a family of 7 or 8 (or more than one family). Beds are comfortable, kitchen is large and the air hockey table is a great extra.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2021

10/10 Excellent

Robin J.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Small 80th Birthday Gathering

My mother turned 80 years young on 8/22. Due to COVID, she had not seen her grands or great grands in awhile. So, the goal was to find a home away from home to enjoy and catch up. All the previous positive reviews were 100% accurate! The location was perfect since some family went to tour Chicago, others to Six Flags and the rest to other cities more north. The house had space for everyone to experience different things: the kids played games in the basement and another time, I sat in the backyard for hours enjoying the quietness and slight breeze. We had enough beds and they were very comfortable!! After a day of traveling, that was a big plus. The kitchen was well stocked and the dining table was perfect size for our group to eat together. I would definitely stay here again!!
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2021

About the host

Hosted by Lana and Luca

Host profile image

Why they chose this property

Lots of room and lots of sun. We have 3 skylights and a unique English basement that brings in sunlight from 2 areas that make it feel warm and inviting.

Languages:

English, French, Italian, Greek

Premier Host

They consistently provide great experiences for their guests
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