Big Twin Lodge - Lake Life, Off-Roading, Snowmobiling, Wooded Seclusion!

Enjoy the best of two worlds: the excitement and fun of lake and trail life, and the tranquility and privacy of forest living!

This spacious, comfortable home was built in 1973, and is situated on 6 acres of private forest in Mancelona, MI, overlooking Lake Louie, known locally as Louie's Pond. And just across the street, guests enjoy a private slice of beach and use of a dock (rarely shared with owner when they're around) on the popular Big Twin Lake. So you can enjoy some nature and solitude, and participate in the excitement of lake life all in the same vacation. Just about a mile up the road, there is access to popular ORV trails, making us a perfect location for those who like to ride trails or snowmobile.

The home itself is perfect for nature lovers who enjoy a quiet, serene setting. Window walls on all sides allow you to feel like you're outside, while enjoying the comfort of the indoors. Enjoy 3000 sq. ft. of carpeted living space plus an additional 700 sq. ft. of enclosed porches/sun rooms, all overlooking peaceful Louie's Pond, gorgeous year round.

The home has TWO master bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms. The upper master has a brand new king bed, and a wall of windows overlooking Lake Louie. It has a private heated sunroom where, year round, you can enjoy a quiet morning with a cup of coffee and remarkable views of the lake and surrounding forest.

The spacious lower master bedroom also has a brand new king bed and private en-suite bathroom with tub/shower.

Also downstairs is the third bedroom with a queen bed with memory foam mattress and power adjustable head.

In warmer months, guests will fight for a space on our sleeping porch! With two twins beds, a double bed and a beautiful seating area, surrounded by glass walls, it is akin to glamping! On warmer nights, glass doors can be left open with just the screen doors in place, so guests can enjoy warm breezes and night sounds, while the woods give privacy from neighbors. NOTE: This is an UNHEATED space. There are no curtains, so privacy is limited. (See photos.). These things should be taken into consideration when planning sleeping arrangements. Don’t hesitate to ask for more details!

In addition to the two en-suite bathrooms, there are two others, (full downstairs and 1/2 upstairs) for a total of 3 1/2 bathrooms. (No waiting!)

The hub of the home is the kitchen, and this one has it all! A large island and lots of counter space, full-size refrigerator/freezer, dishwasher, coffee maker, electric stove/oven, microwave, toaster and toaster oven, and any utensil or pot or pan you could need. (Yes, we have a roaster and a crock pot!) We’ve stocked the cupboards with pantry basics (salt and pepper, flour, sugar, a variety of spices, oil…) and a selection of coffee, tea and hot chocolate. And we’ve left plenty of space for your own grocery items, in the kitchen cupboards and the large nearby pantry.

The home has two large dining areas, both with expandable tables, with room for everyone in your group. There is additional seating - and fabulous views - around several patio tables on the upstairs 3-season porch.

The upstairs formal living room has a brand new 50 inch smart TV (bring your own login. Some free channels available. DVD/VCR player and a large library of videos available.), but we prefer watching the view out the three walls of windows! The downstairs family room is equipped with a Roku enabled TV and will be a perfect place for kids to hook up their video games and play on rainy days. A large coffee table is ready for board games or puzzles (of which we have a nice selection for your use). Gain access to the lower 3-season sleeping porch from this family room. Here you’ll find another lovely seating area overlooking Lake Louie, as well as two twin beds and a double bed. While these may be too cold in winter months, they will be prime sleeping spots in spring, summer and fall!

Also downstairs is a large laundry room with washer and dryer (detergent provided), folding table, and plenty of storage room.

Our home is heated in the winter with quiet and comfortable baseboard hot water heat (in 4 separately controlled zones for personalized comfort), and cooled in the summer by shading trees, cool lake breezes, and when needed a mini-split located in the center of the living space upstairs. (No central air.)

Our home is well-maintained and professionally cleaned for your comfort and peace of mind.

If outdoors is more your thing, we have a lovely deck, and a screened porch with porch swing. There is a firepit with rustic bench seating and plenty of firewood, an outdoor gas grill, a small fishing dock at the pond, and plenty of places to explore.

When you're ready to get out on the water, Big Twin lake is just a 2 minute walk down the driveway, where you have access to a dock and a slice of beach for sunning, swimming, or accessing your boat. (There is a public boat launch less than two miles away.) Two kayaks are also available for your use. There is a small shed here with kayak paddles, life jackets, beach toys, etc. for guest use. Feel free to leave your beach things here during your stay. The lake boasts 215 acres of clear water, a sandy bottom, and 80' depths for days of fun fishing, sailing, skiing, swimming and sunbathing.

Spring and fall, you may enjoy ORV'ing, and in the winter months, you may prefer snowmobiling. You're in luck as the home is located just a mile or so from ORV/snowmobile trails. You can ride your machines to the trail heads from the house. (Please let us know if you're bringing trailers so we can discuss the driveway and parking.)

If skiing is your thing, you're just 25 minutes from Shanty Creek Resorts, or 40 minutes from Boyne Mountain. Other nearby towns you may enjoy visiting: Bellaire, home of Shorts Brewery, Grayling, and Kalkaska. The hub of all things hip and trendy, and a great place to shop, eat out, or take in a movie is Traverse City, a 50-minute drive to the west. Whether you enjoy the great outdoors or prefer more “civilization” there are plenty of places to visit, sights to see, things to explore!

Access to our garage is included for convenient loading/unloading in any weather. (Covered walkway between house and garage.) It's also a great place to store your ORV's.

Our home is suitable for up to 10 people (and limited to 10 by local ordinance). PLEASE READ FULL DESCRIPTION OF SLEEPING AREAS: beds for four people are on 3-season, UNHEATED sleeping porch, not appropriate for use in coldest months. (There are two sofa beds in heated areas if the sleeping porch is too cold.)

We keep the home smoke-free and pet-free, making it a comfortable place for people with allergies. (Please note: $500 fee if you bring pets.) For your convenience, we leave adequate supplies of paper towels, bathroom tissue, 3-in-1 shampoo/conditioner/body wash, trash bags, dish soap, etc. for your stay. Sheets and household linens are provided – please bring your own beach towels.

Local ordinances prohibit parties or events. (Enforced by local law enforcement.) Our home is not suitable for bachelor/bachelorette parties and similar gatherings! Outdoor cameras in use to help protect our home and enforce policies.

We look forward to hosting your next vacation! Please reach out with any questions!

HOUSE RULES:

1. Check in is 4:00 PM. Check out is 10:00 AM. Exceptions must be approved ahead of time.

2. Guest limit is held strictly to 10 people. Daytime visitors must leave by 11:00 PM.

3. Parties and events in short term rentals are strictly prohibited by local ordinance, and this is enforced by local law enforcement. Those violating this rule will risk being asked to leave immediately. If you are not sure if your particular gathering is allowed, please contact property manager before booking.

4. Smoking (cigarettes, cigars, pipes, vapes, etc.) is strictly prohibited in the house. Additional cleaning fee may be assessed if guests smoke inside the home. If you smoke outside, please clean up your own butts.

5. Recreational drugs (even legal ones) are strictly prohibited in the house and on the property.

6. Please be considerate of our neighbors and keep noise levels reasonable, especially between 11pm and 8am.

7. Bathroom towels are for in home use only. Please do not take our towels to the beach.

8. Guests are responsible for any damages caused during their stay.

9. To keep our home comfortable for our guests with allergies, and because our home is carpeted, pets are strictly prohibited. Guests who bring pets agree to pay a $500 additional cleaning fee.

10. We have recently widened our driveway to accommodate longer trailers if you’re bringing trailers or more than 4 vehicles, please check with us to be sure we can accommodate.