Entire home

Charming Lakefront Cottage

Photo gallery for Charming Lakefront Cottage

An outdoor seating area with wooden chairs and tables, a fire pit, and a view of a lake with boats.
A cabin with a deck and stairs leading to a porch, surrounded by trees.
A swimming pool with a clear view of the surrounding area, including trees and a distant building.
A grassy park area with a small shed, a few chairs, and a toy vehicle.
A cozy living room with a wooden interior, a sofa, a coffee table, and a fireplace.

Reviews

9.8 out of 10
Exceptional

Highlights

  • The great outdoors
    Guests love the outdoor space here.
  • On the beach
    A rare beachfront property in the area - enjoy direct access to the beach and sea.
  • Discover nearby landmarks
    Walk to Donnell Lake

Popular amenities

  • Balcony or patio
  • On beach
  • Hot tub on site
  • Dog-friendly
  • Toys
  • Barbecue grill

Explore the area

View in a map
Vandalia, MI
  • Place, Donnell Lake
    ‪1 min walk‬
  • Place, University of Notre Dame
    ‪36 min drive‬
  • Place, Notre Dame Stadium
    ‪43 min drive‬
  • Airport, South Bend, IN (SBN-South Bend Intl.)
    ‪44 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

2 bedrooms (sleeps 7)

Bedroom 1

1 King Bed and 2 Single Beds

Bedroom 2

1 Queen Bed

Office 1

1 Double Futon

1 bathroom

Bathroom 1

Towels provided · Bathtub or shower · Toilet · Hair dryer

Spaces

Deck or patio
Porch or lanai
Kitchen
Office
Separate dining area
Outdoor play area
Garden
Dining area

Add dates for prices

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About the area

Vandalia

Located in Vandalia, this cottage is in a rural area and on the beach. The area's natural beauty can be seen at Riley-Shurte Woods Nature Sanctuary and Elkhart Bog Nature Preserve, while Dowagiac Area History Museum and Beckwith Theatre are cultural highlights. Enjoy the area's slopes with cross-country skiing and snowboarding, and don't miss out on the snowmobiling and ice skating.
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Map
Vandalia, MI

What's nearby

  • Donnell Lake - 1 min walk - 0.1 km
  • University of Notre Dame - 36 min drive - 56.9 km
  • Notre Dame Stadium - 43 min drive - 62.9 km
  • Blue Gate Theater - 47 min drive - 67.5 km
  • Four Winds Casino South Bend - 47 min drive - 76.9 km

Getting around

  • Dowagiac Station - 26 min drive
  • South Bend, IN (SBN-South Bend Intl.) - 45 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪McDonald's - ‬12 min drive
  • ‪The Twirl - ‬12 min drive
  • ‪Sherry Lee's Bar and Grill - ‬5 min drive
  • ‪Subway - ‬11 min drive
  • ‪George's Cafe - ‬11 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Charming Lakefront Cottage pet-friendly?

Yes, this property allows dogs (limit 1 total) with a maximum weight of up to 9 kg per pet.

How much is parking at Charming Lakefront Cottage?

On-site parking is available at the property.

What time is check-in at Charming Lakefront Cottage?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Charming Lakefront Cottage?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is Charming Lakefront Cottage located?

Nestled on the beach, this Vandalia cottage is steps from Donnell Lake and 2.3 mi (3.6 km) from Paradise Lake. Diamond Lake and Curtis Lake are also within 6 miles (10 km).

Reviews

9.8

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. 17 out of 20 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 3 out of 20 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 20 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 20 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 20 reviews

9.8/10

Cleanliness

9.8/10

Check-in

9.8/10

Communication

9.6/10

Location

9.8/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Awesome spot for our family of 6. Spent 4 nights in late July and had an awesome time. The house has everything you’d need and is clean and cozy. Lake is great.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2026
Verified review

8/10 Good

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Very peaceful
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Loved our stay!

The cottage was perfect for our family. Clean, cozy and the views of the sunset are incredible! Would highly recommend, we will be back!
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2024
Verified review

8/10 Good

Liked: Check-in, communication, location
We enjoyed our stay. Had great weather and a wonderful visit with our friends. Thank you.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Perfect Cabin!

We had an awesome stay at your cabin. We definitely would/will stay there again. Everything we needed...
Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 2 Aug 2024
Please come back! So glad you enjoyed your stay.
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
House is adorable and lake is the cutest. Had a great time watching the boats and jet skiers. Went swimming in the lake and enjoyed the fire pit.
Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 2 Sept 2025
Thank you for the kind words Gretchen, we'd love to have you back again!
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Awesome cottage experience!

Plenty of outdoor fun for adults and kids, spaces for privacy and quiet also. Donnell Lake is clean and not too busy. We swam and paddled kayaks. Good wifi also!
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2023
Response from VrboOwner on 16 Aug 2023
We’re so glad you enjoyed your stay, come back again sometime!
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Wonderful Donnell Lake

Wonderful property on Donnell Lake. Very nice cottage on a big lot with lots of sun & shade. Everything was as advertised. Nice deck at the house and lakeside as well.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 2 Aug 2024
Thank you for staying at our cottage! So glad you enjoyed your time 😊
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Just as it was described

The house was clean and had all the essentials. It was small and had to watch my head going upstairs but otherwise a nice place to stay on the water
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 2 Aug 2024
Yes, it’s a short ceiling, but we are so glad you were otherwise comfortable 😊
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Absolutely perfect weekend

The cottage was so peaceful and in such a perfect location. I’ve never stayed at a rental home that was as perfectly stocked with literally everything you might need before. Right down to the bug spray, meat thermometer, and all the in betweens. Definitely recommend renting this home if you want to have stress free and fun vacation. Host is the sweetest too!
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 15 Jul 2024
We're so glad you enjoyed your stay, come again soon!
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
This was the best BABY FRIENDLY home we’ve been to. They had a baby monitor, black out curtains, changing table, crib, AND rocking chairs. They even had baby gates blocking the back porch so we could enjoy coffee without them sneaking out. We had all the kitchen supplies, books, toys, towels we needed. We plan on coming back next year! Ali was easy to communicate with and easygoing.
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
The property was very pretty and had a great location on the lake. We especially enjoyed the outdoor spaces, including the seating areas by and on the dock, as well as the fun fire pit area. We were also very grateful that the hosts allowed us to dock our boat there, which was extremely convenient.We had a couple of minor hiccups during our stay, and Ali was always very responsive and helpful. The cottage isn't fancy, but it was exactly what we expected for a cozy lake cottage. The upstairs has one bedroom with a king bed and two twin beds, while the downstairs queen bedroom functions as the primary bedroom. The upstairs layout is probably best suited for children. The house also has lots of great toys for kids and a well-stocked kitchen.The one area that could use some attention is the small beach area, as there were quite a few weeds growing. When choosing a rental, we had narrowed it down to a couple of homes, and the beach was one of the features that helped us decide. It didn't end up being a big issue for us, but I wanted to mention it in case that area is important to future guests.Overall, we had a great stay and would recommend this property to anyone looking for a relaxing lake getaway.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2026
Response from VrboOwner on 24 Jul 2026
Thank you for staying at our cottage, Kelly, and being an incredible guest! We appreciate the note on the beach, we can absolutely weed/add more sand to clean it up a bit. We love the fire pit & various outdoor seating areas, too!
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

A charming, comfortable cottage

The cottage is charmingly vintage but still quite comfortable. The hosts include thoughtful touches like spices, toiletries, fishing rods, laundry soap, etc., that aren't necessary certainly but that make for a welcoming stay. Donnell Lake is a quite busy little lake and wasn't our favorite for our quiet little paddleboards and sailboat, but we were also there over Labor Day, so it's probably not always quiet so busy. I certainly wouldn't hesitate to recommend staying at the cottage, though. The seating and beds were comfy and the views were lovely.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2023
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Fantastic property. Probably one of the best yards and locations on Donnell Lake. Double lot. Huge yard for volleyball, frisbee, etc. Huge fire pit on the patio. Great deck with baby gates and a great view of the lake. Hot tub with nice view. Very cute house with a northern lake house feel. House is well stocked and generally feels like someone lives there with all the basics. Window ACs kept the whole house very comfortable even though temperatures were in upper 80’s. However you should be outside much of the time swimming, playing, paddling, and potentially boating.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

The perfect staycation away from home!

We absolutely loved our stay here! The house was so cute and charming, super comfortable, clean, and had everything we needed for a nice long weekend away. We felt like we were staying in a friend's cottage vs a rental. We treated the house as such too, with respect! Communication from the owner was excellent as well and they made the process very easy. The covered porch at the waterfront was lovely, and we were so grateful to be able to use the kayaks so we didn't have to bring own. The house is nestled in a cove which made it the perfect spot for the kids to swim, kayak, and use our own paddleboards without worrying about boats going by. The mini beach was awesome and our pup was able to swim for the first time ever! The pier was perfect to fish from, with nice chairs to sit and enjoy morning coffee from. The firepit was amazing! Neighbors are really nice and welcoming too! We had an amazing weekend and will definitely be back!
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 4 Sept 2024
You were such great guests! Thank you for staying at the cottage & taking such lovely care of it :) Please come back again!
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
The house was clean and cozy upon arrival. The shade waterside is really nice. The fire pit area is fun with littles for roasting marshmallows. The hot tub was great for our cooler days and a great perk with littles that got too cold, but still wanted to swim. The hosts were responsive and helpful with any issues that arose. This house has everything you need with little kids and family. The checkout directions are reasonable and clear. Do not plan to bring your own watercraft to use with the dock without inquiring with hosts before booking. We worked out something, but it was a little concerning at first. Air is window AC and can be a bit loud. Do not have on eco unless you want it to turn on and off all night. ;-)
Stayed 8 nights in Aug 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

(Nearly) Everything We Needed

Beds were comfortable. Washer and dryer worked well. Gas grill is not fancy, but it works. We brought a Brita filter and found one to use at the cottage, but the tap water was surprisingly tasty. None of the pans have lids, oddly enough. Basement stairs are tricky - needs a railing - so we avoided using the microwave in the basement. We appreciated the hook to keep little ones out. We could have used a clothesline (maybe it was hiding) for the beach towels we brought. Good selection of vacation reading; I enjoyed The Rose Code! Our littles found toys to play with (I hope the cleaner found the little ambulance; we looked everywhere!) A restful week - and the 6 year old taught himself to kayak! (We brought our own life jackets.)
Stayed 8 nights in Jul 2023
Response from VrboOwner on 14 Jul 2024
(Updated) We have since installed a basement stairwell railing, replaced the grill, & moved a new microwave to the 1st floor. Thanks for the feedback! Thank you for the feedback, Barbara! We can absolutely get a railing installed for the basement & put out a clothesline. The pot lids are stored under the sink, apologies for not communicating that! We hope you had a wonderful stay.
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
The cottage was a great place to stay. It had everything and felt like home. It was clean, great view and host was very responsive. Definitely a great place to vacation.
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2025
Verified review

8/10 Good

Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2025
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