Dowling is home to this lodge. Hastings Country Club and Gull Lake View Golf Club are worth checking out if an activity is on the agenda, while those looking for area attractions can visit Cadwallader Park and Kingman Museum. Make sure you get close to the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.
What's nearby
Bristol Lake - 6 min drive - 3.9 km
Howard Lake - 12 min drive - 7.8 km
Gilmore Car Museum - 27 min drive - 24.5 km
Gull Lake - 31 min drive - 27.2 km
Firekeepers Casino - 39 min drive - 38.5 km
Getting around
Battle Creek Transportation Center - 27 min drive
Kalamazoo, MI (AZO-Kalamazoo-Battle Creek Intl.) - 48 min drive
Tucked away amid six acres of wooded landscape, the lodge offers a private retreat with plenty of room for everyone in your group. Relax on the covered 80 foot deck; gather the family around the fire pit; paddle your kayak or canoe around stunning Clear Lake from the boat launch two minutes away; serve dinner for 30 around the farmhouse tables inside and out. This is the place to get away from it all and experience the natural beauty of West Michigan.
Property manager
Mark Bergin
Premier Host
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Events allowed: family gatherings, birthday parties, weddings
Hosting an event at the property requires $500 fee
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Pets
Pets allowed: limit 5 total
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Smoking
Smoking allowed: in designated areas
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 (including family gatherings, birthday parties and weddings) are allowed on site. Maximum attendees: 80
Note from host: Hosting an event at the property requires $500 fee
Frequently asked questions
Is Forest Retreat - Sleeps 30 - 2 minutes from boat launch pet-friendly?
Yes, this lodge allows pets (limit 5 total).
What time is check-in at Forest Retreat - Sleeps 30 - 2 minutes from boat launch?
Check-in begins at 3:00 PM.
What time is check-out at Forest Retreat - Sleeps 30 - 2 minutes from boat launch?
Checkout is at 11:00 AM.
Where is Forest Retreat - Sleeps 30 - 2 minutes from boat launch located?
This family-friendly Dowling lodge is within 3 mi (5 km) of Clear Lake, Mud Lake and Bristol Lake. Little Mill Lake and Mill Lake are also within 6 miles (10 km).
We enjoyed having our coffee on the front porch and taking in the animals that came to visit. I imagine the fall at this property would be priceless. The space the property offers is amazing. Our one disappointment was that the bathrooms need more detail cleanings. Every bathroom needed attention which I handled. It was communicated to the host and we received a very response that it would be brought up to their cleaning crew.
this home is beautifully located in a hidden spot with farmland around it. It is very peaceful. The beds are super comfortable and there is lots of room for everyone. we enjoyed our stay!
This house was perfect for us. Plenty of room and space for everyone. Came out for a golf weekend. WiFi was spotty but didn’t care. Quick and easy communication everything was A+
The property was great for our friends getaway. Plenty of room for our 5 family getaway with 11 kids ranging from 8 to 1 years old. Loved having two fridges and large dining space. The area in front was perfect for water inflatable. Sleeping accommodations worked well with the bunk room for the kids. This will be a core memory for them for years to come.
Our kids and grandkids joined us. The living room was comfortable with a large screen TV. The kitchen was big and the two refrigerators were welcome! The spacious porch was a favorite spot. The teenagers loved the downstairs area. The locale was great, as we visited Holland, the AirZoo, the Airshow in Battle Creek, the beach at Gull Lake. A great place for a big family.
This was a nice large rental with lots of areas to gather. The queen beds were memory foam which were very nice. The driveway is a little hidden (a sign would helpful) and in need of some leveling. Our only complaint was a heavy musty smell in the basement.
Great facilities! The guys were super happy with the bedrooms, and the groom loved the master suite. So glad there were two fridges and the grill was an absolute god send when we NEEDED burgers and dogs. We had an awesome time building a fire and hanging on the Adirondacks with the picnic table playing bags. 5 Star stay!!!!
We love the location because there was no outside distractions. All rooms were super clean.
Host are fast to responses to messages.
We left some stuff behind and the host was kind enough to deliver it to my home.
Definitely recommend this place and will book again.
Thank you Mark and Acacia.
Mark was great at communicating and making sure I had everything that was needed, and the location was beautiful. The place was spacious, it was a perfect spot for our needs as the kitchen allowed for a great community vibe and the outdoor deck was the perfect hanging spot. The only downside is the basement did have a mild smell that bothered one of my friends who had a mold allergy, but this particular friend is quite sensitive to such things. I was not personally bothered by a smell in the basement, just something to keep in mind for people who are particularly sensitive. Overall if I was having a similar gathering I would rent again. It’s great for bigger groups who have pets, the dogs loved running around.
We had a group of 8 men for a golf trip to Gull lake and other courses. We were able to check in early and get situated before our afternoon round on Thursday. Communication with Mark was great and check in was effortless. We cooked 2 meals in and had everything we needed to do that. The big tables were great for gathering around to eat and play cards at night. Everyone’s rooms were comfortable and gave us all our space. The only negative(but we made it work) was the downstairs has 2 bathrooms, but only 1 shower. Four of us shared it and it wasn’t a big deal, but if not mistaken I think the description of the house showed 4 showers in the house. If we return for another golf trip we would definitely stay here again.
George D.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2024
8/10 Good
Beth J.
22 May 2024
Liked: Check-in, communication, location
Disliked: Cleanliness
Wooded cottage
If you want the feel of camping with all the modern conveniences this is your cottage.