THE ESSENCE of DOOR COUNTY, spacious & beautiful, and surrounded by gardens.
"Plum Retreat" is a private, and cozy-and-yet-very-spacious portion of an adorable cottage hiding behind an ornate garden gate, and sleeps 2-5 guests over two levels. The property is part of the picturesque "Green Gables" property in the north part of Ephraim, and is within easy walking distance to galleries, shops, mini-golf, breakfast and pizza, and a short drive from Ephraim village and the water. Green Gables itself has the flavor of a romantic bygone Americana era, and boasts beautiful gardens and is adjacent to a much larger, exciting, and Smithsonian listed garden project, “The Secret Garden,” unique in Door County! The property is suitable for couples or families and at night it's dark and quiet for stargazing. The house oozes feel-good charm, with lots of windows and natural light, architectural details, and plenty of space indoors and out, to play and relax in. Outside there's a fantastic patio lounge area, and inside, a formal fireplace invites you to curl up on the sofa-bed (with an old record playing on the vintage stereo/record player)? Full kitchen, with oven, fridge, dishwasher, microwave, toaster etc. Upstairs there are two very large bedrooms (each with a king bed), and there's a true queen sofa-bed downstairs. All the bedding is non-allergenic. Wi-fi, a 49" TV with cable channels, Netflix and Amazon Prime in the living room, and a washer and dryer upstairs. The space works well for families, or just for a couple looking for a romantic or memorable Door County vacation. If this is booked, and your party is small, please consider VRBO listing #1656219, nearby. Thank you!
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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
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
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
Ephraim
Located in Ephraim, this holiday home is in a rural area and on a lake. Cana Island Lighthouse and The Skyway Drive-In Theatre are local landmarks, and the area's natural beauty can be seen at Lake Michigan and Peninsula State Park. Pirate's Cove Adventure Golf and Peg Egan Performing Arts Center are also worth visiting. Kayaking and scuba diving offer great chances to get out on the surrounding water, or you can seek out an adventure with mountain biking and hunting nearby.
Green Bay, WI (GRB-Austin Straubel Intl.) - 90 min drive
Restaurants
Husby's Food & Spirits - 5 min drive
Al Johnson's Swedish Restaurant & Butik - 5 min drive
Sister Bay Bowl - 5 min drive
Peach Barn Farmhouse & Brewery - 4 min drive
Sip - 7 min walk
Frequently asked questions
Is THE ESSENCE of DOOR COUNTY, spacious & beautiful, and surrounded by gardens. pet-friendly?
No, pets are not allowed at this property.
How much does it cost to stay at THE ESSENCE of DOOR COUNTY, spacious & beautiful, and surrounded by gardens.?
As of 9 May, 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at THE ESSENCE of DOOR COUNTY, spacious & beautiful, and surrounded by gardens. on 10 May, 2026 start from S$498, including taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.
How much is parking at THE ESSENCE of DOOR COUNTY, spacious & beautiful, and surrounded by gardens.?
On-site parking is available at the property.
What time is check-in at THE ESSENCE of DOOR COUNTY, spacious & beautiful, and surrounded by gardens.?
Check-in begins at 3:00 PM.
What time is check-out at THE ESSENCE of DOOR COUNTY, spacious & beautiful, and surrounded by gardens.?
Checkout is at 10:30 AM.
Where is THE ESSENCE of DOOR COUNTY, spacious & beautiful, and surrounded by gardens. located?
Situated on a lake, this holiday home is within 1 mi (2 km) of Eagle Harbor and Lake Michigan. Francis Hardy Gallery and Frykman Studio Gallery are also within 2 miles (3 km).
Reviews
10
Exceptional
Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
This property was beyond beautiful! We had a lovely stay. It was also the cleanest place I have ever stayed. The beds were so comfortable. We can’t wait to come back!!
Great location, comfortable beds, spacious place and beautiful gardens. If morning light bothers you, bring a sleep mask as both bedrooms have skylights.
Plum Retreat is so cozy and comfortable, we felt right at home. The house is very clean and the owner thought of everything! It was just perfect for us 4 friends. Thank you
The Plum is a wonderful place to stay with great features. We celebrated a birthday and had more than enough room for family and friends.. Colin took amazing care of us and we loved everything about our stay.
Jim J.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2020
Response from VrboOwner on 15 Aug, 2020
Thanks, Jim. I’m so glad you enjoyed your time. Please consider revisiting next year/ I’m really excited about the garden development that just got underway!
Cozy, quaint, relaxing. 4days of eating at great restaurants, beautiful sights. The kitchen had everything needed, fireplace was wonderful to end our day. Beds were comfortable and beautiful grounds.
Wonderful place to stay. The patio and gardens are very pleasant, and being expanded (so we'll need to return). Felt like I was in a spacious manor, yet had all the modern conveniences. Ultimately, this is a place to decompress + venture out into Door County.
This property was clean and well maintained and spacious and comfortable for our family of four. The fireplace was a welcome addition for our cooler chilly nights. The place had absolutely everything we needed. We will return! Thanks to Colin for offering such a lovely space.
Plum Retreat was a great place to stay. Clean, welcoming, full of amenities and comfort. Beautiful gardens. Unlike lots of rentals, this is larger than the photos show. We’ll be back!
This rental was clean, comfortable, and up kept. It was a very good and centralized location. Colin was very easy to work with and will rent from him again, when we get back up to Door County!
Tom G.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2023
Response from VrboOwner on 10 May, 2023
Thanks Tom. I look forward to welcoming you again, perhaps when Green Gables is in full bloom!
Enjoyed a comfortable and cozy stay! Lots of attention to details, including labels on light switches and kitchen drawers. Unit was quiet and clean. Great location! Thanks, Colin!
Plum Retreat was perfect for our stay in the Door County area with our family. Very spacious for the 6 of us, meticulously clean and extremely comfortable furniture/beds! The gardens are beautiful and we wish we would’ve had more time to stay and just enjoy being at the property. The host was readily available, although we didn’t have a single issue with our stay. We will definitely stay here again on a return trip.
Love this property! Very spacious yet felt cozy. Had everything we needed and then some. Nice, central location yet quiet and peaceful. Loved having a washer and dryer available. Owner was super responsive and helpful. We will most definitely return!
We stayed in the plum house and it was so nice. Even better than the photos. We stayed in winter and it was lovely..would go back and stay in the summer time..I imagine the gardens are amazing. Great place to stay and great experience with the owner. Thank you !!
We picked this property over all others available based on location and uniformly high ratings. Very central location that made it easy to get to all planned activities between Newport, Penninsula Park and Baileys Harbor. Very clean and comfortable accommodations. Very helpful and responsive host/owner. We highly recommend to others.
Our stay was wonderful. Great central location, the property was clean and a good fit for our family. Colin, the owner, is very nice and thoughtful. The grounds are beautiful! We would certainly stay again. The full bathroom upstairs is shared with doors between the two bedrooms, but since the sinks are in the bedrooms it worked out great for us, and there’s a half bath on the first floor. It was a really great stay - we loved it. Thank you Colin!
My wife walked in the house and said, "This place is beautiful." We had a wonderful stay. The house was clean and well lit. The outside was nicely decorated with flowers. We couldn't have asked for a better vacation. We hope to make it back next year.
We were so looking forward to our vacation showing our grandchildren door county! The House at Green Gables was a wonderful place to stay and it added to our overall experience. Colin was very nice and very helpful. His labeling of everything helped make our stay easy and the place was beautiful!
Sharon R.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2019
Response from VrboOwner on 22 Mar, 2020
Thank you. I'm happy to hear that you found this to be somewhere that suited both your grandchildren and you. I am a veritable wizard with the label-maker, so I'm glad I put it to good use (for once). Thanks for staying at Green Gables!
Everything that was written about the plum cottage was 100% spot on. Communications with Colin were quick and timely. The cottage was fully equipped with not one thing that we could think of that was missing. The beds were extremely comfortable. And we look forward to coming here in the summer to see the beautiful gardens. Thank you for a wonderful stay!
Linda L.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2023
About the host
Hosted by Colin Welford
I am a musician - an orchestra conductor of ballet and Broadway musicals, a pianist and composer - originally from Manchester, England. I first landed in the U.S. (more than a few years ago!) as a grad student in Miami. Since then, music-making has led me to visit (or live in) all sorts of places on five different continents: From Shreveport to Budapest, The Philippines to Swaziland. Of course, along the way I've enjoyed, encountered, or endured hospitality of all styles: a room-for-rent in a stranger's house (100% language barrier included), corporate apartments, a corrugated-tin shack in the jungle, hotels ranging from 5 to 0 stars, cruise-ships, dive-boats and leaky barges, private island mega-mansions, African desert tents - and most recently, a very high floor in a glass and steel skyscraper! I had been working in vibrant Chicago where I was the Music Director of "Hamilton" for almost three years. At the same time I frequently found myself heading North to Door County, WI - a very special and different place, with all the 'small-town' charm and ways of a bygone era; whether during its pristine white winters, fresh springtime greens, its exciting summer buzz, or the stupendous fall colors.
I like meeting people of all ages and from different places and walks of life, and am interested in art, architecture and history, while being ever on the lookout for completely new experiences. I enjoy scuba-diving (I’m a licensed PADI Assistant Instructor - although I’m probably a bit rusty), longer-than-planned hikes, creating music & lyrics and outrageously improbable plot-lines for new comedic musicals, escape rooms, chess, puzzles, campfires (but NOT at Green Gables!), playing games on my iPhone that keep me up all night, foreign films, LEGO, and reading.
Languages:
English
Premier Host
They consistently provide great experiences for their guests