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The Poplars. 15 Steps & Your Toes Are In The Sand!

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The Poplars. Cottage Life by the Big Blue Water.
Front of our cottage - sidewalk to  the beach is on the left
Front Patio.  Perfect for sipping morning coffee.
Sidewalk to the beach - just steps away!
Comfortable Sectional for relaxing at the end of the day with TV and Music

Reviews

10 out of 10
Exceptional
4 bedrooms2 bathroomsSleeps 81000 sq ft

Popular amenities

  • Beach view
  • Dryer
  • Washer
  • Fireplace
  • Barbecue grill
  • Kitchen

Explore the area

Map
South Haven, MI
  • North Beach
    ‪1 min walk‬
  • South Beach
    ‪6 min walk‬
  • Kal Haven Trail
    ‪4 min drive‬
  • Benton Harbor, MI (BEH-Southwest Michigan Regional)
    ‪37 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

4 bedrooms (sleeps 8)

Bedroom 1

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 2

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 3

1 Queen Bed

Kids Bedroom

1 Double Bed and 1 Single Bed

2 bathrooms

Bathroom 1

Soap · Towels provided · Toilet · Shower only · Shampoo · Hair dryer

Bathroom 2

Soap · Towels provided · Bathtub or shower · Toilet · Hair dryer

Spaces

Deck or patio
Kitchen
Outdoor play area
Dining area

About this property

The Poplars. 15 Steps & Your Toes Are In The Sand!

4 Bedrooms, Spectacular Spa Bathroom
Just a 15 second stroll to South Haven's famous, white-powder sand North Beach! Outstanding location with all the amenities to make your stay comfortable, relaxing, and special - Central Air-Conditioning, Premium Bedding, High Speed Wifi, TV's in each bedroom and Living Room(five screens), Surround Sound System, Fridge with Ice-maker, Dishwasher and more.

South Haven has always been a magical place to our family - somewhere that we gather to make memories and let the world drift by for a bit. We want our guests to love it every bit as much as we do.

Our cottage-home sleeps up to Eight (8) people in Four (4) bedrooms. All of our mattresses were custom-made by King Koil, integrating a cooling gel layer over several comfort layers and one of their finest innerspring systems. We provide bed linens, bath towels, and beach towels, all of which we regularly replace. You'll also find some cookies, hot cocoa and tea for your enjoyment.

We recently made many updates to make your stay more pleasant, including:
• New 70" 4K TV in the Great Room with a Dolby Atmos 5.2.1 Surround Sound System
• 32" TV in Kids Room for Video Gaming with FireTV
• TV's in the other three Bedrooms with FireTV
• Granite countertops in the kitchen
• Porcelain Tile Kitchen Flooring
• Water Softener
• New Bathroom with Bathtub

Explore the many reasons to stay at our beautiful cottage in South Haven, Michigan. It's more than the Blueberry Festival or picture-perfect sunsets, more than the best ice cream or the art shows — it's a safe-haven from the rest of the world where time slows down as boats glide past on the Black River, a place where good friends meet for wine tasting and to talk late into the night. It's a place to relax, recharge, and enjoy living for a while! Welcome.

Poplars Cottage is ideally located just off the main beach road, Lake Shore Drive, literally seconds from one of the finest white-powder sand beaches in the U.S. Throughout the summer, the City of South Haven combs the beach of debris to keep it looking pristine. The sun, setting as it does over the lake, often brings a spectacular color palette that truly must be seen to be believed.

Set amidst this idyllic locale, Poplars Cottage features:
A Great Room - A comfortable sectional makes for ideal lounging conditions to read a book, chat with family and friends, or watch some serious television on the 4K LCD with full Dolby Atmos Surround Sound. Use of our Netflix subscription is complimentary, along with Disney and Prime.

Four Bedrooms
• Three bedrooms have Queen Beds
• One bedroom has a Bunk Bed with a Full and a Twin mattress
All the beds were replaced recently with custom King Koil™ luxury mattresses.

2 Full Bathrooms: 1. Totally Renovated Bathroom, featuring Spa-Style Shower (wall/hand-held, rain can, and body spray) and a heated floor. The six-function spa shower has (a) multi-setting wall / hand-held shower combo; (b) overhead rain-can shower; and, (c) four body sprays; plus combinations of any two. A sheet of natural onyx is inset within the shower wall, behind shelves for shampoo and soap. Besides having tremendous natural beauty, Onyx is remarkably translucent. We've added a customizable color backlight behind the onyx and a wall-mounted control panel over the sink. To add to your shower experience, turn on the onyx backlighting and watch as it continually changes colors and hues. Of course, no shower would be relaxing if you were to run out of hot water, so we've installed a high-capacity, industrial-grade tankless hot water heater for unlimited hot water.
The newly installed 2nd bathroom is ensuite, with a tub/shower combination. This thoughtfully designed bathroom creates an oasis for convenience and privacy.

Other Features:
• Full kitchen with dishwasher, fridge with ice maker, waffle maker, blender, and coffee maker.
• Central A/C and Heat.
• Full Washer & Dryer
• High-speed Internet via Wifi

Outdoor shower with hot/cold water for rinsing sand off from the beach.

Built sometime around 1920, the Poplars Cottage has been in our family for four generations.

For over 100 years visitors have been vacationing in the beach cottages of South Haven. The Poplars Cottage continues this great tradition by providing an exciting beach house experience for our guests.

Come, sample the essence of South Haven: it’s History, Flavor, Watercolor Sunsets and So Much More!

Covid-19: All common surfaces in our cottage are being wiped down between stays with anti-viral / germicidal products. Guests are asked to inform us if any exhibit any symptoms of illness during or proximate to the time of their stay. Your safety, as our guests, is of the utmost importance.

Property manager

Debbie Masterson
Premier Host

Languages

English

Add dates for prices

Amenities

Kitchen
Washer
Dryer
Free WiFi
Air conditioning
Outdoor space

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House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 25
Check out before 11:00 AM
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Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17
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Events

No events allowed
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Pets

No pets allowed
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Smoking

Smoking is not permitted
We provide 1 beach parking pass for your stay. The pass allows parking on the residential lot and streets on North Beach.
No pets! A note for those with allergies to dogs. The owner's dog spends time in the cottage. It is thoroughly cleaned after his departure.
Maximum Occupancy Rate is established by City of South Haven. Additional people over 8 total are not allowed on property.

Important information

You need to know

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

We should mention

A car is recommended for transport to and from this property

About the area

South Haven

Located near the beach, this cottage is in North Side, a neighbourhood in South Haven. Lake Michigan and Pilgrim Haven Natural Area reflect the area's natural beauty and area attractions include Michigan Maritime Museum and Liberty Hyde Bailey Museum & Gardens. The Fun Park and Kids Place Park are also worth visiting. Looking to get your feet wet? Jet skiing, kayaking and power boating adventures can be found near the property.
Map
South Haven, MI

What's nearby

  • North Beach - 1 min walk - 0.0 km
  • South Beach - 6 min walk - 0.6 km
  • Michigan Maritime Museum - 11 min walk - 1.0 km
  • Warner Vineyards - 11 min walk - 1.0 km
  • Kal Haven Trail - 4 min drive - 2.9 km

Getting around

  • Bangor Station - 20 min drive
  • Kalamazoo, MI (AZO-Kalamazoo-Battle Creek Intl.) - 54 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪McDonald's - ‬4 min drive
  • ‪Culver's - ‬4 min drive
  • ‪Biggby Coffee - ‬4 min drive
  • ‪Burger King - ‬4 min drive
  • ‪Taco Bell - ‬4 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is The Poplars. 15 Steps & Your Toes Are In The Sand! pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

What time is check-in at The Poplars. 15 Steps & Your Toes Are In The Sand! ?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at The Poplars. 15 Steps & Your Toes Are In The Sand! ?

Checkout is at 11:00 AM.

Where is The Poplars. 15 Steps & Your Toes Are In The Sand! located?

Located in North Side, this cottage is within a 5-minute walk of North Beach and Lake Michigan. Michigan Maritime Museum and Warner Vineyards are also within 1 mile (2 km).

Reviews

10

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. 78 out of 80 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 2 out of 80 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 80 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 80 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 80 reviews

10/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

gary t.

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

Taylor

Great location
Stayed 4 nights in Nov 2024

10/10 Excellent

phi; m.

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

We enjoyed the stay. You could not beat the location!

We enjoy the stay. You could not beat the location!!
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Sheree W.

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

Friend get together

The location of the home was amazing. We were within steps in between Lake Michigan and the river. A perfect cottage for a friend get together.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Lisa P.

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

Super duper SOHA rental

Our family enjoyed our stay at the Poplars - it was clean, beds were super comfy, and it had everything we needed. Hoping to stay again next year (if available!)
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2024

8/10 Good

kenny l.

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

Great location

Great cottage and a few steps from the beach and convenient to everything!!
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Christina S.

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

Location, location, location

We loved our time at this property. The house is small but it's all about the location. The bathrooms are updated and clean. The kitchen was tight but the outdoor space more than compensates.
Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Julie G.

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

Great girls weekend!

We had a great time at the Poplar’s Cottage. It was just as described. It was so close to the beach. We’d love to come back.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Deanna B.

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

Great location with a house the feels like home. Minutes to beach, leisurely stroll to town.

Great directions regarding parking etc. description was 100% accurate, House has everything you need (including beach towels and umbrella) for an easy relaxing stay.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2020

10/10 Excellent

Gary H., Mishawaka IN

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

Beautiful Weekend

Love the new bathroom. Excellent weather and great accommodations at this great cottage!
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

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

The poplars, great location!!

Great location, steps to the beach and easy access to shops and downtown. Very family friendly, house was clean, cozy and offered everything we could’ve needed during our stay!! We will be coming back!
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2019

10/10 Excellent

Liz P., Lafayette

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

Perfect location and cozy getaway for the family

The Poplars was perfect for our family. Cozy and quaint and checks all the boxes on the amenities you really need . You can’t beat the location. We will be back!
Stayed 2 nights in May 2019

10/10 Excellent

Jennifer G.

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

Perfect beach vacation

It was our 1st visit to South Haven. We loved it! Cottage was perfect with the best location. Beach, shopping, biking chartered fishing. Exceeded our expections!!!We hope to visit again👍
Stayed 5 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Gary H., Mishawaka IN

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

Great Beach Cottage!

Had a great time at this comfortable and clean cottage. The beach was huge with soft white sand. Parking was close and easy. Set in a beautiful, quite community. The sunsets are gorgeous!
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2022
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Marlene B.

Beautiful place to stay and perfect location!

Debbie was awesome with any questions or assistance we needed. The house is perfect for families and has the BEST shower! Literally steps away from beach and nice back patio. Beds were all comfortable! Will definitely stay here again!
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2017
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

peter d.

Great location. Great beach. Cozy home.

Great experience being steps from the beach. Nice amenities in the house. Debbie is a pleasure to work with.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2017

10/10 Excellent

Ilana S.

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

Wonderful location and love the house!

We have been going to South Haven for years and this is our favorite rental. The location is just perfect - we love being so close to the beach. The house has always been clean and has everything we need for a getaway. The hosts are great - responsive, friendly and flexible. A four bedroom house so close to the beach just can't be beat! I highly recommend this rental!
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2020

10/10 Excellent

Becky B.

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

Great visit!

We loved this property - it is exactly as advertised. Full kitchen, which is nice, and plenty of beach towels. The bedding was nice, we all slept well. My son wanted to take the shower home. It is just a little tricky to find - be sure to follow the directions carefully and go all the way around the hairpin turn. We would stay again - great access to beach.
Stayed 6 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Kimberly C.

Clean & Clear

The Poplars was our first visit SoHa and we loved it! Debbie was wonderful to work with and the home was perfect for our family of 5. Very clean and comfortable! Everything was provided that was needed. Thank you for a peaceful retreat! We hope to return again soon!
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2018

10/10 Excellent

Dana J.

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

Just what I wanted

This was a girl's trip to celebrate my birthday with friends. The house was cozy and just as it appeared online. My friends all commented on what a great place. Being there in November was off-season to enjoy the very few steps to the beach (would be great in season) but we enjoyed a beautiful sunset over the lake. The home was clean and had everything we needed and expected. The one downer was that the thermostat alarm went off at 7 AM on Sunday for a rude awakening. After pressing every button I was able to stop the noise and let them know about it. So we just got up and left earlier than planned since there was no rest after that! There's nothing they could have done to predict that - but overall, it was a wonderful trip and we all had a great time in this sweet cottage.
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2024
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Curt W., Westfield Indiana

As good as a location gets in South Haven

We were so glad to find this cottage last minute to stay and were more then pleased with the house and location. The house had 4 small bedrooms but fine for 3 couples and 1 bunkbed room. Only 1 bathroom but it was very nicely remodeled and really wasn't a problem. We enjoyed every dinner on the back patio and being able to walk right onto the canal was awesome. This is the best way to visit south haven and we highly recommend this property to future renters.
Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2017

10/10 Excellent

Becky K.

Wonderful cottage just steps from the beach!

Our stay at the Poplars was wonderful! Debbie stopped by to make sure all was ok and the welcome gift of wine, ice cream gift certificate, etc. Was a nice touch! Couldn't wait to visit Shermans for our ice cream! Bathroom was awesome! Heated floors and large shower! Sink was a bit small with no counter space though. Loved having comfortable couches to relax on after a long day of fishing and beach time! So often that is not the case. We would definitely return!

10/10 Excellent

Jill C.

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

We loved our stay. Just some suggestions.

A few suggestions: handrails are needed in the showers, & the back storm door closes too hard often trapping body parts ( we have bruises to prove it). TV usage was quite challenging. If your neighbors in back would trim the bush at the corner down to fence level, you would have a fantastic view of the lake.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2023
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Matt M.

Beautiful rental! Right on the beach. We'll be returning

Can't say enough about this place and the excellent hospitality Debbie provided us. I stayed here with my wife, two year old daughter, and my extended family (8 total). The house itself is beautiful and very well kept. There was plenty of room for all 8 of us. So many amenities available here; you basically just need to bring food. You are about as close to the beach as you can get without being right on it; literally a 30 second walk to the beach/water. Debbie was very responsive to any questions we had and was very dependable if we needed something. We will definitely be saving this place and using it in the future. Can't say enough about this rental.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2017

10/10 Excellent

Erin C., San Diego, USA

Great location!!

Our group of 8 had a great time at the Poplars! We came out for a friday wedding and they were nice to let us check in early to get ready. The location was perfect for an entire day and night lounging on the beach. We were happy to use the beach umbrella that was at the house too. The kitchen had everything we needed to prepare our meals. The living room and back patio were great hang out areas. The only downfalls were spotty internet, parking( there isnt a spot for a car in front of the house and the 1 parking pass they provide wasn't extremely helpful because many of the beach lots were full), and one bathroom (it's a nice one though!) is hard for 8 people. However, we had a fabulous vacation in South Haven and would definitely recommend this spot for a beach holiday.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2018
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Michael C.

Great house and location!

Spent a week in this house with my wife and three kids (ages 3-7). The home is in great condition, with the property manager and owner available to make sure all is operating as it should. We had zero problems with the house. The location to north beach is really fantastic allowing for us to quickly run kids back from the beach for naps, snacks, etc. I was expecting a reenactment of the movie Summer Rental since the house is on the access path to the beach, but it is only utilized by the handful of homes in the immediate area...so we hardly noticed anyone walking through. Everyone was so friendly...especially the next door neighbors on both sides who own their homes. Great back patio with grill that we used several times. The property manager, Debbie, lives a couple doors down and welcomed us to the area as well as made sure we were taken care of throughout our stay...providing some great recommendations on things to do with the kids and places to eat. Can't say enough about the location and the downtown area is only a couple minutes away (with lots of restaurants, ice cream shops, etc.) to keep us all entertained. South Haven is our new go to for summer vacation.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2017

About the host

Hosted by Debbie Masterson

Host profile image
Our grandfather purchased Poplars cottage back around 1920, when air conditioning was for movie theaters and people flocked to summer vacation homes near the lake to cool off. Grandpa Phil owned it until the mid 1950's when he transferred it to his oldest son, Marshall. When Marshall passed in 2016, he wanted his three boys - Jeffrey, David, and Philip - to keep it in the family. Today, we keep the property both in his honor and as a place to relive some of our fondest childhood memories. With busy schedules that keep us away too much, and costly taxes and upkeep, we decided that the best way to keep our cottage was to share it with others who we hope will find the same magic we've known all these years. Even today, we each find that time slows down when we take a quick weekend to touch up some paint or do some work on our place. It's the quiet at night, punctuated by the sound of waves, set against the sparkling skies even in winter. It's the rawness of the rain when it flies across the lake, drenching everything, but vanishing almost as quickly. There is real magic in this place.

What makes this property unique

There is no single thing about South Haven that makes it unique - it's the combination. It's cooking on the patio and stopping to watch the sunset during summer evenings. It's Sherman's ice cream and the obsession with blueberries. It's the festivals and art shows and fireworks for the Fourth of July. It's even the nosy neighbors who keep a watchful eye on everyone and everything. Sometimes, it's the "youngsters" driving around with their radios blasting far too late at night. Other times, its the people walking down the sidewalk, asking where to stop for food. It's a community of people who all know how special South Haven and its beaches truly are ... and how lucky we are to be able to enjoy them!

Languages:

English

Premier Host

They consistently provide great experiences for their guests