Private Sandy Beach on Torch Lake • Cottage + Guest House • Walk to Alden

Our guest is absolutely right about the water... we DO have a water softener, but I learned AFTER he left that it was not working. I immediately called the water softener company and it is now working once again :-) As for the master bedroom, I will certainly look into this. We had the bedroom painted two years ago, so that is not the issue. Maybe it was a particularly humid period? I don't know, but I am grateful to these guests for bringing this issue to my attention.

I am sorry that this guest's stay did not meet her expectations. For prospective renters, I encourage you to read our many other reviews, which have been overwhelmingly positive over decades of hosting. While I respect that this guest was dissatisfied, I do not agree with several characterizations in this review and do not believe it presents a complete picture of the stay. Rather than engage in a point-by-point response, I'll offer some context for future guests. One issue she reported was the lack of hot water upon arrival. This was my mistake, and I responded immediately by providing instructions to restore hot water and offering alternative shower facilities that were available right away. I remained available throughout her stay and responded promptly to each concern she raised. After two nights, the guest chose to relocate to another property. Although our rental agreement does not provide refunds after check-in and the remaining nights could not be rebooked, I nevertheless provided a goodwill refund equivalent to one night's stay in recognition of the hot-water issue. Our cottage is an older seasonal Michigan lake cottage and may not be the right fit for travelers seeking the experience of a newer home with central air conditioning and a tightly sealed building envelope. For guests who appreciate the character of a traditional lake cottage, I invite you to read the experiences shared by our many previous guests.

We wish we could have made your stay more comfortable! We work hard to make our cottage hospitable, clean, and welcoming. We could have easily fixed most of these issues (fresh shower curtain, waffle iron, more salt in the water softener to address the mineral smell from the well water, dock plank—all now taken care of). Communication is key, and we are always quick and responsive to any concerns our renters have. Next time, if something isn’t up to par, we hope you’ll reach out to us during your trip so we can address it ASAP and help you have the best stay possible.