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Great room with stone fireplace. Kitchen and dining areas are to the left

Overview
Amenities
Policies
Location
Host

9.4

Exceptional

4 bedrooms2+ bathroomsSleeps 8195 sq m

Popular amenities

Fireplace

Kitchen

Barbecue grill

Outdoor space

Washer

Dryer

Check-in time

4:00 PM

Check-out time

10:00 AM

Explore the area

Indian River, MI

Burt Lake1 min walk
Cross In The Woods National Shrine12 min drive
Burt Lake State Park13 min drive
Pellston, MI (PLN-Pellston Regional)35 min drive

Most relevant reviews

10/10 Excellent

My family thoroughly enjoyed this property. It was our first time to Burt Lake/Indian River, however it would be our las...

Jon T.

Aug 22, 2023

Rooms & beds

4 bedrooms (sleeps 8)

Bedroom 1

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 2

1 Double Bed

Bedroom 3

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 4

1 Single Bed and 1 Single Bunk Bed

2 bathrooms, 1 half bathroom

Bathroom 1

Bathroom 2

Bathroom 3

Spaces

Deck or patio

Kitchen

Dining Area

About this property

Beautiful Northern Michigan Lake Cottage

Enjoy dazzling sunsets from your deck overlooking scenic Burt Lake!

Home Features:
Our cottage features a bright, open floor plan with a loft. You can relax inside with stunning lake views through the two-story “wall of windows” overlooking the water, or feel the cool lake breezes on the screened-in porch with attached deck. There are pine ceilings throughout and a stone fireplace for an authentic 'rustic' feel, as well as a large, modern kitchen, and full-sized laundry room. The cottage is our family's 'home away from home'. We only rent it out a few weeks a year.

Property Features:
The secluded, wooded lot includes 90 feet of private beachfront. Enjoy listening to the waves wash up against the beautiful smooth rock beach, or take a relaxing swim off the end of the dock, where the lake depth is about three feet, with a sandy bottom, for approximately 100 feet beyond the end of the dock. Burt lake is crystal clear - PERFECT FOR SWIMMING!! A twelve-acre nature preserve immediately behind the property and the 'Seven Springs' nature preserve about a mile away offer great hiking. The property also includes a buoy for mooring small (less than 21ft) boats and the use of both a canoe and a kayak. Two of the bedrooms feature queen-sized beds, one of the bedrooms includes a bunk bed and another twin bed, and the fourth, smaller, bedroom is furnished with a standard double bed.

Area Features:
Burt lake is on northern Michigan’s “inland waterway” that includes a chain of four lakes and four fully navigable rivers. Nearby attractions include Mackinac Island, the Mackinac Bridge, and the charming resort towns of Harbor Springs and Petoskey. Sport and pontoon boat rentals are available at several local marinas. Other nearby activities include hiking, golf, horseback riding, and canoe and rafting trips.

SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
- The cottage does not have WiFi or cable TV service.
- We are on the windy side of the lake. While the lake is generally calm, this means that outdoor fires and overnight boat mooring are not permitted.
- Burt lake state park is about 5 miles away and has a good boat launch, and several local marinas offer short-term boat slip rentals. Unfortunately, renters are not permitted to use the boat hoist.
- Occupancy is strictly limited to 8 people. We are on a quiet, family-oriented beach, and we want to keep good relations with our neighbors!

Keywords: Lake Cottage

Property manager

Joe

Languages

English

Amenities

Kitchen

Washer

Dryer

Outdoor space

Barbecue grill

Fireplace

Enjoy a view of the lake from the welcoming deck with retractable awning!

Kitchen

Free WiFi

Air conditioning

Outdoor space

House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM

Minimum age to rent: 25

Check out before 10:00 AM

Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17

Events

No events allowed

Pets

No pets allowed

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

No outdoor fires

No overnight boat mooring

Boat mooring only to mooring buoy. No boat mooring to dock

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 and a deadlock

About the area

Indian River

Located in Indian River, this cottage is on a lake. The area's natural beauty can be seen at Burt Lake State Park and Burt Lake, while Cheboygan Opera House and Little Traverse History Museum are cultural highlights. Discover the area's water adventures with kayaking and rafting nearby, or enjoy the great outdoors with hiking/biking trails and horse riding.

Indian River, MI

What's nearby

Burt Lake - 1 min walk
Indian River Golf Club - 10 min drive
Big Bear Adventures - 11 min drive
Cross In The Woods National Shrine - 12 min drive
Burt Lake State Park - 13 min drive

Getting around

Pellston, MI (PLN-Pellston Regional) - 36 min drive

Restaurants

‪McDonald's - ‬11 min drive
‪Wigwam - ‬15 min drive
‪Burger King - ‬11 min drive
‪Michael's Tavern & Steakhouse - ‬12 min drive
‪Pinehurst Inn - ‬10 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Beautiful Northern Michigan Lake Cottage pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

What time is check-in at Beautiful Northern Michigan Lake Cottage?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Beautiful Northern Michigan Lake Cottage?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is Beautiful Northern Michigan Lake Cottage located?

Situated on a lake, this cottage is steps from Burt Lake and 2.9 mi (4.6 km) from Indian River Golf Club. Devoe Beach and Big Bear Adventures are also within 6 miles (10 km).

9.4

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.

Learn more

9.4/10

Cleanliness

9.8/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

9.8/10

Listing accuracy

10/10 Excellent

Jon T.

22 Aug 2023

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

Amazing “Up North” retreat

My family thoroughly enjoyed this property. It was our first time to Burt Lake/Indian River, however it would be our last. The best rating that I can provide is that we look forward to staying here again. The sunsets are amazing!

Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Heidi R.

5 Aug 2023

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

Relaxing and beautiful location

Plenty of room for the 4 of us. We lucked out with perfect weather, enjoyed a couple of hikes, a day on Mackinac Island, plenty of hours reading and enjoying the sun on the dock. No wifi was actually nice to really disconnect, even for the teenagers. No need for AC, with the shady lot it never got too hot during the day and nice and cool at night. Casual furniture and bedding, as you would expect in a family lake house. Pretty well appointed kitchen, only suggestion would be a nonstick pan (had to cook eggs in a small nonstick pot) but if that is the only recommendation then I think it was all quite good! :) Owner was very responsive too.

Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Linda R.

19 June 2023

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

Family Vacation

Joe’s lake house was perfect for our family vacation. We had everything we needed with lots of room to spread out. We enjoyed the lake time, visits to nearby towns like Petoskey, the local restaurants, and of course, Mackinac Island. What a beautiful, peaceful place with amazing sunsets! Thank you, Joe, for sharing your beautiful lake house.

Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2023

8/10 Good

Robert R., Novi, MI

31 Aug 2022

Liked: Check-in, communication, location

Very nice cottage.

Very nice cottage in good condition. Only disappointment was lack of outdoor fire which was known when rented and water access (dock). The property is in a nice section of Burt Lake but access is limited by tree coverage.

Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2022

10/10 Excellent

Sally L.

1 July 2022

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

Beautiful cottage on the lake

We truly enjoyed our stay at this cute cottage! Right on the lake, so we were able to jump off the dock to swim and canoe down the shore every day! Comfortable beds and beautiful sunsets while playing board games by the fireplace. Somewhat of a drive to other cities and tourist places. About 30 minutes to Mackinaw City. About 2 hours from the airport. Overall, we had a wonderful stay and would highly recommend for a relaxing, scenic and quite vacation!

Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2022

10/10 Excellent

Brian R.

30 June 2022

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

Beautiful Lake Cottage

Joe's Burt Lake cottage was a wonderful, relaxing up north get away. We were very pleased with our stay. The cottage and lake were beautiful. Mackinac and Petosky are both an easy drive from the property.

Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2022

10/10 Excellent

Scott D.

31 July 2021

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

Great place great lake

Stayed for a week and boated on Burt and Mullet, the place was clean and easy to access. The owner was very responsive and easy to get in touch when needed. The waves on this side of Burt can be a little rough so it is not feasible to dock at the cabin, otherwise there is a lot of stuff to do for any age group.

Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2021

10/10 Excellent

Martha P., Syracuse

20 Oct 2020

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

Relaxing vacation on Burt Lake

The lake house was just as described. The house was spotless! Furniture and appliances in very good condition. We used the gas grill and fireplace almost every night. Joe the owner responded within minutes to my texts.

10/10 Excellent

Diane H.

7 Oct 2020

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

Great place to stay

Great location and beautiful cottage close to many places we visited on our vacation.

Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2020

10/10 Excellent

Jennifer M.

26 Sept 2020

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

Great stay!

This was perfect for me and my family, 8 adults. Plenty of room for us to hang together or have time to ourselves. The kitchen is great, all spacious bedrooms, screened porch or deck, having a fire was nice on the chilly evenings. We loved the dock, sunsets and looking for rocks! Within driving distance to multiple adventures. We highly recommend this property!! Thanks for a great time!

Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2020

10/10 Excellent

ann w.

30 Aug 2020

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

This cottage was fantastic. Great swimming, hiking and sunsets

I couldn't have asked for a better experience. The cottage was perfect. The swimming was ideal with shallow enough for kids to feel safe and not too rocky. We did paddle boarding (brought our own), kayaking, and canoeing. There were great trails in the area to "hike" and town was super cute. The cottage was spacious and had fantastic sunset views. I can't remember a better setup and feel so fortunate to have found it! Thanks for a memorable and wonderful experience!

Stayed 14 nights in Aug 2020

8/10 Good

Leanna H.

4 Oct 2018

Wonderful vacation!

I love being on Burt Lake, a family vacation spot for over 50 years. This is a beautiful home overlooking the lake. Everything and more (water shoes, life jackets, beach towels) were provided. We did have a few housekeeping issues, but the owner was made aware and kept in contact with me about them. I would most certainly recommend this home, and would rent it again.

Stayed 14 nights in Aug 2018

4/10 Poor

Terry P.

25 July 2018

Pictures can be extremely deceiving!

Obviously the pics taken were shortly when the home was built and used on the internet to entice folks today. It seems not much has been done in the way of upkeep. First of all, the place was not clean, we needed to clean, dust and wash before we could settle in. The vacuum was so full we had to empty and clean its contents before we could even use it. So much for sitting in the patio area, it was filthy and we refused to address its state of affairs. As folks who have rented homes all over the country and for many, many years this was a real setback in a relaxing week. You don't plan on cleaning a place so you can at least feel somewhat comfortable. The following day after arriving we had to go and purchase bath towels. My towels I use to dry my car look better than those, that really maddened me since I had to go shopping the next day for towels! Outside we were very limited because the nice sandy area you see in the picture is full of weeds including poison ivy. Trying to coral 2-2 years old from poison ivy can be quite challenging. It's a shame when you look forward to a picture perfect home and walk away with disappointment!

Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2018

8/10 Good

Robert N.

16 July 2018

Wonderful lakeside cottage

Really enjoyed our visit here. The cottage sits in a quiet spot next to Burt Lake among the trees. It’s very peaceful especially in the evening watching the sunset. It’s spacious and big enough for bigger groups. We had 3 adult couples and 2 young kids and there was plenty of room. Overall we loved it. Here are the pros and cons: Pros: Joe (owner) is helpful and very responsive. His communication was clear and accurate. Location. Private dock. Good swimming. Peace & quiet. Space for 3 maybe 4 cars. Use of the kayak and other beach toys. Everything you need is here. Cosy, rustic cabin feel. Games, toys, small tv/dvd for the kids. (Bring your own DVD’s). Cons: Dishwasher needs an upgrade. Needs some new sharper knives and drinking glasses. The place was not as clean as we expected. We had to clean the fridge, bedsheets and vacuum which was disappointing. This was the main complaint for our visit. Would definitely recommend and would stay again, hopefully without the cleaning issues next time. Thanks Joe!

Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2018

10/10 Excellent

Lori S.

1 July 2018

Beautiful house and property

A beautiful up north cabin on the inland waterway. The cabin has a nice open living area while still providing privacy in the bedrooms. It is towards the end of a dead end road in a wooded area. There is a screened in porch for enjoying the lake while avoiding the bugs. The rocky beach provided hours of stone skipping fun for the kids, along with the kayak and canoe.

Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2018

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

8/10 Good

Katie D., Detroit, Michigan

5 July 2017

Beautiful lake house!

We were pleasantly surprised when we entered this house for the first time. Such a great view of the lake! The living space and home accommodations were everything we expected and more! What we didn't know prior to coming was that the home is on the windy side of the lake. This was a bummer cause that means limited boat use, no bon fires, and yes, lots of wind! The weather was already very chilly anyways, so having the extra wind precautions that was kind of a bummer! Overall, we made the best of it. The kids enjoyed the very rocky beach and had fun collecting rocks in buckets and playing in the shallow part of the water. Loved the easy access to the lake, from the house; and there is a sandy beach nearby that we drove to one of the days. Great location, beautiful clean home. Overall a wonderful time.

Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2017

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Beverly R.

14 Sept 2015

Quiet, peaceful, retreat

We spent our 40th anniversary along with another couple at this lovely lake house. The Decour was homey and friendly with many antiques. Lots of Lodge Decour which we love made us feel right at home. you never felt like you were in someone else's home but your own. Very kid friendly with lots of ample supplies available for kids and adults to entertain theirselves. We enjoyed putting the puzzle together that was there at the house and sitting in the living room enjoying the fireplace and the amazing view of the lake. I actually read a book. We were there when it was a little bit cold but we still were able to Wade in the water and collect stones to bring home. The owners have thought of every possible thing to make your stay more pleasant Even water shoes of all sizes for the beach are available in the screen room. The price for this home and what you get was the BEST we found in the area. The large spacious bedrooms are far from each other which make this a great retreat for couples. Tons of privacy if you want it and together space, if you don't. For some people a con may be that there is not Wi-Fi or a large screen television but for us it was wonderful to revert back to actually communicating with each other and not using handheld devices to entertain ourselves. The guys golfed at the Indian Lake course twice and loved it. We loved the house so much we only did site seeing one day during our 5-day stay. We hope to be able to come again and enjoy this beautiful home.

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Jodi M.

6 Aug 2015

Wonderful Lake House

My extended family and I had the pleasure of staying in this comfortable lake front house in June of 2015. It was everything we hoped. Cool mornings, warm days and beautiful evenings, combined with the view of the lake and the deck over looking it, made for a great week. The house had more than enough room for our group of five adults and four teenagers. The dock into the lake was a big hit. There are so many things to do and see within a short drive, we had plenty of choices. We would definitely return to Burt Lake and to this house.

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

1 May 2014

relaxing and beautiful

My family and I enjoyed the location of this Burt lake Cottage very much. It was a comfortable house with plenty of room for the adults and kids to have a great vacation. The views are spectacular. There are things to do in town, or just sit at the lake and enjoy the calm. We would go back to Burt Lake and this cottage.

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Paula B., Oswego, Illinois

6 Sept 2013

Beautiful property!

Our extended family of eight stayed at this beautiful location. It was more than comfortable for that size group with a great floor plan. We loved the big and well-stocked kitchen, comfy great room, big deck, the dock for swimming, the canoeing and the amazing sunsets! Great location as it is close to Petoskey and Mackinac Island. Even the little town of Indian River offers some fun shopping and eateries, we enjoyed our waitress and the laid back atmosphere of "The Inn Between" as well as the food. An overall great family vacation!!

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Lauren S., Michigan

21 June 2013

Beauiful property

My family had the opportunity of renting this property the 1st week of June. The property is beautiful and the cottage is very well maintained. It's a perfect place for a family vacation. The bedrooms were big and accommodating for all 6 adults and 3 small children. The 3 bathrooms were extremely helpful at bath time! The kitchen is completely stocked with all pots/pans, dishes, etc that we needed and was large enough to fit our entire family. The cottage is centrally located to all the places we visited (Petoskey, Harbor Springs, Charlevoix) and the lake is great for fishing (or swimming when it warms up.) We will definitely be taking more family vacations to this property in the future!

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

James W.

23 June 2012

Family Outing

The rental was perfect. Exactly as advertised with no surprises. The facility was clean with a nice floorplan layout and well stocked with kitchen supplies. The lake was beatiful. This is a great location in Michigan within 45 min is many different options for Dining, Shopping, etc. A definite place to revisit

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Joanne H., -

13 Mar 2010

Our family spent a week h...

Our family spent a week here in Aug 2009 and had a fantastic time! The home is an open floor plan and so beautiful; and Burt Lake is amazing! Every amenity we could have wanted was here - dishes, linens, w/d, screened porch, deck, grill, peace and quite and more. It's also the cleanest, most beautiful lake in Michigan! We swam in crystal clear waters, jet skied, water skied, water tubed, fished and laughed for hours every day. If you want to get away from it all and reconnect with your family, this is the place! Thank you for extending your beautiful home to us. Joanne Holton

About the host

Hosted by Joe

Our family has been spending our summers on Burt Lake since 1952, when my grandparents bought the property. The original cottage in which I spent my childhood summers was built in 1907. Unfortunately, time took its toll, and we had to replace the old cottage with a new one in 2007. Today, our family spends several weeks a summer at Burt Lake, and we rent out the cottage to help with the financial costs of rebuilding. The new place is beautiful. We custom designed the floor plan to take best advantage of the location. It is bright and open. You can see the lake from almost every room (except the bathrooms and one bedroom) in the 'cottage' - even the laundry room has a lake view!

Why they chose this property

What makes this property unique

We love our time on Burt Lake. It helps us connect with nature and with each other as a family. We always return refreshed, recharged, and ready to face the 'real world' again. Everyone in our family (including our two pre-school aged daughters) agree that their very favorite memories are those 'at the lake'. The environment is so relaxing - the lake air, the sound of the waves during the occasionally breezy night, and the quiet setting on a gravel road with a large woods (with hiking trails) directly behind the property makes for the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of our normal lives. Plus, there is always something to do - swimming, fishing, canoeing, hiking, sight seeing, or shopping in one of the nearby resort towns - when simply relaxing on the deck is not enough!