Entire home

Family Friendly Lake Cottage

Photo gallery for Family Friendly Lake Cottage

Our boys striking a pose.
Dining Room
Farmer's Market
Our house
Our oldest standing next to a hole he dug.

Reviews

9.8 out of 10

Exceptional

3 bedrooms2 bathroomsSleeps 8111.5 sq m

Popular amenities

  • Parking available
    Parking available
  • Washer
    Washer
  • Barbecue grill
    Barbecue grill
  • Kitchen
    Kitchen
  • Air conditioning
    Air conditioning
  • Dryer
    Dryer

Explore the area

Map
South Haven, MI
    South Beach
    5 min walk
    Warner Vineyards
    15 min walk
    South Haven Center for the Arts
    17 min walk
    Benton Harbor, MI (BEH-Southwest Michigan Regional)
    28 min drive

Rooms & beds

3 bedrooms (sleeps 8)

Bedroom 1

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 2

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 3

2 Single Beds

2 bathrooms

Bathroom 1

Bathtub or shower · Toilet

Bathroom 2

Toilet · Shower only

Spaces

Deck or patio
Kitchen
Dining Area

About this property

Family Friendly Lake Cottage

We bought this 3 bedroom, 2 bath house because it is perfect for our five person family and it was in the perfect location for a family get away. To us, this house is a refuge from our day to day lives. We arrive and are able to relax and take the days at the pace we wish. Our three boys keep us hopping most of the time, so we simply love arriving in South Haven, relaxing, and taking the days as they come. Most summer days I head out before the kids or wife are out of bed and comb the beach for fossils. Once everyone is up, we generally spend the middle part of the day at the beach---set up umbrella and chairs, build sand castle and walls, swim, run, dive, throw balls in the surf, and look for more fossils! We often leave our gear on the beach and walk back for lunch at the house, then return to the beach for a bit longer. We often play wiffle ball and other sports, in the side yard, with kids in the surrounding homes. The park is one block away and our three boys (14,12,and 9) come and go from park to house (with permission) whenever they wish---safe and no busy streets to cross.

Our house, as mentioned, has 3 bedrooms and two bathrooms. With aging parents (we're not getting younger either), it was important to have one ground floor bedroom. So, our layout is one bed and one bathroom on the ground floor and 2 bedrooms and one bathroom upstairs. The upstairs also has a loft with a futon, for additional sleeping space.
The home was built in 1890's by a Lake Michigan ships captain (see info in house to learn more about this unique captain!). We have radiator heat in the shoulder/winter seasons---as well as some mobile space heaters to target high use areas. In the summer, we put in window air conditioners, which are needed some days and other days are not.
We have a dining room and fully equipped kitchen. The kitchen does have a dishwasher and microwave. There is a patio table and chairs off the back of the house and a gas grill for your use.
We are in a family neighborhood. This is not a party house and should not be rented for purposes beyond family vacations.
Also, this house is an original. If you want a cookie cutter new house, look elsewhere. Yes, updates have been made over the years, but it is still just a cottage built 125 years ago....give or take! If you require a new or renovated place, look elsewhere......our house is a fairly original and perfect for us or unpretentious guests. :)
Rent is 2100 a week in the summer.......1200 per week any other time. 150 cleaning fee. This rental info is accurate....if the system spits out something else, ignore it and just contact me. Rentals are Saturday to Saturday in summer. More flexible off season.

Property manager

Matt Bailey

Languages

English

Amenities

Kitchen
Washer
Dryer
Air conditioning
Outdoor space
Lake view

Similar properties

House Rules

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

Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17

Events

No events allowed

Pets

No pets allowed

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted
This home is for family vacations. Respect the house, yourself, your neighbors, and the town.

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

We should mention

A car is not required for transport to and from this property

About the area

South Haven

South Haven is home to this cottage. Michigan Maritime Museum and Michigan Flywheelers Museum are cultural highlights, and some of the area's landmarks include South Haven Lighthouse and Saugatuck-Douglas Historical Society. The Fun Park and Surfari Joe's Indoor Wilderness Water Park are also worth visiting. Make sure you get close to the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.
Map
South Haven, MI

What's nearby

  • South Beach - 5 min walk
  • Warner Vineyards - 15 min walk
  • Michigan Maritime Museum - 3 min drive
  • Kal Haven Trail - 4 min drive
  • North Beach - 5 min drive

Getting around

  • Bangor Station - 18 min drive
  • Kalamazoo, MI (AZO-Kalamazoo-Battle Creek Intl.) - 51 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪McDonald's - ‬17 min walk
  • ‪Culver's - ‬4 min drive
  • ‪Biggby Coffee - ‬3 min drive
  • ‪Burger King - ‬14 min walk
  • ‪Taco Bell - ‬4 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Family Friendly Lake Cottage pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

What time is check-in at Family Friendly Lake Cottage ?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Family Friendly Lake Cottage ?

Checkout is at 11:00 AM.

Where is Family Friendly Lake Cottage located?

Situated in South Haven, this cottage is within a 10-minute walk of South Beach and Lake Michigan. Warner Vineyards and South Haven Center for the Arts are also within 1 mile (2 km).

Reviews

9.8

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. 33 out of 37 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 3 out of 37 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 1 out of 37 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 37 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 37 reviews" "

9.2/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

9.8/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Jacqueline H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
The charming pink house
We had a great week at the pink house! The location is awesome. One block to kids corner and two blocks to the beach. The house was listed accurately. We loved the shopping and restaurants downtown and it is just blocks from the house. The sunsets at night were amazing!
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Emily B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great Stay
It was in a great location. The house was very clean, well maintained and inviting. The property owners had excellent communication!
Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2023

8/10 Good

Heidi T.

Liked: Check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
comfortable cottage
Loved location and the front porch. The kitchen was not the cleanest but overall the house served our needs. We did have a great time.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Colleen L., Valley Park, Missouri

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Wonderful place for a family!!
This home was just as described, & it was wonderful!! We were with our 3 young sons (8, 6 & 4) and with this amazing location, it was easy for us to walk or ride bikes everywhere we went. The bikes, beach toys & other extras in the basement were an awesome addition. The screened in porch was a favorite spot of ours to sit & relax…the breeze coming through felt amazing. We would absolutely recommend this house!
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Rob D.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Fantastic!
Love the house, the location and the bikes! The house is close to the beach and a nice playground. Downtown is very family friendly with candy, ice cream and toy stores. The owner communicates well and provides plenty of soap, shampoo, paper towels & TP. This was our second stay & we can't wait to go back again!
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Ellen E.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great stay in the 'pink house'
Our family of five had a great stay in the pink house as my 4 year old called it. Amazing location to the beach and playground!! Matt was an excellent communicator and superior host. House had everything we needed and more! Highly recommend!
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2023

8/10 Good

Amy P.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Location
Easy access to South beach, downtown was a 15 minute walk and right on the Van Buren trail. Kids corner 1 block away and can see from house. Loved the screen porch for evening conversations.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Julie M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
The Pink House
When we asked our grandchildren what they wanted to do this Summer, they said “ Go back to the pink house!!” So we made arrangements to book again! We had a fantastic time! The proximity to the playground and the beach is so perfect. Every morning we sat on the porch and sipped our coffee while the kiddos were still sleeping. It was so nice to see the people walking about and riding bikes in the quiet neighborhood. It’s just delightful!
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Betsy H., Bethesda, USA

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
South Haven beach vacation
This 3 bed 2 bath home is in a great location for beach access. Especially good for families with young children (elem to middle school) as the walk to the beach is short and the walk to the park is even shorter! An older home but with all that a family needs for a nice stay in South Haven.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2022

10/10 Excellent

Rob D.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Perfect family rental in S Haven
We enjoyed our stay and plan to visit again!
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

TJ S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Perfect
This was our 3rd year with this property. Everything about it is awesome. Nice neighborhood, great location and nice house. We will continue coming back to the pink house! Matt is very easy to deal with and always willing to help with any questions.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

Emily R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
We hope to return!
As an annual visitor, we were so happy to see South Haven flourishing this summer with new construction and store fronts full, but our family will always prefer the history and charm of older homes like this one. We appreciated all the extras provided by the owners that feel missed in cookie cutters - like tupperware for beach snacks, twinkly lights for evening porch sitting, a clothes line for towels and such, and bikes of all sizes! This house was extremely well stocked, window units and fans kept it sufficiently cool, beds were comfortable, and the proximity to the park and beach made outings easy. There were so many beach items available that we didn't even unpack our own! We would recommend this house for families with children who also want to host grandparents or other guests in the downstairs bedroom (noting that the downstairs bath is overall quite small). We hope to return!
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

Nolan M., Kalamazoo Michigan

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Perfect
Everything was perfect about this vacation home from the proximity to beach and town, to the amount of space! We spent every evening(after ice cream at the South Beach Cafe of course) talking on the front porch. We hope to make this an annual trip for our family!
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

Mindy R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Perfect for us!
Perfect location for our family! Close to family-friendly South Beach and Kids Corner. Owners were great to work with. We hope to go back again!
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2022

10/10 Excellent

Angela K.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Beach Charmer - Perfect for Families!
The Bailey’s family cottage was just what our family was looking for! 1 block to Kids Corner park, 2 blocks to the lake. Our littles had a blast using the beach toys provided and the bunk beds were a hit. We will be back!
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2021

6/10 Okay

Crystal E.

Liked: Check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great Location & Good Amenities
Being within walking distance of the beach was wonderful! Working with Matt was great, he was so helpful and communicative. We knew the home was older and they have done a good job keeping it up. It looked a bit more updated in photos than it was in person. But overall our stay was good, we enjoyed our time at the beach and the location you get for the price is excellent!
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2021

10/10 Excellent

Loraine D.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Short walk to the beach: Priceless!
We had a great week in SoHa! The house is in perfect proximity to the beach - two blocks and less than 5 mins away. It’s an older house (1800s) so don’t expect perfection but you will find plenty of charm and character. Kitchen is well stocked and lots of added necessities are included such as paper towels, fresh scouring pads, dishwasher and laundry detergent, soap etc (it might surprise you that a previous rental left the bare minimum TP!). The owners truly want you to enjoy your home away from home and a quick visit to Aldi’s nearby in one trip meant we didn’t have to go back a second time. Beds were comfy and there were plenty of towels for the week. Access to bicycles (there’s a great trail right by the house!) and buckets and spades for the beach really were a great and welcome touch - along with games for the kids (uno in particular lost me some money!). The porch is such a treat! We all enjoyed sitting out there with our morning coffee or late in the evening. It’s nice to see fellow vacationers pass by on the way to the beach and everyone is very friendly. The area is very clean and well maintained - quiet in the evenings which is a must when you have kids. Finally, we had some questions for the owners and both Matt and Denise were very quick to respond, even with a time difference, and issues were resolved quickly (we had a ‘user malfunction’ with the stove). All in all, a great trip and we look forward to going back!
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2021

10/10 Excellent

Jennifer A.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Lovely hideaway!
We loved our stay at the Bailey home! It was just what you would imagine a sea captain's cottage to be. We lingered on the front porch with coffee, strolled to the lake, and explored South Haven with ease. Charming, clean, and comfortable. Matt is a great communicator and promptly replied to all messages. We will definitely be back, hopefully next year! Can't say enough good things. We sorely miss the Bailey cottage already. Marvelous sunsets, too. Just spectacular!
Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2020

10/10 Excellent

Ann P., Champaign, Illinois

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Early fall getaway
We enjoyed a week getaway from the chaotic world. The property is within walking distance to the beach and town. Reading on the porch ,walking along Lake Michigan, and riding a bike to Van Buren State park we’re favorite activities.
Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2020

8/10 Good

Alyssa M.

Liked: Check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Disliked: Cleanliness
Great location, terrible weather
I will preface this review by saying we were traveling with a 3-year-old and two 13-month-olds. We took a chance by visiting South Haven the first week in September and it did not work out in our favor. The weather was chilly and damp, so we were inside a lot - not much fun with 3 small children. The rental was in a great location, walking distance to kid's corner and the beach, and a short drive to downtown. The only downside to the rental was that it was not cleaned well, which again, is problematic with very small children who pick everything up off the floor and put in their mouths. I'm sure this is no fault of the property owner, but rather the cleaning company. Overall, though, very happy with this rental for our first trip to South Haven!
Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2020

10/10 Excellent

Diane M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
We loved the house and location to the all the nearby beaches.
It was clean and very comfortable-we loved the screened in front porch too!! The host was very friendly and always available for any needs. Great location to get to fun and lovely beaches.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2020

10/10 Excellent

TJ S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Perfect vacation
This was our first vacation to Michigan. It was recommended by some friends of ours, and it did not disappoint. The house was perfectly described. It was an older home with a lot of charm. It was great. Great location to Kids Corner, the beach and downtown. We will definitely rent this house again
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2020

10/10 Excellent

Dorrie M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great Location!
We loved the pink house location to the beach, sleepy town, playground and Van Buren bike trail! This rental has everything we needed!

10/10 Excellent

Kimberley W., Rochester, NY

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great location for young family
We loved the opportunity to get away and enjoy the MI Lakeshore at this well appointed gem! As a family of 5, kids ages 9, 7, and 1, we wanted something really close to the beach that allowed for flexibility for parts of the family to come and go as needed. The pink house was just that! And the house is well equipped for a great vacation—everything you need in the kitchen, a great screened in porch, and lots of beach equipment. We enjoyed walking to the beach every day, sometimes for most of the day and other days just an hour or two. It was a very hot week in South Haven so we were thankful for the proximity to the cooler beach, and for the window unit ACs. One of our favorite nights was letting our eldest stay up late, reading on the porch, while we waited for the sun to set so we could all watch the fireflies. It was spectacular! Leaving was the worst part of the trip!
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2020

10/10 Excellent

Toby B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Family getaway
We loved our weeklong stay at the Bailey's house. So much character in the home and the layout worked great for our family and kids. Matt was outstanding with communication all through the process, the house was very clean, close to everything South Haven has to offer and just a short stroll to the beach. The screened-in porch was really nice to have, providing a relaxing spot to unwind. And it was great having the use of a couple bikes for rides along the bike trail. We would definitely stay here again.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2020

About the host

Hosted by Matt Bailey

Host profile image
We have three boys.
We love to travel.

Shoot me an email if interested....or if you have questions!
Regards, Matt

Why they chose this property

Location! We had rented in South Haven for years and when we decided to buy, we knew the area that we wanted. If you are like us, most of your memories will be about the beach/park and hopefully just spending time together away from the chaos of normal schedules. That is why we chose this house. Very close to the beach that we like and even closer to the best playground in town. Our house in South Haven put us in an ideal location to do the activities that we enjoy doing!

What makes this property unique

Our mix of location and a price point below the market average are what makes this listing unique. The house, town, beach and park are all what you make of it.
We are owners that do really value being able to allow other families to enjoy our home. The house is special to us and we hope it'll become an important memory maker for your family.

Languages:

English
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