Entire home

Smittys GA "Right In The Middle Of It All"

Photo gallery for Smittys GA "Right In The Middle Of It All"

Exterior
Living Room Two
Garage/ game room
Workout Room w/ wetbar
Fall comes moving in

Reviews

10 out of 10
Exceptional
6 bedrooms4 bathroomsSleeps 14371.6 sq m

Popular amenities

  • Dryer
  • Parking available
  • Washer
  • Barbecue grill
  • Gym

Explore the area

Map
Glen Arbor, MI
  • Glen Lake
    ‪1 min walk‬
  • Crystal River
    ‪6 min drive‬
  • Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
    ‪13 min drive‬
  • Traverse City, MI (TVC-Cherry Capital)
    ‪56 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

6 bedrooms (sleeps 14)

Bedroom 2

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 3

2 Single Beds

Bedroom 4

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 5

1 King Bed

Bedroom 6

1 Queen Bed

Guest apartment open living area

1 Double Futon

Master Suite

1 King Bed

4 bathrooms

Bathroom 1

Toilet · Shower only

Bathroom 2

Toilet · Shower only

Bathroom 3

Toilet · Shower only

Bathroom 4

Toilet · Shower only

Spaces

Deck or patio
Porch or lanai
Kitchen
Separate dining area
Garden
Dining area

About this property

Smittys GA "Right In The Middle Of It All"




Smittys GA is a unique home situated on a very private seven acre partially wooded site, surrounded by flower gardens, featuring neo-classical inspired architectural elements uncommon to the area.

The main home features 3 bedrooms (2K,1Q), 2 loft bedrooms (1Q, 2T), 3 bathrooms, 2 spacious living rooms with 20' ceilings , an exercise room complete with a flat screen TV, stereo, universal weight machine, Precor elliptical glider and yes a ceiling fan. The home also features a screened in, fully finished, heated (hopefully not needed but there if it is) 3 stall garage with an all-weather ping pong table which can safely be taken outdoors, Tournament Foosball table (indoor only), stereo and also a lighted, marked, outdoor (driveway) 1/2 court basketball court also with stereo.

Inside the home the dining room opens to the formal living room (living room one) which runs the length of the house from Northern to Southern exposures. To the North the living room opens through double doors onto an airy enclosed screened porch featuring a 20' ceiling. The screened porch in turn, opens through double doors onto the rear of the homes two spacious decks. The rear deck overlooks a large and active organic fruit and vegetable garden which abuts the balance of the properties acreage. There are approximately 5 acres behind the home which in turn adjoin the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park land. The property is surrounded by another 28 acres of land held in the Leelanau Land Conservancy.

Returning to the main home, the formal living (East end of home) room opens to the south (front of home) through double doors onto a sunny 320sf redwood front deck. This deck is in the feature thumbnail picture and is surrounded by flower gardens so don't forget to use the zoom feature on this one.

The middle door in the photo is the mainly used entrance on the front of the home. It enters into a large foyer and mudroom built to separate the house into two zones where, for instance, kids could watch an action movie in one living room and parents could read a book in the other or vice versa. The foyer leads to the mudroom and both also feature Brazilian terra cotta tile as an aesthetically warm but thoroughly protective flooring area and space to shed the shoes. Here you will find a thoroughly stocked walk in pantry.

Through the mudroom turning to the right leads to the kitchen. Left at the mudroom leads to the second living room which intentionally incorporates many of the trim design elements of living room one. The spacious second living room was built to feel more casual and features high knotty spruce ceilings, two ceiling fans, an eight foot tall sliding window wall on the northern exposure and a spiral staircase to the 2nd loft bedroom as well cushy comfortable Natuzzi leather sofa, loveseat and chair and a Denon surround system.

Continuing west through the second living room takes you to the third bedroom featuring a queen bed, skylight for those spectacular starry nights and a sliding doorwall to the north deck. Continuing on you pass across the 'pass-through' which is the door nearest the garage. The 'pass-through' was designed to allow quick access between the front yard and the back yard. Accordingly this area also features Brazilian terra cotta tile and a place to 'kick off your shoes'.

Continuing on westward takes you past the 3rd bath and into the exercise room. Here you will find a universal weight machine, a Precor glider, flat screen TV, wet bar, a second refrigerator, and entrance to the garage which was described early on.

The finishes in the home were selected for both durability and comfort with floors being 75% hardwood, 15% quarry tile and 10% carpet. You will find carpet only in the master suite and the two loft bedrooms. The home features knotty spruce ceilings in both the 2nd living room and the exercise room. Countertops are ceramic tile in the kitchen and granite on both the kitchens breakfast bar countertop and the wet bar in the exercise room.

Appliances include a 2nd refrigerator just off the exercise room and front-load washer and dryer just off the kitchen. The kitchen features a Fridgidaire slide-in 4 burner range, over the range microwave, Kitchenaid dishwasher, blender, Bunn coffee maker and grinder, etc.

Above the garage is another 800 sf of living space. This “carriage house” apartment features hardwood throughout, one bedroom with a queen size pillow top bed, 1 bathroom with a shower stall, apartment sized “stacked” washer/dryer laundry unit, an open kitchen with a Jenn-Air electric range, Kitchen-aid refrigerator, appropriate cooking and dining utensils, skylights, a ceiling fan, flat screen TV and bar seating and an open dining area which together would easily seat 6 adults comfortably.

Currently the carriage house also has two additional sleeper sofas for additional sleeping space one of which may be substituted with a second queen bed for a small additional fee.

Property manager

James Smith
Premier Host

Languages

English

Add dates for prices

Amenities

Hot tub
Kitchen
Washer
Dryer
Free WiFi
Air conditioning

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House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 25
Check out before 10:00 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

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 not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a first aid kit

About the area

Glen Arbor

Located in Glen Arbor, this holiday home is on a lake. The area's natural beauty can be seen at Lake Michigan and Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Make sure you get close to the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.
Map
Glen Arbor, MI

What's nearby

  • Glen Lake - 1 min walk - 0.1 km
  • Crystal River - 6 min drive - 3.5 km
  • Little Glen Lake - 7 min drive - 5.3 km
  • Sleeping Bear Point Coast Guard Station Maritime Museum - 10 min drive - 6.8 km
  • Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore - 13 min drive - 11.3 km

Getting around

  • Traverse City, MI (TVC-Cherry Capital) - 56 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Peg Town Station - ‬19 min drive
  • ‪Cherry Republic - ‬4 min drive
  • ‪Arts Tavern - ‬4 min drive
  • ‪Boone Dock's - ‬4 min drive
  • ‪Broomstack Kitchen And Taphouse - ‬19 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Smittys GA "Right In The Middle Of It All" pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

What time is check-in at Smittys GA "Right In The Middle Of It All"?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Smittys GA "Right In The Middle Of It All"?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is Smittys GA "Right In The Middle Of It All" located?

This family-friendly Glen Arbor holiday home is located on a lake, within 3 mi (5 km) of Glen Lake and Lake Michigan. Crystal River and Little Glen Lake are also within 3 miles (5 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. 93 out of 99 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 6 out of 99 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 99 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 99 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 99 reviews

10/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Bradford B.

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

An awesome stay and a great host!

8 friends and I stayed at Smittys GA “Right in The Middle of It All” and the home exceeded expectations. James (our host) was very communicative before, during and after the stay. Check-in was super simple and the home was exceptionally clean. The pictures do not give the home justice. The home is quite large, and rooms are pretty separated. We joked that we could live in the home and never see each other! The home had everything you need for a stay to include all kitchen items, linens and even cooking spices. Washer and dryers (2 sets) made those accidental stains go away (and provided dry cloths for the trip back). The game room (I guess you could say 2 game rooms) provided lots of entertainment and the large hot tub made the end of day relaxing easy. 2 living rooms and a large screened outside sitting room resulted in relaxing morning coffee and afternoon naps. James took care of us and addressed any/all issues (example was day 1 the hot tub was not coming up to temp fully. It was late when it was discovered so James had the technician out the next day to get it fixed). James even informed me he added “hot tub checks” to his pre-stay checklist. Glenn Arbor isn’t a heavy populated place, so you are rewarded with a quiet environment with short drives to local amenities. I’d definitely stay again!
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Nicholas W.

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

Awesome place!

The house had everything we needed and tons of space for fun activities. I would certainly recommend this for anyone looking for a cool house to stay in a great location!
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2024

8/10 Good

Molly D.

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

First time stay in Glen Arbor for wedding

We had a wonderful first stay in Glen Arbor with a large group including young kids! The property was beautiful, well maintained, and very spacious! The game-room in the garage, private secluded driveway area, and backyard wooded area were especially amazing for our kids. Variety of indoor and outdoor toys and activities which is rare in rentals and was so appreciated. The suite above the garage was perfect for our extended family to have privacy and extra space. The whirlpool was very clean and great size. We all had a nice dip! Huge deck and peaceful screened in sitting area. The whole house was very well stocked. Bathrooms had plenty of towels (note: bring soap, shampoo). Kitchen was well-stocked with appliances, dishes, silverware, etc. Washer/Dryer were a good brand, soap and dryer sheets were generously included, and both worked well. The house is very large and spread out. It was extremely nice to have two living/family room area spaces for when the kids were asleep. The only recommendations or preferences would've been: 1. To have the two loft areas more closed off with a door to drown out sound but our kids slept well with noise machines on; 2. Have a keypad door vs keys for quicker/easier entry but that's personal preference. Owner was very communicative and helpful! Just a short drive down the road to the downtown area, great location and quiet. Would definitely stay again!
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

James G.

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

Annual wine tour with friends and family

Beautiful setting! Private. Plenty of room for 11 adults. Overall one of the best places we stayed in the past 11 years. Spent the evenings out by the fire pit. This home has it all. Thank you for sharing your home.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Dave O.

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

2nd year in a row

We enjoyed our stay so much last year that we booked another week this year. Great place for extended family! Perfect accommodations.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Elizabeth F.

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

Annual Family/Friend Glen Arbor Trip

The house was a perfect fit for our large group. We liked having the ability to spread out and the house was extremely quiet which was a plus with a large group. The location was great, quick bike ride to town or a short walk. There were plenty of things to keep our teenagers/young adults entertained.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Geralyn C.

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

Great place for families!

Loved staying a week at Smitty's GA! Lots of room and amenities for all ages! Comfortable beds, well stocked kitchen, hot tub and exercise/play room! Secluded grounds are beautiful with flowers and woods! Location is easily accessed and close to everything!
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Stacey S.

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

amazing property!

We've been going to TC for years for the BayShore marathon and think we've finally found our little slice of heaven! So spacious and comfortable!
Stayed 4 nights in May 2024

10/10 Excellent

Samina Y.

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

5 days in glen arbor

We had a wonderful stay in this gorgeous house full of so many amenities. Excellent location for the 13 people in our party 16-58 y old. We enjoyed all the multiple spaces, including hot tub, four seasons room, basketball, work out area and fire pit. Everyone was able to have their privacy and there was no issue with bathrooms. The house was very well stocked. This area has so much to do, we had bikes and kayaks, enjoyed beaches, boating on the lake and the small towns including traverse city. Will definitely return.
Stayed 5 nights in May 2024

10/10 Excellent

Jessica S.

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

Great place in Glen Arbor

We stayed here with extended family for a long weekend in the fall of 2023. Beautiful place! Very good location, great communication with the owner & lots to do. Space is large and well appointed. Hot tub was a hit with all ages. Game room + fitness area was great for the kids. We had so much fun! Highly recommend!
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Dave O.

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

A great experience

Excellent decision to stay at Smitty’s GA. Three generations (total of 12 of us, ranging from age 70s to infant). Plenty of room. Kids loved the hot tub and game rooms. Everything previous reviewers have said is true; a great experience!
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Shay C.

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

Amazing private space for family

We had a wonderful week long stay. Very comfortable for our large family. The owners have thought of everything to make things easy and memorable. Great communication with the host James.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Jody A.

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

The 50th wedding anniversary trip of our dreams.

We gathered our adult kids and grandkids (totaling 14) to join us for a week together. We hiked, kayaked, shopped, ate ice cream, and played pickleball. Inside the grandkids were thrilled with the game room and we loved that it was separate from the room we adults enjoyed. The screened in porch is where we spent most of our time. We cooked our meals in the spacious kitchen. The walk to Glen Arbor was easy. And we LOVED all the flowers on the property - gorgeous. The part of the house we loved the most is that it is so spread out! It gave everyone the space they needed, and yet, we were all together.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Deborah E.

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

Great trip!

Beautiful spacious house! We are an extended family of 15 and there was plenty of room for everyone. Owner was very responsive to our needs. If we return to Glen Arbor, this house would be our first choice!
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Cassie B.

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

Great Family Getaway Spot

Absolutely loved this property! We had an extended family of twelve people aged 11-75 who comfortably slept, ate, and played together here for a week. Property is a mile away from Glen Arbor and we walked there more than once. We all enjoyed the hot tub, ping pong table, basketball goal and fire pit. The grounds are beautiful and we were able to use some of the vegetables in the garden and wild berries from the woods. Would definitely book here again!
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Sara M.

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

Perfect for extended families

Property is more sprawling than pictures portray.very quiet wooded area and 1 mile from Glen Arbor. Building is multiple sections, perfect for sleeping children from multiple families. Owner was very responsive. Kitchen is more than amply stocked. Lots to do: grill, hot tub, fire pit, walk in woods, biking to Bear Dunes, Glen Arbor town
Stayed 3 nights in May 2023

10/10 Excellent

Patricia D.

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

Had a great time with family

Very nice beautiful garden
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2022

10/10 Excellent

Dasia M.

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

Great time, great place!

Got married at the sleeping bear dunes s And stayed here for the weekend to enjoy our time and the place was wonderful! Very spacious and nice, we had a lot of fun, thank you so much!
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2022

10/10 Excellent

Teri A.

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

Great host

James was always very quick to respond and answer any questions we had while staying. Listing tells you everything you need to know about the property, there were no surprises! The property has so many cool features and had room for all of our 13 quests to have their own spaces. The location can’t be beat, we will definitely be back!
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2022

10/10 Excellent

Ed B.

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

Up north at the "cottage"

Great house, great location, great owner.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2022

10/10 Excellent

Jay P., ohio

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

Large Home Fit For a Family

6 Bedroom ( all the queen and king beds are pillow top and comfy) , great chef's kitchen, plenty of space to hang out with 2 living rooms. New Hot Tub. The house is spacious but needs more outdoor seating to relax in and big screen TV.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

Vickie A.

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

Beautiful property, great location,

Beautiful, big home with lots of space to gather and have time to yourself. It’s close to the marina and downtown Glen Arbor. My favorite space was the sunroom ! Very peaceful
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

Nancy R.

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

Perfect Family Vacation

James was great to communicate with. Property was beautiful, unique, comfortable, expansive, and private with plenty of room for our 3 generational family with lots to do for everyone. It also was a perfect base for exploring all the area had to offer: hiking, biking, golfing, wine tasting, shopping, beaches, kayaking, and much more! It was a fantastic vacation experience!
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

Colleen A., Cleveland, OH

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

Beautiful, spacious property with everything you need!

Our family of six adults and our combined children were able to spread out comfortably! Smitty's GA has everything you need. We all had fun in the game room, hot tub and fire pit. The screened in back porch is a highlight, as well as the beautiful gardens on the property. James was wonderfully responsive and took care of our every need - we will be back!
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2022

10/10 Excellent

Paul B., Schaumburg, Il.

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

Smitty's GA "Right in the middle of it all"

This property exceeded what we expected from the reviews we read and the pictures we saw. The setting (surrounded by the north woods) was very peaceful..........probably the most relaxed vacation we have ever experienced. The house is great, the gardens are beautiful and it's minutes away from Glen Lake and Lake Michigan. Also minutes away from Glen Arbor which is a great town. To sum up how we liked the property....we are in the process of setting up a return for next year!
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2022

About the host

Hosted by James Smith

Host profile image
My wife and I are were both born in Detroit and grew up in the area with Denice graduating from Wayne State and myself from Ferris State . We met early in 1996, were married in may of 1997, sold our homes, left our jobs, got new jobs, combined two families, bought this home and moved up here to start one new life together in August of 1997. Thinking back it makes us tired just to tell the story

Why they chose this property

Go out on the deck at midnight on a clear summer night and look up - you will begin to understand.

What makes this property unique

I am allowed 2000 characters to explain why and its probably not enough. Maybe it was the tree frog stuck to the glass of our front door during a warm summer rain. Maybe it was the distant howling of coyotes deep in the woods late at night or then again maybe it was the cement trucks buried in the mud up to their fenders a hundred yards into a forest (our front yard) during construction.
Or maybe it was just the countless other construction projects done for others or the days, weeks and years of us working out of town to make this all possible.
In the end it simply comes down to the land, the magnificent water that abounds in the area, the unpredictable climate and what we have gone through to tame this land and build a home that provides us constant comfort in an unpredictable changing climate.
We have slowly over 15 years time, carved our homestead out of what, after a storm has knocked out power for few days, sometimes seems like pure wilderness. This is such a beautiful place but when a late November windstorm roars in from the West, and the leafless trees are swaying 10 feet at the tops or a mid-winter snowstorm from the North drifts 3 feet of snow on the deck the day before the temperature plummets to zero, we are reminded that our presence at our quiet little place in the woods is up to the good graces of mother nature.
And that's okay we prefer it that way.

Languages:

English

Premier Host

They consistently provide great experiences for their guests