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The “Lake House," Begin Making Your Memories Here-PONTOON INCLUDED!

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the "Lake House"
Back Yard
Relax, you are at the Lake House! Two of 7 porch or balconeys
“Row, Row, Row your boat . . .
It Gets Better!
Reviews
10

Exceptional

5 bedrooms2+ bathroomsSleeps 14269 sq m

Popular amenities

  • Outdoor space
    Outdoor spaceOutdoor space
  • Barbecue grill
    Barbecue grillBarbecue grill
  • Pet-friendly
    Pet-friendlyPet-friendly
  • Washer
    WasherWasher
  • Kitchen
    KitchenKitchen
  • Air conditioning
    Air conditioningAir conditioning

Check-in time

2:30 PM

Check-out time

10:00 AM

Explore the area

Map
Middleville, MI
  • Popular LocationYankee Springs Recreation Area3 min drive
  • Popular LocationGun Lake7 min drive
  • Popular LocationGun Lake Casino16 min drive
  • AirportKalamazoo, MI (AZO-Kalamazoo-Battle Creek Intl.)50 min drive

Rooms & beds

5 bedrooms (sleeps 14)

Bedroom 1 (Main Floor)

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 2, south bedroom

1 Queen Bed and 1 Double Bed

Bedroom 3, North Bedroom

1 Queen Bed and 1 Double Bed

Bedroom 4

1 Single Bed, 1 Double Bed and 1 Crib

Bedroom 5, East bedroom

2 Single Beds

2 bathrooms, 1 half bathroom

Bathroom 1, contains wash/dryer

Towels provided · Toilet · Hair dryer

Bathroom 2

Towels provided · Toilet · Shower only · Hair dryer

Bathroom 3,

Towels provided · Bathtub or shower · Bidet · Toilet

Spaces

Deck or patio
Porch or lanai
Kitchen
Balcony
Garden
Dining Area

About this property

The “Lake House," Begin Making Your Memories Here-PONTOON INCLUDED!

Book now for the remainder of 2024.
Centennial Homestead with private beach located on the south end of beautiful, 187 acre private-spring fed, BARLOW LAKE, located in Middleville, Michigan, approximately 25 minutes south of Grand Rapids. Sleeps 15 comfortably, 3 queen beds, 3 full beds, 3 twin beds, and a pack n play. Bring your suit, the water's warm, bring your own boat too! Pet Friendly ( up to 2, each must be less than 30 lbs, Fee: $250/ per Pet)
Also, an IDEAL LOCATION FOR WEDDINGS, QUINCEANERAS, or other celebrations:
for additional Fee ( inquire for additional information)

Property manager

Louise "Ellie" Johnson
Premier Host
Premier Host

Languages

English

Amenities

Kitchen
Washer
Dryer
Pet-friendly
Free WiFi
Air conditioning
Property grounds
Pine Lake Overlook- Lakeside house, hot tub w/ a view! Pontoon rental options!
Hot tub
Kitchen
Washer
Dryer
9.8 out of 10, (81 reviews)
Pine Lake Overlook- Lakeside house, hot tub w/ a view! Pontoon rental options!

House Rules

Check in after 2:30 PM
Check out before 10:00 AM

Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17

Events

Events allowed: family gatherings, birthday parties, weddings
Perfect for weddings/reunion up to 125 guests

Pets

Pets allowed: dogs less than 23 kg per pet (limit 2 pets total)
Max of two pets and the pet fee of $250 is per pet

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted
Additional Pet = $250.00 per pet

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
Parties and events (including family gatherings, birthday parties and weddings) are allowed on site. Maximum attendees: 99
Note from host: Perfect for weddings/reunion up to 125 guests
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

Middleville

Located in Middleville, this holiday home is near theme parks and on the beach. Golf Club at Thornapple Pointe and Craig's Cruisers are worth checking out if an activity is on the agenda, while those in the mood for shopping can visit Tanger Factory Outlet Center and Centerpointe Mall. Travelling with kids? Consider Patterson Ice Center, or check out an event or a game at MSA Fieldhouse. Make sure you get close to the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.
Map
Middleville, MI

What's nearby

  • Yankee Springs Recreation Area - 3 min drive
  • Gun Lake - 7 min drive
  • Gun Lake Casino - 16 min drive
  • Davenport University - 24 min drive
  • Gilmore Car Museum - 40 min drive

Getting around

  • Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GRR) - 30 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Curley Cone - ‬7 min drive
  • ‪Red's Sports Bar and Grill - ‬13 min drive
  • ‪Grimsby Hollow Meadery - ‬14 min drive
  • ‪Judd's Bar and Grille - ‬10 min drive
  • ‪Bay Pointe Inn & Restaurant - ‬16 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is The “Lake House," Begin Making Your Memories Here-PONTOON INCLUDED! pet-friendly?

Yes, this property allows dogs (limit 2 total) with a maximum weight of up to 23 kg per pet.

What time is check-in at The “Lake House," Begin Making Your Memories Here-PONTOON INCLUDED!?

Check-in begins at 2:30 PM.

What time is check-out at The “Lake House," Begin Making Your Memories Here-PONTOON INCLUDED!?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is The “Lake House," Begin Making Your Memories Here-PONTOON INCLUDED! located?

Nestled on the beach, this Middleville holiday home is 2.8 mi (4.4 km) from Gun Lake and 3 mi (4.8 km) from Yankee Springs Recreation Area. Gun Lake Casino is 9.5 mi (15.3 km) away.

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. 48 out of 52 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 4 out of 52 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 52 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 52 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 52 reviews" "

9.8/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

9.6/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Jeff L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Lake House
Ellie was awesome. Place was great.
Stayed 5 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Demi S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Amazing!
We used this property for our wedding venue:) The host made everything so easy for us and was easy to communicate with and so friendly! The house had so much character and was a stunning backdrop for our wedding. The yard is huge and our guests enjoyed being on the water! We couldn’t have asked for a better location for our wedding! We look forward to staying here again!
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Frank G.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great Time for a Family Gathering!
We celebrated a Wedding Shower with our family and had a great time, Ellie was an excellent host! The outdoor patio/pontoon/row boat were all an added bonus.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Mark P.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great Family Vacation Property
We really enjoyed our stay. We cruised the lake on the pontoon boat and caught a lot of pan fish. The water was nice and we did some swimming, wading and boating. Large beautiful backyard. The house was very cozy and met all our needs. Thanks again Ellie and John.
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Robin D.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Robin
We all enjoyed our stay in the Lake House. The kids enjoyed the beach area, big kids enjoyed fishing off the dock and pontoon. both enjoyed kayaking and playing in the beautiful, clean lake! We all had great family time roasting marshmallows, making meals together, and spending evenings together! Ellie was a great host answering all our questions!
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Arthur M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
4th of July family lake trip
Nice lake atmosphere with a large home that works well for 12 people.
Stayed 5 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Suzi R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Wonderful Vacation House
A beautiful house on a beautiful lake. We had a great time and can't wait to go back!
Stayed 5 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Jim B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great Property
Had a great week and everything went smoothly
Stayed 8 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Michael H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Very comfortable. Great location on the lake.
Nice for a family vacation. Comfortable, relaxing.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

Janet S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Peaceful lakefront property, a short ride to the city...
My family really enjoyed this beautiful home. It had enough rooms for everyone. The lake is beautiful. Boat rides are a plus! We took outings to both Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids. This property has everything, including location, location, location!
Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2022

10/10 Excellent

Allison G.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Beautiful home
Property was excellent. Ellie was so great to work with. I used as my wedding venue and it was the most magical day ever.
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2022

10/10 Excellent

Chris Z.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Chris and Kim's Wedding
We had our wedding with 70 of our family and friends at the lake house. Ellie was absolutely great! She was so helpful with any questions and went above and beyond helping us with our setup for the wedding! Would definitely recommend staying there, and we will definitely return for future vacations!
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2022

10/10 Excellent

Elizabeth H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great spot!
Nice big house , the pictures really don’t do it justice. The owner was very fast to respond to questions and issues. Having the boat there was great but it’s pretty old, slow & had some issues (they fixed ASAP). We still really enjoyed it though! Water was nice and warm but the shallow area has rocks & is a little mucky. Tons of beds but I was super bummed to find out the crib is in a hallway. Baby goes to bed first so that would never work. They luckily had a pack & play though so she slept in our room. Tons of towels provided. Was very clean. Huge beautiful yard.
Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2022

10/10 Excellent

Mary C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
2022 vacation
We had a wonderful long weekend at the lake house plenty of room for a family of 14. Yard is huge and beach area is very nice with Adirondack chairs and fire ring. The dock does have some issues but it worked for fishing off of . The pontoon was a hit with the family. Only recommendation would upgrade mattress in master. Overall we created some wonderful memories on Barlow lake house.
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2022

10/10 Excellent

William E.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Yearly family vacation
The house, yard, beach, and lake were great. Had a wonderful time. Sleeping was a little tight, but it all worked out.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

Jane A.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Family vacation
For our fiftieth wedding anniversary we invited our three children and their families for a summer vacation at The Lake House. The house was plenty big for all of us and our grandchildren had a lot of fun. There is plenty to do outside and even if it rains, we had enough space indoors to play games and just relax. We highly recommend it.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

Lisa L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Beautiful Lake House
The lake house was a perfect fit for our 2 families. The house was very spacious and came with everything we needed. Ellie was quick to respond to any questions or concerns. Barlow Lake is beautiful, clean and loved that it included the pontoon and kayaks. We will defiantly be back.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

Nick O.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great place for families to hang out.
The house was as described. We loved the historic feel of the place. The kitchen had every pot, pan, cookie sheet, utensil, etc you could need. We were able to cook meals without need of anything extra. The beds were comfortable and there were lots of extra pillows. The pontoon was a great bonus. It fits 6 adults comfortably, so be mindful if you have a larger group. The boat ran just fine and the lake was easy to navigate. There are shallow spots close to shore all around the lake and we found a couple nice places to throw anchor and swim and fish. We caught a ton of bluegill. The kids really enjoyed how easy it was to fish. The yard is enormous. Plenty of room for a full on wiffle ball game. Tourism in the area is pretty high. If you plan to grab dinner in the area with a larger group, call ahead for reservations. There were 8 of us and on a Tuesday at 5:00, we struck out at three places before we found one that could fit us. :-) 8 people in the house was just right for us. If we had more than that, it woulda felt a bit cramped (if we were all in the same room). It’s an older house, so there are plenty of places to get away if you stuck inside with rain. There are also a couple of porches that are covered. Overall, we really enjoyed the location and the house.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

henry s.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Family fun
We had a wonderful time!
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2022

10/10 Excellent

Randy/Sue J.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Family Vacation
We had a great time with everyone in our group enjoying many things such as boating, fishing, kayaking, and swimming. One issue with internet issues was solved quickly by our host. Great family fun place.
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2022

10/10 Excellent

Jean S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Relaxing stay at this unique lake house
We had a wonderful long weekend stay at this quaint, beautifully restored landmark, not far from Grand Rapids. The owner, Ellie, took good care of us, answered all our needs and even took us on a boat ride before leaving us alone for the weekend. The place was very clean and the kitchen well stocked for cooking. The pontoon boat was a nice bonus for us too!
Stayed 4 nights in May 2022

10/10 Excellent

Robin W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
A lovely home on a quiet lake
We stayed here with our children and grandchildren. The place is just like it looks in the pictures. I would advise water shoes because of the rocks in the water. We did use the pontoon many times and it worked well. The fishing was fabulous! This home is obviously loved and you feel like you are a welcome guest. Since it was 90° when we were there we were very happy to have central air conditioning.
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2021

10/10 Excellent

Wayne P.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Enjoyable week at this pleasantly unique property with spacious lawn.
Ellie is the gracious and accommodating host of this nicely restored and decorated 150+ year old house (merged houses), surrounded by mature catalpa and walnut trees on a large (approx. 300’ x 500’ lot, featuring about 100’ of lakefront. Western Michigan’s perfect sunny and warm mid-August weather enhanced our stay, allowing unlimited use of the very gradual sandy beach and wide selection of watercraft. The 9 of us swam, floated, cruised, and fished a perfectly sized, only modestly active, warm, clean and private Barlow Lake. Virtually everything we needed, or could want, was provided or available nearby.
Stayed 9 nights in Aug 2021

10/10 Excellent

Laura L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
LakeHouse Luxury
Our week at the LakeHouse is one of the best family vacations we have ever had. Ellie is an amazing host and we even got to meet her parents and spend some time on their property enjoying a beautiful creek and rope swing that the children absolutely loved. The home and property are more than we could have imagined. The house is large and beautiful, very well kept and had everything we could possibly have needed. Upon arrival, the home was the most clean that we have experienced with our VRBO rentals. Having a pontoon boat (at no extra charge), row boat, raft to swim to and play on, along with three kayaks is something we have not had with other rentals. Everything from the kitchen and living areas to the beds and linens exceeded our expectations. We spent much time on the spacious front porch and back decks. A strong storm came through causing us to lose power but we had everything we needed to make things work for 2 nights and one day. It was truly an adventure for all. No internet (yay!), lots of scary stories and groping around in the dark. Several of our grandchildren told us that this was their favorite house so far and they loved our time there. Thank you Ellie for such a great vacation! We will be back but unsure when. It's really tough finding a week that we can all make work.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2021

10/10 Excellent

Cathie B.

Liked: Check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Memories made
We had a wonderful time at the Lakehouse. The house was perfect for our family of 6 adults and 4 kids. We swam and used the boats and kayaks. Our host Ellie was fantastic, she responded very quickly to any questions. I would highly recommend this beautiful vacation home.

About the host

Hosted by Louise "Ellie" Johnson

Host profile image
Great, Great, Great Grand daughter to original settlers Naomi and Gladeon Briggs; the house is actually two homes. The original home was built in 1857, and the east side of the house was a home located on the north end of Barlow Lake. This house built in 1867 and attached to the original homestead by dragging the structure with a team of horses across the frozen waters of Barlow Lake during a cold January day.

Why they chose this property

Begin Making your Memories Now- Centennial Homestead with private beach, PONTOON INCLUDED. We are located on the south end of beautiful spring fed Barlow Lake, approximately 25 minutes south of Grand Rapids. 5 bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths, sleeps 12-14 comfortably; not including our full size Amish built baby crib. Bring your suit, the water is warm, or bring your own boat! Ideal location for winter activities, ice fishing, cross country skiing and snowmobiling; also the Gun Lake Casino and Tanger Outlet Mall are only minutes away. HOLD YOUR WEDDING HERE for an additional fee, (Max 125 guests) or perfect lodging for wedding guests from Bowens Mill Weddings for a Lifetime, a mere 500 yards away. Enjoy your Christmas, New Years, and other holiday celebrations; light the fireplace and enjoy the fall and winter seasons. Please contact Ellie to begin making your Memories at the LAKE HOUSE!n Fury family members are welcome for an additional fee of $250/per pet, max of two.

Languages:

English

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