My time at The Red Spirit was just what I needed. It is a perfect place for a retreat, so peaceful…read moreand quiet. I spent time slow walking in the woods and just contemplating the reflections in the pond. The comfortable lodgings added to my restful experience. Karen's cherry pie is the best ever, an unexpected treat. I definitely recommend The Red Spirit as an excellent retreat center. Pat C. Oak Park, IL

From the owner: The Red Spirit Retreat Center offers rental space in a rustic, private nature setting. Located in…read moreSouthwest Michigan just south of Saugatuck and two miles from the beaches of Lake Michigan, the center supports sustainable practices in the middle of twenty acres of a diverse and beautiful forest. A one-acre pond, woodland trails and three facilities offer space.

We received accomodations at 818 Golfview. I think the accomodations were excellent. However, the…read moreonly part that I did not like was the fact that the checkin crew gave us the wrong keys for the house that we rented initially, so we had to drive all the way back to get the keys. Also, be warned that you need to get the keys before 6pm as their office closes by then. Also, if you are driving from Chicago to Michigan, the time changes to an hour ahead so keep that in mind when you are obtaining your keys.

Stay away from this management company or you loose money…read more There are lots of issues with the rental unit and it shows clearly the bad management. The water is not hot enough to take shower, both showers had issues with water. there are lots of aunts and spiders in the house and many of them went to our luggage. The fire place was broken. The beds are not comfortable. The kitchen equipment was not enough to make food. Dishwasher was not working properly. We called th hem multiple times and no one answered. Even their rental units have the highest price and their units have many unacceptable issues, they don't return most of your security deposit because of stupid reasons like you left the towel on the floor or you didn't clean the dishwasher. Their units looks good only in photos. Stay away from this management company or you loose money.

Thoroughly enjoyed our family reunion at the Inn. We had 43 people with 3 generations and the spot…read moreis awesome. Dan & Amber are great to work with and are so helpful with their recommendations and help with planning. We are so glad we chose Hop & Inn.

We stayed here this weekend for the first time, and it's a very nice B&B. It's located in Fennville…read morebut is more like Saugatuck - it's right off the Blue Star Highway - great location that was close to everywhere we wanted to visit. Amber, one of the owners, greeted us, and is very welcoming - she showed us to our room, the Blue Satin, and told us a little bit about the B&B. The Blue Satin is a suite - you enter from the main building, then go up a flight of stairs to access it. We had a bedroom which was next to a sitting area with a couch and a hot tub, and there's a wall with a fireplace that separates the two rooms. Our bathroom also had a "skylight" of sorts, which was nice because we didn't have to put the regular light on that often. The bed was SUPER comfortable and I especially liked the duvet. Breakfast the next morning had a large variety of things to choose from, including different breads, cereals, drinks (coffee, OJ, milk, chocolate milk, guava juice), and even some hot foods such as eggs, sausage, and tater tots. The Hop & Vine also has a partnership with Fenn Valley Vineyards - they gave us a coupon good for two wine tastings, which we definitely used (nice perk!). The B&B also has a pool and areas for kids to play, such as an outdoor play structure and a volleyball court. If you're visiting with your family, they also have townhomes that you can rent, which are within the main building but have separate entrances. Would definitely stay here again! Everything was super cute and also very comfortable.

Quaint cottages as a management service has done an excellent job managing our vacation rental.read more

Ethan Barde is the owner of Quaint Cottages. A rental was paid for by 4 young women and mothers…read morethrough Airbnb. While the women were asleep, a drunk trespasser entered their rented Quaint Cottage due to a faulty lock system, and the women awoke in the morning to find the trespasser still in their home. The police were contacted, and the trespasser left with no harm to the women. Thankfully, no one was hurt in this traumatic incident. Sadly, this has not been the case for all women in these situations. This incident does not meet Airbnb qualifications for a refund and the host, Ethan Barde, has also rejected the women in returning their money for their stay by advocating for the house's unreliable "smart" lock system and wrongfully logged lock status. Since there was an error in the lock system, the police report states that there was no forced entry. Forced entry is a terrifying thought. However, a stranger walking right into your already unfamiliar rental unit because of a nonfunctioning lock system is another thing. This is an injustice in my community of women, and I'd hate for it to go any further. My friend and I have also worked with Ethan in renting this home. What if this had been a family with children? This is how Ethan Barde and Airbnb treat their customers and families that keep their businesses running. Your money will be taken as if it's not a business transaction between business people. Ethan will fight to have your money as if it is his right and leave you with no rights to safety within his establishments. Business is not your right when safety is compromised within your business. A full refund is the least of what is owed to these women and mothers.

There's a guestbook in The Artist's Cottage at 2452 Lakeshore Drive in Fennville, Michigan 49408…read morethat I intended to sign, but my daughter did it for me better than I could anyhow. It was like something out of 'The Gilmore Girls' in that it also made no sense to me, but was cute and ultimately worthy of preservation. I'd perused the earlier entries to the guestbook - many enthusiastic about their bed's proximity to Lake Michigan and listening to the waves at night. I sleep with a fan. I left it at The Artist's Cottage on the nightstand by my bed in the upstairs. By the time the van broke down outside Friendship, Arkansas I'd convinced myself I also left three towels and my favorite pair of almost nice boots, but at this point all but the fan's been accounted for. Consider it my gift to those of you less enthusiastic about waves crashing into your otherwise perfectly ordinary dreams. But I digress... This is, afterall, supposed to be a review of something other than me, myself, or I. The proprietor - the Don, if you will - of The Artist's Cottage is sharing his dad's story with you; inviting you to immerse yourself in it. It's a completely unique experience and I guess I simply felt honored to be in it. Everywhere is the art and artistry of William Carr (aka, also known as, "Bill") Olendorf (1925-1996). Bill was an advertising salesman in 1951 when he spent part of his vacation at Ox-Bow, a summer art school in Saugatuck, Michigan that I think is still around. Of it Bill later said when at Ox-Bow that he was "enveloped in the art world." He also said that "the world is filled with beauty and art should record something of that beauty." You can see these sentiments in his art. You get to experience it firsthand as a guest in The Artist's Cottage. Awesome! Bill Olendorf became well-known for a particular pen-and-ink technique he called "formula drawing." He described it as starting with a single line with all others connected to it. Using this technique he illustrated scenes in Chicago and other places as well. There's examples throughout The Artist's Cottage that almost look like etchings, and are quite muted compared to the other pieces adorning the walls. Spend some time after being lucky enough to find one on the wall and follow its lines. These pieces have a specific sense of motion special to them. There's a sketchbook on the coffee table as well, but I prefer scouring the walls myself. I'm no expert but Bill's paintings, much more obviously featured throughout The Artist's Cottage on all the walls, strike me in the style of the Impressionist, and I found myself looking in them often. One upstairs bed is positioned in a kind of nook between two paintings and feels like its own magical oasis unto itself following a day of searching for more beach glass along the shore of Lake Michigan. The studio-cottage was built in 2003 to honor and maintain Bill's artwork by his son, Don Olendorf. Get it? The Don? There is information displayed among the paintings regarding Bill's career. If you really like Bill's artwork they have affordable prints, serigraphs, drawings, and books available for purchase. And if you really really like Bill's artwork, there are a limited number of acrylic paintings on hand, too. The Artist's Cottage is ideally located for easy access to Saugatuck, Fennville, and South Haven. Grand Haven, Holland and St. Joseph are also just a little bit further away. We spent quite a bit of time in Portage, Michigan and visited Grandville, Michigan with ease as well. Grand Junction, Michigan has an old bridge worth seeing, and folks tell me the Pullman Tavern in nearby Pullman, Michigan has become a respectable establishment you can be proud to be seen drinking in. You kind of have to find traffic to get stuck in if you are missing it visiting from a big city, and watchout for the deer especially if driving at night through the Allegan County Forest for which Fennville has been long recognized as a gateway. The beach at The Artist's Cottage is accessed via private stairs. There's a Bocce Ball set on the main deck, and you can use the kayak (at your own risk) and build a beach fire (on calm days) in the beach's fire ring. There is a hose outside The Artist's Cottage you can use to rinse the sand from your feet before entering. It can work for other soilings as well, so long as easily water-soluble. I am so biased you don't even know but even if I weren't I'd still give The Artist's Cottage top marks. 5 out of 5. 10 out of 10. Mostly because the proprietors care. They want you to have a good time. All you have to do is not be a jackass and you're going to have a great time at a once-in-in-a-lifetime experience in an under-appreciated location that your friends don't even know about yet. You don't deserve this, but you can get it anyway if you hurry.

We just had a relaxing stay at the Black House on Beech, a Juniper Holiday + Home in the charming…read moreVillage of Three Oaks, MI. The company provided a detailed manual of instructions, attractions, and notes (Wi-Fi, lock box) prior to check-in. We were also surprised with some sweet treats and a bottle of wine upon arrival. The Black House on Beech is a small stunner called The Starling. Perhaps The Startling might be more apropos because it is a 2-story 3BR, 2BA house on a small footprint painted a pure matte black. Inside is modern and simple, decorated in black and white. They've considered every comfort -- there's a sauna, a hot tub, fire pit and hammock-- outside. Connect to the house Wi-Fi, watch a movie, play some tunes on the turntable, challenge your companions to a few board games--inside. Or walk a few minutes to Staymaker Restaurant at Journeyman Distillery, stock up on staples at Froehlich's Kitchen & Pantry, or enjoy a casual lunch/brunch at Oaks Eatery. This is a fine getaway for a small group or family. We only had a small mixup with the Wi-Fi but they were very responsive and this was cleared up right away. All the amenities at a small and quiet oasis. We didn't use the sauna but will be ready to try it on a return visit.

Some girlfriends and I celebrated a 50th birthday at Sunset Manor, an absolutely amazing lakefront…read morehome in Grand Beach, MI. The house was beautifully appointed, with a fantastic pool, hot tub, and breathtaking views. But more important than the house was the service and the "little extras" provided by Juniper Holiday + Home. From start to finish, they communicated everything we needed, making the trip easy and enjoyable. When we asked questions about the area and concierge services for our celebration, they were attentive and helpful. I can't say enough great things about the entire experience--my friend loved every moment of her celebratory vacation!

My husband and I planned a vacation through Anchor Point Premier Vacation Rentals. We'd never used…read morethem before. Let me just say they will be booking All of our weekend get aways and week long visits in Beautiful South Haven, Michigan from now on!! They cared for us as if we were family and our customer service "specialist" Emily, went Above and Beyond answering questions and did Everything to make sure our stay was perfect, relaxing and complete. Thank You, Emily!! And Anchor Point Premier!! You put Excellence in your service!

From the owner: Welcome to Anchor Point Premier Vacations, your gateway to unforgettable luxury family vacations in…read morethe picturesque paradise of South Haven, Michigan, and its surrounding areas. We are a premier vacation rental company dedicated to curating exceptional stays that create cherished memories for families seeking the perfect getaway.