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 were by several years ago when our family was much smaller, and when Airbnb was still in…read morebusiness. This was a experiment for us then and we keep coming back because it's a great place to stop. It's nicely located between South Haven and Saint Joseph. It's got friendly managers and owners who work with you. It is very kid friendly. It is relatively close to a whole pile of beaches and farms in Vineyard things. It's a win.

This place is wonderful. The owners are always improving something. All cottages are well kept and…read morevery clean. Highly recommend.

Quaint, historic, local bed and breakfast. We had a great stay on a Saturday night at the end of…read morethe summer. It is not far from town and there is free parking. Rashid was so welcoming and kind. Our room was clean and had a super comfortable bed and pillows! The bathroom was very spacious and everything worked great. The breakfast was delicious--yogurt, omelets, waffles, and potatoes! Much more than a continental breakfast at a hotel. This was our first time staying in an historic bed and breakfast, but it will not be our last!

This was my first B&B experience and I'll admit; I was kind of worried. I feel awkward staying in…read moresomeone else's home with complete strangers. However, when you think about it, it is still somewhat like a hotel. So I gave it a shot. I genuinely appreciated the hospitality of the property manager. He made my stay exceptionally comfortable and did so with a smile on his face. He went above and beyond to accommodate my gluten free diet to the utmost level; an example is making me GF waffles. I thoroughly enjoyed sitting outside on the front porch the next morning having breakfast brought out to me. My room was very clean and tidy. The bed was so comfy! I could have slept all day....but coffee started at 7 and breakfast was 8-10; so I needed to get myself up & att'um. You could tell some upgrades had been done to the property while still keeping the historic-ness alive. The property was right across from the venue of the wedding I was attending. Purely a happy accident! Not that parking was an issue, but I was happy to have been able to walk to the wedding and keep my parking spot. Water bottles were at our disposal in the mini fridge in the dining room and tea was always available. The key code entry made me feel very safe and I had my own key to my room. I thought it'd be noisy with a room right off the stairs but I was mistaken. I really enjoyed my stay. I suggest some repairs to the shower in the beechwood room, better wifi to accommodate the # of guests, and more attention to the landscaping of the property. I didn't see any other employees on the grounds and I feel like this property manager has a lot on his plate/does most of the work. I highly encourage he hire a grounds crew to help him maintain the land so he has less to do. There are many overgrown plants and some brushes that need to be tended to.

We spent two days at this B&B and it was the most relaxing time Ihave had in months…read more The property was well cared for from the grounds to the individual rooms. Each room had a different theme of Michigan lifestyles. No expense was spared in restoring this B&B. Beds were comfortable, and the innkeeper, Sheila prepared a sumptuous dinner and breakfast for us during our stay. The screened in porch overlooked a lush meadow bordered by natural woods teaming with birds and local wildlife. Numerous well stocked ponds are throughout the property For those angler guests. This estate reflects the owners desire to be a quiet tranquill getaway for her guests. A true find in the area.

This is a peaceful, hospitable and relaxing B&B. The website does not do this place justice..it…read morereally is tastefully and thoughtfully decorated. Much attention to details in every room. The beds were cozy, the whirlpool tub was perfect, it was spotless, the grounds were gorgeous, the kitchen was open and breakfast was good, the innkeeper was very kind and generous, it was away from the road and quiet. I could go on and on. It really is a great B&B. Every room is beautiful and updated. I highly recommend Allegan Country Inn!

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.

Highly recommended rental agency. They have a full-time staff dedicated to taking care of guests if…read moreany problems or questions come up during your stay.

Some of the most hard working rental agents I have gotten to know…read more Very wide selection of offerings from Condos, Lake Front Homes to retreats for that special occasion.

An outstanding experience. Location is well laid out and rooms are beautifully designed. The hosts…read moreare salt of the Earth people. Highly recommend for a romantic weekend near South Haven.

Great bed n breakfast. Food is awesome. Rooms are clean & well decorated. Hosts communicate well…read more Been here 3x & definitely a go to place in SW Michigan