Visiting Michigan in the fall always means a trip "Up North", and these cottages are everything I…read morelove about Northern Michigan. They sit right on Higgins Lake which is still as clear as I remember it as a kid, all tucked away in these beautiful trees. Our cabin (the "gray lady") was immaculately clean with all the comforts of home (even cable tv!) and had a fire pit outside where we roasted marshmallows at night. There was also some kayaks and canoe for use and a nice bar-b-que grill. But it's actually within walking distance to a pretty good little rustic bar and restaurant...so we just walked there both nights for dinner. Honestly I don't know why anyone would stay in a hotel up north when you can have a whole house on the water for less money! This will definitely be my go-to cottages for trips Up North when I visit Michigan from now on!

The location is absolutely gorgeous! We stayed in the Brass Bell which is closest to the lake but…read morealso the smallest of the three cabins. There is a very tiny stretch of sand and two long docks to access crystal clear, shallow water that seems to go on forever. Perfect for little kids! The downside is the people in the other cabins are constantly walking by to access the water so there is no privacy whatsoever. The people were very nice and friendly so it wasn't too bad. The Brass Bell is a very cute, nicely decorated, updated, teeny tiny cabin. I think it's worth the price considering it's right on the water, but it wasn't comfortable for our family of four. Thankfully, our kids are little (4 and 8) or it would have been unbearable. There wasn't a single closet or anywhere to put clothes or a suitcase. We stored the kids clothes in the tv entertainment cabinet and our clothes on the floor of the tiny bedroom! Suitcases had to be stored in the car. Also, the full sized bed was so squeaky, you couldn't even change position without waking up the other person. I hope the owner considers getting a new bed. It was horrible. The exterior/deck was very dirty with sand, dirt and spider webs everywhere!! Needed a good power washing. We didn't even use the kayaks because they were so gross with spider webs. The cabin is a great price for the location but more appropriate for 1-2 people, not a family.

Such a quaint and cozy place! The proprietors were very nice. We really enjoyed our stay!read more

Cute place & reasonably priced. Don't be fooled by the outside appearance - it looks like a basic…read moremotel but is much nicer. I went with my boyfriend and another couple for Tip Up Town weekend and stayed in a unit they called a condo. From the outside it looks like a motel room, inside it had a small living room with a futon & a chair, a small kitchen area with a round table & 2 bedrooms separated by a bathroom. It was perfect for the price, $170 a night. We brought food & cooked our breakfast & dinner, saving $'s. The inside reminded me of a 1950's cabin with it's knotty pine walls and moose decorations. The key things though were the shower worked with lot's of hot water, the beds were comfy - double beds - (a bit small though if you're a big guy like my boyfriend), but we managed. Bob the owner has a fire pit set up outside & that was a great place to end the evening chatting with the other guests. The first night we brought out our ipod & speaker and had a bit of a bonfire party, a good time was had by all. Night 2 we had the fire roaring again, but a bit more low key. I would definitely recommend, we're already planning our trip back there for next year. Living room had a tv (old style) but cable, note there was no oven (surprise, no way to cook our frozen pizza) in the kitchen & a 2 burner gas stove top.

We were headed up to a cabin in Bellaire on a Friday evening, but unexpected ice derailed us. We…read morestopped off the highway about an hour and a half from our destination in search of a place to hunker down for the evening. Thankfully, Powers Lodge was open and not too far from the highway. It was around 9:00 p.m., and we ran to the front. The lights were off but the open sign was on. After ringing the door bell a few times, a man emerged and told us he had vacancy (not particularly surprising, all things considered). It looks as if the primary residence opens up into the front desk, so they're always there should someone press the bell. Unfortunately, we discovered that they don't take credit cards (in 2018), which is incredibly inconvenient at a time when many don't carry cash anymore. We ran to an ATM down the road and came back. The lodging is broken up into non-connected, individual cabins. The privacy is enticing. It's everything else that brings down my opinion of the place. The inside of our cabin had an incredibly potent odor - an unfortunate mixture of old air freshener, stale cleaning chemicals and a grassy funk. This wouldn't have been too bad had the smell not been so pronounced and somewhat nauseating. Compounding matters was the shabby bathroom. The shower is incredibly small - barely the width of someone's body. The shower head was below my head (I'm 6'0"). The hot water runs out after about five minutes or so. There's also a rather steep drop down from the shower floor to the bathroom floor (which is precious space that could have freed up room for those who are taller than 5'8" or so). I almost fell getting out. The bathroom itself was hardly insulated, so going to the bathroom meant you went from warm to freezing, even if you left the door open. Oh, and the towels they provide smell like moth balls. It could have been worse, but not by much. The price is pretty low ($60 a night), yet I still feel like I got less than I paid for. Only go here if you're in a crunch.

Very good place to stay me and my friends go there every year we have lots of fun looking forward…read moreto coming this year.

We have stayed twice so far and are planning on many more night here. We tried another motel near…read moreby and it was horrible. We will always go back to Leota. Tracy at the front desk goes out of her way to help and make you comfortable. The rooms are comfortable, clean and cozy.

Nice clean hotel the people that own it are great. Beds comfortable, shower has good water pressure…read moreand it's clean !!

I highly recommend. Shady Valley is a great place my wife…read moreand i had a wonderfull time. I caught a 16" bass right off the dock they have a boat you can use or rent a motorboat or a pontoon. Mike and Deb B

Unwelcoming and Hostile: We arrived to the park after a long day on the road to see a Trump 2020…read moreflag waving at the RV park's official entrance. When we pulled in, we were approached by a park attendant person who was maskless and refused to give us any appropriate distance. When we expressed our discomfort with the situation, we were told by the park attendant that "if you're not for Trump, you better haul ass." So we left. There are too many beautiful, welcoming, and safe places in Michigan to be stuck spending the night here.

Lori the owner and staff again made our visit to West Branch great. Such a quaint and comfortable…read moreplace to stay with full hookup. They also have seasonal sites and can fill propane tanks.

This place is a hidden gem very friendly staff, clean room…read moreand biker friendly They have a wonderful pond out front where they have seating and a fire pit and along with a gazebo in the middle of the pond Rooms that open right up to the outside where you can sit and enjoy the evening Inexpensive and close to restaurants and party stores Definitely will come back huge thank you to the lady at the office was amazingly helpful and made the stay that much better with her suggestions about where to go in the area If you're on your motorcycle and need to stop for any reason, stop here

Though it showed some wear and tear (a few scuffs on the walls, edges of wallpaper peeling away,…read moresome holes in carpet), my room was generally clean and comfortable. Refrigerator and microwave were placed on top of the desk, so if you were planning to bring some work (as I often do but fortunately didn't have to on this trip) you won't find much space to do it. Bed was a little soft, but I still slept well. So, nothing great, but a less expensive and quieter alternative to the places in West Branch near I-75. I would have no problem going back.

We booked on a whim 4 years ago and have been coming back ever since. It's the perfect place to…read morejust relax and enjoy our family. We can't wait for our trip this summer.

I've stayed at Houghton Lake several times and this is the best place I have stayed. Here's what I…read moreliked: * Nicki was an awesome host. Great communication. Very relaxed atmosphere. * We rented all 5 cottages for extended family. They were clean, the beds were very comfortable and the AC worked well. They also had smart TVs which was a plus. * We loved the common space between all of the cabins. We set things up there the first night (corn hole, tents, sand toys for the beach, extra chairs) and left them up the whole week. And there was no need to bring the above equipment because it was all provided by the resort. * The beach was large for a private resort and clean. * We rented a boat from Brian's marina for the week and were able to tie it to the dock. Very easy access for a novice boater. * The location is perfect. Restaurants and Walmart are close by. Thanks for a great vacation Nicki!