Welcome to The Cottages on Sand Lake, our family vacation spot. The Retreat is the main house on our property. It's our largest but is not located directly on the water. Just a short walk across the yard there is a shared swimming area with 3 docks available for guests to use. Paddle boat, row boats, paddle boards and kayaks provided as well as a large floating mat and water trampoline. Sand lake is a 102 acre lake with great fishing even during the winter I am told. It is on the small side which makes it rarely crowded yet big enough to do all your favorite water sports. Great fishing right off the dock including large mouth bass, perch, bluegill, and catfish. Sand Lake County Park located two blocks away to put your boat in. This is a classic Michigan inland lake. Enjoy the sunset from the front porch swing and watch the carriages go by!
The original house was built in the late 1800's and was originally an old farmhouse but has since doubled in size. There are three bedrooms upstairs which are walk-thru's and are connected so you do need to walk thru one bedroom to get to the other (think like a circle, no hallway). The master bedroom and bath are private and can be blocked off for privacy. The bedroom in the back is small but also has access to the top deck so has an outside entrance as well. Two decks for outside dining as well as a large kitchen for meal prep. We have fast WIFI and 3 smart tvs with Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN+ included. Family games and puzzles are also provided for your enjoyment.
There are lots of things to do around the area. We are located in Amish country just 30 minutes to Shipshewana for flea market shopping (May - Sept.) and great Amish culture and cuisine. Yoder’s Country Market a 4 minute drive towards Centerville. Great golfing nearby with Island Hills Golf Club being just a 6 minute drive and St. Joe County Golf Club less then a mile away. Swiss Valley Ski and snowboard area 34 minutes away for winter time fun! Please view out Airbnb guidebook for more information and suggestions.
PRIVATE Hot tub!!! Jacuzzi J-345 Spa EXCLUSIVE to The Retreat. The hot tub is not shared and is private. There is also a fire ring for family nights around the fire.
Other things to note:
Outside amenities are available for free but are shared among all cottage guests. Life jackets and yard games (croquet, bags) are also available and located in the small shed next to the garage. The Lakefront is a common area. Please enjoy! We encourage you to meet the other guests. BYOW :)
The lake is clean and not excessively "weedy". There are no lilly pads. My kids love jumping right off the dock! The lake does have a cement sea wall to prevent erosion. If you prefer a more "beachy" experience, there is a sandy beach located at the county park just a few blocks or kayak ride away!
We do provide a limited amount of towels for bathing, swimming and for the hot tub. You are encouraged to bring extra if you have a large group or will be doing a lot of swimming. However please try to keep the towels out of the dirt and do not bring our bath towels outside!
The laundry room located in the basement and is used by the house keeper, usually me, when needed to do laundry for our other Airbnbs. It has its own separate entrance from the outside and is a separate area from the rest of the basement.
We do allow pets with a $50 per pet fee which must be collected separately after you make your reservation. Please include the breed and size of your pet when making your reservation. You will also be required to agree to our pet policy.
We provide contactless check-in for your stay. There is a keypad on the back door for entry. We can be reached by phone, email, or text, as needed.
Please no parties or family gatherings are allowed. All guests must be disclosed and on reservation. The lakefront is for registered guests only. We do this to keep the swimming area uncrowded and enjoyable for all of our guests. If your reservation is for less then the allowed number of guests then you may request to have visitors (only up to the allowed number of guests) but permission must be obtained before hand. If you would like to have a family gathering we recommend Sand Lake County Park. Unauthorized guests will result in a $100 per day fee. The farmhouse only has parking for 3 vehicles.
If you would like early check in or late check out I will do my best to accommodate. There is a fee of $20 per hour. Please be aware that it takes up to 5 hours to clean and do laundry in between guests so availability is subject to prior/future guests requests.
Damage deposit is just a pre-authorization on credit card and is automatically released 5 days after departure.
This is our family getaway and hope you enjoy it! Search #farmhouseonsandlake on FB and Instagram for more pics and please share yours!
