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Reviews of Cozy Houghton Lake Heights Cottage w/ Private Yard

Cozy Houghton Lake Heights Cottage w/ Private Yard
Houghton Lake Heights, MI

Reviews

8.4

Very Good

Rating 10 - Excellent. 26 out of 60 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 25 out of 60 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 3 out of 60 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 5 out of 60 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 1 out of 60 reviews" "

8.4/10

Cleanliness

6.0/10

Staff & service

7.0/10

Amenities

8.0/10

Property conditions & facilities

6.0/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

JO ANN I.

Liked: Cleanliness
SxS weekend in the snow
Preplanned trip before snow prediction. 2 couples have cottages in neighborhood but both were winterized so we decided to rent a house nearby. Rough travel going up but house was delightful. Clean and comfortable. Communication with owner was good. Easy entry. Would recommend. Plan on renting again.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2024

8/10 Good

Monica F.

Liked: Cleanliness
Nice and quiet
This was a cute little cozy cabin. It did smell like smoke upon arrival. Also counters and stove was dirty. Other than that everything was accurate in listing.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2023

8/10 Good

Judy

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Comfortable cottage, close to the lake.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2023

8/10 Good

Donovan L.

Liked: Cleanliness
Great location
Accuracy of the listing was great. The house was appropriately stocked for a small family (3-4). Clean and affordable, world definitely return! Host was very responsive.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Dan L.

Liked: Cleanliness
nice place
NIce place great loacation
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Diana G.

Liked: Cleanliness
We will be back
Loved this rental. Lots of room. Very nice. Looking to rent again.
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2023

10/10 Excellent

Roth T.

Liked: Cleanliness
Great place
Great property, short walk to the lake!
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2022

10/10 Excellent

Dennis S.

Liked: Cleanliness
Great
Great
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2022

8/10 Good

Kathleen D.

Liked: Cleanliness
An extra place for our visiting family
We rented this house for our daughter, son-in-law and our 2-year-old grandson who joined us for a weekend. We own a condo in Houghton Lake, so it was convenient to be nearby to provide towels, food, etc. Thrre was very limited communication with the owner. We enjoyed an evening bonfire (the owners supplied a bundle of firewood.)
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2022

6/10 Okay

Teresa B.

Disliked: Cleanliness
Cute spot
Carpet was very stained and the cottage had a musty smell. Grateful that we had cool nights that we could open windows. However, it’s in a great location and has access to an empty adjacent lot with a fire pit .
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2022

8/10 Good

Linda D.

Liked: Cleanliness
Nice place
It's a good location and the house is decent. It is extremely "musty" smelling, but you get used to that quickly. Just so you are aware there is no A.C.. Gets very hot during the day, but cools off at night. (keep it closed up on a hot day and there are plenty of fans, then open it up in evening) Would have been nice if they had a vacuum or a manual push sweeper or even a broom and dustpan, but there wasn't. If you happen to track dirt in or spill something on the floor you're out of luck. We went and bought a broom and dustpan for $7 at the dollar store that's about 100 yards away. One of the deciding factors on renting this was a boat dock we could use. But, we were unable to use it as it is in very shallow water. About 1.5 feet at the deep end. And would be hard to tie off as the posts don't go higher than the dock, so you would have to reach under the dock to wrap around a post. If you have a pontoon or a small boat with a small motor you would probably be ok. There are about 15 docks in the same area and they are all pontoon boats. Almost all the other docks are much longer than this one. All in all it's a nice location. Not that far from lake and still close to stores and such. Nice large yard and fire pit. Note: You have to answer all the above questions. I only put one star about the property manager to pass the question. We did not have any contact with them. We were only staying 3 nights.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

Jennifer W., Colorado, USA

Liked: Cleanliness
Nice weekend stay
We had a family reunion and this cottage was very convenient for our family to stay.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

Ron P.

Liked: Cleanliness
Great location
Well kept property, and great location for family visit. Enjoyed the local shops and attractions.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2022

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness
Relaxing stay
Nice quiet neighborhood. There’s not much of a water view but short walk to the water.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2022

10/10 Excellent

Richard R.

Liked: Cleanliness
Great location
We had a wonderful experience with this property. It adequately fit our family while in town for an unexpected funeral. The place was clean and had a nice up north feel.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2022

10/10 Excellent

Sara B.

Liked: Cleanliness
Great Location
Property was clean and walking distance to the lake. Easy drive into town. I do recommend staying during the summer season. There were many places not open yet for the season.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2022

10/10 Excellent

Jeffery

Traveled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Really nice shower with glass doors. Kitchen is has lot of counter space. The family room has a double bed, half bath and it's own outside entrance which made a great private bedroom suite. Even had room to do some yoga! Had brand new entrance and storm doors indicate continuing upgrades and maintenance
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2022

10/10 Excellent

Steven F., Elwood, Indiana

Liked: Cleanliness
Great time
Very clean good location
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2022

8/10 Good

Ali D.

Liked: Cleanliness
We always have fun!
We have rented this property many times. The owners have been making updates through the years.
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2022

2/10 Terrible

Verified traveler

Disliked: Cleanliness
Dirty!!!!!
This was the dirtiest house I’ve ever rented. My feet were black from walking on the floor. It’s also next door to a very creepy abandoned house!!! I would not recommend this house unless you want to be in a horror movie! I was very disappointed.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2021

8/10 Good

Susan T., Charlotte, Michigan 48813

Liked: Cleanliness
Great Stay
We miss read the Cen/heat ..we thought it had air conditioning cent/air...but with lots of fans we were fine! Kitchen was well stocked and we appreciated the DIRECT cable TV with a 8 and a 6 year old when the weather turned stormy. We all were very comfortable.
Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2021

6/10 Okay

samantha S.

Needs updates
The bathroom was awful. The tub was moldy and rusty. The furniture was as old and smelly. The mattress where worn and uncomfortable. This little house need serious up dates!!!
Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2021

4/10 Poor

Sally B.

Disliked: Cleanliness
No comment
House was not cleaned from prior guests
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2021
Response from VrboOwner on Jul 22, 2021
Hi Sally, we want everything to be ready for our guests when they arrive, so we take cleanliness concerns seriously. We're sorry your trip got off to a rocky start. The owners take pride in their property and are disappointed an unexpected issue arose before your stay. The owners are working with cleaning staff and have made recent updates to the home. This was a one-time incident and we are working to ensure future guests have 5-star stays!

8/10 Good

Curtis P.

Liked: Cleanliness
Ice fishing
The property was perfect for a weekend getaway. Some of the listing was inaccurate blankets were subpar. Kitchen utensils and cookware were not that great but that is my only complaint on the property
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2021

10/10 Excellent

Jennifer S.

Liked: Cleanliness
Smith Family
We had an amazing time. Nice and very clean cabin. Everyone enjoyed their stay.
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2020

8/10 Good

Sarah E.

Disliked: Cleanliness
Decent stay
For the price this was a good place to stay. The beds weren't the best but it was ok to sleep. The floors could have been cleaner. The kitchen floor left our socks black on the bottom. I would suggest mopping them much better. Overall we had a good stay and weren't at the cottage too much anyway.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2020

8/10 Good

Courtney H., Sherwood

Liked: Cleanliness
Nice neighborhood
The house was perfect for our group. It was in a very quiet neighborhood but in a prime location for what we wanted to do while staying.

10/10 Excellent

Steve M., Flint Mi

Liked: Cleanliness
Great house close by
Very comfortable house
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2020

10/10 Excellent

joan d.

Liked: Cleanliness
Vacation 2020
Nice, cleaning large cabin. Easy access to boat rental, shops and water.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2020

8/10 Good

Julie W.

Decent place to stay
Great location if you don't mind not being on the water. Nice and spacious, beautiful kitchen, plenty of space for people to sleep and nice big property. BUT...the home needs a really good cleaning. It was pretty clean, but maybe once a month the cleaning crew could go around and do window sills, baseboards, fans, corners, etc. Overall, it was decent.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2020

10/10 Excellent

Phil C., Marlette

Liked: Cleanliness
Vacation get away!
Nice location, close to the water, also close to stores and restaurants.

10/10 Excellent

Kelly S.

Liked: Cleanliness
Great weekend
This home was the perfect getaway for my family. It is walking distance to the pier where we fished off the dock. All the restaurants and shops are 5-10 min drive. The home had everything you can think of, including a nice fire pit and outdoor games. Boat rentals are near by and we rented a pontoon boat for the day. My family had a blast. Thank you!

10/10 Excellent

Scott E.

Liked: Cleanliness
Great Weekend Vacation Rental!
Super convenient location! Will def come back! Thank you!
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2020

4/10 Poor

Pam J.

Disliked: Cleanliness
Cottage Dirty and Needs New Mattresses
We were very pleased with the location of the cottage. All sleeping options were bad ... mattresses very old and bedding was dirty. I don’t believe the sheets were clean in the main bedroom. Also, the comforter was very dirty. The pull out beds in the couches were very bad. If there was new mattresses we would rent again. Otherwise, no thank you.
Response from VrboOwner on Mar 21, 2020
Pam, while we're glad that you enjoyed the location of this cottage, we're sorry that your stay didn't meet your expectations due to the sleeping options. The mattresses in this home are less than three years old and while mattress comfort is extremely subjective and personal, we apologize that they were not to your liking. The homeowner will be addressing your concerns regarding the cleanliness of the bedding with their cleaning company to ensure that this resolved. Thank you for letting us know so that we can provide five-star experiences for future travelers. Best, the Evolve Team

10/10 Excellent

Melissa Y.

Liked: Cleanliness
Great place to stay!
For the location and the house itself was wonderful. A lot of room to sleep and the kitchen was very nice. My family and I had a great time. We will definitely be back! Thank you for a great weekend getaway!!

10/10 Excellent

Kori B.

Liked: Cleanliness
Lovely house that has plenty of room. It is a great location!
The house has plenty of room, small fenced in yard for kiddos, & is a great location for both Houghton & Higgins Lake activities. The owner was great to work with & will definitely rent again 🙂
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2019

10/10 Excellent

Ian T.

Clean, spacious and well kept
Easy check in, exactly as described, pictures accurate.
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2019

8/10 Good

Jason A.

Very nice place very clean and homie.
Was a great place every thing was what we needed it for for tip up town.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2019

8/10 Good

Felicia C.

Typical lake cottage
Reminded me of your typical lake cottage, It worked for us. We did notice a mildew smell as soon as we walked in, but overall the cottage was clean. I would’ve preferred the cottage have a queen or king size bed because we did have to bring a queen air mattress with us. Even though it rained most of the weekend we made the best of it.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2018

8/10 Good

Raymond F., Redford/Michigan

Great time
My Family had a great long weekend . I loved the quiet ness of the neighborhood . Only reason I didnt give it 5 stars is because it had no cable or wifi . But it worked great for us nice dock and a great place to jet ski . would definitely come bsck
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2018

10/10 Excellent

Gary M.

Very reasonable.
My son & I enjoyed our stay at Houghton Lake. The house was clean, had everything we expected, but VERY limited TV & no WIFI. We were there to fish all week, so those things didn't matter to us. The other surprise was that the garage was not for guest use. A disappointment, but not a big deal. Certainly room for more guests, but I believe 12 guests were said to be allowed... 12 would be a crowd, I'd think. Quiet neighborhood, not on a busy street. I was VERY happy with proximity to the lake & other area attractions... would ABSOLUTELY stay here again if we ever head back that way!
Stayed 6 nights in Aug 2018

4/10 Poor

Joseph G., Kimball Township

not what was expected
I waited to give review as I didn't want to write in anger. My wife spent the first day and a half cleaning. She was near to tears. Both frying pans had pieces of eggs in them. Some dishes and cups were put away dirty. The stove burners had burnt crud under them. Living room couches had food and wrappers under cushions (although we did find almost a dollar in change), and couches were never moved to clean under. Some light switches were sticky. Furniture was in rough shape with some holes in cushions. No problem. Some blinds were badly damaged. No problem. You have to run around in shower to get wet. No problem. This place would sleep quite a few if needed. Back room is roomy and a good place to read. Refrigerator is large and keeps things cold. If it were clean it would have been ok as rustic is fine with us. Wi Fi would have been nice. There is a damage protection fee and I don't think you get that back as we haven't heard anything about it. Owners need to get a new cleaning crew. Vacations are supposed to be fun, this one wasn't...
Stayed 9 nights in Jun 2018

4/10 Poor

mike, Michigan

Disliked: Room comfort
the dock was adequate. the double bed was uncomfortable. the sofas were very uncomfortable. no ac. needs a new shower head. the whole house needs a makeover.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2018

8/10 Good

Doug S.

Had a good time
We enjoyed our stay. Close to everything needed for supplies for the weekend. Lots of restaurants near by too. What i can suggest is bringing your own bedding and trash bags. If there were trash bags there already, no one could find any.. other than that, it was nice and could sleep many people.
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2018

8/10 Good

Jenni S.

Fun time staying in Houghton Lake
House was clean and had everything we needed except for Beth soap which we brought with us anyway. Only additional I would make is a water softener.
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2018

6/10 Okay

Verified traveler

Good area, but not clean
We enjoyed our stay here, but we were not impressed by how dirty the house was. We have rented in a few locations across Michigan and we never expect perfection, but we do expect the house to be clean. Examples: the sink was dirty and they left a dirty sponge for cleaning dishes, the fridge was filthy. There was an old onion peel in the bottom drawer (it's still there btw), spilled liquid in the bottom of the fridge and it looked like it hadn't been wiped down in a long time. There were crumbs on the counter tops and on the table. The tub was dirty and the shower curtain liner had stains on it including a small blood stain. We spent the first 30mins Clorox wiping everything. Also, would be nice to have more tables in the living room to set drinks on and more lamps in living room. Positive things: close to the lake and a small public beach. Plenty of chairs and tables to sit on outside. Quiet area and close to a Sav-a-lot. We watched a movie one night which was nice and they had a good selection and also a few board games. Overall, we really enjoyed our time in Houghton Lake but would not rent this house again.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2017
Response from VrboOwner on Mar 21, 2020
Thank you for taking the time to let us know about your experience in this home and we are very sorry to hear of the issues you experienced with regards to cleanliness. Cleanliness is one of our 4 Core Property Standards, and we have shared your comments with the homeowner so they may address the issues immediately so they do not recur for future guests! We are sorry your stay fell short of expectations, and we appreciate you letting us know. Best, The Evolve Team

10/10 Excellent

Kristy S.

Cute, spacious, big yard, fenced in area for the dogs, had everything we needed & owners were great
Great time , would highly recommend it. Family and pet friendly and very clean.

4/10 Poor

Thomas T.

Super Bowl Weekend
A group of us went up north for a little ice fishing and to watch the super bowl, first of all there is only one small TV the specs say two (no cable) just a little antenna that sits near the TV that only receives a few stations, the specs say there is a wood burning stove so we brought a few arms full of wood along only to find the stove is gone. There was a strong mildew smell in the back room that seemed to clear up after a few days. Dirt behind the main bathroom door, looks like the place was cleaned in a rush. We also found what appeared to be mouse dropping in the toaster. the trash container was full from the last renters.
Response from VrboOwner on Mar 21, 2020
We are sorry that your stay fell short of expectations. We understand your disappointment and we are very sorry to hear of the inconveniences you experienced during your stay. We and the homeowner take feedback from our guests very seriously and will make the necessary adjustments to ensure future guests have nothing short of an excellent vacation experience in this home. Thank you for letting us know. Best, The Evolve Team

8/10 Good

Thomas C.

Very Nice place
Only had one problem when you arrive the well pump was not working they had it working within 24 hours for us
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2017

8/10 Good

Lon W.

Nice area. Nice quiet neighborhood. House was clean and well-maintained.
Overall it was a nice house. Plenty of room in the driveway for four cars. Nice yard and clean house. Was a little disappointed that bedding wasn't provided. Don't forget to bring a sleeping bag.
Stayed 10 nights in Oct 2016