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Secluded Lake Retreat-Exceptional Reviews!

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A living room with a brick fireplace, two sofas, a coffee table, and large windows offering a view of trees.
A room with a large window overlooking a lake, a guitar leaning against the window, and a chair in the foreground.
A lakeside property with a dock, boats, and a house with a deck.
A hot tub with three people sitting in it, surrounded by trees and a view of a body of water.
A round table with intricate metalwork, surrounded by four chairs with a lattice back design, set on a wooden deck with a view of a lake through large windows.

Reviews

9.8 out of 10
Exceptional

Entire home

3 bedrooms2 bathroomsSleeps 102200 sq ft

Popular amenities

  • Kitchen
  • Washer
  • Dryer
  • Pet friendly
  • Air conditioning

Explore the area

View in a map
Dowling, MI
  • Place, Bristol Lake
    ‪2 min walk‬
  • Place, Kellogg Arena
    ‪22 min drive‬
  • Place, Firekeepers Casino
    ‪30 min drive‬
  • Airport, Kalamazoo, MI (AZO-Kalamazoo-Battle Creek Intl.)
    ‪40 min drive‬

Room options

About the neighborhood

Dowling

This vacation home places you next to Bristol Lake and within a 3 miles (5 km) of Little Mill Lake. The vacation home includes a kitchen, a patio, and a private yard.
View more Vacation Homes in DowlingOpens in a new window

What's nearby

  • Bristol Lake - 2 min walk - 0.1 miles
  • Kellogg Arena - 22 min drive - 15.8 miles
  • Firekeepers Casino - 30 min drive - 22.4 miles
  • Gun Lake Casino - 43 min drive - 39.0 miles
  • Western Michigan University - 46 min drive - 41.5 miles

Getting around

  • Battle Creek Transportation Center - 22 min drive
  • Kalamazoo, MI (AZO-Kalamazoo-Battle Creek Intl.) - 43 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Horn Creek Pub - ‬12 min drive
  • ‪The Pub - ‬23 min drive
  • ‪Bedford Steak House - ‬12 min drive
  • ‪The Pasture Wagon - ‬7 min drive
  • ‪Edwards - ‬15 min drive

About this property

Entire place

You'll have the entire home to yourself and will only share it with other guests in your party.

Secluded Lake Retreat-Exceptional Reviews!

Our property is centrally located in southwest Michigan, within a 3-hour drive from Chicago and Detroit. The region is known for it’s rolling hills, golf courses and hundreds of lakes. It is a place where recreation awaits year-round! No matter what your outdoor pleasure, from golf to water sports, you can find it here in our beautiful natural surroundings!

Our house sits on 3.3 wooded acres, and from it’s hillside perch, enjoys broad views overlooking Bristol Lake. The property is on a quiet residential street. Bristol is a 165-acre all-sports lake and is excellent for fishing, swimming and all manner of watersports. The lake shore consists of a mix of areas of sand and loam. The water gets deep gradually and is relatively-friendly to younger children (although we recommend life jackets for non-swimmers).

We have a large grassy yard along the lake with enough trees to give some comfortable shade in the sunny summer afternoons.
The vacation home is air-conditioned and features a kitchen, 2 bathrooms, and a patio, and there's space to spread out with 3 bedrooms. Other standard amenities include a washing machine, a private yard, and a coffee maker.

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Property amenities

Ski

  • Cross-country skiing nearby

Pool/Spa

  • Hot tub

Internet

  • Available in the house: WiFi

Parking and transportation

  • Car recommended
  • Parking on site

Kitchen

  • Blender
  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Cookware, dishware, and utensils
  • Electric kettle
  • Microwave
  • Oven
  • Paper towels
  • Refrigerator
  • Spices
  • Stovetop
  • Toaster

Dining

  • Dining table

Bedrooms

  • 3 bedrooms
  • Bedsheets provided

Bathroom

  • 2 bathrooms
  • Bathtub or shower
  • Hair dryer
  • Shampoo
  • Shower
  • Soap
  • Toilet paper
  • Towels provided

Living spaces

  • Dining table
  • Living room

Entertainment

  • Games
  • Smart TV

Outdoor areas

  • Barbecue grill
  • Garden
  • Outdoor furniture
  • Patio
  • Yard

Laundry

  • Laundry facilities
  • Washing machine

Comfort

  • Air conditioning
  • Heating

Pets

  • Pet friendly
  • Welcoming cats and dogs only
  • 2 pets total (up to 50 lbs per pet)

Suitability/Accessibility

  • No elevator
  • Smoking not allowed

Services and conveniences

  • Iron/ironing board

Location highlights

  • In a rural location
  • Near a hospital
  • Near a zoo
  • On a lake
  • On the waterfront

Things to do

  • Arcade/game room
  • Billiards/pool table
  • Boat
  • Kayak
  • Table tennis
  • Casino nearby
  • Fishing nearby
  • Golfing nearby
  • Ice skating nearby
  • Jet skiing nearby
  • Kayaking nearby
  • Motor boating nearby
  • Mountain biking nearby
  • Snowmobiling nearby
  • Swimming nearby
  • Water tubing nearby
  • Windsurfing nearby

Safety features

  • No carbon monoxide detector or gas appliances (host has indicated there are no carbon monoxide detectors or gas appliances on the property)
  • Smoke detector (host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property)
  • Deadbolt lock

General

  • Garden
  • Unit size: 2,200 square feet

Policies

Check-in

Check-in time starts at 4:00 PM
Contactless check-in available
Minimum check-in age: 25

Check-out

Check-out before 11:00 AM
Contactless check-out available

Special check-in instructions

You will receive an email from the host with check-in and check-out instructions
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools

Check-out instructions

The host requires you complete the following before checking out:
Strip any used beds and gather used towels
Remove personal items, remove leftover food and drinks, and take out the trash
Turn off the lights and lock the doors
Please gather up used sheets on end of beds, and set used towels near washer
Please put all trash in large trash cans at the end of the driveway
Please wash and put away all dirty dishes before you leave. Also, put all moved furniture or outside beach & boat items back to original location.
Failure to complete these may result in a negative review from the host.

Rules

Noise Levels: During the day, noise should be kept to reasonable levels. After dark, noise levels should not exceed that of a close conversation.
The septic system is very effective; however, it will clog up if improper materials are flushed. DO NOT FLUSH anything other than toilet paper.

Pets

  • This property welcomes pets
  • Dogs and cats only
  • 2 total (50 lbs is the maximum weight per pet)
  • Restrictions apply
  • For more information, guests can reach out to the property at the number on the booking confirmation
  • Service animals exempt from fees
  • Note from host: $150 fee/pet

Children and extra beds

Children allowed: ages 0-17

Events

No events allowed

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has indicated there are no carbon monoxide detectors or gas appliances on the property
Host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a deadbolt lock
This property is managed through our partner, Vrbo. You will receive an email from Vrbo with a link to a Vrbo account, where you can change or cancel your reservation
  • Check-in: 4:00 PM
  • Check-out: 11:00 AM
  • Minimum check-in age: 25

We should mention

Details about charges, deposits, or other important information:

  • This property is managed by a private host, not a professional engaged in trade or business.
  • Charges for extra guests may apply and vary depending on the property's policy.
  • A cash deposit, credit card, or debit card for incidental charges, as well as a government-issued photo ID, may be required at check-in.
  • Special requests are subject to availability at the time of check-in and can't be guaranteed. Certain requests may come with additional charges.
  • Onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited.
  • Onsite safety features include a smoke detector and a deadbolt lock.

Additional information about polices, regulations, and more:

  • There are no elevators.

Property is also known as

Secluded Lake Retreat Dowling
Secluded Lake Retreat Private vacation home
Secluded Lake Retreat Private vacation home Dowling

Frequently asked questions

What is there to do near this vacation home?

This vacation home is located in Dowling, just steps from Bristol Lake. You'll also find Mill Lake and Little Mill Lake within a short drive.

Is parking available on site at Secluded Lake Retreat-Exceptional Reviews!?

No, there isn't parking available at the vacation home.

Is this vacation home adjacent to a casino?

No, this vacation home is not connected to a casino.

Is there an indoor pool at this vacation home?

No, this vacation home doesn't have an indoor pool; however, there is a hot tub.

What will couples enjoy most about a stay at Secluded Lake Retreat-Exceptional Reviews!?

Amenities that appeal to couples at this lakeside vacation home include a smart TV and a kitchen in each house, and some feature lake view.

Are there hot tubs at Secluded Lake Retreat-Exceptional Reviews!?

No, this vacation home doesn't have a spa tub.

Does this vacation home offer breakfast?

No, this vacation home doesn't offer breakfast.

Does this vacation home allow pets to stay free of charge?

Although cats and dogs can't stay for free, they are welcome at this vacation home.

Are there connecting rooms at Secluded Lake Retreat-Exceptional Reviews!?

No, there aren't connecting guestrooms at this vacation home.

Where is the closest airport to this vacation home?

The closest major airport to this vacation home is Kalamazoo, MI (AZO-Kalamazoo-Battle Creek Intl.), which is about 23.1 mi away.

Are there rooms with balconies that I can book at Secluded Lake Retreat-Exceptional Reviews!?

Yes, every house at Secluded Lake Retreat-Exceptional Reviews! comes with a patio and some offer lake views.

Secluded Lake Retreat-Exceptional Reviews! Reviews

Reviews

9.8

Exceptional

Rating 10 - Excellent. 119 out of 140 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 18 out of 140 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 1 out of 140 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 2 out of 140 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 140 reviews

9.6/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Amenities

10/10

Property conditions & facilities

Reviews

Verified

10/10 Excellent

Briana M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Cannot say enough good things about this beautiful home and it's owners! Absolutely delightful last minute booking, wonderful location and amenities, all of us want to return year after year
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2025
Verified

8/10 Good

Kyle B.

Liked: Check-in, communication, listing accuracy
Loved the place! Hot tub was amazing!
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Brian S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Sue was an excellent host. Everything as described. The perfect fall getaway.
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Ramona A.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Very spacious lake house room for big families! Lots of beach toys for the kids and adults, we had a blast!
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Justin T.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Lake stay

The house is great, tons of room. Veiw of the lake is very nice. The area down by the lake is fantastic, lots of space, easy to get in and out of the water.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Caleb S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Fall Getaway

Very nice cozy place to stay with plenty to do. Beautiful property to enjoy.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Jennifer R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wonderful secluded stay

The home is very well equipped and clean, the location wonderful on the lake with so much to do. My family and I really enjoyed ourselves and the owner is responsive! looking forward to staying again!
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

BENJAMIN K.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Bristol Lake Stay

We had a group of 8 guys on a golf trip. The accomodations were excellent and we had a great time.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Loren T.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Lake house

Had a wonderful time! I will definitely recommend this place.
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Kellie B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect Lake Retreat

The property was exactly as described, nicely appointed, and clean when we arrived. Perfect lake house getaway from the city.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Leslie M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great House

A beautiful location with a great house!,VERY CLEAN!, the best equipped house we have ever rented.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Cooper N.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Memorial Day Weekend

Stayed here with some friends and our dogs. Great stay. Was very relaxing and we had a blast swimming in the lake and wearing the dogs out. Would recommend to anyone.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Jesse W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Quick Getaway

This trip was just for my spouse and I and our pet. It was a colder weekend, but we enjoyed everything. We can’t wait to rent again when the weather is warmer.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Lisa J.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

A truly beautiful lake!

Pretty lake, very clean, nice house and very quiet. Had a great time enjoying the surroundings. Lake was warm, beds were comfy and house was well stocked! Thank you for sharing your house!
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Kim S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Private getaway

Absolutley love this cottage!! Perfect location on the lake with privacy. Loved being able to rent the pontoon boat too! We did daily tours around the lake on the boat with many stops for swimming. Had the best time
Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Jeanne O.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Peaceful Lake House

Our family of 9 people from 3 states stayed at this house in Dowling for a wedding weekend. The house is very comfortable and the kitchen worked well for all of us. The water is a bit ‘tasty’ so bottled water is a good idea. We enjoyed the early mornings outside.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2024
Verified

8/10 Good

Lisa C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wonderful Host

Our stay was wonderful. The house was clean and comfortable. The only downfall was the trail to the beach area and the beach itself. The trail had rocks and sticks and was washing in. It is definitely not a good area for someone with bad knees. The water itself has a fast drop off not makong it very kid friendly. But, since we were 2 adults and a teenager, it was good for us. The hot tub was nice! Would definitely stay again!
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2025
Verified

6/10 Okay

James H.

Liked: Check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Disliked: Cleanliness

Nice place, just needed cleaned

The property was great, it just was not clean.
Stayed 4 nights in May 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Charles G.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

2023 Family Vacation

This is the second year in a row we have stayed at this property and what a home and property it is. My kids and I love to connect here while enjoying the basement games, the beach, the hot tub and the boat! Beautiful sunrises from the screened in room starts each day off right! Thanks Ray!
Stayed 3 nights in May 2023
Verified

8/10 Good

Haley D.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Winter Weekend Visit

The property was as expected and the view was beautiful! Hot tub was perfect for the winter weekend. Loved the screened in deck, cozy living area, games, local guide binder, and spacious bedrooms. Only a few minor negative things to note—the Keurig did not work, water filter on fridge needed to be changed, and downstairs bathroom had a musty smell. Still a great space with comfortable accommodations for a family who will be spending a lot of time on the lake during summer months!!
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Patricia N.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great Get-Away!!

Nice place! House was clean and had comfortable beds. The beach area was fun for the little kids. Adults enjoyed the kayaks and fishing on the lake. Beautiful views of the lake from the screened in porch. Really enjoyed our time there and would recommend…except for people who have problems climbing stairs. There’s quite a few stairs to get to the lake front. (The only drawback for some people. We were fine with it.)
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Carolyn K.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Very clean!

House and grounds were super clean! This was located in a great location with quite a few stairs to get down to the lake. Lake was great, we used the kayaks that are included and fished off the pier. The house lacked a couple basics but the owner assisted when notified. The pans provided are pretty worn and are no longer non-stick. They were very difficult to cook on, keep this in mind if you plan on frying anything on the stove top. The pool table, air hockey table and ping pong table were perfect for our group also. 2 sets of newer washers/dryers, 1 on each floor was super convenient! Would recommend and would return!
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2020
Verified

8/10 Good

John S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
First off, the owners of this property are very attentive and some of the best owners I have ever had the pleasure of dealing with (and we stay at 1-2 different lake homes each year). They went above and beyond to try and right a few wrongs. Overall, this place was great, very cozy and has a rustic, woodsy, lake house feel. It is high up from the water so you do not have a clear view of the swim area and there are some uneven steps down, but there is a hand rail and my older parents (78 and 80) did not love the extra steps but managed just fine. The boat that is rented with the cottage should probably just be included in the base price. It is pretty beat up and only has 5 seats. The pier is small, so you need the boat to hang out if you want to sit over the water. It is not great for this. The engine runs a bit rough, loud and does not move much, but better than nothing for just tooling around the lake. I am sure renting a boat is no fun from an owners perspective, but a clear heads up about its condition would be suggested. Lastly
Stayed 6 nights in Jul 2025
From a partner site

4/10 Poor

Brenna M.

Dangerous steps down to water

I broke my ankle at this house on the step out to the screened room. Maybe it is best to have a sign there to let people know about the step. The house was nice, it was a little warm in there at times. We liked our stay there but wish we would of known about the treacherous walk down to the water. Our 80 year old mother fell also on her way down the walkway. There was no lights so it was very difficult at night. My broken ankle made it much worse. It would of been nice to be contacted by the homeowner after i fell and broke my ankle to see how i was doing, but we never got contacted, even after we let tgem know. We wont stay here again because of the dangerous walkway that you need to use to go to the lake. In none of the reviews does anyone mention the steep walk path, this is important information.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2017
Verified

8/10 Good

sara s.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Overall we had a very great time. We caught plenty of fish at all times of the day. The porch was nice as well, slightly overgrown and would of been better if trimmed up more for a view.The house was spacious for the 8 of us. 1 room was in the basement, just so others know. The basement bathroom is also a full bathroom, as we were unsure with the listing. The walk down,one stair case was overgrown and unable to use it at all. The other one, it is quite a hike. There was tons of stuff in the shed down there to use if items and great to store our stuff while there. The bedrooms were pretty big as well. Having the highchair and pack and play there helped a ton. The beds also were comfortable with plenty of blanket and extra pillows around for us. It would of been nice for the 2 other bedrooms to have tv also. The kitchen had a lot of pans, griddle coffeemaker and tons there, however the stove could use an upgrade, we couldnt get one burner to work at all. The knives could also be replaced, the plastic knives we had were sharper. The basement stairs are pretty seep and smaller stairs, and could be difficult for some coming there, we had one of our guest who couldnt make it there how they were. The air hockey table air wouldnt blow the pucks, but still could play some.The basement was nice of the walk out tho once there. The hot tub i dont believe was at the temp it said it was and was a little cooler, but was still warm and needed after the hikes back and forth the stairs down.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2025