Top 10% of guest reviews in this areaTop 10% of guest reviews in this area
3 bedrooms2 bathroomsSleeps 8116.1 sq m
Popular amenities
Onsite parking available
Dog-friendly
Kitchen
Washing machine
Air-conditioning
Outdoor barbecue
Explore the area
Empire, MI
Philip A. Hart Visitor Center
Place, Philip A. Hart Visitor Center
10 min walk
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
Place, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
13 min walk
Empire Bluff Trail
Place, Empire Bluff Trail
4 min drive
Traverse City, MI (TVC-Cherry Capital)
Airport, Traverse City, MI (TVC-Cherry Capital)
41 min drive
Rooms & beds
3 bedrooms (sleeps 8)
Bedroom 2
1 Queen Bed
Bedroom 3
1 Queen Bed and 2 Single Beds
Master Bedroom
1 Queen Bed
2 bathrooms
Bathroom 1
Toilet · Shower only
Bathroom 2
Bathtub or shower · Toilet
Spaces
Deck or patio
Porch or lanai
Kitchen
Garden
Dining area
About this property
Chalet Style Home Near Empire Beach
Spacious 3 bedroom, 2 bath chalet-style home just 1 block from the most beautiful beach in northern Michigan--Empire Beach on Lake Michigan. Located in quaint, historical Empire, the home is in the middle of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore which recently was voted the No. 1 most beautiful place in America in a poll taken by Good Morning America. The home is 1/2 block from the heart of the village which includes restaurants, bank, post office, galleries, and public library.
The interior of the home features an open floor plan with living room, dining area, kitchen, full bath, and master bedroom with queen size bed on the main level. The second level contains two large bedrooms, one with a queen size bed, and the other with queen size bed and two twin beds, and a full bath. The home has free wireless Internet access.
Empire is located in the heart of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. In addition to swimming, hiking, and other outdoor activities, the National Park contains the Sleeping Bear Dune Climb, Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive, the Manitou Island Underwater Diving Preserve; North and South Manitou Islands, and the Empire Bluffs hiking trail.
Add dates for prices
Amenities
Kitchen
Washing machine
Dryer
Pet-friendly
Free WiFi
Air conditioning
Have a question?
AI iconBetaBeta
Get instant answers with AI powered search of property information and reviews.
Similar properties
Empire Beach House - Lake Michigan cottage with firepit, grill & furnished deck
Empire
Empire Beach House - Lake Michigan cottage with firepit, grill & furnished deck
Pets allowed: dogs less than 23 kg per pet (limit one pet total)
A pet allowed only with pre-approval by home owner
default
Smoking
Smoking is not permitted
From June 3, 2023 to September 2, 2023 weekly rentals only, Saturday to Saturday.
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
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a first aid kit
About the area
Empire
Located near the beach, this holiday home is in Downtown Mmpire, a neighbourhood in Empire. The area's natural beauty can be seen at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and Lake Michigan. Sleeping Bear Point Coast Guard Station Maritime Museum and Burnett Park are also worth visiting. Enjoy the area's slopes with cross-country skiing and skiing, and don't miss out on the ice skating and sledging.
Philip A. Hart Visitor Center - 10 min walk - 0.9 km
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore - 13 min walk - 1.1 km
Empire Bluff Trail - 4 min drive - 2.2 km
Crystal Mountain - 33 min drive - 49.1 km
Traverse City Beach - 40 min drive - 55.8 km
Getting around
Traverse City, MI (TVC-Cherry Capital) - 48 min drive
Restaurants
Empire Village Pizza & Spirits - 8 min walk
Shipwreck Cafe - 6 min walk
Joes Friendly Tavern - 2 min walk
Food For Thought - 7 min drive
Tiffany's Cafe - 2 min walk
Frequently asked questions
Is Chalet Style Home Near Empire Beach pet-friendly?
Yes, this property allows dogs (limit 1 total) with a maximum weight of up to 23 kg per pet.
How much does it cost to stay at Chalet Style Home Near Empire Beach?
As of 26 Apr 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Chalet Style Home Near Empire Beach on 27 Apr 2026 start from AU$699, including taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.
How much is parking at Chalet Style Home Near Empire Beach?
On-site parking is available at the property.
What time is check-in at Chalet Style Home Near Empire Beach?
Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.
What time is check-out at Chalet Style Home Near Empire Beach?
Checkout is at 10:00 AM.
Where is Chalet Style Home Near Empire Beach located?
Located in Downtown Mmpire, this holiday home is within a 15-minute walk of Lake Michigan and Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Philip A. Hart Visitor Center and Empire Bluff Trail are also within 1 mile (2 km).
Reviews
9.8
Exceptional
Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Perfect house/location and hosts. 4th or 5th year at this home. Clean, quiet, close to the beach, hosts are helpful and very friendly. Great trip once again visiting my brother, enjoying the beauty and friendliness of Empire. Our dog loved the beach
House was neat and clean. Just enough room for us to make meals and eat in the dining room. Beds were comfortable. Location was close to all of the places we wanted to visit.
My friends I enjoyed our visit to Empire. The home is in a great location to enjoy all that Empire and Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore has to offer. The place was easy to access, very clean and all the beds were comfortable. We enjoyed staying here.
We rented this home for our family with adult children. So convenient to be a 5 min walk from Empire Beach and South Bar lake. The home is very clean and well equipped. The owners have done a great job!
This home is very close to Lake Michigan if you walk one direction and about a block from downtown Empire if you walk the other. The home was just right for our family of 5 plus one toddler although you might want to bring a baby gate if your children are very young. It’s located in a wonderful quiet neighborhood and we had a great time!
The living room, dining area and kitchen are larger than it looks in the pictures. We were very comfortable with 8 people. It's a short walk to the beach. The house is supplied with plenty of dishes, towels, hangers, silverware, etc. We would stay here again.
The home was extremely clean on check-in. The location close to Empire beach is extremely convenient.
The only concern is that I would prefer to pay a cleaning fee rather than be required to vacuum and sweep on check out. That is difficult to do while packing and caring for small children.
Erin W.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2018
Response from VrboOwner on 22 Mar 2020
Thank you for the positive comments regarding our home. We do not charge a cleaning fee and only require that the guests do dishes and leave the home in broom clean condition. It is posted in the home that if a renter does not wish to leave it in that condition, a cleaning fee will be charged. The choice is up to the individual guest.
My girlfriends and I wanted to find a reasonably priced rental in the Empire area that would allow us to walk into town and also the beach this home checked off all those boxes! It was very clean, had comfortable beds and was on a quiet street a block from the beach. We missed not having a full length mirror and a small table on the back deck to set our coffee cups on, (we ended up using our cooler) but otherwise it had most of the essentials a person would need for a weekend trip. The reason I gave 4 stars instead of 5 was the awful toilet paper that was offered. I’ve never had this experience before where I needed to purchase t.p. while renting a vacation home, but I did. Please buy a better brand or recommend that your renters bring their own.
This lovely Chalet style home was in the perfect location for our recent family vacation. The Leelanau Peninsula is one of our favorite places to visit. Everything in Empire was within walking distance and offered close proximity to the daily activities we wanted to pursuit. We found terrific dining and shopping along with canoe trips and hiking over scenic trails. Lake Michigan was beautiful, and we captured many photos of the unbeatable sunsets each night of our stay. The house was very suitable for the four of us. We were happy that our dog was allowed to join us. We would definitely choose this terrific Empire Chalet again. Our countdown to return has already begun.
Second year staying here. Can't get any closer to the Empire Lake Michigan Beach. Lovely home. TV went out on second morning and the owners were there very quickly to replace it. Our dog Lily came too. She loved the beach and finally went swimming this year. The home is spotless, owners are friendly and available. Comfortable, close to everything, nice and quiet. We''ll see you next year.
Janet L.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2023
Verified
6/10 Okay
Rose W.
23 June 2024
Little house
First impression was very clean but there were some issues. Moisture for one. Earwigs in bathroom & downstairs bedroom. Don’t really appreciate taking bugs home with me. Also don’t appreciate being told to vacuum& sweep or there will be a 150.00 charge. We would have swept some anyway because at the beach there is sand & no one likes sand but the 150.00 charge threat was not appreciated. Also furnace filters must need changed because there was a definite smoking odor. The vents were dirty.
Rose W.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 14 July 2024
Thank you for expressing your concerns. In response, first we would like to address the earwigs. Try as we might, they seem to be ever present. It is a consequence of living near a body of water. Our apologies for the inconvenience. In regards to the potential $150 cleaning fee, you recall that we do not charge a cleaning fee with your rent. In return, we ask that you leave the property in “broom clean condition” or a cleaning fee may be charged. The term “broom clean condition” is a legal real estate term that means that the property should be left in a tidy condition, including swept floors and vacuumed carpets, countertops and other surfaces clear of dirt and debris, dishes washed, and trash removed. These check out instructions are posted in the home for your information. And, in regards to your final concern, the HVAC filters are routinely changed as per manufacturer’s instructions. I am not sure about the smoking odor that you noticed. The property is non-smoking and we thoroughly cleaned it before your arrival. Again, our apologies for your less than complete satisfaction with the condition of the home. Despite this, we hope that you and your family enjoyed your stay in our quaint little village and enjoyed playing on the beach at beautiful Lake Michigan.
Wonderful location to sleeping bear and the beach. We had great sunsets and long walks along the beach with view of the SC Le try ping bear dunes. Pure Michigan !!!
Loved staying at this home. For once all the beds were comfortable. Home was clean and plenty of room for our family. We brought are dog and she was great. Wish there was a fence in the backyard, but you can't have everything! If you love the beach and want to be close to the happenings in Empire, this is the place to be. One block from the beach and main street. Very quiet and relaxing.
Everything our grown family needed for a short winter getaway
We loved the location of this rental, in the heart of Sleeping Bear Dunes, just a block from the Empire Beach. We spent time hiking, sledding, and just hanging out in the house playing games and cooking together.