Charming Lakefront Cottage

2 bedrooms1 bathroomSleeps 8149 sq m

Popular amenities

Hot tub

Fireplace

Pet-friendly

Kitchen

Barbecue grill

Free WiFi

Check out the area

Vandalia, MI

Donnell Lake1 min walk
Paradise Lake5 min drive
Diamond Lake11 min drive
Elkhart, IN (EKI-Elkhart Municipal)42 min drive

Rooms & beds

2 bedrooms (sleeps 8)

Bedroom 1

1 King Bed and 1 Single Bed

Bedroom 2

1 Queen Bed

Office 1

1 Single Futon

1 bathroom

Bathroom 1

Towels provided · Bathtub or shower · Toilet · Hair dryer

Spaces

Deck or patio

Porch or lanai

Kitchen

Office

Separate dining area

Outdoor play area

Garden

Dining Area

About this property

Here at The Cottage, life was made to be lived outside. Across our vast property are several seating areas for coffee or cocktails - including a stone patio with built-in bonfire pit, outdoor dining and enclosed deck overlooking the yard and lake, and finally, an incredible patio/pergola with couches literally next to the water and beach. Hammocks, a hot tub, a gas grill, and yard games galore round out a perfect vacation spent in the Michigan fresh air.

Winter fun included: perfect hill for sledding, ice fishing on Donnell Lake, snowshoeing trails, bonfires, hot tubbing, and Swiss Valley Ski & Snowboard Area only 15 minutes away.

BONUSES:
*A million stars, and even more birds (including the nest directly below the porch!)
*The opportunity to walk out your door to the lake (we recommend a cup of coffee or glass of wine on the pier)
*Fishing and campfires. Hiking trails 5 minutes away. Swimming. Floating. Grilling. Lounging lakeside. Hot tubbing. Friendly neighbors.
*A lake full of fish, turtles, frogs, swans, geese, and deer nearby

-- THE PROPERTY --

1,400 Sq Ft | Large Deck & Patio | Multiple Desk Workspaces | Perfect for Families

Bedroom 1: King Bed, Twin Bed, Crib | Bedroom 2: Queen Bed | 3 Seasons Porch / Office: Futon

OUTDOOR LIVING: Private dock with gorgeous Donnell Lake views, stone patio with fire pit, lakeside patio with pergola, outdoor dining area, gas grill, .5 acre yard, kids toys, kayaks

INDOOR LIVING: Smart TV, wood-burning fireplace, 6-person dining table + kids table, sliding glass doors, books, board games, kids toys

KITCHEN: Fully equipped, drip coffee maker, blender, toaster, spices, dishware/flatware, no dishwasher

GENERAL: High-speed internet, heat & window air conditioning, hair dryer, linens, towels

FAQ: Outdoor stairs required for access, firewood not provided, bathroom on 1st floor, washer/dryer/microwave in basement

PARKING: Driveway (3 vehicles)

-- THE LOCATION --

OPT OUTSIDE: Donnell Lake (on-site), Stevens Memorial Park (7.4 miles), Swiss Valley Ski Area (8.2 miles), Rolling Hills Shooting Preserve (8.6 miles), Fred Russ State Forest (11.7 miles), Spirit Springs Sanctuary (13.6 miles)

THINGS TO SEE & DO: Pioneer Log Cabin Museum (7.0 miles), Southwestern Michigan College (13.7 miles), Spruce Ridge Golf Club (14.3 miles), Elks Golf Course (15.0 miles), Dowagiac Area History Museum (15.0 miles), Heddon Museum (15.6 miles), Four Winds Casino (17.8 miles), University of Notre Dame (27.0 miles)

NEARBY TOWNS: Vandalia (1.4 miles), Cassopolis (6.5 miles), Dowagiac (15.1 miles), Three Rivers (16.2 miles), South Bend (28.1 miles), Shipshewana (33.4 miles), Benton Harbor (39.0 miles), Kalamazoo (42.1 miles)

AIRPORT: South Bend International Airport (31.8 miles)

-- POLICIES --
- No smoking
- Small dogs allowed at owner's discretion
- No events, parties, or large gatherings
- Must be at least 25 years old to book
- Additional fees and taxes may apply
- Photo ID may be required upon check-in
- NOTE: The property requires stairs and may be difficult for guests with limited mobility

Property manager

Ali Chard

Languages

English

Amenities

Hot tub

Kitchen

Washer

Dryer

Pet-friendly

Free WiFi

Kitchen

Washer

Dryer

Pet-friendly

House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM

Minimum age to rent: 25

Check out before 11:00 AM

Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17

1 crib included in 2nd floor bedroom

Events

No events allowed

Pets

Pets allowed: dogs less than 20 lbs per pet (limit one pet total)

Pets will be approved on a case-by-case basis.

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Damage and incidentals

You will be responsible for any damage to the rental property caused by you or your party during your stay.

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

Long-term renters welcome

Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property

Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property

Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit and a deadlock

About the area

Vandalia

Located in Vandalia, this cottage is in a rural area and on the beach. South Lanes Family Fun Center and Scidmore Park and Petting Zoo are local attractions and those in the mood for shopping can visit Heritage Square Shopping and University Park Mall. Traveling with kids? Consider Wellfield Botanic Gardens and Elkhart Tactical Laser Tag. Be sure to check out the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.

Vandalia, MI

What's nearby

Donnell Lake - 1 min walk
Paradise Lake - 5 min drive
Diamond Lake - 11 min drive
Stone Lake - 13 min drive
Swiss Valley Ski Area - 19 min drive

Getting around

Dowagiac Station - 26 min drive
South Bend Intl. Airport (SBN) - 45 min drive

Restaurants

McDonald's - 12 min drive
Green Holding Tavern - 12 min drive
George's Cafe - 11 min drive
Tastee Twirl - 12 min drive
Lakeside Parlor - 12 min drive

10

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.

Learn more

10/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

8.8/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

10/10 Excellent

Susanna E.

5 Sept 2023

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

A charming, comfortable cottage

The cottage is charmingly vintage but still quite comfortable. The hosts include thoughtful touches like spices, toiletries, fishing rods, laundry soap, etc., that aren't necessary certainly but that make for a welcoming stay. Donnell Lake is a quite busy little lake and wasn't our favorite for our quiet little paddleboards and sailboat, but we were also there over Labor Day, so it's probably not always quiet so busy. I certainly wouldn't hesitate to recommend staying at the cottage, though. The seating and beds were comfy and the views were lovely.

Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Jeanne S.

13 Aug 2023

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

Awesome cottage experience!

Plenty of outdoor fun for adults and kids, spaces for privacy and quiet also. Donnell Lake is clean and not too busy. We swam and paddled kayaks. Good wifi also!

Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Barbara G.

6 Aug 2023

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

(Nearly) Everything We Needed

Beds were comfortable. Washer and dryer worked well. Gas grill is not fancy, but it works. We brought a Brita filter and found one to use at the cottage, but the tap water was surprisingly tasty. None of the pans have lids, oddly enough. Basement stairs are tricky - needs a railing - so we avoided using the microwave in the basement. We appreciated the hook to keep little ones out. We could have used a clothesline (maybe it was hiding) for the beach towels we brought. Good selection of vacation reading; I enjoyed The Rose Code! Our littles found toys to play with (I hope the cleaner found the little ambulance; we looked everywhere!) A restful week - and the 6 year old taught himself to kayak! (We brought our own life jackets.)

Stayed 8 nights in Jul 2023

About the host

Hosted by Ali Chard

Our family currently lives in Chicago and found The Cottage a year before the pandemic, as our reprieve from city-life. We ended up living there full-time for nearly 2 years, raising our son and dog on important life lessons like building a bonfire, learning to catch fish off a dock, and napping in an outdoor hammock. Now it has become a home-away-from home again and we're hoping to share the magic with you!

Why they chose this property

The Cottage is an incredibly special place for our family and we hope you enjoy it, too. We fell in love with the lake itself, the people who spend time there, and how cozy the property is. We've spent the last 4 years upgrading and updating The Cottage, putting a lot of love into it's 1940s bones. It's the perfect set up for summer living, with plenty of outdoor spaces for relaxation or entertaining. It's also incredibly cozy for the winter, complete with a plush couch and wood-burning fireplace.