Scenic Retreat w/ Cozy Fire Pit Near Torch Lake

Reviews

• 2/5

  Although this house is in a good location (close to Torch Lake and Traverse area) our overall experience was not a positive one. When we arrived the tv, WiFi, and air conditioning were not working (in 90 degree muggy Michigan July heat). After some back and forth with the property manager we we able to get them working in the next 24 hours. The air conditioner, however, is SO loud you cannot have a conversation between the living room and kitchen 5 feet away. The advertised 3rd bedroom was locked and not available. We were also informed during our stay that there would be a carpet measurement the following day. I expressed my concern that I didn’t feel it was appropriate while we were guests in the house and asked them to reschedule but they showed up anyway.

  *This review was originally posted on Vrbo

  Manager's Response:

  Hi Caryn, we’re pleased the home’s proximity to Torch Lake and the Traverse area added to your stay. We followed up with the homeowner, who would like to share the following:
  
  - An unexpected outage affected the TV, Wi-Fi, and air conditioning upon arrival, which w
  as resolved within 24 hours. We understand this was inconvenient in the July heat and are working to reduce AC noise for a more comfortable stay.
  - The third bedroom was locked for repairs, which should have been communicated beforehand. We also apologize for the carpet measurement during your stay, which should have been scheduled outside of guest visits.
  
  Your feedback is important, and we appreciate you taking the time to share it as we make changes to help ensure 5-star stays for future guests.

• 1/5

  My overall impression was the house smelled of cat urine and the air conditioning did not work even though it sounded like a freight train and ran non-stop. Also we booked this because we needed 3 bedrooms and were notified in rout the third bedroom was unavailable. So the overall experience was not good to say the least.

  *This review was originally posted on Vrbo

  Manager's Response:

  From the owner: "Hi Kenneth, I’m so sorry your stay didn’t go as expected, and I truly regret the challenges you and your family faced. The locked bedroom was due to a prior guest bringing in a cat, which violated our dog‑only pet policy and left a strong odor in that room. You had been informed of this before your check‑in, and a reimbursement was already applied to your stay. I know how disruptive this must have been, and I sincerely apologize. To prevent this from happening again, we’ve scheduled a full carpet replacement throughout the home. We’re also addressing the AC noise and working closely with our cleaning team to improve pet hair removal and pest prevention so the home is fully ready for every guest.
  Your feedback means a lot to us and is helping guide these updates. I’m glad you enjoyed the peaceful outdoor space and hope these improvements ensure future visits are much more comfortable."

• 3/5

  When we arrived, the residence had a terrible odor through out the entire home. It smelled like a very bad, dorm room party. And stayed that way for our entire stay. While trying to watch TV, the internet was so slow and shut off so many times it was useless to use. As noted in previous reviews, the AC unit was so loud that it made it difficult to do anything until it was off. Plenty of potential, however our experience was not a pleasant one. I reached out to property manager after our stay, bit received no acknowledgement or response.

  *This review was originally posted on Vrbo

  Manager's Response:

  Hi Anthony, we want our guests to arrive at a vacation home that is 100% ready for their stay, so we take your feedback seriously! We followed up with the homeowner after reading your review, and they wanted to share the following:
  - We sincerely apologize for the odor issue; it was due to a previous guest violating the pet policy by bringing a cat. After professional cleaning wasn't sufficient, we are now replacing all carpeting to ensure this doesn't impact future stays.
  - The internet issues during your visit were due to fiber internet installation in the area, causing temporary disruptions, and we truly regret the inconvenience this caused.
  - We're actively addressing the noise from the A/C unit and are committed to making it quieter for a more relaxing experience.
  Thanks for sharing your feedback.

• Good location but we won’t be back.

  2/5

  Positive: great outdoor fire pit area, close to Traverse City and Torch Lake

  Negative: There is known issue w the house fan/AC system that sounds like a “wind tunnel” described in the arrival book (not included in online description). You CANNOT have a conversation between rooms. Period.

  WiFi and Air Conditioning were not functional upon arrival (with 85-90 degree humid Michigan summer heat).

  The advertised 3rd bedroom was locked with a padlock.

  Finally, and worst in my opinion, is that I was informed on day 2 that the owner had scheduled a carpet measurement for the next day during our stay. I told the property manager that I did not feel comfortable with this, I don’t think I should have to monitor a subcontractor in a house I’m renting for 3 nights. The property manager did not respond to my text and the carpet seller showed up anyway.

  Like I said - we won’t be back.

• Great stay.

  5/5

  The house was big enough for family to come from multiple locations and share some quality time between softball tournament games. The washer and dryer really came in handy for the dirty ball uniforms. There were also some unexpected and very convenient amenities The fire pit was an added bonus. The nerarby Seven Bridges trails, Rugg Pond Dam and Torch Lake access at the ball park location were picturesque and enjoyable sites to experience. The house is in a quiet rural setting with only 2 other nearby units.