The Best Cottages to Rent in Michigan

Your dad wants to play golf. Your brother wants to snowboard. Mum wants to ski. Bag one of these self-catering cottages, located between the Boyne Highlands and Boyne Mountain resorts in beautiful Little Traverse Bay, and everyone gets their way. Choose from an elegant gabled cottage facing Lake Michigan or one near the resort’s golf course – either way, you’re only a short walk from the restaurant and spa and a free shuttle ride away from the Victorian spires of Petoskey.

Spend your days browsing the art galleries and antique stores of pretty Pentwater and your evenings barbecuing freshly-caught fish in the picnic area outside this sweet, two-bed home. Overlooking Pentwater Lake, the house is ideally placed for exploring the area, and offers free private parking. Huron-Manistee National Forest, Lake Michigan and Charles Mears State Park are only a few miles away, while an art trail and buggy tours of the Silver Lake Sand Dunes mean you’ll never be short of something to do.

Unwind on your own private beach when you book one of the spacious bungalows at this resort in Coldwater, southern Michigan. Suitable for six-to-eight people, two of the properties offer views over North Lake and all three include parking spaces, outdoor areas and free wifi. Coldwater Golf Club is almost on the doorstep, while there’s a drive-in theater, opera house and heritage park a few miles away in the city of Coldwater.

Head out of central Detroit on Interstate 75 and you’ll hit the desirable suburb of Royal Oak, with its numerous parks, coffee shops and theaters, all easily explored on foot. This chic, modern, three-bed vacation rental is right at the heart of things on 4th Street – home to the Royal Oak Music Theater and the renowned Comedy Castle, where everyone from Jay Leno to Jim Carrey has performed. Kids will love the nearby Detroit Zoo, where you can see one of the largest artificial polar bear habitats in the world.

From the welcoming brick fireplace to the patchwork eiderdowns on the beds, this cozy homestay makes you feel at ease. Located on quiet but central Hampton Road in the riverside city of Mount Clemens, Macomb County, the house features two guest rooms with queen beds and smart TVs. Communal areas include a kitchen, living room and three-tiered backyard deck with a barbecue and hot tub. Downtown is just a 2mi (3.2km) drive from the property.

Whether you’re booking a break with friends, family or your significant other, this collection of holiday homes has you covered. Located downtown in the Allegan County city of Saugatuck – a hive of restaurants, galleries and beaches – each of the eight stylishly-decorated properties is kitted out for comfort, with heated floors, screened-in patios and views of Lake Kalamazoo. You’ll also have access to a communal heated pool, hot tub, grilling area and guest docks.

Wake up to the sounds of water flowing and wind rustling in the trees at these cabins on the bank of the Betsie River, Benzie County. Outdoorsy-types will love hopping out of bed and straight into a kayak, before unwinding in the resort’s indoor pool and hot tub. Take a shower back at base, then toast marshmallows over the community fire pits. Cabins sleep from two-to-five adults each – larger groups can book adjacent accommodation connected by a privacy door.

Feel like a local when you stay at this sprawling Victorian guesthouse, just one block from Portage Lake, in the village of Onekama. Hosted by owner Nola (who also offers reiki and reflexology treatments) rooms and suites sleep from one-to-six people and have access to a private pool. It’s an ideal base for outdoor adventures – Lake Bluff Bird Sanctuary, North Country Trail and the Sleeping Bear Dunes are all within driving distance, while the Crystal Mountain resort offers skiing, snowboarding and golf less than 20mi (32km) away.

Built as a country estate at the end of the nineteenth century, this woodland resort overlooking Lake Michigan is a place people return to again and again. Its nine buildings contain 26 holiday rental units ranging from large lakeside studios to hillside suites to A-frame chalets – there’s something for couples, families and even wedding parties. Swim at two heated outdoor pools or get stuck into a game of tennis, basketball, or shuffleboard before watching the sun go down from a deckchair on the lawn.