Welcome to my home away from home. Enjoy it and treat it with love. My gallery has provided artwork for your enjoyment. Paintings are original. Purchase information is available. Just ask.
Feel free to use the utensils and plates. Please wash them thoroughly for the next guest.
There is music in the cottage including vinyl records. If they are new to you, handle them with care, enjoy playing them and return them to their original sleeves.
The Blue Star Mansion is close to absolutely everything that makes Saugatuck/Douglas and Western Michigan a great vacation destination.
Enjoy your stay! When you leave, lock the cottage and place the key in the key box.
The home was dog-friendly and conveniently located to Douglas and Sagatuck via car. The host was available and responded quickly to requests.We enjoyed our time!
There were some pros and cons about this cottage. PROS- Don is a very attentive and available host. He responds quickly to messages and stays in the property directly next door making it easy for him to pop in if needed. Don made sure to provide a rollaway bed for our family of 4. The property is within walking distance to several coffee shops, ice cream shop, grocery store and downtown Douglas and a short drive to Douglas Beach/downtown Saugatuck. The refrigerator in the property looked new, bathroom was mostly clean and outfitted with necessities. The location offered nice views of wildlife. CONS- while we knew the property was small, it was quite tight for our family of 4 (2 adults, 2 teens) for example only one person could stand and move in the kitchen at once. When you use the foldout couch and extra bed there is no room left to maneuver in the living space making this property more appropriate for fewer people. The home in general needs a deep cleaning as there is a lot of dust and cobwebs everywhere. The window air conditioner keeps the living room cool but the bedroom was uncomfortably hot despite the extra floor fan. The electrical set up is confusing as there are wires running everywhere, many switches that seem to not work and outlets that do not work. The dryer stopped working after 3 loads and the quickset lock on the door took several tries to lock. We left the property a night early due to the above concerns and most likely wouldnât book here again.
First of all the picture showing the outside on the cottage is nothing like it shows. The grass was sky high with weeds all over it. The back yard was the same. It did have a grill as stated however we were afraid with the grass and weeds so high it might catch fire since it was a charcoal grill. There was a wooden bench on the back porch that looked weather beaten and unsafe to sit on including the possibility of getting wooden splinters in your legs or back side.The owner left a note saying there was issues with the stove and dryer. The owner stated in his note that he's spent 3 days cleaning after the prior visitors left, the inside wasn't clean, it had Cobb webs, smelled musty and I question the safety of the electrical ceiling fan, it appeared to not be wired properly. We couldn't stay in a place in that state. I sent a text to the owner and he's not respond that it clearly didn't meet our standards or as described. We had to find a hotel for the evening and find another VRBO for the next 2 days. We're very disappointed and we travel several states and now we're out all that money plus the hotel and VRBO fees.
We stayed 10 nights in this rental. The rental is very close to Saugatuck and to Lake Michigan. Don was super helpful about restaurants and other places to visit in the area. The decor is very eclectic and unique! The only thing I would suggest is a deep cleaning.
Great location - close to Douglas and Saugatuck. Cottage is cozy with attention to detail - interesting books, magazines, records. Easy to feel at home. Owner was very helpful in identifying local places to visit.
Cottage in good location but somewhat disappointing given the price point
The bed was really comfortable and the dining and activities suggestions were great. The cottage was somewhat dusty with cobwebs above the bed. The lighting is lacking and there were windows in the bedroom without curtains. There isn't much counter space in the bathroom or kitchen. Location was pretty good. The owner was very nice and responsive to messages.
This was our first time in Michigan for vacation and Don was wonderful and helpful! We were treated to a ride in a classic Rambler where Don showed us the lay-of-the-land. His restaurant advice was perfect! The cottage was charming and well equipped. We usually cook in 3 nights and the kitchen had a gas stove which usually never happens in a summer rental. Nice Weber charcoal grill on the deck as well. This is really a great location as we were close to everything! As a bonus - it was great to be able to walk to The Dunes!
We had a wonderful time. Our host, Don, was available and helpful when needed. He gave excellent recommendations for places to eat and visit, I don't think we ever strayed from his list One of our favorite places was the Blue Star Cafe, from breakfast to late-night ice cream it was great and very close to the cottage. You feel that Don is doing his best to make your stay a great one. A cozy bed, good linens, a freshly tiled bathroom, coffee service, and a Smart tv were all at our disposal. I know Don takes these reviews very seriously, so my one recommendation would be to update the electricity. We found several lights (not bulbs) not working, as well as a fan, switches on the wall that seemed to do nothing, and too many power cords lying around. I know as attentive as Don is he will take these suggestions seriously. He is a great host.
I can't say enough about how great our stay was. Such a cozy place, with an eclectic style and everything you need to be comfortable. Don was accomodating & friendly. So many thoughtful details and accomodations made our stay easier than when I've vacationed in the past. We had appliances, grill, beach chairs, and more at our disposal. The location is perfect & convenient to anything you'd want. The beach is 7 minutes away, restaurants & shops are all close too. We enjoyed seeing bunnies and squirrels in the yard and the wildflowers as well. The house is like a cabin inside, thoughtfully decorated and unique all around. We hope to return at some point! Thanks for the memories and experience. The only suggestion I have, and this is more for the convenience of the host maybe- provide a small vacuum or hand vac for sand. I felt bad leaving sand here & there. There was a broom, but brooms don't really cut it for sand. My kids were covered in sand and no matter what, we brought it into our car & the house as much as we tried not to.
The cottage is adorable from the outside, and adorable and quirky on the inside. The bed is comfortable, and the sofa folds out for a second bed, which a friend of mine stayed on for 2 nights. The kitchen has pots and pans for cooking, and Corelle dishware for eating. Basic spices, sugar, foil and wax paper are also in the kitchen. The back porch is lovely to sit on and enjoy morning coffee or evening time (the deer come to visit around sundown). Alexa made sure I could always have music or my local WBEZ station playing. Window unit air conditioner, ceiling fans, and a tower fan in the bedroom ensures that temps inside stay comfortable for all. Great location- easy to walk into downtown Douglas, and an easy few minute drive across the bridge to Saugatuck. Don was friendly and responsive, and couldn't have been a better host. Very handy that he lives next door, for anything that could have cropped up. (He personally brought over extra sheets for me to make up the sofa for when my friend slept over for 2 nights.) Thanks so much, Don! I greatly enjoyed my relaxing and restorative stay at the Blue Star Mansion.
Couldnât ask for a better host. When we arrived at the cottage we found everything to be in order and as seen or mentioned in VRBOâs site. There was a welcome basket of assorted fruit, cheese and crackers as well as being stocked with the basic essentials for everyday use. Don was both attentive as well as being respectful of our privacy during our stay. We had anticipated a k-cup dispenser as shown and hadnât brought any regular coffee grounds. Ironically, he had just changed it over per a previous request, but when he heard of our predicament, he replied to our text letting us know he had dropped off the the other coffee maker and left it on the front porch. The cottage also had a new washer and dryer, (not coin operated), however there seemed to be a problem with the breaker and the electric dryer. He graciously offered, came by, picked up our wet laundry, used his own dryer and brought the clothes back a few hours later. The location is within walking distance of Douglas Beach, 1 mile and another 1.5 mile walk down the shore to Oval Beach. This saved us the $10.00 fee for parking at Oval as well as not fighting for the limited parking at Douglas Beach especially over the 4th of July week. We definitely plan on coming back to this area and hope to be staying here again! Thank you Don.
We had a very good stay. The cottage suited a couple well and Don is a good host and communicator. The place has some quirks, which we generally liked. But it would definitely benefit from A/C or fans in the bedroom and a little more kitchen equipment. There's also a municipal building project across the street that may change the experience when it's completed.
Don is very helpful in giving info about the area. The cottage has fun qualities. The walk to the lake is peaceful. It is a bit longer to go all the way to the public beach if you are swimming. There are great activities close by. Lots of wildlife to see! Good place to stay!
Don is fantastic! He gave us a lot of suggestions on things to do. We initially had trouble with the TV and he quickly responded with help. Farmerâs market in Holland was great. We had our bikes and rode all over the place. Decent brewery close by that had pretty good food. My only suggestion to Don would be a little better cleaning,otherwise, awesome place.
We stayed for several weeks, and found the property to have all we needed for such extended time. Kitchen equipped with everything, washer and drier, reliable internet. Up to 4 adults can sleep comfortably. Oval Beach is very good. Quiet, good for seniors. Don the host is very attentive and responsive.
This little house was perfect for a last-minute working vacation. The location is great - so close to Lake Michigan and downtown Saugutuck/Douglas. The amazing Isabelâs eatery and market right across the street. It was important to me to be able to bring our aging dog with us, and Don welcomed him with open arms. We also really appreciated Donâs recommendations and quick responses to our questions. The house was very comfortable and had everything we needed!
Don was very friendly and helpful. Even tried to help me catch my dog who got loose. The location is close to beach, town, Saugatuck is a few minutes drive or an easy bike ride away. The house is comfortable, loaded with antiques and we had fun playing old record albums on the turntable. Overall, a nice experience, clean, and thoughtful snacks provided upon arrival!
Thanks Don!