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BIRCH COTTAGE - Modern Lake House w/ shared Frontage on Thayer Lake

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Photo gallery for BIRCH COTTAGE - Modern Lake House w/ shared Frontage on Thayer Lake

Living area
Interior
Property grounds
Living area
3 bedrooms, travel cot, WiFi, bed sheets

Reviews

9.8 out of 10
Exceptional

Entire home

3 bedrooms2 bathroomsSleeps 8

Popular amenities

  • Dryer
  • Washer
  • Barbecue grill
  • Kitchen
  • Air conditioning

Explore the area

View in a map
Alden, MI
  • Torch Lake
    ‪5 min walk‬
  • Clam River
    ‪2 min drive‬
  • Torch Lake Park
    ‪9 min drive‬
  • Traverse City, MI (TVC-Cherry Capital)
    ‪48 min drive‬

Room options

Similar properties

Property grounds

BLUE SPRUCE COTTAGE - Modern Lake House w/ shared Frontage on Thayer Lake

  • Kitchen
  • Washer
  • Dryer
  • Free WiFi
5.0 out of 5, Exceptional, 21 reviews
BLUE SPRUCE COTTAGE - Modern Lake House w/ shared Frontage on Thayer Lake

About this property

Entire place

You'll have the entire home to yourself and will only share it with other guests in your party.

BIRCH COTTAGE - Modern Lake House w/ shared Frontage on Thayer Lake

Discover the perfect blend of lakeside charm and the modern ambiance of Alden, MI. Conveniently located between Traverse City and Charlevoix Michigan, check out our updated Birch Cottage. This 3 bed/2 bath home features every modern amenity to comfort you and your guests. With direct shared frontage to Thayer Lake, you’ll enjoy a secret paradise for fisherman. The Cottage comes with shared use of our guest kayaks, canoes and access to our private sandy beach. You can see the lake from the kitchen and patio. As an added convenience, guests can utilize their own in-unit washer and dryer. The living room features the added bonus of a queen sleeper sofa for additional guests. Relax outdoors with your private bonfire pit, outdoor seating and grill.
During your stay at this holiday home, you're just a quick walk from Torch Lake. Features include laundry facilities. The holiday home includes amenities such as a kitchen and 2 bathrooms.
  • Air-conditioned home with kitchen, washing machine and 2 bathrooms
  • Amenities include laundry facilities
  • 5 minutes on foot from Torch Lake and a 3-minute drive from Clam River
BIRCH COTTAGE - Modern Lake House w/ shared Frontage on Thayer Lake offers its guests barbecue grills and laundry facilities. The front desk is open around the clock.

Property manager

Rachael

Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in the house: WiFi

Kitchen

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Cookware, dishware, and utensils
  • Hob
  • Microwave
  • Oven
  • Refrigerator
  • Toaster

Bedrooms

  • 3 bedrooms
  • Bedsheets provided

Bathroom

  • 2 bathrooms
  • Bathtub or shower
  • Hair dryer
  • Shampoo
  • Shower
  • Soap
  • Toilet paper
  • Towels provided

Outdoor areas

  • Barbecue grill

Laundry

  • Laundry facilities
  • Washing machine

Comfort

  • Air conditioning
  • Heating

Pets

  • No pets allowed

Suitability/Accessibility

  • Smoke-free property

Safety features

  • Carbon monoxide detector not reported (host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector)
  • Smoke detector not reported (host has not indicated whether there is a smoke detector on the property)

Policies

Check-in

Check-in time starts at 4:00 PM
Minimum check-in age - 21

Check-out

Check-out before 11:00 AM

Special check-in instructions

You will receive an email from the host with check-in and check-out instructions

Pets

  • No pets allowed

Children and extra beds

  • Children are welcome.

Events

No events allowed

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Important information

You need to know

This property is managed by a private host (a party not acting within their trade, business or profession). EU consumer law, including the right of withdrawal, will not apply to your booking. The cancellation policy set by the private host will cover your booking.
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 not indicated whether there is a smoke detector on the property
This property is managed through our partner, Vrbo. You will receive an email from Vrbo with a link to a Vrbo account, where you can change or cancel your reservation
You will receive an email from the host with check-in and check-out instructions. You will also receive an email from Vrbo with a link to a Vrbo account, which will enable you to manage your booking.

BIRCH COTTAGE - Modern Lake House w/ shared Frontage on Thayer Lake Reviews

Reviews

9.8

Exceptional

Rating 10 - Excellent. 28 out of 32 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 3 out of 32 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 1 out of 32 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 32 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 32 reviews

9.8/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Amenities

10/10

Property conditions & facilities

10/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

8/10 Good

Cards That R.

Liked: Cleanliness
Nice location. Clean and updated. There were no exta linens for the pull out couch. No exta blankets. Puzzles or board games on our 1 rainy day would have been a nice touch.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Elisabeth K.

Liked: Cleanliness
We had a wonderul trip! The owners were super helpful and quick to respond to questions! The house was perfect for us and just like the pictures. We really enjoyed jumping into the lake and loved that we could walk to it! Very peaceful and relaxing!
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2025

8/10 Good

Melinda T.

Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Stephanie S., Winchester, VA

Liked: Cleanliness
We had a lovely stay at Birch Cottage. The house and grounds were exactly as described. We loved the peaceful environment with direct access to Thayer Lake and the close proximity to Torch Lake. We were traveling with little ones, so it was great to have a washing machine and lots of outdoor space to play.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

nicole b.

Liked: Cleanliness
Great stay for our family. Husband and I enjoyed fishing off the many docks
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2025

6/10 Okay

Hilda R.

The description stated it was a 5 minute walk to Torch Lake. That is what sold me on the house. I thought we would be able to walk to the Lake but we had to drive and public access was not beaches we could sit on. We walked down steps straight in to the lake. It was beautiful but i thought i could take a chair or float in the water. Never found where the sandbar was. The family enjoyed Thayer lake and all the people staying on the property were very kind. Our washer did not work from the first load. We called and were told they were unable to come. It seemed to go through a couple of wash cycles but wouldn''t rinse out the clothes so we had to always manually do a drain and spin on each load when it finally stopped. Took forever to do each load regardless of setting we used. Bathroom door handle kept falling off. We sank in to center of king bed and after two nights of misery my husband pulled mattress off and found two center legs were broken off. He fixed it the best he could without tools and it was much better. Lots of dust on ceiling fan above dining table which grossed everyone out to sit there so i got up and cleaned it. The back bedroom was unbearably hot with just the one small fan. The air conditioner was adequate but hard to set to actual comfort level. Either froze to keep all rooms cool or was too warm when had to turn it down to sit in main room. The family had a great time. Just wanted to make you aware of what we had.
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Rachel N.

Liked: Cleanliness

Great place to stay

Very nice place to stay. Owners are friendly and accommodating.
Stayed 8 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Cindy L.

Liked: Cleanliness
The cottage is very cute and we had everything we needed for sleeping and cooking meals. It’s very close to Torch Lake. I especially loved the bedroom with all the windows. Very bright and cheery. We stayed on 2 really hot days. Thanks to one of the reviews of the A/C not keeping up we brought fans which made it perfect.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Sicily K.

Liked: Cleanliness
We really enjoyed our stay at the Birch Cottage! The house and amenities were exactly how they were described. We had a blast taking out the canoe and enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere. If we are ever in the area again, we would book this cottage in a heartbeat!
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Madelyn K.

Liked: Cleanliness

Perfect Cottage!

We love staying here! Location is great, and the cottage is always clean and stocked with all the general supplies you could need!
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2025

8/10 Good

Pamela L.

Liked: Cleanliness

Getaway with Sisters & Mom

The Birch is a lovely place, a nice open living area & the bedrooms suited our need for 6 adults. So many areas nearby to see the beauty of Northern Michigan we spent our days wandering. Never did take the time to enjoy the shared lake area of the property.
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Karen S.

Liked: Cleanliness

Excellent property

We went up for a wedding in Bellaire and this location was perfect. We had quiet time with the fire pit but drove just a mile down the road and enjoyed the restaurant on torch lake. The house has plenty of room for everyone. Just bring fans because air conditioner doesn’t always reach to every room! We will definitely come back when we have more time to stay.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Lisa P.

Liked: Cleanliness

Very clean

Loved the location and the house was very clean and updated . Had planets of room for 5 of us!
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Shelly B.

Liked: Cleanliness

Most relaxing

We came for an extended weekend. Everything was close. Very enjoyable/ relaxing time with friends.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Amber F.

Liked: Cleanliness

Great Location!

It was a great home, plenty of space for us and we loved the short walk to the lake. The access to the kayaks was wonderful, had a nice fire pit with wood for sale close by. Caught bass, pumpkin seed and blue gill from the lake. Not much boat or kayak traffic this early in the summer either which was nice! Easy drive to torch lake with many arenas to rent boats from and a quick drive to downtown to the small shops. Would stay here again!
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Ellen C.

Liked: Cleanliness
Wonderful house and location. We had an excellent time at the Birch Cottage and will certainly be returning next year!
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Karen G.

Liked: Cleanliness

Fun family time

Our family loved this place as a great gathering spot. It’s very clean and spacious, with ample room for everyone. We also have easy access to Lake Thayer, where we enjoyed kayaking. The hosts were incredibly friendly and helpful, making our experience even better. I highly recommend this place to anyone looking for a fun and welcoming gathering spot.
Stayed 5 nights in May 2025

10/10 Excellent

James R. A.

Liked: Cleanliness

Thayer Lake Cottages

Everything was wonderful. Our family was able to stay close to our Thayer Lake home in great accommodations with a fine winter setting.
Stayed 4 nights in Dec 2024

10/10 Excellent

Rowaida, Maumee

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
We stayed here over the summer on a mothers and daughters trip! I can's say enough amazing things about this place and its host. Very clean, great location, comfy beds!!! Thank you!! we'll be back
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Kelly B.

Liked: Cleanliness

Quiet and relaxing. Close to Torch Lake

Took a little family vacation. It was absolutely amazing. Nice and clean house. Sat outside having a bonfire watching the deer come really close to us. Peaceful and relaxing. Bonus it was only 5 minutes to Torch Lake boat launch. We were only there for 3 days. Next year going for a week
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Valentina C.

Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Jody W.

Liked: Cleanliness

Alden stay. Quaint

Comfortable home, good communication, easy access, nice area, offers much convenience and lake access.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Mike and Leslie W.

Liked: Cleanliness

Cute place in a nice location

We had a nice stay. It was very clean and close to all that we wanted to do.
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Teri R.

Liked: Cleanliness

Birch cottage

Beautiful home! Perfect location! Our family had a great time fishing on Thayer Lake using the provided boats and Kayaks. The only problem is we wish we would have stayed longer!
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Bree P., Petoskey, MI

Liked: Cleanliness

Lovely cottage

Very spacious and clean. Comfy beds and pillows. Grounds are very well kept. Enjoyed using the kayaks. Highly recommend!
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2024