See all properties
Entire home

Gorgeous lodge for up to 16 with hottub & games room on all-sports Thompson Lake

Lakefront cottage with kitchen and patio

Photo gallery for Gorgeous lodge for up to 16 with hottub & games room on all-sports Thompson Lake

Terrace/patio
Welcome to Heron Lodge!
Property grounds
Living room with two big screen TVs & stone 2-sided fireplace
Great for gatherings: Dining room table seats 12, plus counter stools

Reviews

10 out of 10
Exceptional
4 bedrooms3 bathroomsSleeps 16260.1 sq m

Popular amenities

  • Parking available
  • Dryer
  • Fireplace
  • Washer
  • Barbecue grill

Explore the area

View map
Howell, MI
  • Place, Howell's MainStreet Winery
    ‪5 min drive‬
  • Place, Tanger Outlets Howell
    ‪9 min drive‬
  • Place, Mt Brighton Ski Area
    ‪12 min drive‬
  • Airport, Flint, MI (FNT-Bishop Intl.)
    ‪45 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

4 bedrooms (sleeps 16)

Bedroom 1

1 King Bed

Bedroom 2

1 King Bed

Bedroom 3

2 Double Beds

Bonus Area Above Garage

1 King Bed and 2 Single Beds

garage/game room

1 Double Futon

main house loft

1 Double Futon

3 bathrooms

Bathroom 1

Toilet · Shower only

Bathroom 2

Bathtub · Toilet · Shower only

Bathroom 3 - Garage

Bathtub or shower · Toilet

Spaces

Deck or patio
Kitchen
Outdoor play area
Garden

About this property

Gorgeous lodge for up to 16 with hottub & games room on all-sports Thompson Lake

Heron Home is the perfect retreat for any season. A short drive (or 30-minute walk) to award-winning downtown Howell. Get that up north feeling without the long road trip! Located on all sports Thompson Lake, enjoy your own private dock and three kayaks for your personal use, or the nearby access to a public boat launch and beach. Family gathering? Dining table seats 12, or add the kitchen table and counter stools for even more.

The large backyard with its breath-taking views, has a built-in firepit, built-in gas grill (no tanks required!), a wood stove, and a hot-tub! Watch the resident swans, herons and muskrats while truly relaxing. It's the perfect setting for family and friends.

Other features:
* Primary bedroom with King bed and ensuite with double showers and a jetted tub
*Main floor bedroom with King bed; second floor bedroom with two full beds
* Bonus room above garage/games room with one King and 2 twin beds.
* Large dining table to host your family gathering (seats 12), kitchen table seats 6, terrace table seats 8!
* Great spot for family reunions, staycations, girls trips, or bonding with friends.
* Separate game/lounge room with ping pong, shuffleboard
* Full pull out sofa and third full bathroom in games room.
* Full pull out sofa and desk with monitor in the 2nd floor loft
*Fully stocked kitchen, beach towels, laundry, puzzles/games/toys, pack-and-play, insect repellant, sunscreen and more.

Add dates for prices

Amenities

Hot tub
Kitchen
Washing machine
Dryer
Free WiFi
Air conditioning

Have a question?

AI iconBeta

Get instant answers with AI powered search of property information and reviews.

Similar properties

Exterior
Portage Lakefront - Great View & Location - 5 Bedrooms - 3 Baths - 2 Car Garage
  • Kitchen
  • Washer
  • Dryer
  • Free WiFi
9.8 out of 10, (109 reviews)
Portage Lakefront - Great View & Location - 5 Bedrooms - 3 Baths - 2 Car Garage

House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 21
Check out before 11:00 AM
default

Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17
default

Events

No events allowed
default

Pets

No pets allowed
default

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted
No more than 7 cars in the driveway and absolutely no parking in the street (Carpool in if needed).
No more than 16 guests in the house at any given time.
Outdoor activities, music, excessive noise are prohibited after 10pm. (Howell and Subdivision Ordinance). Please respect our neighbors' property.

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
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

About the area

Howell

Located in Howell, this cottage is on the waterfront. Howell's MainStreet Winery and Mt Brighton Ski Area are worth checking out if an activity is on the agenda, while those wishing to experience the area's natural beauty can explore Brighton State Recreation Area and Island Lake State Recreation Area.
View more Cottages in HowellOpens in a new window
Map
Howell, MI

What's nearby

  • Howell's MainStreet Winery - 5 min drive - 2.9 km
  • Tanger Outlets Howell - 9 min drive - 10.7 km
  • Mt Brighton Ski Area - 12 min drive - 14.6 km
  • Brighton Center for Specialty Care - 12 min drive - 16.4 km
  • The Majestic at Lake Walden - 22 min drive - 36.2 km

Getting around

  • Pontiac, MI (PTK-Oakland County Intl.) - 42 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Baskin-Robbins - ‬5 min drive
  • ‪Taco Bell - ‬6 min drive
  • ‪Wendy's - ‬5 min drive
  • ‪Corattis Pizzaria Bar And Bocce - ‬4 min drive
  • ‪Burger King - ‬15 min walk

Frequently asked questions

Is Gorgeous lodge for up to 16 with hottub & games room on all-sports Thompson Lake pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

What time is check-in at Gorgeous lodge for up to 16 with hottub & games room on all-sports Thompson Lake?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Gorgeous lodge for up to 16 with hottub & games room on all-sports Thompson Lake?

Checkout is at 11:00 AM.

Where is Gorgeous lodge for up to 16 with hottub & games room on all-sports Thompson Lake located?

This family-friendly Howell cottage is located on the waterfront, 1.7 mi (2.7 km) from Howell's MainStreet Winery, and within 6 mi (10 km) of Tanger Outlets Howell and East Crooked Lake. Brighton State Recreation Area and Brighton Center for Specialty Care are also within 9 miles (15 km).

Reviews

10

Exceptional

10/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Amenities

8.8/10

Property conditions & facilities

10/10

Eco-friendliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

9.8/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy
Rating 10 - Excellent. 71 out of 75 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 3 out of 75 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 1 out of 75 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 75 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 75 reviews

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Kyle F.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
This was a fantastic option for a large group of friends - we loved the outdoor patio and backyard and had an amazing time.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2025

10/10 Excellent

Michelle K.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
What a lovely place. It was so tranquil to drink tea each morning and look at the lake. The house was so comfortable. My in-laws loved the beds. The hot tub was amazing. Would totally stay again.
Stayed 6 nights in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Judy T.

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

Lake House Stay 2025

What a spacious spot to gather with family! Lots of fishing from the dock but swimming was not so good. We used the kayaks to go to the public beach which was good for swimming.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Molly K.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Beautiful lodge with lots of room. Host was very responsive. Well equipped kitchen. Quiet neighborhood. Fabulous bonus rooms in garage. No swimming at the house but there’s a beach nearby. Large grill and outdoor fire pit. Highly recommend!
Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Aaliyah M.

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

Great cabin!!

Such an amazing property!!! We enjoyed everything & the view of the lake and birds was really nice! I would definitely book again & have already been recommending others to book. Thanks so much!!
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2025

10/10 Excellent

Rick A.

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

Amazing House and Great Owner

The property is pristine, the location is amazing, and the owner is so incredibly easy to work with. And, the game room is awesome! We will be back!
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2025

10/10 Excellent

Teri G.

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

Amazing Lake Stay!

We brought our family here for a vacation and had an amazing time. This home is beautiful and provided plenty of room for our large family. There was nothing missing and tons to do! We loved the large yard and the garage with game room. Town is just a short drive away if you need anything or it is a rainy day. The only challenge we had was swimming for the little ones. There is no easy way to get in the water off the dock and there was a lot of muck and lily pads they did not want to swim in. But we worked around it and had a fantastic time!
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Stacie C.

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

Great Place For The Whole Family

We had a great time. Plenty of room for everyone!
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Aradia B.

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

Awesome spot!

Super cool place! Very clean, they had everything we needed available and made our trip easy. Will be back!
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Carol B.

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

Our family holiday get together.

We had an absolutely perfect family weekend at Steve's wonderful home. Steve is the perfect host, very responsive, flexible, and was so sweet to decorate the house for us. We had a gang of kids who loved the hot tub and the game house. Excellent place for chatting, watching football, eating together. Just Great!
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2024

10/10 Excellent

Nicolai D.

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

Yearly friend gathering

Perfect spot to host for family/friends and have a "summer camp" sort of vibe. Would definitely come back
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2023

10/10 Excellent

Jenny M.

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

Great annual trip with four families.

Very clean house and all amenities cared for. Beds are comfortable. Great location - short drive to local restaurants and convenience stores. Lake is a shallow. But also not very busy so easy to tube off of a boat. Lots of room for larger groups.
Stayed 4 nights in May 2024

10/10 Excellent

RICHARD K., kokomo in

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

Lake house

Everything was great
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Gwen W.

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

Lots of places for fun

Lots of space and options for entertainment, both indoors and outside. Loved the hot tub! Great place to bring the family together. And we're all Will Ferrell fans! 😁
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2022

10/10 Excellent

Len V., Black Diamond, WA

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

Perfect Family Reunion Venue

Large, spacious, well-equipped cabin on a lake that is great for kayaking and fishing. Cabin is equipped with three kayaks, table tennis, video game station, fire pit, corn hole and hot tub. Plenty of comfortable sleeping, table and chairs for 16, large kitchen, fireplace, laundry, three full baths, and plenty of board games make for an unbeatable family gathering.
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2023

8/10 Good

Maria B.

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

Great place for many people.

Great place for large dinners and hanging out. With the water so close with kayaks it’s great! The coffee maker seems broken so perhaps bring your own. And the lake is so nice, just know if you want to just swim off the dock there is a lot of seaweed that comes up to the surface, so best if tubes are brought. Would stay again!
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Pamela B.

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

Hallmark House Had it All

Family from California to Florida gathered for Christmas Holiday at what we dubbed the Hallmark House. Our stay was the best! Plenty of comfy beds, a large well-equipped kitchen, swans on the lake, a cozy fire, games and puzzles, a warm hot tub, s’mores by the outside fire—all contributed to our perfect visit! Our host could not have been more responsive to any questions! We would definitely stay again at this fantastic house!
Stayed 7 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Kristin F.

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

Kyle and Marie Wedding

We were in town for a family wedding in East Lansing with the reception at Crystal Gardens in Howell. Perfect property and location for out of town large families traveling to stay and relax for an event or reunion. 2 Bedrooms upstairs in the main house and 1 bedroom downstairs and 1 large bedroom with bunks with a full bathroom in the garage. The cousins enjoyed the game room in the garage - complete with ping-pong, table shuffle board, video game console, and wet bar. Hot Tub, Kayaks, and fire pit outside - gas grille … we’ll equipped and maintained. Owners were responsive and helpful! Highly Recommend! 5 Stars John and Kristin, NJ
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2024

6/10 Okay

Richard R.

Liked: Check-in
Disliked: Communication

Great Facilities for Family but Not Clean

The facilities were appropriate for our extended family group but were not properly cleaned for our arrival. There are 3 bathrooms and the mold in the primary shower was a big issue. Also, the on/off valve handle was loose and needed repaired. The primary bathroom counter was dusty and had hair on it. The floor in the dining area was dusty and there were clothes in one dresser drawer. The recycled bin was full and several lights inside the house were burned out. Also, the natural gas fireplace in the family room kept going out after it lit. The property had great potential, but the cleanliness was lacking and detracted considerably from our enjoyment. The property owner said he would address the cleanliness, but he did not.
Stayed 4 nights in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

Nicole B.

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

Great family vacation

My family of 10 had a great time at this home. There was plenty of room for all of us and everyone was comfortable. The fishing was great and the game room was a blast. We would love to stay here again in the future!
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Lynda H.

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

Owner Communication the best I have ever experienced!

Beautiful house and lake, great fishing and boating. The Owners have thought of everything you need. We love the way it is " Up North" in Howell! The families live between 35 and 45 minutes away which worked out great for some of the guys who had to go home to work, etc. Or go home at night and come in the morning.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Luisa M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Our family group of 15 had a great time! The kids and adults enjoyed the game room, puzzles, and hot tub. We were pleasantly surprised at how nicely stocked the house was with towels, bedding and toiletries. Between the 2 dinning tables and bar area there was plenty of room during meal times for everyone. Kids fished off the doc, the kayaks were a hit, the grill was clean when we went to use it!! Great yard to play games!! LOVED this place!
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Michael O.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Words can't describe!...the hot tub, having fires outside,kayaking, making pizzas outside. The family loved it all. We did lots of walkingand they enjoyed playing basketball at a nearby park as well.
Stayed 6 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Joyce C.

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

Excellent family gathering

Exceptionally clean. Well stocked kitchen. Highly enjoyable family vacation. Thank you
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Nolan F.

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

Great house

Stellar place to stay with friends, plenty of space and a big yard in the back for activities
Stayed 3 nights in May 2025

About the host

Hosted by Steve Parkhill

Host profile image
We're from Ann Arbor and love the fact that our dream cottage is only a 38-minute drive away. Just a few years from now, we hope to retire and live at the cottage full-time. We bought it because it's ideal for hosting all of our children and grand-children at the same time - there's a bed for everyone and a ton of activities to choose from. Whether it's summer at the lake, golfing or fishing in the fall, or skiing at nearby Mt. Brighton (16 minutes away) in the winter, the Prestige Log Cottage is the perfect place for your next get-together!

Why they chose this property

When we first drove up to the cottage and saw the lake, the large property, the dock, and the log interior - we knew this was the place! We can walk to the award-winning downtown with its boutiques, restaurants, and farmers' market in 25 minutes.
It ticked all of the boxes for us and we could, once again, host large get-togethers with family or friends.

What makes this property unique

Because we also use this cottage for hosting family and friends, you'll find a lot of the little extras around the house that you will not find at most short-term rental properties. For example, the kitchen is fully stocked. Sunscreen is provided so you can always play outside. We provide seasoned firewood so you don't have to bring/buy any to enjoy the firepit There are multiple board games and puzzles, outdoor games like cornhole, ping-pong, and shuffle board to name a few!
We want your family to enjoy the place as much as our family does.

Languages:

English

Premier Host

They consistently provide great experiences for their guests
Tell us how we can improve our siteShare feedback