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WELCOME TO HARBOR HOUSE! STEP BACK IN TIME AND RELAX AT THE BEACH...

Lakefront holiday home with kitchen and balcony

Photo gallery for WELCOME TO HARBOR HOUSE! STEP BACK IN TIME AND RELAX AT THE BEACH...

Interior
Exterior
Living area
Interior
Room

Reviews

9.8 out of 10
Exceptional
5 bedrooms2 bathroomsSleeps 12185.8 sq m

Popular amenities

  • Beach view
  • Parking available
  • Kitchen
  • Fireplace
  • Dryer
  • Washer

Explore the area

View map
Holland, MI
  • Place, Holland State Park
    ‪2 min walk‬
  • Place, Ottawa Beach
    ‪13 min walk‬
  • Place, Tunnel Park
    ‪4 min drive‬
  • Airport, Muskegon, MI (MKG-Muskegon County)
    ‪43 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

5 bedrooms (sleeps 12)

Bedroom #2 The Captain's Room

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom #3 The Sandcastle Room

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom #4 The 1896 Room

1 Double Bed

Bedroom #5 The First Mate's Room

1 Single Bunk Bed and 2 Single Beds

Master - The Harbor Room

1 King Bed

Sofa - common area

1 Double Futon

2 bathrooms

Main level

Toilet · Shower only

Upper level

Toilet · Shower only

Spaces

Deck or patio
Porch or lanai
Kitchen
Balcony
Separate dining area
Garden
Dining area

About this property

WELCOME TO HARBOR HOUSE! STEP BACK IN TIME AND RELAX AT THE BEACH...

Feel like you stepped back into the late 1800's in this stunning circa 1887 cottage with 5 bedrooms and 2 full baths on the shores of Lake Michigan AND Lake Macatawa. Brand new tiled bathrooms and renovated kitchen. 5 minute walk to enormous Holland State Park/Beach/Playground, "Big Red" Lighthouse, piers, Ottawa Beach marina, Mt. Pisgah, and Ottawa Beach Inn. You can relax and enjoy every moment in this beautiful home. Large dining room, three porches, and multiple areas to relax and enjoy the beauty of Holland, Michigan!

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Amenities

Kitchen
Washing machine
Dryer
Air conditioning
Outdoor space
Parking available

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House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 25
Check out before 11:00 AM
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Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17
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Events

Events allowed
Due to age of cottages, NO fires or fireworks!
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Pets

No pets allowed
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Smoking

Smoking is not permitted
Absolutely no smoking due to fire hazard

Check-out instructions

The host requires you to complete the following before checking out:
Load and start the dishwasher
Strip any used beds and gather used towels
Remove personal items, remove leftover food and drinks and take out the rubbish
Turn off the lights and lock the doors
Failure to complete these may result in a negative review from the host.
Most of the cottages in this area were built in the late 1800's. Fire is the major concern for homeowners -- please: NO FIRES and NO FIREWORKS.
Smoke penetrates the wooden walls - any sign of smoking will warrant an additional $300 cleaning fee.

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
Parties and events are allowed on site
Note from host: Due to age of cottages, NO fires or fireworks!
Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher

About the area

Holland

Located on a lake, this holiday home is in Ottawa Beach, a neighbourhood in Holland. Sundae Sundae Golf Golf and Holland Community Aquatic Center are local attractions and those in the mood for shopping can visit Butler Street and Blue Star Antique Pavilion. Dutch Village and Craigs Cruisers are also worth visiting. Looking to get your feet wet? Jet skiing, kayaking and waterskiing adventures can be found near the property.
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Map
Holland, MI

What's nearby

  • Holland State Park - 2 min walk - 0.2 km
  • Mt. Pisgah Dune Boardwalk - 3 min walk - 0.3 km
  • Ottawa Beach - 13 min walk - 1.1 km
  • Tunnel Park - 4 min drive - 3.2 km
  • Hope College - 11 min drive - 12.4 km

Getting around

  • Holland Station - 15 min drive
  • Muskegon, MI (MKG-Muskegon County) - 47 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Reservoir - ‬12 min walk
  • ‪Boatwerks Waterfront Restaurant - ‬12 min drive
  • ‪Doebs Pizzeria - ‬13 min drive
  • ‪Deboer Bakkerij South - ‬13 min drive
  • ‪Lolo's - ‬3 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is WELCOME TO HARBOR HOUSE! STEP BACK IN TIME AND RELAX AT THE BEACH... pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much is parking at WELCOME TO HARBOR HOUSE! STEP BACK IN TIME AND RELAX AT THE BEACH...?

On-site parking is available at the property.

What time is check-in at WELCOME TO HARBOR HOUSE! STEP BACK IN TIME AND RELAX AT THE BEACH...?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at WELCOME TO HARBOR HOUSE! STEP BACK IN TIME AND RELAX AT THE BEACH...?

Checkout is at 11:00 AM.

Where is WELCOME TO HARBOR HOUSE! STEP BACK IN TIME AND RELAX AT THE BEACH... located?

Located in Ottawa Beach, this holiday home is within 1 mi (2 km) of Holland State Park and Lake Michigan. Mt. Pisgah Dune Boardwalk and Ottawa Beach are also within 1 mile (2 km).

Reviews

9.8

Exceptional

9.6/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

9.8/10

Location

9.8/10

Listing accuracy
Rating 10 - Excellent. 55 out of 61 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 5 out of 61 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 1 out of 61 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 61 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 61 reviews

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Cathy C.

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

May visit

We had a wonderful time at Harbor House. We were in town to celebrate our son’s college graduation. We had three generations in the home which had plenty of space to gather together as well as to venture off when you wanted some down time. We really enjoyed the front porch and being so close to the beach for morning walks.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2023

10/10 Excellent

Carol F.

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

Wonderful celebration!

Our 50th anniversary celebration was a wonderful time at the beach, on the porch, eating great meals on the deck. Unanimous approval from all, 2-72!
Stayed 14 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Daniel V.

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

Third time. Wonderful place. Will be back

Nice improvements with the addition of a front patio. Short walk to the beach. Beach chairs are provided. Outside shower with warm water to clean the sand off. Used the outside dining area several times. Good shade, so comfortable on warm days
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Stephanie B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
This was really a great property! It is a short walk to Holland State Park Beach, and is located in the charming Ottawa Beach Historical area. The owner is an excellent communicator and replied to us very promptly whenever necessary. With its five bedrooms, two big porches, and deck (with a BIG table and a grill), it is suitable for larger groups. The house is nicely furnished with some antiques and vintage pieces, but feels very homey and comfortable. It has pretty much everything you will need in the house overall, in the kitchen, in the bath, and for the beach. The three off-street reserved parking spaces were very useful as well. We loved the pretty plantings in front of the house, particularly the butterfly bushes. I recommend this home without reservation and would definitely stay here again.
Stayed 29 nights in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Rob M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great Ottowa Beach cottage with loads of space and amenities. Owner is great communicator and responsive. House is loaded with indoor and outdoor seating areas for meals or gathering. Front porch and front patio became favorite places for morning coffee or evening relaxation. Relatively short walk to beach, parking, General Store, State Park. Great updated bathrooms, bedding, towels, etc. Beach chairs and two tote wagons make 15 minute walk to beach a breeze.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Doreen S.

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

Holland for the Fourth of July

Great week in a wonderful historic cottage.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Matt G.

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

Very nice place in perfect location

Our group covered age 9 up to 79 and all were comfortable. So close to the state park, easy walk. And nightly walk to the General Store for ice cream. Historic home in the preserved district and everything was is good condition.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Daniel V., Savage, MN

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

Our second time

This was our second time at harbor house. Old house, but bathrooms and kitchen nicely updated. Favorite places are the front porch and big table on the back shaded deck. Ate outside as much as we could. Everyone want to go back.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Kathleen S.

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

Fabulous

This area is lovely and the cottage was completely charming. Nice blend of the old charm and yet new modern appliances. We didn’t want to leave.
Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Martha M.

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

Perfect Location

We had two goals. We wanted to spend time at the beach and we wanted to see the fireworks over Lake Michigan. From this perfect location we were able to enjoy both with ease. The walk to the beach was a breeze for our 30-somethings and the drive for our oldsters was 3 minutes from starting the car to parking it near the beach. Very easy access to the boardwalk, two places for ice cream and other nearby features. We loved our stay at Harbor House. The house itself was comfortable, only a little creaky, very nice bathrooms and kitchen.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2023

8/10 Good

Judy P.

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

Harbor House on Ottawa Beach

The cottage is located on historic Ottawa Beach among many old cottages, some dating from the late 1880’s. It is located a five minute walk from the beautiful Holland State Park Beach. This is an excellent location for beach walking and hiking. It has a lovely harbor view. The cottage a recently renovated kitchen and two nice bathrooms. The living spaces and bedrooms are adequate, but very noisy due to the vintage charm of of old wood floors and thin wooden walls separating the rooms. We enjoyed our stay despite the very cold weather. Holland has a lot to offer.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Annick L.

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

Great spot, quaint, well equipped cottage

Wonderful stay in Holland -- a lovely beach destination (a mere 5 minute walk away). Stayed with friends for a weekend reunion -- 6 adults + 5 kids. House is an oldy but a goodie, with recently renovated bathrooms that were quite usable and comfy (great showers). There are no baths, but large sinks in which we could bathe the babies. Equipped with several porches, barbecue, full kitchen, beautiful light. A couple of things to know, to set your expectations (acknowledging this is a wonderful spot): If you're looking for intimacy from room to room, this is not your pick -- rooms are separated by thin wood lats so sound travels well. The mattresses are quite old in the top floor rooms and can be a little tight for 2 people over 5'10". There is one king sized bed in a large room downstairs. It's a 2-3 minute walk from the parking lot to the house, and there is a chariot thing to roll all your stuff so it works quite well unless you've packed everything but the kitchen sink.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2023

10/10 Excellent

Tracy T., Avon Lake, Ohio

Liked: Check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Disliked: Cleanliness

Great Location

Charming old cottage. Views of the harbor. A few minutes walk to the best beach. Fantastic beds and bedding and beautiful remodeled bathrooms.
Stayed 4 nights in May 2023

10/10 Excellent

Dale H.

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

Grreat family experience

Classic old house. Everything works. Kitchen well equipped. Lots of deer to watch, and lake is beautiful even in the winter. Only challenge is the house is about the length of a football field away from the parking area. Sidewalks were not plowed out from the snow so moving stuff in took some effort. Had a very good time with family members. Good memories.
Stayed 4 nights in Dec 2022

10/10 Excellent

Kathy D.

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

Girlfriend Reunion

Nice property! Kitchen and bathroom update is great. Could have used more than 3 parking spaces but the additional parking on the street worked out ok. Great to have condiments and spices available. We had 8 people and your home provided plenty of room. You may want to check your hot water heater since we had to run the water quite a while to get hot water in the sinks whcih seemed like quite a waste of water. You have a lovely view and we enjoy the deer visitors. The color was exquisite.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2022

10/10 Excellent

Alyssa N.

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

Cool cottage in a great location

Our family of 3 generations had a great time at the house and enjoyed the beautiful views, hiking up Mt. Pisgah, and walking to the beaches. The house was well-equipped, clean, and we felt right at home.
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2022

10/10 Excellent

Charles R.

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

Beach cottage with character

This property has great character and an excellent location. The cottage has recently remodeled bathrooms and new ss kitchen appliances. We especially enjoyed the deer in the yard and walks to the beach and Mt Pisgah. Nice antiques throughout. When it was cool and rainy we enjoyed puzzles, the big screen TV, reading, and dominos.
Stayed 5 nights in Sep 2022

10/10 Excellent

Janice S.

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

Great house & Great location

Had a great few days at Harbor House. Very good accommodations
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2022

8/10 Good

Jo B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication

Harbor House in Macatawa

Positives: (1) updated bathrooms are excellent except upstairs needs window coverings; (2) kitchen updated and well-equipped; Needs Work: (1) several light bulbs were burned out; (2) all bedrooms needed more and better table lamps for reading; (3) upstairs bathroom and some bedrooms need window coverings; (4) rocker in living room needs minor repair - arm rest kept falling off; (5) rim inside dishwasher door had not been cleaned - dried food left on; (6) vintage bed in upstairs room right of bathroom door needs to be stablized - mattress was fine, but bed was shaky VRBO description needs to include that car parking is not immediate to the house property. While the location worked beautifully for my group, the description sounds like the house is much closer to the water and beach. "Walking distance" is a stretch because of the what's between the house and the beach.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2022

10/10 Excellent

Melissa K.

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

Wonderful weekend getaway

Perfect location and space for a long weekend trip with extended Family. We loved being close to both Lake Michigan and across from Lake Macatawa. The house was a nice mix of historical ambiance and modern updates.
Stayed 5 nights in Sep 2022

8/10 Good

bruce w., cicero

Liked: Check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

harbor House

The cottage accommodates 11-12 people. It is extremely well outfitted in every aspect. You name it, it is there!
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

Jim R.

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

Amazing

Perfect location.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

ann h.

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

Great Family Vaca!!

The property was in a great location with easy walk to beach and general store! The house is definitely old but charming. Two nice big tables for meals and a few smaller ones too. Kitchen and bathrooms are nice and updated. Noise is definitely a problem but there are fans in every room which help some. Nice towels and kitchen stocked well. Windows upstairs need definitely need coverings but owner said they are order. Lovely neighborhood!!
Stayed 6 nights in Jun 2022

10/10 Excellent

Terri B.

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

Everyone wants to come back!

The house was charming and in a wonderful location. It’s was very clean and well equipped. It was our first family trip to Ottawa Beach and everyone wants to come back.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2022

10/10 Excellent

Karen W.

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

Great vacation

This house is great. It has a combination of old and new. The kitchen and bathrooms are updated. There is lots of of eating space, inside and outside. The location is perfect, walking distance to the state park and general store. Living room is small, but there is a porch to sit on too.
Stayed 8 nights in Jun 2022

About the host

Hosted by Michael Nelson

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Languages:

German

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