Union Pier Vacation Rental cottage

My wife and I just hosted a week-long "Farewell to Summer" at Serendipity House, with an array of family members and friends coming and going throughout our stay. The house was PERFECT! (Not a surprise considering the article about it in Better Homes & Gardens -- a copy of which can be found beneath the coffee bar.)

The home is deceptively spacious, with ample rooms, nooks, bays, crannies, and a wonderful great room with a cathedral ceiling. It allowed all of us to be together for meals, yet still find quiet places to curl up with a book, a magazine, or to do some early-morning work on-line.

Depending upon who was visiting, there were anywhere from four to twelve guests for dinner, and four to eight overnight guests. EVERYONE was extremely comfortable and very pleased.

The gardens are positively unbelievable. In fact, they're sumptuous! We dined each night under the trees and stars, the brick terrace aglow in torchlight, with flowers in bloom all around us, as we drained endless bottles of wine over hours of conversation and laughter.

The outdoor speakers for the stereo system were well-utilized throughout the week, but because of the large lot this home enjoys and the privacy it provides, we neither disturbed anyone nor were we disturbed by others. Unlike other homes in which we've stayed--especially those hideous ones that are cheek-by-jowl with their next door neighbors--Serendipity House and its spacious gardens create an entire world unto itself.

The one block walk to the beach provided very easy access. The wagon in the garage was perfect for transporting all our chairs, umbrellas, books, towels, and related gear.

In summary, we'll be back. Happily, cheerfully, eagerly--and, yes, even impatiently--our family looks forward to its return to Serendipity House next summer! Perhaps I'll even surprise my wife with a weekend getaway there for our anniversary this fall. The colors should be spectacular! Hmmm . . .