CUTE COTTAGE IN DOWNTOWN SAUGATUCK WITH WATER VIEWS, DOCK ACCESS AVAILABLE

This charming cottage was pretty much as advertised and provided comfortable accomodations for two (and, briefly, three of us) plus two small dogs. The two, one-car garages that will accommodate a 19-ft automobile were a plus because we brought a 1964 Cadillac that fit in the garage with several inches to spare. The location was very convenient to downtown Saugatuck (about a 10-minute walk), and the sunsets across Lake Kalamazoo were very nice. The Fall weather precluded much use of the deck, but we were able to use it a few times (the storage bin for the cushions was appreciated to keep them dry when it rained). The yard was in need of tending, but was finally mowed the day before we checked out. The outside lighting was difficult to figure out with the switches for various of the lights both unlabeled and in different parts of the house and basement -- it took a while to figure out what did what. It didn't help that some of the bulbs appeared to be burnt out, making it difficult to determine if a given switch actually controlled that fixture.

The beds were reasonably comfortable, although the king-sized bed creaked quite loudly from even the most modest movement (bad frame?). The two bathrooms were very useful when we had a weekend guest, and plenty of linens were present. While clean when we arrived, repeated outside excursions by ourselves and our dogs brought in the occasional dirt. The upright vacuuum is really optimized for carpeting or rugs and not the predominantly hardwood flooring in the house. A better vacuum for cleaning these floors would have been appreciated. Also, a swiffer was provided, but no pads were available --- these would have been useful, as well. The dishes in the kitchen were adequate, but were awkardly labeled in Chinglish as not microwave safe. So, some sort of microwaveable dishes/containers would have been useful because nothing in the kitchen (short of paper towels) could be used in the microwave. Some of the knives that were provided were absolutely unusable (the backside of the knives were nearly as sharp as the blade), and these should be discarded because they don't look worth the bother to sharpen. Some smaller glasses would also be useful (10/12 oz would be good).

The overall experience was good, and we'd definitely consider staying there again.

Let me preface this review by saying that we were looking for a budget friendly option as we are buying a house in the next few months. So I with that said, I knew there would be some sacrifices we'd have to make.

Pro's
- Location! Short walk to downtown.
- View of Kalamazoo River -- there are homes between you and the river but still visible.
- I could bring my cat!
- Interior of house was very clean.

Con's
- No central AC. There are AC units in each bedroom which keep them nice and cool, but the center of the home (kitchen, family room, etc) got quite warm.
- The king bed mattress is quite old and soft - bring your own pillows (glad we did).
- Shower in master bath dripped the entire time we were there so had to keep bathroom door closed so we didn't hear it
- Deck was nice. Furniture was not. Cushions were wet most of the time and dirty! Deck could really benefit from some new furniture (wish there was a table as we would have liked to eat out there)
- Kitchen tools were quite old and used. Knives were very dull and the pans were in need of updating.
- Some basic accoutrements would have been nice (e.g., soap in the shower, dish soap for hand washing dishes, a sponge, etc). In all fairness there were paper towel, toilet paper and trash bags available.

We enjoyed our stay but feel this house could stand for a little maintenance and sprucing up - it would go a long way in providing a more comfortable experience for guests.

We had a great time in Saugatuck and this house worked out just great for our group. We had a few couples all around 30 yrs old and 2 small dogs and we lived comfortably, well as comfortably as you can during a week of 100 degree heat lol. Great location a medium walk into downtown so we didn't have to pay for parking or get a cab. 2 garage spaces and plenty of driveway space for all our cars. The back porch worked out well for grilling a lot. Played cards around the big table, and liked the open living room/dinning room layout. The view of the water is nice but be aware it's not a waterfront property exactly. Not a big deal to us though. AC comes from 2 window units that did struggle to keep the house cool, l but like I said, 100 degrees during the 4th week so any other time I'm sure they do fine, lots of ceiling fans too. Plenty of linens and sheets provided. Beds and bathrooms good.
And overall Saugatuck is a great spot along Lake Michigan. Oval Beach is great and so is the State park on the north side. Dune rides are a must! Mermaids in town has amazing food for the price for dinner and Pumpernickel's for breakfast.
Overall I don't think you'll find a better house for in-town living at this price. Would definitely consider renting here again.