Beautiful Lake Michigan Retreat in Union Pier, Michigan.

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Entire home

The private association beach is breath taking

The side yard is spacious and well maintained

Overview
Amenities
Policies
Location
Host

Exceptional

4 bedrooms2 bathroomsSleeps 92400 sq ft

Popular amenities

Kitchen
Fireplace
Hot tub
Dryer
Washer
Barbecue grill

Explore the area

Union Pier, MI

Townline Beach
‪3 min walk‬
St. Julian Winery - Union Pier Tasting Room
‪4 min drive‬
Four Winds Casino New Buffalo
‪12 min drive‬
Michigan City, IN (MGC-Michigan City Municipal)
‪17 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

4 bedrooms (sleeps 9)

Bedroom 1

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 2

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 3

1 Queen Bed

Loft

2 Single Beds and 1 Double Futon

2 bathrooms

Bathroom 1

Toilet · Shower only

Bathroom 2

Bathtub or shower · Toilet

Deck

Spaces

Deck or patio

Porch or lanai

Kitchen

Separate dining area

Garden

About this property

This beautiful year round home has over 2400 square feet of exquisite living space and is a short walk to the shores of Lake Michigan. Designed in Frank Lloyd Wright's Prairie Style it features wide open spaces and cozy side rooms. French doors separate living areas and stained glass accents the windows. Step onto one of the decks to enjoy the colorful gardens that surround this half acre private yard. No shortcuts were taken in furnishing the home blending the comfort of Crate and Barrell with treasures from local antique haunts and nearby art galleries. Cozy up on winter evenings with steam shower and wood burning fireplace after cross country skiing or touring local wineries. Fall offers bike trails, apple picking, bonfires and nearby Notre Dame football. Fly a kite or play bocce ball on the beach in the spring and float on a raft or body surf in the lake on a warm summer afternoon. The home is ideal for family time or romantic getaways in any season...during these months of COVId it offers a warm recluse for working or learning from home. We have recently added an outdoor hot tub to make quarantining that more enjoyable.

Water Sports: While our family enjoys the simple life of sand and water we do recognize that some people like to boat. There is a marina in New Buffalo, 5 miles south of our property that offers docks for your boat. There are jet skis available to rent in Michigan City, Indiana, and the local boating store in New Buffalo rents canoes and kayaks. We have many inflatable beach items, boogie boards and beach toys for your use in our garage.

Off Season or Rainy Day Fun: We are never at a loss for a new art gallery or antique store to explore in Harbor County. The town of Michigan City to the south has a large outlet mall for the shopper in your group. East is Three Oaks, known for the Acorn Theatre and the Journeyman distillery, and north is Bridgman, home to Warren Dunes State Park and the famous 'Tower Hill'. They have well groomed cross country ski trails, marked hiking trails and a toboggan slide in the winter. Apple and fruit farms are dotted throughout the county for berry picking and several area wineries offer tours and tastings. There are massage and day spas in New Buffalo and restaurants for any palate. You'll need more than one trip to the Harbor County area to do it all.

Property manager

Mary Pat Bay

Languages

English

Add dates for prices

Amenities

Hot tub

Kitchen

Washer

Dryer

Air conditioning

Outdoor space

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Kitchen
Washer
Dryer
Air conditioning

House Rules

Check in after 3:00 PM

Minimum age to rent: 21

Check out before 11:00 AM

Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17

Events

No events allowed

Pets

No pets allowed

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

The association beach only allows dogs on the beach on a leash before 9 or after 6

Please clean the sand off your feet with the outdoor shower before going into home or hot tub

Please be respectful of our neighbors by maintaining reasonable noise levels

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 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 and a deadlock

We should mention

A car is recommended for transport to and from this property

About the area

Union Pier

Located in Union Pier, this cottage is near theme parks and on a lake. The area's natural beauty can be seen at Lake Michigan and Warren Dunes State Park. Round Barn Union Pier Tasting Room and Local are also worth visiting. Discover the area's water adventures with water tubing and windsurfing nearby, or enjoy the great outdoors with hiking/biking trails and cycling.

Union Pier, MI

What's nearby

Townline Beach - 3 min walk - 0.3 km
Gordon Beach - 16 min walk - 1.4 km
St. Julian Winery - Union Pier Tasting Room - 4 min drive - 2.6 km
Local - 6 min drive - 5.3 km
Four Winds Casino New Buffalo - 12 min drive - 8.9 km

Getting around

New Buffalo Station - 7 min drive
South Bend, IN (SBN-South Bend Intl.) - 45 min drive

Restaurants

‪The Buffet at Four Winds Casino - ‬13 min drive
‪McDonald's - ‬7 min drive
‪Four Winds Sports Bar - ‬13 min drive
‪Timbers at Four Winds Casino - ‬14 min drive
‪The Stray Dog Bar & Grill - ‬7 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Beautiful Lake Michigan Retreat in Union Pier, Michigan. pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

What time is check-in at Beautiful Lake Michigan Retreat in Union Pier, Michigan. ?

Check-in begins at 3:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Beautiful Lake Michigan Retreat in Union Pier, Michigan. ?

Checkout is at 11:00 AM.

Where is Beautiful Lake Michigan Retreat in Union Pier, Michigan. located?

Situated on a lake, this cottage is within a 5-minute walk of Townline Beach and Lake Michigan. Union Pier Beach and Wilkinson Village Heritage Museum are also within 15 minutes.

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.

Learn more

9.2/10

Cleanliness

9.6/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

9.8/10

Listing accuracy

10/10 Excellent

Sandra S.

7 Feb, 2022

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

Great Winter Getaway

Warm, welcoming home with amenities like a hot tub, steam shower and big wood-burning fireplace made our stay perfect! We may just make this winter destination a habit!

Stayed 6 nights in Jan 2022

10/10 Excellent

Sandra S.

11 Feb, 2021

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

Wintry perfection near Lake Michigan

Our family thoroughly enjoyed this home for a winter getaway. From cozy wood fires in the great room, to working (+ bird watching!) in the sun room, steam showers after a winter walk to the lake, or gathering around the big dining table for meals, this home was comfortable from the first moment we walked in. This is the best home we've rented in all the years we've been coming to Harbor Country! We so enjoyed it and the memories we made while here!

Stayed 11 nights in Jan 2021

10/10 Excellent

Lisa B.

28 Jul, 2023

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

We missed Mellow Yellow!

We returned to Mellow Yellow for our summer family vacation and had the most amazing time. The house is lovely with plenty of space to relax along with the most gorgeous landscaping. The owners are very gracious and keep the kitchen stocked with everything you could need. We spent most days on the private beach which is only a few blocks away. We can’t wait to come back!

Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2023

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

TQZo0P7U5+eTbjO3vCtFFDBWOco8nbZ9oyQz8IwDSQLyfiCD2UpDbc0Cf0wnSv/eWSY3H0S7vAyvWSKpcJdDLOtxIR8C+VNWH8rS T.

18 Sept, 2006

Guestbook Comment

Spent a wonderful weekend at this private, spacious, comfortable and charming cottage, set in the midst of a lovely English cottage garden. The home is on a quiet street with a gorgeous beach a short walk away. Very well equipped with all the comforts of home ... we loved it and are already planning our return trip!

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Kristina D.

30 Jun, 2016

Beautiful Home

We just returned from a weekend at Mellow Yellow and everyone loved it. The pictures of the house do not do it justice on its actually size. It's quite large and we had a group of 10-everyone had plenty of room to stretch out. We especially loved the openness of the kitchen area and main living area. The sun rooms are gorgeous and peaceful. The deck is large and there's a gas grill that we used to cookout one day. The side yard is beautiful, well maintained and very large for playing games etc! The association beach is beautiful!! It's also a private beach so it wasn't too crowded even on a beautiful summer Saturday. Mary Pat has toys in the garage (kayaks, beach floats, etc) if that's something you would want. It's a short 5 minute drive to town-there's a delicious restaurant at the end of the road called Timothy's if you want a nice night out! The home has truly everything you could need! Mary Pat was quick to answer questions. We all will enjoy the memories we made there!

Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2016

10/10 Excellent

Elizabeth G.

16 Jul, 2021

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

Family vacation in Union Pier

What a wonderful location, property and amenities. Kitchen was stocked with anything you could need, the beds and bedding were comfortable, and the landscaping on the property was beautiful. A short walk to the beach, and they had wagon and some beach toys that made it much easier. The owners were approachable and kind. We didn’t have any issues while we were there, but my impression was that if we did, they would have done what they could to make it better immediately.

Stayed 13 nights in Jul 2021

10/10 Excellent

Kelly B.

22 Feb, 2021

Liked: Communication, location, listing accuracy

Wonderful home for a weekend get away.

This home was perfect for a girls weekend. Roomy, beautifully decorated, and cozy. Will definitely plan to stay again.

Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2021

10/10 Excellent

Marilynn G.

14 Aug, 2019

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

everything we could have wanted and more

well maintained, open space inside and out

Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2019

10/10 Excellent

Jim N., Columbus

12 Aug, 2019

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

Summer Getaway

Perfect summer getaway. Mary Pat is a wonderful host and provided everything needed from beach instructions to board games. The house was beautiful and stocked with more accessories than you would ever need. We would absolutely stay again!

Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2019

10/10 Excellent

Mary B.

3 Oct, 2018

Beautiful home

The home is beautiful and roomy! There is a large table between the kitchen and living area that seats 8 which was perfect for our group. The house is just a short walk to the beach . I would stay again!

Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2018

10/10 Excellent

Jamie L.

13 Sept, 2018

Weekend Getaway

This was the perfect house for a weekend away with family. The house was the perfect size for us and so many areas to rest and relax! The beach was a short distance and just beautiful. The owners were very helpful and easily accessible. We will definitely be back!

Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2018

10/10 Excellent

Courtney S.

25 Aug, 2018

Wonderful

We really enjoyed our recent stay at Mellow Yellow! The house was very spacious and clean, lots of room for our party of 6 to spread out. A beautiful yard and large relaxing deck with a gas grill. The neighborhood is quiet and peaceful. Mary Pat was responsive and helpful with any questions or concerns we had. She was very thorough and accurate in her description of the area and property. The house was well stocked and comfortable. The kitchen has plenty of pots, pans, and cooking essentials, but I wouldn't count on spices, oils, etc other than salt and pepper. We traveled with our two sons (2 and 4), there were plenty of sand and water toys to keep them happy. There is an older wagon, which was a lifesaver getting all the toys down to the beach. The beach is a short walk away and was wonderful. It was busy on the weekend, but still plenty of space. Union Pier is a nice area, we loved eating at Nani's and getting coffee at The Black Currant. We highly recommend this area and property.

Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2018

10/10 Excellent

Jeff G.

11 Jun, 2018

Lovely place to relax and enjoy good friends

We had a wonderful time at this home. It was warm and inviting. Would highly recommend it!!

Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2018

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

ME C.

7 Dec, 2017

Clean and comfy Arts and Crafts Bungalow

I am a big fan of Arts and Crafts style living. This cottage fit our Thanksgiving gathering fine for the 14 guests- 11 overnighters! Clean and comfy. M

Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2017

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Kathy H.

23 Sept, 2017

Wonderful Home and Location

This was a perfect home for a 4 day girls get away. The house is spacious and has all of the comforts of home. It is a short walk to the beautiful beach to enjoy during the day and for watching the gorgeous sunset in the evening. The home is also a short drive to many fun activities - wineries, shopping etc.

Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2017

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

8/10 Good

Stephanie D.

1 Jun, 2017

This is a lovely property and home. It is decorated beautifully and the kitchen is well stocked.

We have a wonderful time at your home for the weekend with 8 ladies staying. Great for spaces to being together and spreading out. Would rent again. Thanks.

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

simeon n.

13 Jan, 2017

Great property, really fun time.

We spent 3 nights around New Year's Eve here, and we had a blast. Very spacious, plenty of room for a party of eight. Huge yard, nice decks, barbecue. Fireplace with stocked firewood made a big compliment to the already awesome house. Dining area and kitchen are very convenient, everything was well stocked, and we found all kinds of kitchen utensils, appliances, and dishes that possibly needed. The best feature, and to our pleasant surprise was the entertainment system with built in speakers in the ceiling. It could be easily hooked up to a laptop, or another device, and makes for a great party. Overall, excellent stay, and would definitely come back again.

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Jeff N.

30 Oct, 2016

Just Outstanding

Mellow Yellow was just as advertised. Beautiful, well taken care of home. Very clean and easy to live in. My wife and I were there with two of our daughters and their husbands. Plenty of room for all of us, large bedrooms were as advertised and the walk to the lake was about 300 yards. Beautiful beach and within walking distance to a couple of markets. Owners took very good care of this home and the kitchen was well stocked. We went out for groceries but everything we needed for prep work was in the kitchen. Good quality stuff. Deck at rear was large and a great place to sit out. We have done several VRBO sites in the past and while they were generally good, Mellow Yellow was easily the best. Mary Pat could not have been more easy to deal with. Will definitely rent again.

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

8/10 Good

Megan B., New York, New York

14 Oct, 2016

Beautiful home and beautiful area!

The house was in the most beautiful location! So close to the beach and in a beautiful neighborhood. We had a wonderful stay. The only reason I am giving 4 stars and not 5 is because the house was not cleaned when we arrived. However, once I called Mary Pat and informed her of the issue she was very accommodating, apologetic, and ended up making it up to us. I couldn't ask for a better hostess and we will definitely stay here again if we are in the area. It's a great home, and I wish we could have stayed longer!

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Dan K.

26 Jun, 2016

Charaming, airy house with beautiful landscaping

The house has very appealing architecture, 3 big roomy areas to relax and visit in, including a beautiful sun room. The house is very clean and bright. There are two smallish but adequate bedrooms with a Jack & Jill bathroom in between, and a much larger master bedroom & bathroom. There is a loft with 3 beds for the little ones, although the steps going up to it are kind of like a ladder with steps instead of rungs. We put my two grandsons, 4 & 7, up there and there were no mishaps. It is extremely well provisioned with all the kitchen plates, silverware, pots & pans, etc. you could ever use. This example is followed throughout the house with every drawer containing a pair of scissors, and other odds & ends you might need. Mary Pat is kind and helpful and will respond to text messages promptly. There is a small grocery/general store and a hardware store, etc. about a 10 minute drive away. I don't know if there are other points of interest in the area because we spent all our time at the beach. Overall it is an excellent rental, we had a blast, and I will certainly recommend it to our friends. Dan

Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2016

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

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22 Jul, 2014

An amazing stay!

My friends and I stayed here recently for a girls' weekend and had a great time. The location in Union Pier is wonderful and the vibe of the area is very laid back and friendly. It doesn't seem like a subdivision or develpment of homes, but rather a neighborhood. Also, unlike a lot of rental homes, this place felt very "homey." A lot of nice decorative touches made it special. Take note that to the side of the house there is a half lot of yard for games such as bags, sprinkler, etc. This is great combined with the wrap around porch! There's a sunroom that is newly finished and the hot tub is now outside (pics don't show this, just an fyi). Definitely an improvement to the home. During our stay, unfortunately the hot tub was not working. This was a bummer because it was one of the features that drew us to the home. Owner tried best to see that it was fixed, but we were indeed partially refunded for this. Much to our surprise, the weather was nice enough to beach it most days so we didn't miss it as much as we would have if the weather wasn't as nice. We would definitely consider going back for a future girl's trip! This would also be great for families, too. House was very accommodating for kids. Older kids would love to sleep in the loft space!

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

4 Aug, 2010

Wow!

I rented this beautiful home for a family get-together, and I couldn't have chosen a better rental. This home is gorgeous! The many skylights and windows let lots of natural light in, and allow a great view of the surrounding yard. The interior is very nicely decorated in a casual, eclectic way. The beach is just a short walk away. Our only comment would be to upgrade the t.v. to something a little larger, or possibly put another t.v. in the living room. The t.v. in the family room was a little small for a group of six to watch a movie on. We would definitely rent again!

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

29 Mar, 2010

Annual Ladies' Retreat

From the moment we walked through the front door, we knew that we had found the PERFECT place to spend our annual girls' weekend!! The spacious, open floor plan was ideal for gathering to cook, tell stories, play games, laugh, and reminisce. The bedrooms were tastefully decorated and the beds were very comfortable. The large deck was a terrific place to spend a sunny, spring day. The hot tub was such a wonderful, added bonus after a long day of shopping the outlet malls or enjoying the casino. The hot tub was repaired and in perfect working order. The girls have already been commenting that this is where they want to spend next year's retreat! Thank you Mary Pat for sharing your home with us. And thank you & your husband for repairing the hot tub in time for our stay! We will definitely be back!!

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

21 Aug, 2009

Beautiful Home

My family just spent a full week at this home in Union Pier. It's absolutely lovely, peaceful, and the pictures don't begin to do it justice. The great room with huge harvest table was where we spent most of our time, but the family room in the back of the house was closed off with french doors for the TV watchers. Huge fenced yard, fabulous gardens...everything we had hoped the house would be. There was another review mentioning problems with the hot tub. We found the hot tub to heat up very well and quickly. It is older, and the jets are not as strong, but we enjoyed it none-the-less. The beach is a good couple of streets over from the house and not visible from the house, but we had no difficulty walking back and forth with small children. If you are planning to use the loft for adults, you may want to re-think that. It is only accessed by a very old ladder. Too hard for the adults in our party to get up and down. But for school age kids, or teens, it was just fine. Overall, we'd love to come back again and we had a wonderful, restful trip!!

About the host

Hosted by Mary Pat Bay

I grew up in South Bend, Indiana and spent my childhood summers with my family renting various cottages in the Union Pier area. My parents had nine children and wanted an area that allowed for a sand walk in to the lake instead of rocks and not too many steps back up to the house at the end of a long day. My life took me to Iowa but I convinced my husband and children that Union Pier was worth the 225 mile drive... one visit and they were sold! We rented the home for 20 years before moving into it ourselves full time in retirement. we now rent only when we are traveling but still love sharing our home and the area with others.

Why they chose this property

This home offered our family of five children the best of both worlds.. a chance for the children to all be together in the open living room, or enough cozy private areas to get a little distance from siblings when that might be needed... The three girls adore the loft space to spread out their messes (barbies years ago, now clothes and computers) and the boys love the TV room to set up the Wii ( we can close off the french doors and not even hear their chaos :). The little area of "Gordon Beach" is one of the few where many of the homes remain the original cottages from the 40's and with less than 100 homes in the association our beach is almost one of the least crowded in the area.

What makes this property unique

The large side yard has been ideal for volleyball and badmitten, bocce, snow forts and even large family parties when my family of origin is able to join us and to revisit their childhood memories. With the Gordon Beach Inn just up the block my siblings and their families book there and we serve large picnic style meals in the yard for all 50 of us... As many of us as can gather at the home every december to celebrate the holiday together... 24 years of that tradition so far...