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Black Bear Cottage-Hot Tub, Pet Friendly!

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Reviews

10 out of 10
Exceptional
3 bedrooms2 bathroomsSleeps 81400 sq ft

Popular amenities

  • Parking available
  • Pet-friendly
  • Hot tub
  • Dryer
  • Washer
  • Kitchen

Explore the area

Map
Baldwin, MI
  • Balwin Teen Health Center
    ‪3 min drive‬
  • Little Star Lake
    ‪4 min drive‬
  • Big Star Lake
    ‪22 min drive‬
  • Big Rapids, MI (WBR-Roben-Hood)
    ‪30 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

3 bedrooms (sleeps 8)

Bedroom 1

2 Queen Beds and 2 Double Beds

2 bathrooms

Bathroom 1

Bathtub

Bathroom 2

Spaces

Kitchen

About this property

Black Bear Cottage-Hot Tub, Pet Friendly!

Cozy lake cottage on Whalen lake with a relaxing hot tub right outside Manistee National Forest. Close to miles and miles of ORV, bicycle and hiking trails. The house sits on just under an acre of land on Whalen Lake. With easy access right off of US 10 on a paved road, the lake offers a tranquil atmosphere for any type of vacation. You can utilize the paddle boat or kayak that are provided to get out on the lake or you can fish right off of the dock. Located less than five minutes from town, where you'll find Jones' homemade ice cream, the world's largest brown trout sculpture, shops and restaurants. If you prefer a home cooked meal, the full kitchen has everything you'd need, or you can make something on the grill with a beautiful view of the lake. There are two bedrooms on the first floor and a large loft area with a full bathroom on each floor. Take advantage of the relaxing outdoors, either on the back porch at the patio table, in the screened gazebo, or out by the bonfire pit. This is a great starting point to take advantage of all that Northern Michigan has to offer. Some of our favorite day trips are to Traverse City for awesome wineries, breweries, and shopping; Ludington for great restaurants, and the beautiful beach on Lake Michigan; or to the dunes at Silver Lake. Full access to the house, bonfire pit, paddle boat and four kayaks. The kayaks and paddle boat are available from May 1st to Sept 30th. I can be contacted by text, email or phone during your stay but will not be on site. We have a ring doorbell on the house.

Property manager

Nina Graham
Premier Host

Add dates for prices

Amenities

Hot tub
Kitchen
Washer
Dryer
Pet-friendly
Air conditioning

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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

Adults only
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Events

No events allowed
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Pets

Pets allowed: dogs less than 23 kg per pet (limit one pet total)
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Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

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 first aid kit

About the area

Baldwin

Baldwin is home to this holiday home. The area's natural beauty can be seen at Huron-Manistee National Forest and Pere Marquette Floodplain Plant Preserve, while Idlewild Historic and Cultural Center and Shrine of the Pines are cultural highlights.
Map
Baldwin, MI

What's nearby

  • Whalen Lake - 1 min walk - 0.1 km
  • Balwin Teen Health Center - 3 min drive - 2.8 km
  • Little Star Lake - 4 min drive - 2.7 km
  • Shrine of the Pines - 7 min drive - 7.2 km
  • Big Star Lake - 22 min drive - 15.4 km

Restaurants

  • ‪Dairy Queen - ‬4 min drive
  • ‪Northern Exposure Cafe - ‬4 min drive
  • ‪Barski - ‬5 min drive
  • ‪Jones Homemade Ice Cream - ‬3 min drive
  • ‪Pompeii's - ‬4 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Black Bear Cottage-Hot Tub, Pet Friendly! pet-friendly?

Yes, this property allows dogs (limit 1 total) with a maximum weight of up to 23 kg per pet.

What time is check-in at Black Bear Cottage-Hot Tub, Pet Friendly!?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Black Bear Cottage-Hot Tub, Pet Friendly!?

Checkout is at 11:00 AM.

Where is Black Bear Cottage-Hot Tub, Pet Friendly! located?

Situated in Baldwin, this holiday home is steps away from Huron-Manistee National Forest and Whalen Lake. Leverentz Lake and Bush Lake are also within 1 mile (2 km).

Reviews

10

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 26 out of 27 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 1 out of 27 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 27 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 27 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 27 reviews

9.8/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

9.2/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Eric R.

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

Fishing trip

Very nice,clean home.
Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

Carrie S.

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

Black Bear Cottage Retreat

Another wonderful stay at one of Nina’s Black Bear Cottage rentals! You can always count on her properties to be clean, cozy, and well-maintained. This property in particular was darling! Will definitely be booking again in the future!
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2025

10/10 Excellent

Debra H.

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

Happy Hunters

Rented this as home base for deer hunting. The accommodations were excellent! Would definitely come back next season!!
Stayed 6 nights in Nov 2024

10/10 Excellent

Jennifer B.

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

Relaxing Getaway!

Our second year staying here! It's a peaceful getaway with everything you need for a relaxing vacation on the lake. Convenient location for many different day trips as well. We will be coming back. :)
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Bill N.

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

Lovely cabin close to biking trails.

Very clean and with small touches to help us feel right at home. Dog treats and lake and fishing signs In The cabin. Nicely located close to North Country Trail trailheads. Right on Whalen lake. We enjoyed several beautiful sunrises.
Stayed 6 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Ethan M.

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

Great Cabin

This cabin worked perfect. Everything was high quality, everything was clean, and could not have asked for a better experience.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

AMY G.

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

Wonderful property

Fabulous stay. Wonderful place for our family. 4 generations from 3 states. Loved everything about our stay.
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

clint s.

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

Awesome Property

We could not have been happier with our stay at this cabin. Property was very clean, warm and welcoming. Beds were comfortable, and kitchen well stocked. We loved getting up and drinking our coffee on the deck looking at the lake watching the swans. The fall colors were incredible. Property manager was great at checking in and readily available whether by email or texting. You are close to many wonderful destinations, Ludington 40 minutes and Traverse City 90 minutes.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Eric R.

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

Beautiful Cabin

Clean, waterfront cabin w/ all the amenities you need. Already rebooked for next steelhead season.
Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2024

10/10 Excellent

Julie G.

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

Cute cottage

Very clean and well stocked.
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2023

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

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

Getaway

Very nice place for a getaway in winter and summer.
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2023

10/10 Excellent

Jennifer B.

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

Great Getaway!

This place was clean, well stocked & very comfortable! Everything was so thoughtful and made for a relaxing week. We loved staying with our 2 small pups--the yard is fenced, making for a very dog-friendly experience. The location is central to a number of things, and we found lots to do & explore. Would definitely book again!
Stayed 8 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Naomi M.

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

Relaxing Fun

This is just what we were looking for. The host, Nina, was very nice and responded quickly with any questions we had. I highly recommend this property for a fun get away.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Sarah P.

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

Fall Break

Cabin was clean. Lots of amenities. Host was easy to contact. Close to lots of great fishing spots.
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Heidi P.

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

Labor Day Shenanigans Weekend

This was our groups 3rd year in a row renting a VRBO in the Baldwin area for Labor Day Weekend and this one was by far our favorite! Beautiful home with full kitchen, large refrigerator, big TV to watch the Michigan game, nice deck with patio furniture for outdoor dining and a good size hot tub, on a small quiet lake with kayaks and padel boat, fire pit with plenty of chairs to use on our stay. Log beds with comfortable mattresses, plenty of towels, cute cabin decor. Close to downtown Baldwin for necessities but secluded enough to escape for the weekend! We would all recommend this location and this host for future stays!
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2024

8/10 Good

Cindy B.

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

Black Bear Cottage

The house was excellent, clean and stocked with everything we needed. The lake had a lot of Lilly Pads not so great for swimming. Overall stay was good.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Felena H.

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

Mini Getaway

The the place was beautiful and had everything we needed to be away but still the feelings of being home. Nina was great with communication and responding when needed. 10/10 would definitely stay again!
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2023

10/10 Excellent

Michael M.

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

Relaxing Lake Cottage

Black Bear Cottage is a wonderful retreat on Whalen Lake. The furnishings were very comfortable and the cottage was well equipped. We were not able to take advantage of the kayaks due to the cool and windy weather. The fall colors were beautiful around the lake and throughout the Manistee National Forest. It is centrally located for day trips to Ludington and Traverse City.
Stayed 5 nights in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Melissa B.

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

Spring Break Staycation

My parents, my sons and I had a relaxing and fun several nights! We had everything we needed and more. My boys loved the kid friendly loft and arcade games! They also spent lots of time casting for fish and while they didn’t catch anything the enjoyed being out by the water! I just loved the decor and the open main floor made it so nice to hang out all together to eat, drink and play games! Highly recommend for a fun place to go and stay in!
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2023

10/10 Excellent

Veronica B.

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

A quick weekend away

I was able to bring my two young adult kids for a quick weekend trip. The house was easy to find. Beautiful and peaceful. The game room was a hit with the kids. The hot tub was also a hit! We were able to find a little grocery store and enjoyed a lovely kitchen with everything we needed to prepare meals. I stepped outside to catch the sunrise and saw a beautiful eagle. We saw little fish, snails and a turtle in the lake. Everyone slept well in the beds. We had the perfect weight blankets and enough pillows. Bonus each room had a fan. Didn’t even think about my daughter’s love of her fan so what a relief! Bathrooms had basic necessities as well. The house had very thoughtful setup outside as well. Fire pit. Seating. We loved see the lake from the little paddle boat pontoon and kayaks. I would recommend Jones ice cream - just a short drive. And lastly the cabin had a wonderful living room for family movie night. We look forward to returning again.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Tammie O.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, location, listing accuracy
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Laura L.

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

Relaxing

Wonderful and cozy! Will definitely book again!
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2022

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

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

Beautiful home, cozy and well kept

The home is beautiful, clean and as described. Only disappointments were not being able to use the indoor fireplace, no working DVD player (although lots of options on the tv for finding free movies) and the neighborhood. Not really much of an area to walk around. Nice little get away.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2022

10/10 Excellent

Megan P.

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

Loved it!

Great place to stay with family and dog! We especially loved the paddle boat and hot tub! Would definitely stay here again .
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2022

10/10 Excellent

Lyn W.

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

Beautiful home!

This home was a very relaxing. My hubby and I have rented many VRBOs and this was one of the most well-appointed places we have stayed.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2022

About the host

Hosted by Nina Graham

Host profile image

Premier Host

They consistently provide great experiences for their guests