Guesthouse on Old Mission Peninsula, Beach Sunsets, Wineries, Couple's Retreat
About this bed and breakfast
Bowers Harbor Guesthouse is for those looking to experience the beauty and tranquility of a pure sand beach. For the benefit of our neighbors, our guesthouse is only available to one or two adults. We are a non-smoking property. Our guesthouse is uniquely situated in a quiet neighborhood of mostly summer-use homes on the spectacular all sand beach of Bowers Harbor on West Grand Traverse Bay. Ten miles from town, It is southwesterly facing with panoramic views from left to right of the Bowers Harbor Marina, Traverse City, beautiful Bowers Harbor, Power Island, Leelanau County and Neahtawanta Point. It is on nearly an acre of property, side-by-side with the owners' home, directly on 110' of the most beautiful beach in the entire area, with 25' allocated for your private use. Please let us know in your inquiry if you plan to bring a dog with you. We accept smaller dogs when approved by us, which must be crated when left alone for their own comfort and our peace of mind. In light of the COVID virus, more extensive cleaning measures have been undertaken since then and continue. We sanitize the guesthouse from top to bottom after each departure. We are on the windward side of the Old Mission Peninsula and there is plenty of fresh air coming off the water. Our house and guesthouse are separate buildings, so contactless interactions are possible. The separate path and beach area ensures no contact with neighbors or us unless desired. Enjoy swimming in the gently sloped sand bottom harbor with its clear blue water and have a beach fire in the fire pit as you watch the sunset at night. Your smaller boat, kayaks and jet skis can be pulled up and kept on the beach. Paddle boards and kayaks are available to be rented and delivered from town . Our guesthouse has its own natural path to the beach and the neighborhood road is well behind the property, not between the guesthouse and the lake. Many guests have told us that this property is even better than the photos show. Day trips to the quaint villages of Elk Rapids, Suttons Bay, Frankfort, Glen Lake, Northport, Leland, Omena, Empire and the Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes, Beulah and Charlevoix make wonderful excursions. Old Mission Peninsula has many well known wineries, one within walking distance. Amazing restaurants are also nearby, including the Boathouse, just down the beach from the guesthouse. Another favorite restaurant, Jolly Pumpkin Brew Pub, is a mile away on Peninsula Dr. A wonderful specialty grocery store with gas station, restaurant and sandwich shop are a mile away at Mapleton on Center Rd. The guesthouse has central air conditioning and has been completely updated: see photos. Outdoor accommodations include beach chairs with a table, beach umbrella and lounge chairs for the beach, chairs and table in the shade overlooking the beach, as well as chairs on the covered porch. Color tours and wine tasting are spectacular in the fall. Traverse City area amenities include 2 fabulous Farmers' Markets each week, the Warehouse District with it's brew pubs, other downtown brew pubs, the Village at Grand Traverse Commons with its unique restaurants (Stella, Pepe Nero and Red Spire Brunch House, among others), Mercado specialty shops and restaurants, Interlochen Arts Academy concerts, and the state of the art Traverse City State Theatre with its annual film festival in August. There are wonderful hiking, biking, cross country skiing and snowshoeing trails on Old Mission Peninsula, including Pyatt Lake Preserve, just steps away from the guesthouse, and Traverse City has the bicycling and walking TART Trail that currently goes from Acme to just beyond Suttons Bay. We only can accommodate 1-2 quiet adults in our guesthouse. No others can be allowed to visit or accompany the renters. PLEASE: NO VISITORS AT ANY TIME. These limitations will maintain the integrity of a peaceful experience for you, our neighboring property owners, and us. Also, this allows us to continue to offer the use of our guesthouse to renters. Renting 7 nights or more gets a 10% discount of the rental rate. Bookings for 2023 are being accepted as of February 1, 2023. To see a wide angle picture of the beach area go to Google Earth and enter Boathouse Restaurant, Traverse City, MI 49686. Scan out to see Power Island, a beautiful County Park. Keywords: Waterfront, beach, beachfront, wineries, breweries, swimming, hiking, cycling, garage, 1-bedroom, cottage, guesthouse, pets allowed, sand, private, sunsets, kitchen, living room, TV, outdoor grill, outdoor space, firepit, views, city lights view, stars, quiet, tranquil, day trips, restaurants, foodies, film festival. air conditioning, internet, Wifi, hiking and biking trails, smoke detector, carbon monoxide detector, weekly discount, iron and ironing board, highly rated for location, highly rated for cleanliness, linens provided, towels, secure parking, tennis, pickle ball, museums, winter activities, cancellation.
Amenities
Pool
Air conditioner
Kitchen / Kitchenette
Internet / Wifi
Parking
TV
Garden
Map of Michigan
Bed and Breakfast in Michigan
Reasons to book
People love it hereGuests give this property a top rating
Includes essentialsGarden, Pool, Kitchen / Kitchenette and more
Book with confidenceWe partner with the top travel sites so you know you're getting a great deal on the perfect rental
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Reviews
5.0/5.0
Outstanding(96 Reviews)
5.0
Small Comfy room in a great location.
Hosts are super nice but non-intrusive.
5.0
We had a lovely time! The hosts responded immediately to any questions, the kitchen has everything you might need, and the nautical art adds a personal touch. Unless you absolutely must have a king bed, this is the place to stay near Traverse City.
5.0
Our stay was wonderful. The cottage and beach were exactly as described in the description. The owners were next store and very helpful. Highly recommend.
5.0
Wonderful property right on water with a beautiful sand beach. Perfect for 2 people. Great location to explore Traverse City and surrounding area. Hosts were great, very friendly and accommodating. If you like wineries this is a perfect location. Hope to return.
5.0
Lovely get away. We like the quite, off the beaten path location. Close enough for activity but feeling like a remote getaway if you’re looking for that. This is our second time at this property. We love it!
5.0
The location was perfect. There is a beautiful beach and it feels like you are way out in a private spot but yet it is a close drive to all the fun and amazing things that the Traverse City area has to offer like light houses, wineries, shopping and other quaint towns to explore. And best of all they welcomed our dog too.
5.0
The cottage was perfect for my husband and me. A short path out the back leads to a beautiful private section of the beach on Lake Michigan. Beautiful vineyards and views everywhere, and a bonus woodland hike a few minutes walk away! Nancy and her husband were delightful and happily provided recommendations for dining and wines tastings! Highly recommend!
5.0
Clean, relaxing cabin with beautiful beach access.
5.0
The property is gorgeous with incredible beach access and view. We were looking to relax and enjoy hanging out on the water away from the crowds, so this was perfect! It is located in a convenient spot for everything.
The house was updated and had everything we neesws for our stay. The owners were eager to make sure we had everything and that our stay was great.
We would definitely come back again and recommend to others.
5.0
Great place to get a away!…We spent a lot of time on the awesome beach area…it was quiet and so relaxing…thank you
5.0
This guesthouse is perfect for two people. The amenities are exactly as described in the listing. The location was convenient to explore Traverse City and the surrounding area. We enjoyed our stay and would highly recommend this property!
5.0
Nice property. The owners were great!
5.0
This property was even better than described in the listing! We loved our hosts! The cottage and the beach were perfect! Hiking, wineries and great restaurants all within a short drive!! Thank you for sharing your piece of heaven with us!
5.0
My husband and I had a wonderful stay at this adorable guest house just steps from the beach. The house had everything you’d need and the hosts were available if you needed anything. We plan on booking this amazing property again.
5.0
Clean, tastefully simple, great location to wineries and restaurants. Great place for a couple!
5.0
The guest house is located next to the owner’s home with a shared driveway. It is beautifully redone & has everything you need for a short stay (no washer/dryer). The access to the beach was a short walk with beautiful views! My husband was able to walk it and he is disabled (post stroke).
The owners are very attentive to your needs. Communication was easy & efficient. We highly recommend this guest house if you are looking for a smaller property for maximum of 2 people.
5.0
A great wifi connection and pleasant home allowed us to get a lot of work done while also enjoying the area. We biked to various wineries, visited the antique store, walked on the beach at the lighthouse and LOVED walking in the gorgeous nearby nature preserve.
1.0
I have rented from VRBO many times and always had great experiences, until now. We rented this Guesthouse July 5-15. The listing pictures are deceptive regarding the guesthouse/mainhouse proximity. You should be aware they are only about 15 feet apart.
On July 10 an email from VRBO indicated Nancy, the property owner, complained about unauthorized gatherings and our dog violated property boundaries. I thought this odd because when I saw Nancy that morning she did not mention this. The rental agreement does indeed indicate that no “gatherings of extra people are to be held” and if extra people come “a penalty of $75 will be charged”. In our situation my brother and his wife had spent about an hour with us on July 9 to say hello to my wife after we had helped my other brother move into a nearby house.
With regards to the dog, there are a lot of dogs in the area and they all visit each other quite regularly on the beach. Our dog did also visit these dogs on the beach. We immediately went over to get him, apologized, and spoke to the neighbors. No one seemed particularly bothered (will also just point out that there was no aggression, etc). That said, after this we did try to keep our dog on a tie down as much as we could. It was a little challenging as the other dogs would come visit us. The day we received the email from VRBO, 3 neighbor dogs and Nancy’s dog had come to visit us.
I tried to explain the situation to Nancy about my brothers visit, but she indicated that no extra guests were allowed on the property at any time. I said this seemed a bit harsh, but fine, so be it. I said we were a bit surprised to hear there was an issue with the dog based on our conversations with the neighbors and she just said that the dog must stay within the 25 foot property boundary. I asked if possible to help keep the other dogs from coming into our space to facilitate this. She said, No, they live here and this was a private area. I just then indicated my disappointment and that it seemed she was a bit more interested in the rental money than in being a good host. To be very clear, this was not a heated exchange in any way, I just stated my opinion in a matter-of-fact manner.
15 minutes later an email indicated our reservation was “cancelled”. Nancy texted we “must leave now” because we were not following the rules and I “became irate”. So, on a Sunday evening we were thrown out onto the street half-way through our vacation. Buyer beware.
5.0
We loved everything about our stay!
5.0
This property was fantastic for us. The grounds were gorgeous and the cottage was very comfortable. We had everything we needed. The lake and beach were gorgeous and even the beach chairs were great! Old Mission Peninsula is BEAUTIFUL. It is a 15 or so minute drive into actual Traverse City, but it is a lovely drive and not bad at all. Nancy and Norm were lovely and unobtrusive hosts. We loved their pup and seeing the other dogs play on the beach. If you want a relaxing lake vacation away from crowds, look no further :-) We are already discussing when we can return!
5.0
Everything was so wonderful, gracious hosts and our dog Raisin LOVED Elska! The beach was just so lovely and after traveling in our camper van, it was nice to have a home base and more space!
5.0
This rental was perfect for my husband and I, plus our fuzzy pup. It’s location is everything. Morning walks right on the lakeshore and paddle boarding at sunset. The rental is cozy, just the perfect size for us. It had everything we needed and more. The owners and neighbors are the most friendly Michiganders.
5.0
Honeymoon
Wonderful scenic views over the bay, it was truly an awesome getaway. Would definitely book again!
5.0
Beautiful Area
Perfect getaway. We loved a week of life (mostly) outdoors - whether enjoying the beach and the beautiful view, the nearby wineries, or great meals out. Our first but hopefully not last trip to Traverse City area. Comfortable and efficient cabin!
5.0
Clean, comfortable, and a great location.
It is a nice place. The owners take good care of the unit and it shows. They live on site so if there were any problems they would be able to attend to it promptly. We liked the location of 15-20 minutes to downtown and 10 minutes to the Mission lighthouse. There is also a cute woodsy walking trail a few minute walk up the street. The only issue we had is that like others mentioned the wifi doesn't work and you can't get anything on the TV. We purchased a wifi booster as another renter suggested and it did not help us.
5.0
Awesome Stay
The guest house was fantastic and the owners are truly fabulous people. Grateful for them and their hospitality.
5.0
The cottage was clean and the location and owners very nice. Enjoyed out stay!
5.0
Location is wonderful
The cottage was clean and the location and owners very nice. Enjoyed out stay!
5.0
Thoroughly enjoyed our weekend away. So thankful we found this adorable little gem off the beaten bath! Cute, quiet, and cozy! Gorgeous views and water was like glass. Loved this place so much and hope we can come back again and again. To top it off, play time with the owners puppy made my night.
5.0
Gorgeous gem!
Thoroughly enjoyed our weekend away. So thankful we found this adorable little gem off the beaten bath! Cute, quiet, and cozy! Gorgeous views and water was like glass. Loved this place so much and hope we can come back again and again. To top it off, play time with the owners puppy made my night.
5.0
The guest house was cozy and nice and we enjoyed our few days on the peninsula . We loved the beach for relaxing and watching the sun set.
5.0
Great place! Lovely beach
The guest house was cozy and nice and we enjoyed our few days on the peninsula . We loved the beach for relaxing and watching the sun set.
5.0
I recommend this property
5.0
It was a very romantic getaway
I recommend this property
5.0
Great location!
We totally enjoyed our stay at this little cabin on the lake! Centrally located and great sunsets on the lake! There isn't much to eat for breakfast near by so bring your own morning grub. Love Old Mission Peninsula, truly beautiful!
5.0
Loved purcstay
Sparkling clean with lovely setting and delightful owners
5.0
cute cottage rental
Great location, peaceful lakefront cottage. I appreciated brand new spnoge for dishes and new unopened soaps.
5.0
Almost perfect...
This rental is amazing in most every way but the best part is the access to big water that is calm as a pool - perfect for kayaks and PB's. The property is really beautiful and everything on the peninsula is accessible in minutes. My only complaints: the bed is too large for the bedroom and it's easy to bang your knee on the sharp corners and the LED lightbulbs make for harsh "anti - mood" lighting.
5.0
Wonderful cottage on the lake
Beautiful location and clean, adorable guesthouse. Owners were very accommodating when power was lost on the peninsula. Generator was connected and all was not lost! Nice park within walking distance. Guesthouse and beach has everything you would want or need. Private street.
5.0
A relaxing beach property with an excellent location on the peninsula. We went looking for a quiet place to stay and enjoy some time away and this exceeded our expectations. Our dog Charlie also highly recommends this location for four-legged friends.
FAQs
How much does this bed and breakfast cost compared to others in Michigan?
The average price for a rental in Michigan is $200 per night. This rental is $222 above the average.
Is parking included with this bed and breakfast?
Yes, parking is listed as an amenity at Guesthouse on Old Mission Peninsula, Beach Sunsets, Wineries, Couple's Retreat. For more information, we encourage you to contact the property about where to park.
Is there a pool at this bed and breakfast?
Yes, a swimming pool is available for use at Guesthouse on Old Mission Peninsula, Beach Sunsets, Wineries, Couple's Retreat. Enjoy the water!
Is Guesthouse on Old Mission Peninsula, Beach Sunsets, Wineries, Couple's Retreat pet friendly?
Unfortunately, this bed and breakfast is not pet-friendly. Try searching again and filter for "Pets Allowed"
What amenities are available at Guesthouse on Old Mission Peninsula, Beach Sunsets, Wineries, Couple's Retreat?
We found 7 amenities for this rental. This includes pool, air conditioner, kitchen / kitchenette, internet / wifi, and parking.
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