Waterfront cottage close to Bayfield, with private beach, barrel bunkie
About this cottage rental
Located in Bluewater, this lovely cottage for $327 per night is a great choice for your next vacation. Perfect for taking a break from the world... we'd love to welcome you to our comfortable and airy cottage with its large deck looking out over the magnificent Great Lake Huron. It is one of only a few cottages perched right on the nose of the cliff. The sound of the waves is beautiful. You have immediate access to the lake (down about 80 stairs) and our own private beach. The property is on a dead-end road. Being here is like sitting by the ocean... kick back, listen to the waves and enjoy. On the porch, you feel as if you are on the prow of a ship, as the cottage sits on the nose of the bluff. Our beach is located in a small cove. Collect driftwood on the beach to roast hot dogs or marshmallows over a bonfire. Make art work with found objects from sticks and stones. Rent a paddle board or kayak. Swim. Launch yourself into a spectacular sunset. Play games, find fossils in stones, bike, hike and explore, or simply read books you have been meaning to read for a long time. The beach is much wider than in the past few years. There is also the option of using a nice beach within a 5 minute walk from the cottage, just around Rocky Point, or any of the public beaches in Grand Bend, The Pinery, St. Josephs, Bayfield and Goderich. About 80 stairs lead you to the beach. There is a protected patio area with a sand bank at mid-level and a bench to rest on when you come up or go down. New in 2024 is a seawall at the toe of the bluff, which should make for a nice beach, currently 50 feet. But as always, we never do quite know what mother nature brings us. On photos you will notice the barrel bunkie. Inside it has a king size sleeping area and a small pull-out table with 2 benches. In the past couple of years the bunkie and the porch have weathered to natural wood. The kitchen is well equipped and there is a new propane gas grill (barbecue) outside. We keep the property as free of pesticides as possible to make it a safe space for people and their animals to enjoy. If you are curious about exploring the immediate shoreline: The historic, beautiful village of Bayfield with its fine dining, beautiful stores, marina and library is about 10 minutes away. The larger town of Goderich, which boasts a large under-sea salt mine, an octagonal town square with shops ringing it, is a 20 minute drive. It has a large port, a movie theater, golf courses, a beautiful Provincial Park, a great Celtic Music Festival and so much more. Grand Bend with all its fun and excitement is 15 minutes to the South of the cottage. You can go skydiving and waterskiing, hire a boat to take you out fishing or a dinner cruise. The Pinery is to the south of Grand Bend. You will find a farmers market (Friday afternoon in Bayfield) and fresh produce stands as well as food stores that sell fresh fruit and vegetables from the farms all around. A Mennonite store down the road has very special pies and other homemade foods. There are plenty of antique stores and flea markets to discover. Masse's farm stand in St. Joseph has great fruit and vegetables as well as great local meat products. The Ausable Conservation Authority lists many local preserves and nature trails for hiking or fishing. Goderich is the beginning of the G2G trail, leading to Guelph. You can ride your bike along this former railroad track. In the area there are 10 golf courses, mini golf, guided fishing tours, libraries with lovely programmes, books and great internet connectivity and much more. On rainy days (or any other day) you can go bowling, be challenged by an Escape Room adventure, go to the Board Game Cafe and discover board games you know or have never heard of. If you have a bmx rider or skater in the family, "All In" Skateboard park might be just the thing. You can go to "Little Bowl" in Goderich, visit "Icesculpture" in Hensall where immense ice sculptures are made year round and shipped all over the world, or visit the blossoming craft breweries and vineyards that have sprung up in the last few years. Come in the fall to enjoy the quiet, see the leaves changing, explore the hiking trails and all the beauty and serenity that Huron County, Bluewater and the Lake Huron shoreline have to offer. London is an hour, Stratford 45 minutes and the city of Toronto about 2 1/2 hours away. A few festivals and events to visit: Stratford Shakespeare Festival, the Blyth Summer Theatre, The Huron Summer Playhouse in Grand Bend or the Goderich Celtic Festival. Movie screenings: The Starlight Drive-In Theatre is close to Grand Bend, Goderich has the Park Theatre, Pioneer Park in Bayfield has summer movie screenings as well as other events, the Town Hall in Bayfield organizes concerts. Libraries in Bayfield, Goderich, Grand Bend and Zurich (a great resource for anything local), all with Wi-Fi access. We do ask that you provide your own linens and towels, as we have no washing machine at the cottage. The cottage is a place for retreat and peace from the everyday noise and bustle, and for people to connect deeply, there is no internet or TV connection. There is a DVD player and a screen. If you truly need connectivity, creating a hotspot with your phone will usually work.
Amenities
Pets allowed
Kitchen / Kitchenette
Fireplace
Parking
Balcony / Patio
Hot Tub / Spa
Garden
Family friendly
Map of Bluewater
Reviews
4.5/5.0
Excellent(42 Reviews)
4.0
Great location
Access to water 83 steps, so difficult for young children and elderly
No Wi-Fi
Kitchen Supplies were adequate- could use more cutlery.
4.0
Had great weather and a lovely property there could be some improvements, the bar b Que should be replaced along with utensils. You can’t take old stuff and send it to the cottage if you are renting it out. I would expect towels in kitchen and bathroom along with bath mats when paying this price. They did provide linens as I was flying in from BC so I do appreciate that. The cottage is not far from Bayfield or Grand Bend which we visited and spent many hours at the beach. You must be organized to go to the beach 88 stairs are a lot to go up and down throughout the day. We had a great stay. Ingrid and Angela were very hospitable.
5.0
We had an amazing time staying here! Cottage was exactly as described and the private beach was lovely!
Ingrid and Angela were very nice and quick with communication to answer any questions.
One thing to note is that there are quite a few steps (partly without handrails) to the beach so my parents who are seniors had some trouble but shouldn’t be a problem if you’re careful.
Would definitely recommend visiting here and hope we will be back soon!
3.0
Overall great time. Cottage was big and spacious. My dogs had lots of room. Only disappointing was the beach was rocky and some metal in the water.
5.0
We were quite pleased with the location and the cottage. Not too fancy but also not exactly roughing it. Our dogs enjoyed it too. We'll be back.
5.0
Our family stayed here in July 2022 and we had a wonderful time! We appreciated that there was no WIFI so we could really unplug - and there was lots of fun things for the kids (the barrel bunkie was great for afternoon quiet time, and there were puzzles, etc). Fireplace, hammock, and lounge chairs everywhere. Our kids spent hours on the beach looking for special rocks. Bring water shoes to help with navigating the beach as it has rocks about 15 feet into the lake, at which point you find sand. Steps to the beach were a really nice feature of this cottage, making the beach super accessible for our little kids.
Owners were excellent with communication (even when we had an unfortunate mishap & something broke at the cottage). If we ever needed anything, we knew we could just text and ask.
The cottage was welcoming, clean and outfitted perfectly and exactly as described online. Off on a nice quiet dead end road. Bayfield was about 10 mins away, with lots of great spots to check out for coffee, ice cream, shopping etc.
Could not recommend this cottage more! Do yourself a favour and book a trip here :)
4.0
Located at the end of a quiet, short street, this property has dense cedar hedges separating it from the quiet neighbours for excellent privacy in a normal busy stretch of the Lake. My dog loved being off leash the entire time and I felt he was secure at the property. Lake Huron gave back some beach this year but because of extensive storm damage, the metal erosion barriers were a twisted eyesore. The water temp was very good and on calm days it was super for long swims. It was tricky getting in with large rocks but then there was a nice sand bar. Would suggest trimming the bush on the embankment to better view the water and spectacular sunsets. 71 steps to the beach but well spaced out and a rest area
5.0
We very much enjoyed our week at this comfy cottage. Angie was very helpful during our checkin and available during the week. We swam, explored the area and, of course, loved the sunset views!
5.0
We couldn't have asked for anything more. Peaceful surroundings tucked into lush green landscape. Magnificent sunsets. Well maintained clean cottage with plenty of room, with places to retreat to for personal quiet time. Kitchen was well equipped. Loved the private beach and ideal if your an avid swimmer. If all goes well, we'll be back next year.
5.0
Blissful Family Retreat
We couldn't have asked for anything more. Peaceful surroundings tucked into lush green landscape. Magnificent sunsets. Well maintained clean cottage with plenty of room, with places to retreat to for personal quiet time. Kitchen was well equipped. Loved the private beach and ideal if your an avid swimmer. If all goes well, we'll be back next year.
3.0
Relaxing with some issues
I want to start off this review by reinforcing that the location and proximity to the water are lovely. The area is very quiet and peaceful, which make for a relaxing vacation. There were some issues that we encountered during our stay that I think future renters should know about.
Firstly, the cottage was quite dirty when we arrived. The floors didn't appear to have been swept at all, my socks were black on the bottom after one walk to the back of the cottage. All of the couch covers and rugs also felt really grubby like they had not been washed in a very long time. Additionally, there are very visible mold spots along the ceiling in the back sitting room, and the entire cottage has a musty smell. We were expecting the late check-in time to be for cleaning the cottage thoroughly and were very disappointed, especially with the high cleaning fee.
Someone was supposed to meet us at the cottage for check-in, but they could not make it which was fine. They came around 7pm instead and told us to be careful on the beach because there are sharp shards of metal. When we went down to take a look it was quite shocking - there are metal bars sticking up out of the water a few feet in, some protruding from the beach, and giant slabs of rusty metal all over the place. I would not feel safe with children on the beach at all.
The stairs down to the beach are also much longer than pictured - about 4-5x more than shown in the photos. Someone with mobility issues would not be able to get down/back up. I think this should be added to the listing so renters are informed.
The beach itself was nice besides the metal. The beach is fairly rocky as is typical, so I would recommend water shoes if you want to swim. We had a few very calm water days which were perfect for kayaking, though you will have to carry your kayak up/down the many stairs.
The BBQ only has half of the burners working, and they appear to be a little inconsistent. The top rack also was not screwed in well so it fell off and we had to re-attach it while cooking burgers. The bottom oven handle also fell off when we used it and we had to re-attach.
Overall, the place is quite peaceful, but I do think some maintenance is required to bring it back to the place it was in the photos for the listing. In particular:
- metal should be removed from the beach
- better cleaning practices or fee removed
- trim back bushes for a better water view
- address mold spots in back sitting room
5.0
Peaceful getaway with gorgeous sunsets
An ideal place for a restful vacation. The view on the lake is stunning. The steps down to the beach are very stable and beautifully built. There are lots of chairs to choose from to gaze the sunsets. Our dog loved the freedom of running around the property and on tbe beach. The place is very comfy and cozy. We needed the heaters on some cool nights. We ended up paying extra phone charges because there’s no internet connection, but it was worth it and we would rent this cottage again.
4.0
Felt like a Caribbean getaway
It's a beautiful, rustic cottage, with lots of room inside and outside. We loved sitting in the rocking chairs listening to the sound of the waves... felt like we were in the Caribbean. Sunsets were some of the best I've seen. The cottage was spotless. Bunkie was great for kids. I didn't have a problem with the lighting in the cottage as I read a review that it needed more lighting. There's a clothesline which was great. The two single beds were not the most comfortable. The only downfall was the beach with lots of rocks. You definitely need water shoes and good balance as there are also really big rocks that you cannot see but once you got past that area, it was perfect. There isn't much of a beach area to sit on and its also rocky. Kids loved searching for unique rocks and they certainly found some. It was quiet and we were the only ones on the beach. I look forward to booking again next year.
5.0
Just lovely
"Cottage on the bluff" is a lovely spot to make lasting memories with your family. From the barrel shaped bunk to the swing under the peach tree, you'll definitely find a place to enjoy every day, over and over again. Ample sitting space, kitchen amenities, quiet neighborhood, easy access to the lake, well kept grounds - all contribute to the property's unique charm. You won't regret coming here!
We just cannot thank you enough, our gracious hosts, Ingrid and Angela, and we plan on coming back soon. Thank you so much for your hospitality!
4.0
We really enjoyed our stay at the cottage. As others have noted the cottage is quite spacious, and the outdoor areas are great. We did find the lighting inthe cottage in the evening and at night was an issue, especially for one of my family with low-vision. Side tables and bed-side tables with lamps as well as improved overhead lighting would be helpful. The kitchen was fairly well equipped, but some typical utensils were missing (tongs, spatulas, measuring cups). Because of surprisingly poor cellular service in the area the lack of wifi in the cottage was an issue. As already noted the beach is very rocky but we were prepared with old sneakers and water socks. The cottage is perfectly situated on a quiet beach with Grand Bend, Bayfield and Goderich short drives away. An amazing place with fantastic views of the Lake Huron sunset.
4.0
Great summer vacation
We really enjoyed our stay at the cottage. As others have noted the cottage is quite spacious, and the outdoor areas are great. We did find the lighting inthe cottage in the evening and at night was an issue, especially for one of my family with low-vision. Side tables and bed-side tables with lamps as well as improved overhead lighting would be helpful. The kitchen was fairly well equipped, but some typical utensils were missing (tongs, spatulas, measuring cups). Because of surprisingly poor cellular service in the area the lack of wifi in the cottage was an issue. As already noted the beach is very rocky but we were prepared with old sneakers and water socks. The cottage is perfectly situated on a quiet beach with Grand Bend, Bayfield and Goderich short drives away. An amazing place with fantastic views of the Lake Huron sunset.
4.0
Great cottage, great location. Beach is a little problematic due to recent erosion
Overall, we had a great stat here. the cottage is well located and way more spacious than expected. The outdoor space was great as well.
This would be a 5 star review if not for the issues down at the beach (almost none of which are controllable by the property owners but we felt could have been better communicated. Most of the beach area has been eroded and the owners have made great attempts to re-do the stairs down and make it safe. The issue we encountered was the large amount of exposed metal where the old retaining walls were and in the water. We ended up using some drift wood to mark these in the water to be avoided and limiting the kids ability to roam on the beach without an adult right nearby.
4.0
We had a lovely time at this private waterfront cottage. The access to the beach was great, with multiple spots to sit and enjoy our morning coffee and beautiful sunsets.
4.0
Family Getaway
We had a lovely time at this private waterfront cottage. The access to the beach was great, with multiple spots to sit and enjoy our morning coffee and beautiful sunsets.
4.0
We had a fabulous week with lawn games, board games and sitting in the beautiful new muskoka chairs enjoying the Lake Huron sunsets.
I swam once as the beach has been hit hard and is all ro k. You can walk out about 10m and then find sand but I found the rocks a little hard on the ankles—(kids in 20s did fine).
The cottage has two separate areas for “living” and it was nice if someone went to bed early. Kitchen is well equipped.
Dog friendly was also a plus as of course, they too are family.
Could not get in as key code was not changed but property manager was easy to reach. We were a little disappointed the kayak was booked but not made available-we were really hoping to give it a try.
Check out was 10:00 (early) and the cleaning person turned up at 9:20 which felt awkward and we felt even more rushed.
Overall a great and well kept family property and highly recommend especially if you include your dogs on your vacations. Thank you Ingrid and Angela.
4.0
Peaceful and fabulous yard and sunset.
We had a fabulous week with lawn games, board games and sitting in the beautiful new muskoka chairs enjoying the Lake Huron sunsets.
I swam once as the beach has been hit hard and is all ro k. You can walk out about 10m and then find sand but I found the rocks a little hard on the ankles—(kids in 20s did fine).
The cottage has two separate areas for “living” and it was nice if someone went to bed early. Kitchen is well equipped.
Dog friendly was also a plus as of course, they too are family.
Could not get in as key code was not changed but property manager was easy to reach. We were a little disappointed the kayak was booked but not made available-we were really hoping to give it a try.
Check out was 10:00 (early) and the cleaning person turned up at 9:20 which felt awkward and we felt even more rushed.
Overall a great and well kept family property and highly recommend especially if you include your dogs on your vacations. Thank you Ingrid and Angela.
5.0
We loved our stay, the steps to the beach are easy to walk down. The kitchen had so much space for preparing our family sized meals.
5.0
Cozy
We loved our stay, the steps to the beach are easy to walk down. The kitchen had so much space for preparing our family sized meals.
5.0
Great experience
It was a great property well maintained on the water.
The host was excellent and checked in with us after we arrived and after we left.
5.0
Perfect!
Quiet, relaxing and beautiful. Will for sure return.
5.0
Very nice view of the sunset and very welcoming place to be, had everything we needed plus the extra little things that sometimes get forgotten, overall had a wonderful weekend.
4.0
A great getaway
My kids and I stayed for 5 days. The place is in a great location, and just what I expected! No hassles or problems at all - I would recommend staying here!
It's worth knowing that Lake water levels are very high. Dont plan on using the beach at the property this year, and maybe next. If you know that going in (which I did), you'll be able to make plans to go to Grand Bend or Goderich for the beach!
4.0
My kids and I stayed for 5 days. The place is in a great location, and just what I expected! No hassles or problems at all - I would recommend staying here!It's worth knowing that Lake water levels are very high. Dont plan on using the beach at the property this year, and maybe next. If you know that going in (which I did), you'll be able to make plans to go to Grand Bend or Goderich for the beach!
5.0
Weekend get away
Very nice view of the sunset and very welcoming place to be, had everything we needed plus the extra little things that sometimes get forgotten, overall had a wonderful weekend.
5.0
This cottage was exactly what we were looking for, a beautiful location, relaxing atmosphere and comfy cabin! Highly recommended! We hope to be back!
5.0
Beautiful Stay
This cottage was exactly what we were looking for, a beautiful location, relaxing atmosphere and comfy cabin! Highly recommended! We hope to be back!
4.0
Cute Rental
We enjoyed staying here, it was a cute properly!
The beach was not as shown, it was very rocky and although not the fault of property owner, the water was very high. We travelled with a 6 year old who was excited for the beach and we ended up having to drive to grand bend for her to enjoy it.
The cottage was well equipped in the kitchen and looked cozy. I don’t think that there was necessarily any ‘sanitizing’ that happened as there should be with Covid-19 happening, I didn’t smell any sort of cleaner and the one area rug was not vacuumed.
The property had some broken materials on it piled by the shed. Back of the cottage was a little overgrown and I feared ticks for my dog.
The covered outdoor area was really nice to sit under and the sunsets were beautiful!
We overall enjoyed it very much, but felt some areas were lacking.
4.0
We enjoyed staying here, it was a cute properly! The beach was not as shown, it was very rocky and although not the fault of property owner, the water was very high. We travelled with a 6 year old who was excited for the beach and we ended up having to drive to grand bend for her to enjoy it. The cottage was well equipped in the kitchen and looked cozy. I don’t think that there was necessarily any ‘sanitizing’ that happened as there should be with Covid-19 happening, I didn’t smell any sort of cleaner and the one area rug was not vacuumed. The property had some broken materials on it piled by the shed. Back of the cottage was a little overgrown and I feared ticks for my dog. The covered outdoor area was really nice to sit under and the sunsets were beautiful! We overall enjoyed it very much, but felt some areas were lacking.
5.0
Great Stay
Really enjoyed our stay here. Very relaxing, and the water was high, but still had some "beach". Wants you walk over a few feet of rocks, the water is very sandy. If you want a full sandy beach, there are lots a quick drive away. Great fire pit in the front yard as well which we utilized frequently at night.
4.0
Great Lake Huron sunsets
A/C would have helped on the really hot days. So would a D/W. Bed side lamps would be useful too in the master. The fans were very useful; thank you! We all loved the bunkie and the fire pit!! The peace and quiet was especially welcome!
5.0
Huron Fever
My ten-year-old son and I fell in love with this fantastic property. Plenty of outdoor space for sports and other activities. Magical sunsets. Recently rebuilt steps wind their way through lush greenery to the BIG WATER on Lake Huron. Bring your boogie board ... the breaks are oceanic on a windy day!
The cottage itself is rustic, but charming and spacious. The waterfront windows provide a picturesque view of the lake.
We cannot wait to return!
5.0
Relaxing getaway with beautiful view
We had a great stay at Ingrid’s cottage. Everything was as listed and clean. The beach is impacted by high water levels so not any sandy areas but the water is still nice for a swim. Grand Bend and Pinery are close by if looking for a sandy beach. Breathtaking sunsets each night, unbeatable view. Only recommendation is to replace the double and twin mattresses, quite worn out. Had a great stay, would recommend.
5.0
Labour Day weekend Getaway
We had a great time at the cottage. Everything was as expected. Amazing view of the lake and so great to have a private beach. They only thing I wish I knew about was the amount of steps down leading to the beach. Not good for the knees and a little disappointed that the beach fire pit was covered in water...but you can't control that. Overall a great weekend.
4.0
Very Nice Getaway
My family of four, two small children, enjoyed our stay. Despite the lake being at near record highs and nearly covering the entire beach at the property, there was plenty to do in the area between Goderich, Bayfield and Grand Bend. The property was well kept with stunning views of the lake. As with any lakeside or waterfront property it seems, there was an increase in spiders. Most of these inhabitants remained on the outside with little interest or interference with the interior. The local property manager was excellent and very prompt in any questions or needs regarding the property. For the price, it was an excellent value for lake front access and views.
5.0
Good space, indoor and out.
The cottage is large, with lots of windows, and plenty of living space. One half is significantly cooler than the other half, it gets lots of shade and has lots of windows, so that was nice for when sitting indoors. One bedroom (queen) was on this half, and we found it pretty decent for sleeping. Also the cottage had plenty of fans which was a nice perk to keep everything as cool as possible (we had a good week, but the day we came and left were quite hot!).
The other two bedrooms, the double and the two single beds, were a bit warmer due to location. Additionally, the double bed was VERY SQUEAKY. It made noise every time you moved, my parents woke each other up every time they rolled over, and it was not very comfortable. The twin beds seemed a bit squeaky also, but we only had a toddler in it so not as bad. Also, the twin bedroom has only a partial ceeling, and the walls on that side of the cottage quite thin, so noise carried easily. The perk was that these rooms were on the side opposite where it would be nice to sit in the breeze, so you could sit on the other side at night if your kids were sleeping. But they were next to the kitchen.
The kitchen was really well stocked, almost nothing wanting for cooking/ etc.
However you need to bring all your own papertowel, toilet paper, soap, towels etc for sure. And tin foil etc if you need it. There was no tupperware.
The outdoor space was awesome, especially with a toddler. We could go out and play outside,find some shade, the road was relaly quiet so we didn't have to worry about him around cars (long driveway also) or our dog running off.
There are a lot of stairs down to the water, so take that into account. The photos show that the beach has sandy places,but our stay was during a year of very high water levels, and so the water was almost up to the steps and the beach was very rocky (not that you can fix this). The water was beautiful. Walking out it was also very rocky, but not to far out there was a sand bar, so we had a blast,in the water almost every day.
Overall, good value, great space, good water, the fans were key and very appreciated. Beds should definitely be updated, at least the double. The queen bed was quite comfortable.
FAQs
How much does this cottage cost compared to others in Bluewater?
The average price for a rental in Bluewater is $375 per night. This rental is $48 less expensive than the average.
Is parking included with this cottage?
Yes, parking is listed as an amenity at Waterfront cottage close to Bayfield, with private beach, barrel bunkie. For more information, we encourage you to contact the property about where to park.
Is there a pool at this cottage?
We didn’t find pool listed as an amenity for this cottage. It may be worth double checking if a pool is important for your stay.
Is Waterfront cottage close to Bayfield, with private beach, barrel bunkie pet friendly?
Yes! This cottage is pet-friendly. For more information, we recommend contacting the booking provider about animal policies.
What amenities are available at Waterfront cottage close to Bayfield, with private beach, barrel bunkie?
We found 8 amenities for this rental. This includes pets allowed, kitchen / kitchenette, fireplace, parking, and balcony / patio.
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