We had our wedding at the Lodge and were so happy with our decision. We wanted a location that would offer us privacy, outdoor scenery, and the opportunity to make our day our own-and we got all that and more at Echo Lake. We had about 130 guests attend and brought in all needed supplies from several vendors and had no problems getting any of it set up. Several family and friends arrived a couple days before hand to spend time with us before the big day and were able to stay on site with us at the Lodge. The amenities at the Lodge made it very easy for everyone to feel comfortable and have plenty of space. We were very happy with the outcome! Can't wait to go back and spend time remembering and celebrating our wedding again!
Marty the owner is great to work he works hard to accommodate your needs. Rick and Rhonda the care takers are super nice and also very accommodating. We had a mens retreat at the property, we rented the Lodge and the Chalet. The properties have tons of space and something for everyone to do. Place was very clean and had everything we needed to have an enjoyable weekend!!! We will be back again!!!
We have rented the lodge for a second time, both times during the winter break. The place has everything you can ask for: beautiful peaceful location, nice updated spacious cabin and just 15 minutes drive to Boyne Mountain. Also, if you are an off road vehicle enthusiast there are ATV/snow mobile trails very close. My kids really love this place! We go skiing/tubing at Boyne, ride the snow mobile and enjoy a walk in the woods surrounding this cabin where there's lots of dears. Marty is great to work with and he promptly accommodated all our requests. I highly recommend the Echo Lodge and definitely we will go back!!!
We held a family reunion here last week - ages from 1 to 66. It was absolutely perfect. The setting is tranquil, so peaceful and private. You will be the only ones on the lake - which results in very calm,glass like water. It's perfect for using the stand up paddleboard and kayak. We didn't end up using the pontoon boat much because we enjoyed the other boats so very much. It's a great location - short drive to Mackinac, Petoskey and Charlevoix. Many of our group took day trips for bike rides etc, but I personally found it easier and more pleasant to stay on the property with our toddlers. It's perfect for toddlers with a sandy beach and gradual/slow decline into the water. All of the provided games are amazing - we had a gigantic game tournament throughout the week. Finally, the house set up/bed arrangement worked perfectly for us. It's especially nice that the house is one level and has a walk in shower with hand held spray. My mom has MS so it was nice that it's fairly accessible with one step down to the grass from the house. It was easy to traverse with her walker. I definitely want to return - with family or friends :)
Thank you so much for letting us rent your beautiful lodge on Echo Lake last week. The accomodations were wonderful and the surroundings were amazing. There were 23 of us in all and with the additional chalet we had plenty of room for everyone. The kids did lots of fishing and loved catching and tossing back many fish, the biggest being caught by my grandaughter who is 4 years old. We loved the pontoon boat and used it many times. The kitchen was perfect for a group our size and we used the screen porch every evening to watch the sunset. Thanks again, Sue Miller (Rulison Family)
Anyone questioning whether or not to rent the lodge and chalet for a big get together for any reason, should NOT think twice! We had over 20 family members there that flew in from Florida, California and Oklahoma for a reunion, and it was without a doubt, a very memorable 4 days. The kids were completely entertained with fishing, boat rides on the pontoon boat, walks on the property, age- appropriate games provided in the lodge, a campfire, and various outdoor sports activities on the property. The accommodations were excellent and there was more than enough room for everyone to relax and enjoy each others company without feeling crowded. Everything was neat and clean upon arrival, and the owner was easy to contact if we had a question. Another attractive feature to this location is the ease of accessing beautiful areas with an hour or so. We went to Mackinac Island, Boyne Mountain (be sure to check out the indoor water park there if it is cold or rainy), the Lake Michigan shore line and many small lake side communities...though you would NEVER have to leave the property at all! I would HIGHLY recommend this property!!!!!
We took 20 people from our staff to this wonderful lodge last week. We LOVED the big kitchen! Did a lot of cooking and we had everything we needed. The extra fridge was great for our beverages. The main room easily accommodated our large group meetings, and we made use of the media room in the evenings for games and movies. The rooms & beds were comfortable and it was great to have so many bathrooms. The lake is beautiful and peaceful. The property manager checked in with us each day and made sure our needs were met. Would love to come back in the winter!
Privacy with all the amenities of home. This property was perfect for a getaway weekend. Furnishings are very nice for a rental, and the included row boats and canoe are hard to find anywhere else. The house is huge and almost every room has a private bath. Would definately stay again if I could get a large enough group together. Sleeps many comfortably without sacrificing the common areas for sleeping quarters. Fishing in the lake is lots of fun, although, many of the fish, mostly perch, are still small (species include rainbow, blue gill, perch, and small mouth). It sounds like they are working hard to stock the lake and ensure much more succesful fishing in the future. Highly recommended!!! Prompt return on security deposit also a bonus.
This has to be one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. Its was very clean, neat and tidy. It was like being at a family members house. The kitchen was amazing the bedrooms were great sizes and very comfortable. We had gone for my sisters surprise 40th birthday and she was so amazed and excited the owner even had flowers with a birthday balloon waiting for her when she got there. What a great personable touch. We went in January and had plenty of room and trails to ride the snowmobiles and everything is only a short distance away, but it was relaxing and enjoyable to be there you would almost never want to leave there. I would highly recomend this place again and are even thinking of making this our once a year getaway. You WILL NOT be disappointed. Thanks!
We had 7 couples and 3 singles and not once did anyone feel cramped, although the bunk room occupants wished for a seperate room (but they knew that going in). The lodge is HUGE and allows for group together time, small group areas, or seclusion in your room. The kitchen is defiantly one of the highlights, as everyone can be in the kitchen getting food and there is room to walk around still. We were snowmobiling and access to the groomed trails was fairly easy. Local roads are not plowed down to dirt, so snowmobiles easily travel. The gas station is 4 miles and is also fairly easy to get to on your snowmobile. We almost felt guilty leaving the lodge to ride as everyone enjoyed the lodge just as much. Both the owner and caretakers were also very good to work with. We will defiantly rent again!
My group rented the Main lodge in March,2011 for our annual Men`s " Wild Life Seminar" and it was just wonderful. Beautiful building and grounds. The kitchen was plenty large enough for a large crew of cooks to all work at the same time.We grilled steaks on the indoor charcoal grill and it works great. The beds were all very comfortable and somewhat isolated from the main living area so the early to bed folks weren`t able to hear the noise from the night owls. The lake is very nice and we were able to do a little ice fishing. We are looking forward to returning next March as this is the nicest place we have ever rented and we have been doing this trip for 22 years. Thanks again Marty!!!!!
Pictures and words cannot describe this place. It was like visiting "On Golden Pond". It's quiet, picturesque, roomy, homey, comfortable, and extremely well equipped. The caretaker greeted us upon arrival to answer any questions and a well written 'visitors handbook' was provided to help us with everything else we needed to know. Even though we felt we were deep in the woods on this beautiful little lake, we were just minutes from restaurants and stores, and even the Casino in Petosky for that rainy morning excursion. We wanted to take the quick day trip to Mackinac Island, but couldn't tear outselves away from this little paradise. Maybe next time. The kitchen is equipped as well, if not better, than my home. Many of the bathrooms have spa type shower facilities. The grounds are immaculate with well groomed walking trails. The cedars and birch are spectacular, there are wild berry bushes, beautiful forest floors of Triliums and lots of wild life. Two loons live on the lake and lots and lots of turtles. We spotted scores of beautiful birds from tiny little hummingbirds to beautiful owls, to the proud grouse and the breathtaking American Bald Eagle, which visited twice during our stay. Small sandy wading beaches, big expanses of lawn, and a swing set make this a fun spot for tots while the row boats and canoe are great fun for the older children and adults. Your kids can be as loud as you can stand because you won't bother the neighbors or you can just enjoy the quiet sounds of nature. The family games,puzzles and books on hand provided entertainment if the weather was not great. It is so very nice to visit a vacation rental that is truley a HOME. Decor and Artwork is gorgeous. Almost all bedroom/bathrooms were 'en suite'. Everythings is on one floor, so it's great for anyone who cannot handle a lots of stairs. It is; however, a long trip from one end of the house to the other. I'm so glad to had taken my toning shoes. I really toned up just getting from the kitchen to my bedroom. And lots of open chests, closets and drawers to unpack and pretend it is yours while you are there. It's been a long time since I have cooked on a charcoal grill and had forgotten how good that tastes. AND if it is not perfect weather you can still do that in this chef's kitchen with built in charcoal grill. We love this place and plan to return for years to come. I would give this place "50 STARS" if I could figure out how.
very beautiful setting,the house is very well kept and the seclusion is priceless! couldnt ask for nicer people to rent from
The Lodge was everything we expected and more. Very spacious throughout. Living room overlooks the private lake and blue skies above the treeline. The kids enjoyed the rowboats and canoe all week when they weren't swimming. Room for 18 people (families) very comfortably. Thanks to Marty and his local caretakers for meeting our needs and ensuring a relaxing vacation.
We had a family vacation (18) people, ranging from age 11 to 60. We spent a week here at Echo Lake and we could not ask for a better vacation! The amenities at the are all updated. It was delivered in CLEAN condition The experience was 5 star all the way. We all love to cook and the kitchen was made for people like us! We all took seperate and "group" day trips to the MANY different points of interest within a 1 to 2 hour drive. Knowing that the Lake was there awaiting us upon our return was so comforting. The privacy was great! It didn't matter if you were in the secluded private lake with your family and friends, or if you want the privacy of your own room (most had their own full bath!). We all agree that Echo Lake is a gem to find. We would not hessitate to go back and we had nothing bad to say as we all pulled out. We LOVED it!
Our family consisted of 5 siblings with their spouses, children and grandchildren, totaling 17. We had a great time at the lodge and found the accomodations to be excellent, everything and more that was promised on the website. The caretaker met us on arrival and was very good at explaining the details of the house and made sure we knew how to handle everything. We mostly stayed on the property, cooking every meal in the gourmet kitchen or on the grill outside, swimming, sunning, boating, fishing and spending evenings at the fire pit or in the family room watching movies on the big screen TV. (lots of games for the kids to play also) We did take several day trips to Makinac Island, Charlevoix, Petoskey and Harbour Springs. We did some zip-lining and tubing. Rafting was an option, as was boating and fishing off the property. Grocery shopping was only 10 or 15 minutes away, we only went when we had to. Really, no one wanted to leave! We left reluctantly, with lots of memories and plans to do it again. Highly recommended, you will not be disappointed. There is something for everyone.
This rental exceeded expectations and deserves the 5 star review.The caretakers are very accommodating and everything was as described.The ability of this lodge to provide family bonding and yet enough"space" for quiet time is outstanding. The kitchen had all that it advertised and more,indoor grill was a great plus.The property was very clean and updated .The fact that many of the bedrooms had private baths was another perk.We enjoyed a memory-making Christmas Day gathering with extended and immediate family.Great place for family reunion
What a wonderful opportunity to spend a week with our family of 17 at this fabulous lodge and retreat! Echo Lake Lodge is perfectly located and outfitted to meet all the needs and desires of any family fortunate to visit there. We have great memories of our kids and grandkids swimming, fishing, boating, trailriding, at the nightly bonfires, doing art projects on the screened porch, playing Munchkin, reading and just relaxing. Everyone had a wonderful time and are looking forward to next year.
This was our 4th consecutive year of staying at the Echo Lake Lodge. We are a group of 16 golfers. We rent both the Lodge and the Chalet. First, the property is absolutely gorgeous. We enjoy the huge dock on the private lake, camp fires, and all the games available (bocce ball, etc.). The Lodge is so peaceful and you can be as loud as you want without worrying about disrupting any neighbors. The Chalet has an amazing view looking out over the water and we began renting this to accommodate a larger group of guys. The Lodge is PERFECT for large groups, large families, friends, etc. It has a huge kitchen that allows ample space for cooking. We always cook dinners at the Lodge on our trip and the Kitchen works great for us. There are 2 large living/family room spaces both with windows looking out over the lake, a nice sized table and a screened in porch with an additional table. I would say the only negative about the Echo Lake Lodge is that cell phone service is spotty at best with most carriers ( I think AT&T works just fine)... but that is hardly a concern since we come here to get away from all that. I would HIGHLY recommend the Echo Lake Lodge, and was very surprised to see a negative review on here. We've stayed here for 4 years and the Lodge has always been clean. The owner recently (from last year) invested in some new furniture and made some nice upgrades to the property. There's 2 nice grills and a paved area for grilling out. We've used the swimming dock, paddle boards and canoe/kayaks (there's also a pontoon boat for rent). We will definitely be back to the Lodge. Great location, convenient to I-75 to get to golf courses, and just a beautiful property. Martin, the owner is great to deal with. He's very prompt in his responses and easy to work with. The cleaning crew/property managers are great to work with as well. We've only had to contact them once. This past year we didn't have enough propane, and they came right out with a new tank. I'd recommend this property for Large groups.
