Beach
Check availability

Reviews of Livingston's fabulous Beachhouse

Livingston's fabulous Beachhouse
Coloma Charter Township, MI

Reviews

9.4

Exceptional

Rating 10 - Excellent. 37 out of 53 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 16 out of 53 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 53 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 53 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 53 reviews" "

9.8/10

Cleanliness

8.0/10

Amenities

10/10

Property conditions & facilities

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Brian L.

Liked: Cleanliness
Great little getaway!!!
We decided to getaway for a few days & this property fit our needs perfectly!! The house itself was very nice & inviting. The open floor plan on the first floor was great for our family & the kitchen is very nice & spacious. It rained some unfortunately, but it was enjoyable for us to stay in for awhile, playing cards & relaxing as a family. Every morning, I enjoyed a nice cup of coffee while sitting on the patio listening to the nature that completely surrounds you. Definitely a great way to start the day. & then you can take a very short walk to a little slice of heaven!! The beach is absolutely breathtaking!! It is so raw & just gorgeous. We walked a few miles down the stunning shoreline without a soul in sight. Pure serenity. Also, we are familiar with the beautiful St. Joseph area from past trips & it is only 10 miles away. Some shopping & restaurants with a nice public beach. Overall, we had a wonderful trip & John was an incredible host!! We are looking to come back during warmer months so we can enjoy it that much more. I highly recommend this property if you want to relax in an amazing setting & getaway from the everyday grind.
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2023
Response from VrboOwner on 15 Oct 2023
Thank you for being such a Great guest, welcome anytime!

10/10 Excellent

Tammy

Travelled with family and small children
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Nice quiet house with lots of room. Not far from the beach. Kids loved all of the wild life including a deer that came by in the evening.
Stayed 7 nights in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Bozhena S.

Liked: Cleanliness
Awesome
Highly reccommend this property!!! Our expierience was just great, will definitely come back next year!! House was extremely clean and well taken care, lots of light, all amenities included. 5 minutes walk to the semiprivate beach. Great location with proximity to parks, public beaches, playgrounds. Great place for kids! Host John very helpful and friendly.
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2023
Response from VrboOwner on 5 Sept 2023
Thank you!

10/10 Excellent

Meredith H.

Liked: Cleanliness
A great place for us, very relaxing.
A great place for us, very relaxing.
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Caitlin D.

Liked: Cleanliness
Great place!
This was our second stay at the property and everything was just as wonderful as we remembered!
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Rachel P.

Liked: Cleanliness
Close to the Blue Dress Barn
My husband and I stayed here with our two boys and another couple. It was clean, easy, and really close to the venue we at. We enjoyed riding our bike to the stairs that take you down to the water. It was private and the neighbors were very kind. I think the house is best suited for relaxing. The owner was easy to talk to, but we didn't have any issues anyway. It was a great spot. Thanks for having us!
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2022

10/10 Excellent

Caitlin D.

Liked: Cleanliness
Great place!
We truly enjoyed our stay and hope to visit again soon!
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2022
Response from VrboOwner on 1 Oct 2022
Thanks Caitlin

10/10 Excellent

Thomas W.

Liked: Cleanliness
Relaxing Place to Stay
We had a pleasant stay here. House is snuggled in a quiet neighborhood. Everything was beautiful and clean. Great location with a number of towns and beaches all nearby. Owner was responsive and cordial. Thank you!
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2022

8/10 Good

Jennifer Y.

Liked: Cleanliness
Nice house and good location
The house was lovely and the location was good but when I called the homeowner to report a problem with the washing machine he got rather snippy with me. He said there wasn’t a problem with it the day before and he’d send somebody over to look at it later that day but no one came. The homeowner came over the next day and made an attempt to fix the problem but still wasn’t completely resolved, leaving my family of seven to hand wash some of our garments. It was a minor inconvenience but we enjoyed our stay nonetheless.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

Laura R.

Liked: Cleanliness
4th Of July Get-away
This was a perfect place for our party of 7, youngest is 15. Beach access, private beach, great location access to touristy happenings. Nice sized property for setting up crossnet or spike ball. Plenty of space to hangout for all. Well-kept and comfortable, highly recommend. **Note--we've been traveling to this area for decades, so for those unfamiliar, the beach is accessed by walking down a bluff. There are steps to access but it is steep and long and may not be best choice for someone with mobility issues. We love everything about the Michigan lake shore and would definitely go back!
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2022
Response from VrboOwner on 5 Jul 2022
Your Welcome Laura, come back any time! Thank you! John

10/10 Excellent

Candy & Mark W., Cedar

Liked: Cleanliness
Perfect get away!
We were in town to celebrate our son's wedding. The home was clean and bright! The beds & pillows was so comfy, we all slept wonderfully!! The home had everything we needed. The back yard was perfect for a grilled steak dinner & yard games. The short adventure to the lake shore was a beautiful and a nice little get away for my husband & I. The property manager was helpful & made check in easy. Thank you
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2022

8/10 Good

Gail N.

Liked: Cleanliness
Quiet get away
Quiet get away , about 10 min walk to beach. Hot water with good water pressure and plenty of room.
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2022

8/10 Good

Melissa W.

Liked: Cleanliness
Nice House for Families
Stayed at John's house because of proximity to a family graduation and we wanted something close to the beach. The house accommodated our 4 adults, a teenager and 3 year old very well. Plenty of room to spread out with 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms was nice. It was clean, quiet and nicely kept. The beds, unfortunately, are not comfortable. Our family members that wanted a house with beach access did not like the many stairs and debris to get to the beach, so they went elsewhere. It's also a farther walk from the house to get there than we anticipated and they did not want to haul all of their belongings down the very steep stairs, and there is no public restroom, which was needed especially for the toddler. There is nothing very close in terms of grocery, coffee, restaurants, as we drove to downtown St. Joe -a 10 minute drive to access these things. Communication with owner was good and he was very responsive to questions.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2021

10/10 Excellent

Alex B.

Liked: Cleanliness
Fantastic
Great property for entertaining and close to harbor shores golf which was perfect. Good local food as well!
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2021

10/10 Excellent

Maria B.

Liked: Cleanliness
Great Place for a Girls' Weekend
Our Girls' Weekend had to move to a new property this year due to COVID. Great location between South Haven and St. Joseph. Short drive or walk to the beach...tended to want to drive to bring our gear. Would have liked a little more to do on the property itself, like a fire outside, but I understand. Outside deck was nice though. Best part was being able to cook and visit in a big open space.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2020

8/10 Good

Denisse U.

Liked: Cleanliness
The getaway we needed
This was the perfect family getaway spot during the pandemic. Clean, comfortable, safe, quiet, secluded and with your own private slice of beach. We recommend driving to the beach access and packing aqua shoes (lots of rocks on the beach) along with a stocked cooler. There will be nothing left to do but sit back, relax and enjoy! Owner was friendly which is always a plus!
Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2020

10/10 Excellent

Tamera D.

Liked: Cleanliness
Cozy Covid Getaway
We had a wonderful time. Property was exactly as advertised. Weather was perfect. We spent a lovely day at the nearby Silver Beach. Recommend property for small family gathering.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2020
Response from VrboOwner on 6 Sept 2020
Thanks Tamera!

10/10 Excellent

Annie L.

Liked: Cleanliness
Weekend stay
My family and friends wanted to have a fun and eventful way to wrap up the summer. This home and beach access was a wonderful way to enjoy the last great weekends of the season! We all had a great time eating breakfast and making dinner together, as well as bringing all our beach accessories with us to spend hours near the lake shore! This home was beautiful and so well kept! It was so nice to have such a large kitchen space, as well as a private deck to sit and chat! If anyone is looking for an easy get away for the summer- this is the place! John was very easy to contact and was able to answer all my questions! We are a noisy group- so it was nice to have someone who was so patient and understanding (when the neighbors complained- Opps! Sorry!) It was a fabulous time!
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2020
Response from VrboOwner on 3 Sept 2020
Thanks Annie come back anytime!

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness
Amazing
This home was beautiful and immaculate. We thoroughly enjoyed the space this home offered. Our family especially loved the access to the beach, even though it was a bit of a hike down the stairs to the beach. We hope to be back next summer!
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2020
Response from VrboOwner on 2 Sept 2020
Thank you, I look forward to your return!

10/10 Excellent

Monica W., Chicago

Liked: Cleanliness
Perfect location!
We had a great stay...the location was perfect...association beach was easy to get to and beautiful!! John was responsive to questions and his home is beautiful. The house had everything you could ask for. Beach decor, cute deck, total package! We will come again!
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2020

10/10 Excellent

David B.

Liked: Cleanliness
Great space for a getaway
John’s property is spacious, clean, and a short walk from the beach. It’s the perfect spot for a quick getaway with friends or family. We look forward to staying here again.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2020
Response from VrboOwner on 2 Sept 2020
Thank you David I look forward to your return.

10/10 Excellent

Lisa R.

Liked: Cleanliness
How soon can we come back?!
We had a fabulous trip with two families and REALLY enjoyed our time at the house. Total of four adults and four kids (all under the age of 8) and we all had plenty of room to spread out, hang out, and have fun! The house is super cute, very modern, and gives you the feeling that you are definitely on vacation at a beach destination. I absolutely loved the kitchen and wish I could transplant it to my own home! There is no water view (which is not in the description, just a wish!), but it is certainly made up for in the truly private beach. Being that we went during COVID times we were very nervous about how private the beach was, but both beach days we had NOBODY around us. There is PLENTY of room for the homes that do have access to the private beach to spread out (I'm talking spread out like the only other people we saw were a LONG WALK away). Access to the beach is a bit of a walk from the house, and we found it worked better for us to load the kids and all of our stuff into a truck for the two minute drive (back road, don't have to worry about car seats or anything). The stairs down to the beach are intimidating, but overall we all made it up and down with no troubles (youngest was 4 yrs old). Fires allowed on the beach was an amazing experience! We got some super cool Pinterest-worthy pictures at this beautiful beach! If I HAD to nitpick, I would recommend a new mattress in the master and window coverings that were easier to operate. Bunk beds would be a great appeal for the kids, as that was one feature that really stood out to them when we were reviewing other VRBO options. But all in all, we very much enjoyed our stay and only wished someone hadn't already booked the weekend, because we certainly would have stayed longer! Thanks for a great experience John! Neither family had ever stayed at a VRBO before, and after this lovely house and ease of working with John - we're all hooked!
Response from VrboOwner on 7 Aug 2020
Thanks Lisa come back soon!

10/10 Excellent

Kayla G., Crest hill

Liked: Cleanliness
Great location
Listing as described and very clean. Lots of space for big family. John is also very quick to respond to any questions. We would definitely stay here again because it is prime location. St Joe’s only a few minutes away and home is in a quiet area.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2020

10/10 Excellent

Teresa R.

Liked: Cleanliness
We had a wonderful 3 days!
The house has everything we needed and was spacious and clean. We felt welcomed. A bit of a hike to the beach....but a short drive to beach towns. We had a wonderful 3 days!
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2020
Response from VrboOwner on 2 Sept 2020
Thanks Teresa come back soon!

10/10 Excellent

Bill P.

Liked: Cleanliness
Excellent
A great place to stay with an outstanding "private" beach. Our family loved their time at this rental and we would definitely stay again. Thanks John!
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2020
Response from VrboOwner on 21 Jul 2020
Thank you Bill and Family!

8/10 Good

David B.

Liked: Cleanliness
We had a nice family getaway!
Conveniently located between South Haven and St Joseph. Communication with the property owner was easy and effective. Check-in was easy, house was clean, and as described on VRBO. We found the easiest way 2 take advantage of the beach access was to drive down the road behind the house and park off the edge of the loop. From there it's a short walk across the trail and down the steps to the beach. Overall the house was great for the value. Only a couple things to consider for future upgrades. The clothes dryer squeaked incessantly and is in need of maintenance and/or repair. The beds were serviceable but the mattresses don't compare to my sleep number. :)
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2019

10/10 Excellent

Farrol C.

Liked: Cleanliness
Beautiful home!
Very clean and quiet! Short hike to a very private and beautiful beach! Very close to downtown St. Joe. We were very happy and will most definitely return!
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2019
Response from VrboOwner on 4 Apr 2020
Thanks Farrol You are welcome anytime!

8/10 Good

karen w.

Liked: Cleanliness
Nice place with kids.
We enjoyed our stay. It was great with 3 small kids. They could play outside and room inside for playing and for the 4 adults. Only issues were a very noisy dryer And bed in master was quite soft for someone with a bad back. We liked having the private beach and it was a beautiful walk but quite exhilarating. 2 of us in our mid sixties and a pregnant mom of 8 months but we did it several times. Sunset there was awesome. Overall we had a good time.
Response from VrboOwner on 4 Apr 2020
4 stars because you have a bad back? and the dryer makes noise really

10/10 Excellent

Barbra F., Kingsville Missouri and Lake of the Ozarks

Liked: Cleanliness
Cute and clean home.
John was a great host. The house is super cute and clean and was perfect for our group. Restaurants, beaches and anything you could need are all close by. We would definitely stay here again.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2019
Response from VrboOwner on 4 Apr 2020
Glad you enjoyed your stay Thank you!

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness
Great family relax time!
Our family enjoys beach time, shopping and dining out - we were able to do all here. Although it was some good exercise getting up and down to the private beach, it was worth it and such a short drive into downtown St. Joseph and Silver Beach. Was nice location to also go antiquing in nearby Coloma. Very clean and spacious for our group of 6.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2019
Response from VrboOwner on 4 Apr 2020
Glad you enjoyed your stay, Thank you!

10/10 Excellent

Patricia K.

Liked: Cleanliness
Spacious, clean, and well-equipped
Easy walk to lake, and everything was of higher quality than you usually find in beach rentals. Beds were a bit hard for our tastes. Very clean.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2019

8/10 Good

Steve W.

Great house, very clean close to a lot that Western Michigan has to offer.
My family had a great weekend stay! Plenty of room for the 7 of us, very clean and ready to go when we got there. There was a small issue that was addressed right away, very responsive! Great quite beach, fantastic sunsets! It was very hot the weekend we stayed there, down by the water it was perfect. The only negative was the number and steepness of the stairs to get to the beach. A lot of work to get up and down, my 77 year old father could only navigate it once a day. We brought all our beach stuff down the first day and left it for the entire weekend to save some work. Overall a great experience, thank you!
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2018
Response from VrboOwner on 4 Apr 2020
What was the small issue ?

10/10 Excellent

Becky W., Havana, IL

Overall a fantastic place!
Our family of seven stayed at this beautiful home June 21-26, 2018. We loved the home!! It was a spacious open floor plan. Plenty of room in the kitchen to fix meals for the family while watching our granddaughter play in the sun room. We sat on the deck and played games in the backyard while grilling. Due to the weather we did not get to enjoy the private beach, but we did spend one day at Silver Beach in St. Joseph (15-20 min away). Our granddaughter loved playing in the sand and our boys enjoyed some games on the beach. There is also a beautiful carousel there that was fun. John the owner was very helpful in answering all of my questions even before we booked the vacation. If we are able to return to the beautiful Lake Michigan area again we will definitely go back to Livingston's Fabulous Beach House.
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2018
Response from VrboOwner on 4 Apr 2020
Becky, I am so glad you enjoyed your stay, Much appreciated for the Great review! You are welcome anytime. Thank You! John Livingston

10/10 Excellent

G G., Loxley, AL

Awesome place
Big enough for the whole family. Air conditioning worked well and was nice and quiet.
Stayed 9 nights in May 2018
Response from VrboOwner on 4 Apr 2020
Thank you Geri, glad you enjoyed the house and your stay in Michigan! John

8/10 Good

Geney L., Berne, Indiana

Lovely and clean home
The house overall was lovely and sparkling clean. My family enjoyed staying there a lot. Lorrie was incredibly helpful prior to our visit. The kitchen was beautiful and very adequately equipped for all our cooking needs. The layout of the home was perfect--the open dining room, living room, kitchen design made for great family time. The beds were not extremely comfortable but adequate, and the wifi cut in and out a lot our entire visit. The water was unpredictable when showering going from very hot to very cold frequently. The gas grill had a burner that didn't work, but the owner replaced it with a new one in less than 24 hours!!. We visited the private beach one time but ended up going to Silver Beach a couple of days instead because it was quite a challenge to go up and down the wooden, muddied steps. That was a bit of a disappointment but not a "deal breaker."
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2017

8/10 Good

CYNTHIA C.

Beautiful Home. Steep path to the beach.
The house is beautiful. It has a great kitchen with plenty of room for the 8 of us. The house sits a half mile from the access to the beach on a very small lot but there were a few corn hole battles. There are neighbors very close but they kept to themselves. The house has a washer and dryer which is great. We came home with no dirt laundry. Having a camp fire in the yard or on the beach is not allowed. Getting firewood to the beach would be a difficult task. You can drive and leave your cars near the beach access. Our Grandson counted 90 steps down to the beach. The steps are steep and there is a part of the path where it is just dirt and has no rails. We used our umbrellas as walking sticks. We made the trip to and from the beach only once a day due to the steep steps. The beach was very nice and worth the trek. We left our chairs and beach umbrella in the grass near the beach the entire time we were there. During the weekend there were more people at the beach, as we had expected, but on the week days the beach was very quiet. We were the only people on the beach for about a half mile either way on 2 days. The water was 75 degrees which was great to cool off in. We were with our son, daughter-in-law and 4 grandchildren. I am not sure that we would go again mostly due to the steps to and from the beach. It was a lot of work to get our coolers, towels, soccer ball, and quilts down and up each day. Over all we had a great vacation, the house is beautiful, the path is steep, and the beach is beautiful.
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2017

10/10 Excellent

ieva b.

WOW!!!
I cannot wait to go back to this beautiful home. The pictures do not do justice to the home - everything is so lovely. Truly, if I could move to St Joseph, I would say this is a move in ready home!!! All details were considered and every moment was lovely. The kindness exhibited during all transactions was amazing! I can't thank you enough for making the week of my son's wedding so simply beautiful for us. Sincerely, until we meet again! ieva Sykesville, MD
Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2017
Response from VrboOwner on 4 Apr 2020
Thank you Ieva! You were a most gracious guest and so kind to the home. You are welcome anytime!

8/10 Good

Diana K., Saint Louis

Beauty and the Beach
We had a great stay at the Livingston's Beachhouse! It was clean and comfortable with 3 private bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms to sleep 6 people realistically. The beds were good. A day bed in the sunroom would be a great addition to the home. It is a perfect location either for a nice hike to a private beach or a drive to a nearby ramp accessible entry to the beach. The kitchen is perfect for preparing dinners. There is an open space floorplan on the main entry for housing all of us at one time without feeling cramped. All in all we enjoyed our stay!
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2017

8/10 Good

Ruth and Dave V.

Livingston's Fabulous Beachouse
This was the 14th year for our family gathering in Coloma, and the Livingston's Fabulous Beachhouse (we'll refer to as LFB) was actually overflow housing for our brood of 20! Most of the family was adjacent at Sweet Sara's (historically another VRBO property - different owners). Location is perfect. LFB shares access to a private secluded beach area, picturesque and pristine. Be warned, the last couple of seasons (2016-2017) the beach has been about 1/4 the size of many years prior. Makes it more of a challenge for a big family to enjoy cookouts and fires when the waves are within 30-40 feet of the bluff. Even still, we roasted the same marshmallows, swam in the same waters, and made the same memories as with the larger broader beaches of years past. This Pier Road location is also convenient to Benton Harbor/St. Joe to the south, and South Haven to the north (about 20-25min on the M63 or faster, but less scenic, via 196). Just a great central location. LFB is newer construction, clean, bright, airy, and open. The floors are hardwood throughout. Decor/vibe is "Beachy" (terrible word) and comfortable, if not a bit spare. Bathrooms were current and spacious, although the master shower is a touch tight, given the enormous size of the actual room. The kitchen was spacious and functional, though it wasn't used by our group for anything. There is a full size stacked washer & dryer on level 1. Bedrooms featured vaulted ceilings and ceiling fans. All rooms are bathed in natural light. Just a simple, non-nonsense property that is well-kept. The ONLY thing that would take the experience to 5 stars instead of 4, would be that the beds are just horrible (think prison cot). And that would be an EASY fix to upgrade the mattresses and linens. Owner would do well to make that simple improvement. And a king mattress in the master would make a lot more sense than a double. We were fine though despite that one critique. We plan to book this property again in the coming years for this annual family trip. We love this coastline. We love this location. We were very happy with LFB.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2017