In the heart of Douglas, Keeper's House offers an idyllic retreat for large groups and families. Unwind with shuffleboard, foosball, or a video gaming session in the fully equipped gameroom or gather around the fire pit on warm summer nights.
Reviews
1010 out of 10
Exceptional
Entire home
9 bedrooms6 bathroomsSleeps 204400 sq ft
Popular amenities
Kitchen
Washing machine
Dryer
Air-conditioning
Outdoor space
Add dates for prices
About this property
The Douglas Boathouse! Amazing location/ Sleeps 20 in comfort/ all ages friendly
Perfect for large groups/families! GOOGLE MAP the Douglas Boathouse to see our central location as well as take a virtual tour and verify the great location.
FULLY equipped gameroom- 14' shuffleboard, foosball, ping pong, and video gaming area (with external hdmi ports), dart board, and beverage fridge
concrete patio with large outdoor dining tables and chairs for 16
side "english garden" rock patio for morning coffee and adult time.
EV Charger (240V NEMA 14-50 outlet)
We've thought of everything. Check out our google reviews! Full featured coffee bar in main kitchen (selection of coffees provided) Wine cooler All new media featuring complimentary streaming services Sonos whole house sound system. Upgraded gig speed Wifi Weber Genesis II propane grill New game/puzzle table in main living room New seating around hearth Updated loungers on the screened-in porch Wash/shampoo/conditioner dispensers in all showers Utility totes for guest use while on excursions Updated games, puzzles, and yard games for kids & adults
The two houses are located on a quiet side street in Douglas. We are closer to the beach than most houses in Saugatuck or Douglas and you can walk to the Deli, Root beer barrel and Just add water. The houses were specifically built for large reunions and have large group gathering spaces. Eight matching bedrooms with one queen bed in each room the seventh bedroom the children's crew quarters will sleep four in bunk beds. No dormitory style bedrooms. The Keeper's house is a complete second house with more privacy, a full living room, two (of the eight bedrooms), kitchen and fireplace. The Main house has a dining table with seating for 14 and a large living room which make sure that no one will be left out when gathered around the fire place. The sun porch, library and small office offer more intimate spaces. The fire pit with free wood, outdoor dining area and the private patios all offer great spaces on warm summer nights. This is our family vacation home. New yet warm. Everything was new in 2014. The building has been completely rebuilt with quality materials by a Architect/Builder. The furnishings were specifically selected for the house. The wood ceilings, floors and trim make the house warm. Craftsman style mosaic work, original art and creative details add character and charm. Centrally located between downtown Douglas and Lake Michigan. Shopping, dining and entertainment options are just minutes away. We have parking for six cars in our drive and an additional parking just a short walk away.
We only rent the houses as a pair. Three nights minimum for Spring and Fall. Our Summer rentals are a 6 night rentals—Friday to Thursday.
Property amenities
Beach
Beach nearby
Beach loungers
Internet
Available in the house: Free WiFi
Parking and transport
Electric car charging station on site
Parking on site
Kitchen
Blender
Coffee grinder
Coffee/tea maker
Cookware, dishware, and utensils
Dishwasher
Electric kettle
Hob
Kitchen island
Kitchenette
Microwave
Oven
Paper towels
Refrigerator
Spices
Toaster
Dining
Dining table
Bedrooms
9 bedrooms
Bedsheets provided
Bathroom
5.5 bathrooms
Bathtub or shower
Hair dryer
Shampoo
Shower
Soap
Toilet paper
Towels provided
Living spaces
Dining table
Fireplace
Living room
Entertainment
Books
DVD player
Games
Music library
Smart TV with cable/satellite channels
Stereo
Video games
Video library
Outdoor areas
Barbecue grill
Firepit
Garden
Outdoor furniture
Patio
Laundry
Laundry facilities
Washing machine
Work spaces
Computer monitor
Desk
Office
Comfort
Air conditioning
Heating
Pets
No pets allowed
Suitability/Accessibility
If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
Upper floors accessible by stairs only
Smoke-free property
Services and conveniences
Iron/ironing board
Location highlights
In a village
In the city centre
On a lake
Things to do
Arcade/game room
Foosball table
Golf
Table tennis
Safety features
Carbon monoxide detector (host has indicated there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property)
Smoke detector (host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property)
You will receive an email from the host with check-in and check-out instructions
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools
Check-out instructions
The host requires you to complete the following before checking out:
Load and start the dishwasher
Gather used towels
Remove personal items, remove leftover food and drinks and take out the rubbish
Turn off the lights and lock the doors
Please do not strip the beds.
Pile towels in the shower
Leave gameroom as you found it.
Failure to complete these may result in a negative review from the host.
Pets
Pets not allowed
Children and extra beds
Children are welcome
Note from host: Many great kid-friendly features
Events
No events allowed
Smoking
Smoking is not permitted
Important information
You need to know
This property is managed by a private host (a party not acting within their trade, business or profession). EU consumer law, including the right of withdrawal, will not apply to your booking. The cancellation policy set by the private host will cover your booking.
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, a first aid kit and a deadlock
This property is managed through our partner, Vrbo. You will receive an email from Vrbo with a link to a Vrbo account, where you can change or cancel your reservation
Property Registration Number na
We should mention
This property does not have any lifts
About the area
Located in Douglas, this holiday home is in the city centre and on a lake. The area's natural beauty can be seen at Lake Michigan and Oval Beach. Travelling with kids? Consider Saugatuck Center For the Arts and Express Yourself Art Barn. Visit our Douglas travel guide
Is The Douglas Boathouse! Amazing location/ Sleeps 20 in comfort/ all ages friendly pet-friendly?
No, pets are not allowed at this property.
How much is parking at The Douglas Boathouse! Amazing location/ Sleeps 20 in comfort/ all ages friendly?
On-site parking is available at the property.
What time is check-in at The Douglas Boathouse! Amazing location/ Sleeps 20 in comfort/ all ages friendly?
Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.
What time is check-out at The Douglas Boathouse! Amazing location/ Sleeps 20 in comfort/ all ages friendly?
Checkout is at 10:00 AM.
Where is The Douglas Boathouse! Amazing location/ Sleeps 20 in comfort/ all ages friendly located?
This family-friendly Douglas holiday home is located on a lake, within 1 mi (2 km) of Kalamazoo Lake and Lake Michigan. Beery Field and Wade's Bayou Memorial Park are also within 15 minutes.
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The Douglas Boathouse! Amazing location/ Sleeps 20 in comfort/ all ages friendly Reviews
Reviews
Exceptional
All reviews shown are from real guest experiences. Only travellers who have booked a stay with us can submit a review. We verify reviews according to our guidelines and publish all reviews, positive or negative.
What an amazing time! These houses are just perfect. It was immaculately clean and had everything then some of what we needed for a party of 14. Mike was a great host and I cannot rave about this place enough. We loved it! Just loved it.
Great place to stay, especially for large families
The place was perfect for what we needed. Pleanty of sleeping areas and bathrooms. Easy walking distance to a nice coffee shop and a very short drive to the grocery store and to downtown. The owner was super nice and easy to communicate with. Can definitely see staying there again!
Had a great time staying at Douglas boat house for a couple of days. The checkin process was easy with frequent communications with the host, the property was clean with lots of space for group activities and kids funtime. Kitchen was stocked with utensils, the game room had ample things to play and all the bed rooms are spacious with good furniture and clean mattresses. We had enough warm water for all of us and the bathrooms are in great condition. Overall 5* rating.
Rented this house for a post-Chriatmas family reunion. House was perfect for us: 11 adults, 7 children. The house is very stylish, clean, and comfortable. Huge kitchen that could fit all of us, comfortable living room. Awesome game room in the separate building. We even had fun with the puppet theater in the basement. Would highly recommend this property for any time of year.
The Douglas Boathouse Keeper House was an amazing 8 bedroom, 5.5 bath home that had everything we needed for our family of 13 adults from 21 to 70 years old. There were lots of spaces in the house and outside (fire pit and long table) for us to gather as a group. We cooked most days and the kitchen facilities were great. Walk or drive to Lake Michigan beaches (1 to 1.6 miles), Saugatuck (1.7 miles) and Douglas ( 1 mile), Area was great - loved the fireworks on July 5th, Dunes Rides, Root Beer Floats at the Barrel and lattes at Woosah but mostly the amazing memories we made with our family just hanging out playing games and catching up for the week. Thanks for sharing your little piece of paradise with our family.
Our annual Thanksgiving trip was spent at the Douglas Boathouse! The accommodations were just as described and shown in photos. We spent great time together in the large kitchen area. The location was great with stores within walking distance. No criticism or things to change. The sound system seemed complicated but no one wanted to spend time trying to figure out how to separate the tv speaker from the music. Instructions were provided. Communication and availability were 5 star!!! Thank you for sharing your home.
Perfect house set in Winter wonderland was so exceptional for a cozy, extremely relaxed weekend. Grandparents, Siblings our families all had ample space to lounge and play. The fire place was stoked, ping pong balls flying, something delicious always cooking. Kids loved the basement and game area. Kitchen had everything (and more) to feed the whole gang. We were very impressed with the loving construction, thoughtful design, piles of games, surrounding neighborhoods, and amenities that made this a perfect stay. Long weekend spent reconnecting with each other, both indoors and out. Kids played in the snowy yard for hours while adults stayed warm by the fire watching football, reading, and puzzling. We loved dropping into South Haven, Douglas, Saugatuck, and surrounding nature havens to experience a picturesque Winter.
This property was amazing! Four generations gathered to celebrate my dad’s 90th birthday. There was plenty of space to gather or spread out. Through creative seating, we were able to have 29 attendees in the kitchen at the birthday dinner. The game room was a big hit as was the fire pit. My dad and wife enjoyed the slightly more private accommodations of the keeper’s house. The pictures don’t do justice to the downstairs “sofa” beds…they are full size, firm and comfortable.
The hosts have provided for every creature comfort one could ask for when on vacation. They were VERY responsive to questions and offered lots of good suggestions for local restaurants and places to visit.
Many of the more midwestern guests said they will definitely look to use the house in the future. We have all done a lot of vacation home rentals and this house was an exceptional value.
The place was huge, so much room, the best stocked rental that I have ever stayed in. Beautiful inside and out. Excellent communication with renter. Would definitely stay here again!
This place is amazing. More amenities than you know what to do with. House is in great condition, and well decorated and furnished - you feel at home, a much nicer home.
I recently stayed at the Douglas Boathouse for 4 days with a group of friends, and it was an amazing experience! The house was beautiful, spotless, and stocked with so many thoughtful extras — from games to a fully equipped kitchen. It truly felt like a home away from home. Our host, Mike, was communicative and helpful throughout our stay, which made everything even smoother. Plus, you really cannot beat this location! I highly recommend this rental to anyone looking for a place to stay in the Douglas/Saugatuck area. We would absolutely come back!!
When you see the Boathouse in person you will be blown away. Everything exceeded our expectations. Mike was lovely to deal with and we very much felt like invited guests in their home.
They have thought of everything.
This property was perfect for a family getaway. Everything was just as described in the listing. Great places nearby for eating and drinking. Lots of fun to have right on the property!! This was my first VRBO rental and Everything was perfect. Mike was always available if I had any questions. We would like to come again in the summer to experience the lovely beach and water but this place would be great any time of the year.
My grandson was getting married at the Ivy house this past weekend. We were all from out of town so this house was great. There were 11 of us. Wish could have spent more time together. My husband wasn’t able to make it due to his passing in July. We also had a celebration of life for my husband. Some of the friends who came to celebrate thought the place was great and wondered how I found it. Sorry no photos.
We stayed with our extended family which included 4 children under age 9. This was a super comfortable spot for all of us with plenty of space on the 3 floors plus the keepers house. We loved the game room, yard games, well equipped kitchen, fire pit, comfortable living room and beautiful yard with lots of trees. They even included things like phone cords, a house computer and enough Yetis for the whole crowd. Can't recommend this place more!
We travel a lot with large groups of people and we have NEVER had a house this well equipped. They truly thought of everything.
The things we really appreciated: firewood, customized yetis, two dishwashers, two washer/dryer set ups, millions of games, lots of room for parking, clean, accommodating host.
If you are considering booking this DO NOT HESITATE.
We went to Douglass with my entire family of 21 and stayed at this property for 4 nights. This is by far the best VRBO I’ve ever stayed in. There was plenty of beds for my entire family and room to spare. The house was completely stocked with everything you need in the kitchen. The gameroom and with every amenity you could think of for the entire party. Mike is a great host and checked to make sure we had everything. If you are in Michigan with a big party, Douglas Boathouse is the place to stay!
Our family had a delightful stay at the Douglas Boathouse. We've never stayed in a vacation rental that provided so many conveniences from large numbers and types of Yeti mugs and cups to an entire basket of charging cords. The kitchen is well furnished with everything you can possibly think of. Everyone enjoyed the game room, as well as our time around the fire pit. It's in a lovely, quiet area that's convenient to everything. We also appreciated all of the beach chairs! There was plenty of seating for meals both indoors and out for our large group. The owners went above and beyond in providing so many extras that made our stay comfortable. Our only recommendation is that the doors could use some lubrication to get rid of the squeaks so early risers don't wake up others. Thank you for a wonderful and memorable weekend!
If we could give it 10 stars we would! Perfect for groups!
REVIEW: 5 STARS
The Douglas Boathouse was amazing for our family weekend trip!
Located in a beautiful, quiet area that is walking distance to the beach and some fun stores/restaurants. Staying here, you are minutes away from any activity desired during your stay. Honestly, we loved the house so much we ended up staying in more than we planned.
This house is so well-equipped and thought out, it really makes staying here as a guest feel like home! The owner’s close attention to detail makes your stay effortless: Wi-Fi, music system throughout the house, streaming services, toiletries, activities, games, fully equipped kitchen, etc.
The house was very clean, spacious and comfortable for entertaining groups of all sizes. Our group throughly enjoyed the game room and the beautiful backyard fire pit sitting area.
We hope to be back again! Thanks so much for having us!