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Private Gated Water Front Home on American Lake. Private beach and dock.

Photo gallery for Private Gated Water Front Home on American Lake. Private beach and dock.

A spacious living area with a kitchen, a sofa, a television, and a fireplace. - Private Gated Water Front Home on American Lake. Private beach and dock. (Lakewood)
A two-story house with a balcony, a large white flowering tree in front, and a well-maintained lawn. - Private Gated Water Front Home on American Lake. Private beach and dock. (Lakewood)
A wooden dock extending into calm water with a sunset in the background. - Private Gated Water Front Home on American Lake. Private beach and dock. (Lakewood)
A two-story house with a front porch, a garage, and a driveway. - Private Gated Water Front Home on American Lake. Private beach and dock. (Lakewood)
A living room with a fireplace, a television, a sofa, and a kitchen area with a refrigerator and microwave. - Private Gated Water Front Home on American Lake. Private beach and dock. (Lakewood)
You can look forward to golfing on-site, a garden and a playground at Private Gated Water Front Home on American Lake. Private beach and dock.. In addition to laundry facilities, guests can connect to free in-room WiFi, with a speed of 250+ Mbps (good for 3–5 people or up to 10 devices).

Reviews

10 out of 10
Exceptional

Popular amenities

  • Kitchen
  • Washing machine
  • Dryer
  • Free Wi-Fi
  • Air-conditioning
  • Outdoor space

Add dates for prices

About this property

Private Gated Water Front Home on American Lake. Private beach and dock.

  • Private rental home on American Lake
    Discover Thornewood Cottage (aka TWCottage), a serene lakeside retreat on American Lake, just minutes from Tacoma and a short drive to Olympia and Seattle. Whether you’re a family seeking a relaxing holiday, a couple looking for a romantic escape, or a corporate traveller needing comfort and convenience, this fully furnished cottage offers everything you need.

    Enjoy breathtaking lake views, private access to the water, and modern amenities including high-speed Wi-Fi, a dedicated workspace, and a fully equipped kitchen. Perfect for extended stays, business trips, or weekend getaways, Thornewood Cottage combines the charm of a historic setting with the comfort of contemporary living.

    Located near major attractions, military bases, and corporate hubs, it’s ideal for relocation housing, executive stays, and family holidays. Explore the Pacific Northwest, then return to your peaceful lakeside haven.





    Escape to Thornewood Cottage, a beautifully maintained holiday home near Tacoma, Washington that feels like a world away. Nestled on the historic grounds of Thornewood Estates, next to the iconic Thornewood Castle, this 3-bedroom, 2-bath home offers the perfect blend of privacy, comfort, and luxury in an exclusive gated community.

    Why Stay at Thornewood Cottage?

    Ideal for family holidays, extended corporate stays, relocations, or temporary housing during building or remodeling.
    Recently updated with new carpet, wood flooring, fresh paint, and stylish furnishings for a clean, modern feel.
    Private gated access with unobstructed views of American Lake, your own sandy beach, and a private dock.
    Home Features:

    Spacious open layout with vaulted ceilings and a cosy gas fireplace.
    Large deck overlooking the lake – perfect for relaxing or entertaining.
    Primary Suite: King bed, soaking tub, walk-in shower, skylight, and vaulted ceilings.
    Second Bedroom: Queen bed, vaulted ceilings, walk-in closet.
    Third Bedroom: Bunk bed (twin over full/queen).
    Fully stocked kitchen with breakfast bar, dishwasher, washing machine/dryer, Smart TV, and custom lighting.
    Location Highlights:

    10 min to Tacoma, 15 min to Chambers Bay, 15 min to Olympia, 40 min to SeaTac Airport, 45 min to Seattle.
    2 min to JBLM (McChord AFB / Fort Lewis), near PLU, UPS, and Commencement Bay Rowing Club.
    Perfect for holiday rentals, corporate lodging, travelling professionals, military housing, and extended stays.

    Thank you for considering TW Cottage for your next visit to the area.

    Lots of Golf near by; Tacoma Golf and Country Club, Chambers Bay, The Home Course, and more.

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About the area

Located in Lakewood, this holiday home is near theme parks and on the beach. Fort Lewis Museum and Freighthouse Square are local landmarks, and the area's natural beauty can be seen at Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Area and Tacoma Nature Center. Check out an event or a game at Tacoma Dome, and consider making time for Washington State Fair Events Center, a top attraction not to be missed. Take in the nearby slopes with skiing, or try out other outdoor activities such as ice skating and sledging. Visit our Lakewood travel guide
View more Holiday homes in Tacoma
Map
Lakewood, WA

What's nearby

  • A cityscape with a mountain in the background.
    Tacoma Mall
    13 min drive - 9.5 miles
  • A large geodesic dome structure with an American flag, set against a backdrop of a snow-capped mountain and a forested area.
    Tacoma Dome
    17 min drive - 12.4 miles
  • A tall amusement ride with a red frame and green and red seats.
    Washington State Fair Events Center
    24 min drive - 17.0 miles
  • American Lake
    2 min walk - 0.1 miles
  • Joint Base Lewis-McChord Visitor Center
    5 min drive - 4.2 miles

Getting around

  • Lakewood Station
    8 min drive
  • Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)
    40 min drive

Restaurants

  • McDonald's
    16 min walk
  • McDonald's
    6 min drive
  • Taco Bell
    19 min walk
  • Jack in the Box
    19 min walk
  • Starbucks
    20 min walk

Frequently asked questions

Is Private Gated Water Front Home on American Lake. Private beach and dock. pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much is parking at Private Gated Water Front Home on American Lake. Private beach and dock.?

On-site parking is available at the property.

What time is check-in at Private Gated Water Front Home on American Lake. Private beach and dock.?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Private Gated Water Front Home on American Lake. Private beach and dock.?

Checkout is at 10:30 AM.

Where is Private Gated Water Front Home on American Lake. Private beach and dock. located?

Nestled on the beach, this Lakewood holiday home is 0.2 mi (0.3 km) from American Lake and 2.3 mi (3.7 km) from Gravelly Lake. Lakewold Gardens and Lake Steilacoom are also within 6 miles (10 km).

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Reviews

Private Gated Water Front Home on American Lake. Private beach and dock. Reviews

10

Exceptional

10

Cleanliness

10

Location
Rating 10 - Excellent. 35 out of 36 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 1 out of 36 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 36 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 36 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 36 reviews

Reviews

Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great stay, thank you. Enjoyed the private beach and attention to drtails
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
What an amazing place! On American lake on a gorgeous property with a dock. It’s even next to an eloquent castle. The host was so responsive and kind. The home was beautiful, clean, and perfect, with an amazing view.
Stayed 18 nights in Oct 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Amazing property!

What a place, it's a great house and a beautiful little neighborhood. Communication with the owner was great, he actually called me the day of check-in to make sure everything was OK. Everything you might need such as a grocery store is close by. Rent this place if you are in Lakewood
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Jblm

We came up to see my son who just got stationed at JBLM. The house had everything we needed, all necessary kitchen things too. Beds were really comfy. The area is real secure and close to the base. Everything was super clean in the house, no issues at all. Thanks so much, we will be back
Stayed 4 nights in Nov 2023
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great location for our family

Wonderful home and host.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Lake cottage serenity

Wonderful host, beautiful lake views, Resident Bald Eagles and Osprey. A perfect location to relax and enjoy all Washington has to offer.
Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Family of five comfortably enjoyed the beautiful view!

Gorgeous sunsets and everything you need for cooking and relaxing. The property is so quiet but so close to shopping. For us it was a good midpoint for Oregon or Seattle visits.
Stayed 4 nights in Dec 2018
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Fun At The Lake

Clean, well equipped, great location with many amenities located nearby. The property owner provided a significant number of water toys along with a friendly dog to greet you on the beach most mornings.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2021
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful lake view home

This home is set in a very quiet and beautiful gated neighborhood. This home has a fantastic Lake view with direct access to the lake and a private beach / dock to use. You could almost call this lake frontage with the exception of having 60’ of grass between you and the lake. The Owner Randy was fantastic to work with and had great communication. I would absolutely VRBO with Randy again. Great property, location and owners. Highly recommend this property
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2022
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great house - great location!

Randy was VERY responsive. House is great, very clean. And you can’t beat the view of the lake. Kitchen has everything you need, plenty of towels/linens too. The Thornewood Estates area is eclectic for sure, and the Thornewood cottage is perfect for a family or friends to spend a few nights. Close to I5 and Lakewood. Two hours to Mt St Helens, 90 min to Olympic National Forest! Or just stay at the house and enjoy the sunset over the lake.
Stayed 5 nights in Apr 2021
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Amazing Lake-Cation!!

We needed a local get away and found our new annual tradition!! Randy was a great host! Home had great views of the lake with bald eagles regularly flying overhead, very nice interior for the home, and most importantly we were able to launch our boat at the property and had our own dock for the week! It was a short walk out the door and maybe 30 yards to our own dock on the lake!! Whether the kids were swimming at the dock, out on the boat, or laying out in the lounge chairs at the beach, the entire family had an amazing time. Thanks for everything! See you again soon!
Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2022
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Lakeside Oasis in the middle of Tacoma!

This is a real find for folks visiting the Tacoma area. A bit pricey but worth paying a bit more for the excellent lodging and beautiful setting. It's true that the house is not technically lakefront but the view is nonetheless wonderful, and there is direct access to the lake with a small dock and beach "reserved" for guests. There is a nice large deck facing the lake which offered a lovely view and opportunities to observe a variety of birds, including bald eagles and geese flocks. The property owners do also live just in front of the rental and, although we have never stayed in this type of arrangement, we found Randy and his wife to be delightful and helpful but at the same time completely unobtrusive. We definitely intend to stay again when we return to Tacoma for family visits!
Stayed 6 nights in Jun 2023
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
The host was very gracious and was very responsive to inquiries. Even texted several times to see if we needed anything.
Stayed 9 nights in Jun 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great place, exactly as advertised

Everything was perfect, the gated community was a nice addition and made me feel safe especially leaving early and coming back late every day. Very quiet, very clean and very updated. No complaints at all. I hope I need to travel there more frequently and i would make this my go-to spot!
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2022
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Lakeside family reunion

We rented home near our relatives in Lakewood. We used lake house to gather for dinner, lunch and lake activities. Hosts welcomed us and provided extra chairs for our larger group. Wonderful experience. Thank you.
Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2022
Verified review

8/10 Good

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Very nice place

Clean, good location and very friendly host. The house sits back off the lake with an obstructed view. The only issue I had with the rental is that the pictures left that part out. There is a dock but you have to cross through the other property to get there.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2022
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Peaceful work trip

Lot of stairs walking into the house. Other than that the house has a great view of the lake and is well stocked and maintained. Communication with Randy was easy and painless. I would recommend this house for anyone(other then those who have difficulty with stairs). We will definitely be back if he had availability on our future trips to the area.
Stayed 13 nights in Jun 2022
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Family celebration

A family of 7 in Seattle to attend the college graduation of a granddaughter/niece. The family was thrilled with the location and the house
Stayed 3 nights in May 2022
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great family house we stayed for Xmas. It is comfortable and homey. Randy was very attentive. I

It needs some updates but very clean and has many amenities.
Stayed 5 nights in Dec 2021
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Family gathering

This “cottage” home was just beautiful and perfect for our family. The location was close to everything in the Tacoma/Seattle area. We loved the design, the view, American lake access and all the little extras the owner provided.
Stayed 8 nights in Sep 2021
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Exactly what we needed

My family was in the area for a week dealing with a difficult and unpleasant situation. We needed a comfortable place to stay that would allow us to feel safe and able to relax at the end of the day. Thornewood Cottage was absolutely perfect for us. Convenient location in a lovely gated community, plenty of space for 5, the house had everything we needed, comfy beds, nice showers and tub, a beautiful view of American Lake with lake access, including a small beach and dock. We were all very grateful to have such a lovely place to stay, it helped us survive a challenging week.
Stayed 6 nights in Sep 2021
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great memories

This place was amazing! Randy was so helpful and responsive if I had a question. My family definitely wants to go back. There was one item that threw me off when we first got there and that was the owner’s home is next door to the house. So there really isn’t a fine division between the properties, but Randy made sure his guests parked on the other side of his home. So we had privacy. My family is social so we didn’t mind meeting new people.
Stayed 6 nights in Jul 2021
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great Stay

Great property and would definitely stay here again. Fantastic view of the water and eagles flying nearby. Randy was very helpful and responsive.
Stayed 5 nights in Jan 2021
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Clean, beautiful home, right on the water and lovely owners!

We had a wonderful stay! There was a good amount of space for all of us, and it definitely felt like a vacation having our own dock to the lake. Randy and his wife checked in with us multiple times asking if there was anything they could do to make our stay even better! I would totally recommend this rental to anyone looking for a nice getaway!
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Lakehouse fun

Nice July family get away at the lakehouse. Was just like it looked and a fun place to stay.
Stayed 6 nights in Jul 2020