Nan's Escape

The house had everything we needed for a week. Communication with a property manager was great. We loved locating since it was walking distance to the beach and coffee shop. Could not ask for more!

Ruta A. - Posted: 7/30/2023

Great property. Great location. Great service.

Steve J. - Posted: 7/26/2023

It was a great Thanksgiving weekend except for the fact that we couldn’t get any football games on the tv. We had to go to a local bar/ restaurant to be able to watch our games.

Anonymous - Posted: 1/16/2023

This home was perfect for our family. We enjoyed lots of time on the lovely beach. The house was set up nicely and had everything we needed. The management was quick to resolve a minor issue.

Anonymous - Posted: 12/9/2022

The 4 of us had a wonderful stay at the cottage in Union Pier. The beach was close and wonderful. We rode bikes and played golf. The kitchen could use an upgrade, but overall the cottage was great!

Anonymous - Posted: 7/23/2022

Our family of 4 had the best time! The house is spacious inside and out. Lots of room for sleeping, relaxing, playing, etc. The hammock was a my favorite - it looks up into the most spectacular trees. Gorgeous! Fire pit and yard was great for the kids. There are so many little nooks, decks, sitting areas to enjoy! And the yard is very shady and fenced! Kitchen had everything we needed. (Grill was great but note that only half it works.) Beds were comfortable. Loved the short walk to Whistle Stop Cafe. Access to the beach was close. We have a 3 and a 4 year old, but with the help of a wagon, we were able to easily tote the kids and all our stuff to the beach. Note - the steps access to the beach only gets you about halfway down. Then you have a short but steep decline of sand to walk. This was easy on the way down with little ones, but not easy on the way back up. Anyone with mobility issues or super little ones would have a difficult time. There are other points of entry onto the beach, however. You would just need to walk down the street a little further. Other things to note that might be important to some - internet is not strong. My husband had to work a couple days on our stay and the internet was a little challenging. Also, there were wet towels left in the washer by the previous people/cleaners. Glad we caught it after just a couple days. Otherwise that would have gotten smelly. Overall, this place worked great for our family. We always felt safe, cozy, relaxed, and happy :)

Anonymous - Posted: 6/26/2022

The cottage was very updated and clean. The private beach access was just down the street. We were happy to see that they were stairs going down all the way to the bottom of the beach. We just had to walk a little bit further down the street. That was a lifesaver. The private beach was so quiet and nice and clean. We never even made it over to the public beach. We were able to rent a paddleboard and bring it to the private beach. The cottage was so clean and cute. We would definitely stay again. We love Union pier and how they have added a few more restaurants since a few years ago. It is nice to go into new Buffalo which is just a five minute drive but even nicer to have a couple of local grocery stores and restaurants walking distance

Anonymous - Posted: 6/23/2022

Nice small house near the beach with all the items you will need to have a great time. Beach chairs and umbrellas were great to have handy when we went to the lake. Great communication from the property manager as well.

Anonymous - Posted: 6/17/2022

We had a great stay at Nan's Cottage! The location can't be beat - 1 short block from the private beach access, and right around the corner from the Whistle Stop Cafe. The cottage is charming and well-taken care of: plenty of space for gathering around a game, bedrooms were comfy, the outdoor fire pit was delightful on a cool evening, and the outdoor space was lovely for morning coffee, grilling and dining. The beach chairs and towels were much appreciated for visits to the lake! We would love to visit again!

Anonymous - Posted: 6/13/2022

Very nice cottage in quiet residential area. Hop step and a jump to a glorious beach. Great time of year to go!

Anonymous - Posted: 12/9/2021

Very cozy and clean! Nice and roomy with great amenities. Very enjoyable except that the front door lock did not work . We could not get in or out of the front door , which made packing up and leaving a little tricky on the icy back door steps.

Anonymous - Posted: 11/28/2021

We stayed for a weekend in October for weekend that included a Notre Dame football game (45 minute drive from Union Pier). Place was clean and well-kept and is consistent with the listing description. There are three good-sized bedrooms (one with 2 bunk beds) and two nice bathrooms. Kitchen was appropriately stocked. Lots of towels for beach use. Nice outdoor dining space and fire pit (which we didn't use). Checkout time was a bit early (10) - made it feel rushed on Sunday morning. 11:00 check out would be more reasonable. Didn't receive check in instructions until check-in day (Friday) - when I reached out to the property manager.

Anonymous - Posted: 10/25/2021

This was just as advertised. Great beach access; cozy and clean accommodations in the charming Union Pier area. We would stay here again.

Anonymous - Posted: 10/16/2021

Lovely, charming home with spaces for everything - Comfortable seating in the TV/fireplace living area which is larger than it appears in the picture. The kitchen is well-appointed, beds are comfy, and multiple outdoor gathering areas provide lots of opportunities to gather and enjoy the Michigan fresh air. Plus, the location allows for an easy walk to beach access (a bit of a challenging climb back up for some of us, but I believe there is another public access point down Lakeshore with an easier incline). A short walk the other direction brings you to the Whistle Stop - a small market/deli with a cool vibe (and delicious scones :). Heather was immediately available with any info we needed. My friends and I would definitely stay again!

Anonymous - Posted: 9/27/2021

The location is wonderful, beach is steps from the front door. Nice quiet neighborhood too.House itself is not that nice but certainly adequate. Very tight for 6 adults.

Anonymous - Posted: 9/22/2021

Nice family retreat with good beach access and convienient walk to dining. Comes with lots of beach towels, chairs, beach umbrellas and kid-friendly beach toys..the floating boards were a big hit! Nice gazebo, but not bug proof. Could have use some emergengy night time lighting during a strong storm, but power was restored within a day.

Anonymous - Posted: 8/29/2021

The house was lovely and walking distance to the beach. House was very clean and well equipped.Unfortunately, There was a power outage for 24 hrs while we were there, but the property manager did an amazing job keeping us informed.Only comment I have is the listing said there was a king in the master and it is a queen.

Anonymous - Posted: 8/14/2021

Our experience was good. The beach is close. Please note there are two ways to get down to the beach. The one with stairs all the way down is better.

Anonymous - Posted: 7/31/2021

Property was clean and provided everything you need. Just need to bring your food and drink. And special beach equipment/toys if you desire.

Anonymous - Posted: 7/16/2021

We had a blast at Nan’s! Great property and location. Perfect for two families of four.

Anonymous - Posted: 7/9/2021

This was a great little getaway for our family of 6. There's a large private beach only about four houses away! The same distance in the other direction brought us to a cute little coffee shop (The Whistle Stop Cafe) and nice restaurant (Red Arrow Roadhouse) with a full bar and family room. The food was great at the restaurant and it is awesome to get a little coffee or house made kombucha within such close walking distance from the cottage. The furnishings in this quintessential beach cottage were comfortable and updated. The kids loved the cute bunk room, as well as the fenced in yard, hammock and gazebo. During warmer weather the gazebo would be a nice place for card games in the evening, or to read a book. There's even an outdoor shower (which is probably great during summer time) - we'll definitely be coming back! The location can't be beat!

Anonymous - Posted: 6/26/2021

The property was perfect, amazing location, 1 block to beach and the other direction to an adorable market. Perfect amount of space to accommodate the family and friends in our party!

Anonymous - Posted: 6/17/2021

We rented this property and it was a great place for a weekend getaway. It was clean, and big enough for 6 adults. The location was better than expected, the private beach entrance is at the end of the street. At the corner of the street is the Whistle Stop Grocery Story, which is a good place for morning coffee and breakfast sandwiches. Its also only a 5-7 minute drive to downtown New Buffalo. We will be booking this house in the future when going to back to the area.

Anonymous - Posted: 6/14/2021

Just enjoyed a two-night stay with another family. Set up for us was great and both families thought it was a nice house. Parents each got a room and the room with bunk beds was great for two of the children. The beds in the other two bedrooms are comfortable but are both queens (not so great if you are expecting a king in one of them) so the listing should be updated to reflect that. The living room and dining room was also comfortable with plenty of seating for us. They had Smart TV in both the living room and "children's room." The adults didn't use the TV in the living room, but the children enjoyed having one in their bedroom. The bathrooms were both cute and had recent updates. The outdoor shower had warm water which was nice for rinsing off feet after enjoying the beach. The private beach is close but the walk down the path was difficult for someone in our group with mobility issues (clearly not a fault of the property owner but something someone with mobility issues may want to know before renting). Two things to note that may be helpful for future renters: the switch for the garbage disposal is under the sink and the grill has a gas line connected to the house that you'll need to open prior to using the grill (it's off to the right of the grill). While we did not use the gazebo we did notice that the door is in need of repair as the top window pane is missing. We did enjoy using the fire pit. Overall, we were happy with our stay.

Anonymous - Posted: 5/30/2021

Our group of eight, which included children. parents, and grandparents, had a fabulous time at Nan's Escape. The house was the perfect size for us and had everything we needed. We've stayed at quite a few vacation rentals and this one was one of the nicest we've seen. Great beds, bedding, showers (ample hot water), appliances worked great, plenty of dishware and cooking utensils. We took full advantage of all the outdoor space, deck, yard, and gazebo. The neighborhood beach we had access to was a quick walk down the block. It was very clean and we spent a lot of fun hours down in the sand. The outdoor shower got used a lot and it was nice that it had hot water too. Heather was a great communicator and responded quickly if I texted her. Overall a great experience and would consider staying again if we are ever in that neck of the woods in the future.

Anonymous - Posted: 1/7/2021

This family friendly get-away is cozy, clean and has all the amenities for a week long stay. In addition to being surrounded by nature, the beautiful water of Lake Michigan is a short distance away.

Anonymous - Posted: 10/13/2020

The house was amazing and the location can’t be beat! My group of friends loved everything about the house - rooms were a great size, the back porch and yard allowed for lots of outdoor games and grilling, and the with the two bathrooms, we were never fighting to use them! I can’t wait to come back here again!!

Anonymous - Posted: 10/9/2020

Great property in a great location, we really enjoyed it! Proximity to the association beach and the Whistle Stop Grocery can't be beat. The house itself is small, cute, charming. There's not much common space for separation so it's good for a small family. We loved the fire pit and the outdoor dining area. They had lots of beach chairs and towels available to use. A few things are missing or hard to find as this is the first time they're renting the property I think, like cushions for the furniture in the Gazebo, or garbage bags, measuring cups, etc. We have a 1 year old, and they had a pack n play and a high chair so we didn't have to bring those which was great. Be aware that there is a Roku, but no live TV. Heather, the Property Manager was amazing, and available to answer questions at any time before and during our trip. Definitely recommend this property and would rent again!

Anonymous - Posted: 9/30/2020

The home has everything we needed for a comfortable stay with our children (pack n play and highchair were available). We loved the yard, deck and proximity to the beach. We'll definitely return!

Anonymous - Posted: 8/25/2020

We have actually stayed at this property three times now. The first two visits (2011 & 2016) were with the previous owner. We were glad to see that the new owner has made some small improvements that really make the place much more comfortable. The linens, pillows, towels, throw rugs, etc have all been replaced since we stayed there in 2016. The location of this property cannot be beat. Over the past 20 years, we have stayed at at least a dozen different cottages in the Union Pier/Lakeside area and this place ranks at the top for location. Beach access to a very nice private beach is super close and the Whistle Stop and Red Arrow Road House is right around the corner. The place could still use a few more upgrades but everything is functional.

Anonymous - Posted: 8/9/2020

This stay was just what we needed - a cozy home on a quiet street with a yard, and a beautiful private beach just down the block. Heather was very communicative and helpful with questions. The house itself is very nice and cozy. The listing was brand new when we stayed there, so there were a few minor things missing (like a coffee bean grinder), but not a big deal - and again, Heather was really helpful if we needed anything. When the coffee maker wasn't working, she dropped off a brand new one within hours! It looked like the gazebo hadn't been cleaned up yet, but I'm sure it will be soon (in the meantime, it was a great place to store our pool floats, etc). There were plenty of beach chairs & toys in the shed, which were really nice to have, and the house was also well stocked with towels. All in all, a great escape, and we would definitely come back!

Anonymous - Posted: 7/31/2020