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Gateway to Pictured Rocks is currently under renovation! Check back in 2025!

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Exterior
3 bedrooms, free WiFi, bed sheets, wheelchair access
Interior
Fridge, microwave, oven, stovetop
Dining
Reviews
8.8

Excellent

Popular amenities

  • KitchenKitchenKitchen
  • Barbecue grillBarbecue grillBarbecue grill
  • Free WiFiFree WiFiFree WiFi
  • WasherWasherWasher
  • DryerDryerDryer
  • Outdoor spaceOutdoor spaceOutdoor space

Check out the area

Map
Germfask, MI
  • Popular LocationSeney National Wildlife Refuge8 min walk
  • Popular LocationPictured Rocks National Lakeshore39 min drive
  • Popular LocationOswald's Bear Ranch51 min drive
  • AirportEscanaba, MI (ESC-Delta County)87 min drive

Space details

3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, sleeps 10
1850 sq ft
Bedroom 1
    2 single beds
Bedroom 2
    1 queen bed
    1 single bed
Bedroom 3
    1 queen bed
    1 single bed
Common area
    2 sofa beds
Bathroom 1
    Combined bath/shower
Bathroom 2
    Combined shower/bath

About this property

Entire place

You'll have the entire home to yourself and will only share it with other guests in your party.

Gateway to Pictured Rocks is currently under renovation! Check back in 2025!

You'll be staying in the longest-standing and largest building in Germfask!

We are currently renovating the property and we plan to re-launch in 2025. Our business model will cater to a neglected user group that is challenged with lodging options that suit their activity and lifestyle. We will not only offer creative lodging options, but we will provide services to this user group as well. Stay tuned!

We are centrally located less than an hour's drive to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore! Centrally located in the Eastern Upper Peninsula. Lower level apartment in longest standing building in historic Germfask is less than an hour from Pictured Rocks, minutes from Seney National Wildlife Refuge, and overlooks the Manistique River! Three bedrooms, two baths, spacious apartment with large kitchen, living and dining. Grill out on the deck, fish for trout, or paddle the Manistique, this is the perfect location for those exploring the eastern half of the Upper Peninsula! You are 90 minutes or less to the Soo Locks, Tahquamenon Falls, Kitchi iti kippi, Escanaba, Marquette, and Mackinaw City!

Owner is Tom Funke, Author of 50 Hikes in Michigan's Upper Peninsula and 50 Hikes on the North Country Trail. Property managers are his brother and his wife, Tim and Shelly Funke. Tim recently retired from the Marines and they split there time between the UP and the lower. Feel free to tap into our knowledge of the area when planning your trip.

Even though the Lodge looks huge the rental is on the bottom floor only with access through either side entry door. The top floor is unfinished (hopefully not forever) and the garage can be used (usually only for snowmobiles) by asking as it does not come automatically with the rental.

The Jolly Inn (Restaurant and Bar) is across the street and Kersh's Market (groceries and package liquor) is a few blocks North within walking distance.

Germfask is the starting point for Snowmobile Trail #43 linking you to Grand Marais, Tahquamenon, and more. It starts 100 yards from our front door at the blinker light.

Sorry, no pets

Property manager

Timothy & Shelly Funke

Property amenities

Ski

  • Close to skiing

Internet

  • Free WiFi

Parking and transport

  • On-site parking options include a garage
  • On-site parking
  • Car required

Kitchen

  • Fridge
  • Stovetop
  • Microwave
  • Oven
  • Spices
  • Toaster
  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Blender
  • Cookware/dishes/utensils

Dining

  • Dining table

Bedrooms

  • 3 bedrooms
  • Bed sheets provided
  • Sofa bed

Bathrooms

  • 2 bathrooms
  • Combined shower/bath
  • Toilet paper
  • Towels provided
  • Shampoo
  • Soap

Living spaces

  • Living room
  • Dining room

Entertainment

  • TV with cable/satellite service
  • DVD player
  • Games
  • Books
  • Stereo
  • Music library
  • Video library

Outdoor areas

  • Patio
  • Barbecue
  • Garden
  • Outdoor furniture
  • Firepit

Laundry

  • Washing machine and dryer

Comfort

  • Heating

Pets

  • No pets allowed

Suitability/Accessibility

  • If you have any requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
  • Wheelchair-accessible
  • Smoke-free property
  • Note from host: It is a violation of Michigan State law to smoke.

Location highlights

  • On the river
  • On the waterfront
  • In a rural location
  • In a village

Things to do

  • Kayaking on site
  • Snowmobiling nearby
  • Fishing nearby
  • Wildlife and game walks nearby
  • Hunting nearby
  • Hiking/biking trails nearby
  • Kayaking nearby
  • Ecotours nearby
  • Hiking nearby
  • Birdwatching nearby

Safety features

  • Carbon monoxide detector not reported (host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector)
  • Smoke detector installed (host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property)
  • Fire extinguisher

General

  • Unit size: 1850 sq ft (172 sq m)

Similar properties

Outdoor dining
Gateway to Pictured Rocks & Seney NWR 2BR Cottage located on Manistique River
Kitchen
Washer
Dryer
Air conditioning
9.0 out of 10, Wonderful, (59)
Gateway to Pictured Rocks & Seney NWR 2BR Cottage located on Manistique River

Policies

Check-in

Check-in time starts at 4:00 PM
Minimum check-in age - 25

Check-out

Check-out before 10:00 AM

Special check-in instructions

You will receive an email from the host with check-in and check-out instructions

Pets

Pets not allowed

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome
Note from host: We have extra twin beds/cots

Important information

You need to know

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
Note from host: We allow small conferences & outdoor events.
Host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher
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

We should mention

A car is required for transport to and from this property

About the area

Germfask

Located in Germfask, this holiday home is in a rural area and on the waterfront. The area's natural beauty can be seen at Seney National Wildlife Refuge and Milakokia Lake. Make sure you get close to the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.
Visit our Germfask travel guideOpens in a new window
View more Holiday homes in GermfaskOpens in a new window

What's nearby

  • Seney National Wildlife Refuge - 8 min walk
  • Milakokia Lake - 29 min drive
  • Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore - 39 min drive
  • Oswald's Bear Ranch - 51 min drive
  • 12-Mile Beach - 53 min drive

Restaurants

  • Jolly Inn - 1 min walk
  • Eagles Nest - 1 min walk
  • Toveys Jolly Inn - 4 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Gateway to Pictured Rocks is currently under renovation! Check back in 2025! pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

What time is check-in at Gateway to Pictured Rocks is currently under renovation! Check back in 2025! ?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Gateway to Pictured Rocks is currently under renovation! Check back in 2025! ?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is Gateway to Pictured Rocks is currently under renovation! Check back in 2025! located?

Situated on the waterfront, this holiday home is 0.4 mi (0.6 km) from Seney National Wildlife Refuge and within 32 miles (52 km) of Lake Michigan and Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. Milakokia Lake and Newberry Country Club are also within 32 miles (52 km).

Reviews

8.8

Excellent

Rating 10 - Excellent. 51 out of 93 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 31 out of 93 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 9 out of 93 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 1 out of 93 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 1 out of 93 reviews" "

8.6/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Staff & service

9.0/10

Amenities

9.0/10

Property conditions & facilities

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Holly P.

Liked: Cleanliness
Exactly what we needed
This is our second time staying at this property. We love the size of the home and 2 bathrooms! I have teenagers so it’s enough space for Us all to relax after a busy day of hiking and seeing the sites. The host is always easy to communicate with. The Jolly Inn is always a treat for dinner. One great thing about this home is it’s location. It’s in the middle of everything to see this side of the UP. Since we do a lot of hiking, we get dirty and the washer and dryer is a huge help after a fun filled day. We are a family of woman and all feel very safe in this home. We will always stay here when we travel up north! Thanks for a wonderful, safe home for Us to stay and enjoy nature.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2023

4/10 Poor

Ellen C., Whiteland IN, USA

Disliked: Cleanliness
Not what we expected at all
I'm unsure where to start but want to give an honest review so others know what to expect. We weren't expecting perfection but we were pretty shocked to find how dirty/run down it was. Starting with the good: Great location. Jolly Inn had great food! Seney Natl. Wildlife Preserve is just down the road and is awesome. Living room furniture and beds pretty comfortable; showers pretty good. Now for the need-to-know: This place was filthy dirty. Had to buy some cleaner and do it ourselves to stay. Fridge/freezer had old, part-used foods & leftovers- some moldy. Towels in linen closet were damp and stunk! Had to wash and dry them again. Stiff, wadded up used cloths found on dryer and in the linen closet. Broken stuff everywhere- windows, cabinets, doors, blinds, lampshades etc. Floors so dirty around edges & corners- sooo many dead bugs and cobwebs and dirt. Front bedroom infested with spiders!!! I killed at least 15 spiders in there! Dead, dried up smashed bugs were all over the walls in that room also. The "breezeway" into the house was dirty like an old garage- step into house very unsafe/unsteady and tipped if you didn't step on it right. I tried contacting the host twice but got no reply. I know he got the message because he had answered a previous message before we got there. I did contact VRBO and did not request my money back for the stay as we chose to stay, but I did request the "housekeeping fee" back as we had to clean our place to stay there!
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2023

8/10 Good

brigid a.

Liked: Cleanliness
Fit our needs
First impression was a little dreary, but the place grew on us. Mostly used as a good spot for all-day trips to pictured rocks, Tahquamenon Falls and then rafting on menominee river on the way home. Easy to find since on a main road, but that made it kind of noisy (for the UP). Beds, kitchen, 2 bathrooms were all functional for a 3 night stay. Enjoyed fire pit, watched shooting stars at night. Internet did not work for us, calls/texts very spotty and DVD collection was limited/damaged. A place to go and make your own fun. Which is what we were looking for. Overall good value for the $.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2023

6/10 Okay

Denise C.

Review
Needs to be cleaner and updated.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2023

2/10 Terrible

Jason P., Quincy

Disliked: Cleanliness
Renter beware
No pictures posted, keeping it classy. Not often is there time to write reviews. Always challenging to not be too wordy or not wordy enough. Not too witty but not too boring. However, the responses from this homeowner practically wrote the review so poignantly it made the review process effortless. We made a request for all or a partial refund in response to the countless dead bugs, live spiders and dirty floors encountered in this home; we left 2 hrs after arrival, painstakingly rearranging our entire vacation to accommodate. “That's why it's so cheap because folks know that sometimes it's not going to be perfect.“ “I have a very strict refund policy because my home is sometimes not what people expect from a VRBO even though I try to be very transparent in my home description.”
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2023

8/10 Good

James S.

Liked: Cleanliness
Spring Fishing
Great place to stay and good location for Fox River fishing .
Stayed 4 nights in May 2023

10/10 Excellent

Clare J.

Liked: Cleanliness
snowmobile trip
Like any snowmobile trip the weather plays a big part. When there is good snow cover,can ride from place, trail about 1/2mi.,otherwise trailer to Seney 7mi, as alot of shoulder (pavement) riding to get Seney parking lot and pick up trails,this has nothing to do with the property. The place has all kind of room for a group. Full kitchen, washer/dryer if needed.Lot of history of the area in the house. Easy access to local bar,food right across the street. Grocery store 3blks away great selection.We try a new area in UP each, year lots of trails. Very center located.
Stayed 7 nights in Feb 2023

8/10 Good

james g.

Germfask 2023
Nice place to stay for 6 guy’s on a snowmobile trip. Plenty of parking spaces for truck and trailer. Place is old but has a lot up north appeal. Will be looking to stay here again next year
Stayed 4 nights in Feb 2023

8/10 Good

Ed M.

Liked: Cleanliness
2023 Snowmobile Trip
The property was as defined online. The extra space was useful and the use of the garage was a great benefit.
Stayed 4 nights in Feb 2023

10/10 Excellent

Billy t.

Liked: Cleanliness
Mrs
We will be staying again
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2023