Vacation at Garver Lake ~ Private Beach For Your Enjoyment! Reviews, Deals & Photos 2025

Q: Is Vacation at Garver Lake ~ Private Beach For Your Enjoyment! pet-friendly?

Yes, this property allows dogs (limit 2 total) with a maximum weight of up to 50 lbs per pet.

Q: Where is Vacation at Garver Lake ~ Private Beach For Your Enjoyment! located?

Situated on the beach, this vacation home is within 3 mi (5 km) of Eagle Lake, Coberts Lake, and Vernon and Velma Radebaugh Memorial Plant Preserve. Painter-Juno-Christiana Lake and Long Lake are also within 6 mi (10 km).

10/10 Excellent

Krista W.

2 August 2024

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

Quaint lake cottage

Our family of six with four children had a wonderful time at this lake house. It’s certainly not brand new but it’s very functional— like very high end camping. It is a nice little lake house with plenty of toys for the kids and room to spread out. The refrigerator is cold and I didn’t see any bugs in the house. we really loved the clean water and the wide assortment of beach toys for the kids. We can’t wait to come back!

Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Jane E.

12 August 2023

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

Excellent location.

The cottage was wonderful!

Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2023

8/10 Good

roger g.

22 July 2023

Liked: Check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

lake front

wonderful stay, beautiful lake

Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2023

6/10 Okay

DeAnn B.

7 August 2019

Liked: Check-in, communication, location

Lake was beautiful

Lake was beautiful and the fire pit was nice. Dock and home needed some updating. We spent our time outside and the neighbors were nice.

Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2019

10/10 Excellent

Alexandra P.

1 September 2020

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

Family Vacation

Perfect home for a family vacation with children. All 4 kids loved playing in the beach and splashing in the lake. The family room had plenty of space for watching TV after a long day of playing in the sun and room for the kids to still play around in. Beds were cozy and slept all 4 adults and 4 children perfectly.

Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2020

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Hillary I.

1 August 2016

Really fun!

We had a really great time staying at this lake house. Catherine was a wonderful hostess, she was very prompt to respond to me with any questions I had. The house was clean and comfortable. The water was great and the sandy beach was a lot of fun for the 1ry old we had with us. We would love to stay at this house again in the future and would definitely recommend!

Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2016

10/10 Excellent

Debbie R.

5 July 2022

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

Nice place with plenty of room!

This was a nice lake home on an all sports lake. There are four bedrooms and plenty of living room space for everyone! We had a great family vacation! The owner was very accommodating and helpful. We were able to dock our boat on the pier without a problem. The public access is two doors down. We had a really nice relaxing time!

Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2022

4/10 Poor

Verified traveler

25 August 2023

Liked: Check-in, communication, location

Disliked: Cleanliness, listing accuracy

Garver lake

Pictures that they show online are out of date place is a little dirty did not like the fact we had to do laundry and vacuum before we left. Did not realize this before we signed up. I give it a two and a five

Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2023

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Brad K., Fort Wayne, IN

20 July 2016

We had a great family vacation !

The lake home provided a great place for our family to enjoy time together. The sand beach area gave our grandchildren a safe and enjoyable area to play while enjoying the beauty of the lake. The house was clean, organized, and served us very well. The owner made a special point of contacting us to insure we had the best experience possible. Kayaking, canoeing, fishing, catching turtles gave our family many positive moments. Beautiful lake - ideal for families!! Thank you !!

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Dominick C.

2 August 2015

Cathy's Cottage = Home Away from Home - Amazing Amenities!

I didn't know this kind of class and service existed in the state of Indiana. Cathy has gone to great lengths to decorate, clean, and stock this fantastic home with everything you will need for a fun-filled getaway. The living room furniture is great, and you can fit a lot of people in this home. We WILL be going back to this house in the future, and I can't wait! Thanks Cathy!

10/10 Excellent

Susan H.

17 August 2022

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

Wonderful place to gather & spend time at the lake!!

We had an absolutely wonderful time with our children and grandchildren at this house on Garver Lake! There was plenty of room for all of us & the living room layout was fantastic! We could all sit around on the couches talking to each other!! The deck was nice an enjoyable under the trees. We had problems with flies on the deck, but that was due to previous renters not putting all the trash out. Once all 4 trash bins were empty, the problem subsided. We had a wonderful time and hope to be back again!!

Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

Barbara S.

28 June 2022

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

Fabulous relaxing time at the lake!

My family rented this cottage for a nice relaxing getaway and weren't disappointed! The owner was wonderful to work with and very attentive to helping to make sure we enjoyed ourselves; from giving us ideas of things to do, to helping out with kayaks and paddle boats! We chose this place for a number of reasons, one being that we could bring our dog. She loved it also! Being able to sit on the private beach with our dog, while my husband fished off the dock , and my Mom sat on the deck was exactly what we all needed to start off our summer! The owner said she was continuing to do updates to the property and we look forward to going back and seeing what she's done. We loved it.

Stayed 1 night in Jun 2022

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

4/10 Poor

Andy D.

27 August 2013

Good location on lake but needs a lot of updating

The cottage has great potential and has been updated in certain areas. The bathrooms and kitchen have been recently remodeled and are user friendly. Good lake access with a nice, clean and sandy beach. Central AC and internet access is a plus. The other parts of the cottage need work. The couches and chairs in the living room are broken down and not at all comfortable. The mattresses are broken down, squeak and uncomfortable. Living room walls are cracking and trim is missing throughout the cottage. Very little light in the living room since there are no lamps. The screen door was broke leading out to the porch. An oil smell came out of the garage and into the house. If the owner spent some money on new furniture, new mattresses, some headboards, fixed some cosmetic issues throughout the cottage, and performed a complete cleaning, this would be a very nice place to rent. Also, two of the bedrooms are connected and do not have any separation.

6/10 Okay

Becky R.

8 July 2019

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

Moms and Kids Getaway

This was a moms and kids trip and overall we had a good time, but there were several issues that caused me to only give 3 stars. First, the listing said there was a DVD player. It was the first night and we got all 7 kids hunkered down in the living room, ready to watch a DVD and there wasn't one. And the cable wasn't working. I contacted Kathy and she promptly came and installed one, but just beware and make sure the DVD player is there upon arrival. Second, the door of the bedroom off the kitchen does not close. Luckily my daughter is a heavy sleeper, but it was a privacy issue as well. Third, on the second the last day we ran out of toilet paper. I've never stayed in a rental where this happened. It was night and we had been enjoying some adult beverages, so nobody could run to the store. Things like that should be fully stocked. ]The biggest issue was the backyard though. It was an absolute mudpit and the only way to access the beach was to walk across a plank that was sinking and covered in mud. We had 7 kids under the age of 8. Some kids couldn't navigate this on their own and everyone's feet were covered in mud. It had rained a lot prior to this, but I"m sure this isn't the first time they have had this issue. They need to install a walk way or sidewalk or something. It was terrible. Those things aside, the house was a perfect size for all of us. The kids could all lay out in the living room. The beach in the back was perfect for the little kids to play and splash. Some kids got cuts on their feet from shells, so I would recommend wearing water shoes. Overall, the kids and moms had a fun time, but attending to those little things could have made the trip much better.

Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2019

10/10 Excellent

Carla D.

27 July 2022

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

Lakeside Getaway

We had a lovely week at Kathy's cottage! She was quick to respond to all my questions beforehand, and check-in/check-out was a breeze. We spent the first half of the week with friends and the second with family. The water is clean and easy to walk into through the sandy beach. My friend's young son has autism and spent HOURS in the shallow trying to catch fish with a bucket. They come right up to you and swim around :) The younger kids loved swimming, the older kids loved fishing off the pier and the moms loved the relaxation, beautiful scenery, and quiet lake. We saw plenty of wildlife...caught a turtle, watched a hawk dive in the lake and catch dinner, saw muskrats, a hummingbird, a red-winged blackbird, baby bunnies and plenty of ducks and geese. The house is very cottagey. Kitchen is fully stocked. Laundry is in the house and very convenient. There's a new outdoor grill and good size deck. Plenty of extra bedding, towels, toilet paper, etc... There is WiFi in the home, but reception is not great. The pier is a bit rickety, and the ladder off the end is very slippery, so be careful. There’s a nice firepit in the front that we made smores on nightly. Don’t forget your firewood! We had great weather while we were there, and there was plenty of shade in the yard, and also plenty of sun throughout the day. A great combo. The one day it rained, we hung out inside and played the games we brought (plenty of room on the living room floor for Twister and comfy couches along all walls for movie nights). Bring your own games and playing cards just in case. I suggest renting the paddle boat from Kathy. It was a fun little perk that everyone enjoyed! All in all we had an awesome time on Lake Garver! Nice clean lake and cottage, beautiful views, lots of space, quiet, and fun. It’s also super close to South Bend/Notre Dame, Indiana so that my parents and sister’s family could easily come up for the day. I highly recommend Kathy’s cottage. It made me realize we need to be doing this every summer. I’ll start saving up now! Thanks Kathy :)

Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2022

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

2/10 Terrible

Peg B., Pittsburgh, PA

4 November 2013

"Updating" was the least of our problems!

We came into the property with some trepidation, as the review regarding the need to update was published after we had already paid for our stay. We also knew, from the photos, that this wasn't a luxury rental and that was fine; as long as things are clean, we can work with the rest. Upon unlocking the door, we were greeted by rather dingy surroundings in all rooms, but, most revealing was what we found in the kitchen! There was food in the refrigerator (including milk, produce, etc) plus a dirty stove top & oven, microwave, a butter dish in the counter (with butter in it) and particles of food in the sink strainer...someone is living here and scooted out for the weekend!!! Not at all what we bargained for! On further inspection, the bedding was stained and rumpled (5 loads of laundry, coming up!); the bathrooms were "off" (including body hairs in shower & sink), an unclean toilet & dust laden ceiling fans; there was pet hair all over one of the LR chairs and the futon is unusable. We set out on a 2 hour clean up (although 5 loads of laundry took longer than 5 hours). Our cleaning included full kitchen, bathrooms, linens, all surfaces, handles, knobs, switches, etc. Came up with some very gross residue from the light switch plates (the house once owned by a smoker?). Boxes, bags and bins of clothing seemed to have been dumped in the cramped garage. Grill=greasy, gross. I did call the owner within a couple hours of being in the house; she was very nice & apologized for the condition of the place. She also told me she did have renters in the house (set up after we reserved the weekend) under the condition that they clean up and move out when the owner had vacation rentals coming in. She didn't have a chance to check the place out between them leaving & us coming in, which is inexcusable...makes me feel good about giving her checks for damage deposit and cleaning fee! (Cancelled those, pronto!) I would not have rented this place, at any cost, under those circumstances. The owner pointed out that we got an awesome rate on a Notre Dame game weekend...which wasn't even our reason for being there! Thank goodness we didn't pay the ND rate!! She twice mentioned my husband negotiating the rate with her; he was not involved at all! This was a trip Mom & 4 sisters; I was THE only contact. If cleaned up, updated & not used as regular rental this could be a nice vacation cottage. Sadly, this was not an ideal situation.

10/10 Excellent

WILLIAM & TRISHA K.

3 September 2024

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

Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

John D.

22 August 2024

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

Family getaway

We rented this property for the weekend to have a little getaway for our family. There was only seven of us so it was perfect our sister mostly uses of wheelchair so it a pleasant surprise when we seen the wheelchair ramp going up to the back deck we all enjoyed ourselves and made some great memories with her. Everyone on and around the lake was friendly. We love the little beach area attached to the property and the fire pit it just has a really nice cabin feel, even though it’s a house. We would definitely rent this property again

Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2024

4/10 Poor

Vern-Linda R.

5 August 2024

Liked: Check-in, communication, location

Disliked: Cleanliness, listing accuracy

Needs work.

Nice people good communication but over all the house needs some work.

Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2024

6/10 Okay

Tammy C.

18 August 2022

Liked: Check-in, communication, location

Great beach

The grands kids had a blast! They enjoyed the beach and grandson caught his first fish there.

Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2022

10/10 Excellent

Larry H.

24 July 2022

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

nice quiet lakefront home

good view, good place to walk, great deck, good dock to tie up our fishing and ski boats

Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

Deidre O.

1 September 2021

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

Great for what we needed!

The house was pretty much just as listed/shown in the description. Beds were comfortable with plenty of extra blankets and pillows for kids to lounge around wherever. The kitchen was pretty stocked with everything we needed - the only thing we needed that we didn't come across was a lighter because the grill did not light on its own. Bathrooms were good and clean when we arrived. Having a washer/dryer came in handy. The leather couches in the living room do shed quite a bit but they were comfortable and it was nice to have somewhere that everyone could sit together and hang out when the mosquitos were too much to be outside. We rented a boat and tube for a full day on Diamond Lake which is only 15 minutes from the house. The kids went in the water a bit at the house, but the mosquitos were pretty insane, so we didn't spend as much time outside there as we would have liked. There's no real lighting outside on the deck, so if you are grilling after sunset, might want to bring a flashlight or lantern or something. Grill worked fine other than needed a lighter to start like mentioned earlier. Check-in and out process was beyond easy and the host called to check in on the first day and last day of our trip. House was close enough to stores and restaurants whenever we needed anything (less than 10 minutes to everything). Overall this was a great find and I would recommend it. Great for families. We had two families with five kids total ages 11-17.

Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2021

8/10 Good

Melissa B., Edwardsburg, MI

23 June 2021

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

Gorgeous sunrise

The cabin is in a beautiful location with a gorgeous sunrise. There’s a very nice deck outside the house and beachy area where our family gathered we had a wonderful time!

Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2021

10/10 Excellent

Luz A.

20 June 2021

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

Amazing place to create family memories

I highly recommend it.

Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2021

10/10 Excellent

Tina C.

3 June 2021

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

Weekend getaway

My family (my husband, 2 teenage sons, and my father) stayed for the weekend and this was a perfect spot for us. It was peaceful and quiet. I loved that the house was on the beach. Tons of pillows and blankets were provided, kitchen was stocked (we took a break from cooking), and the couches were very comfortable.

Stayed 3 nights in May 2021

Vacation at Garver Lake ~ Private Beach For Your Enjoyment!

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