You'll have the entire home to yourself and will only share it with other guests in your party.
The Lodge in Manistee
The unique 1930 train caboose is nestled over looking the Big Manistee River in the heart of the Manistee National Forest. The caboose has been converted into a cabin, that offers sleeping of up to 6. It's location is close to hiking, canoeing, and fishing. Owners Michael & Jenni Tilmann have worked hard to make this a cozy and clean place to stay while enjoying your next rustic adventure. Capt. Michael is a river guide as well as a Charter Boat Captain, which makes for a great place to stay prior and post fishing trips. North West Michigan offers lots of activities such as Sleeping Bear Dunes, casinos, as well as the wonderful beaches of Lake Michigan! For further details please visit www.visitmanistee.com !
Property manager
Lodge Management
Property amenities
Parking and transportation
Onsite parking
Kitchen
Refrigerator
Stovetop
Microwave
Oven
Paper towels
Coffee/tea maker
Cookware/dishes/utensils
Toaster
Dining
Dining table
Bedrooms
1 bedroom
Bed sheets provided
Bathrooms
1 bathroom
Shower
Towels provided
Toilet paper
Living spaces
Dining room
Entertainment
TV with cable/satellite service
Books
Outdoor areas
Patio
Barbecue grill
Outdoor furniture
Firepit
Laundry
Near laundromat
Comfort
Air conditioning
Heating
Pets
No pets allowed
Suitability/Accessibility
Smoke-free property
Location highlights
On the river
Near a hospital
Things to do
Fishing nearby
Birdwatching nearby
Mountain biking nearby
Casino nearby
Golf nearby
Swimming nearby
Hiking nearby
Kayaking nearby
Wildlife and game walks 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 there is a smoke detector on the property)
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
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
Cashless transactions are available
Onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited
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 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
Property is also known as
The Lodge in Manistee Lodge
The Lodge in Manistee Manistee
The Lodge in Manistee Lodge Manistee
About the neighborhood
Manistee, MI
What's nearby
Manistee Lake - 26 min drive - 19.4 km
Manistee North Pierhead Lighthouse - 29 min drive - 26.4 km
Lake Bluff Bird Sanctuary - 29 min drive - 24.7 km
Little River Casino - 32 min drive - 24.3 km
Portage Lake - 40 min drive - 34.3 km
Getting around
Manistee, MI (MBL-Manistee County-Blacker) - 31 min drive
Restaurants
Blue Slipper Tavern - 36 min drive
Yellow Dog Cafe - 37 min drive
Papa J's Ice Cream & Eatery - 37 min drive
Douglas Valley Winery - 34 min drive
Rapids Bistro - 30 min drive
Frequently asked questions
Is The Lodge in Manistee pet-friendly?
No, pets are not allowed at this property.
What time is check-in at The Lodge in Manistee?
Check-in begins at 3:00 PM.
What time is check-out at The Lodge in Manistee?
Check-out is at 11:00 AM.
Where is The Lodge in Manistee located?
Situated on a river, this vacation home is steps from Huron-Manistee National Forest and 12 mi (19.3 km) from Manistee Lake. Timmerman Lake and Lake of the Woods are also within 16 mi (25 km).
The Lodge in Manistee Reviews
Reviews
7.8
Good
All reviews shown are from real guest experiences. Only travelers 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.
Rating 10 - Excellent. 10 out of 20 reviews" "
10 - Excellent
10
Rating 8 - Good. 5 out of 20 reviews" "
8 - Good
5
Rating 6 - Okay. 1 out of 20 reviews" "
6 - Okay
1
Rating 4 - Poor. 1 out of 20 reviews" "
4 - Poor
1
Rating 2 - Terrible. 3 out of 20 reviews" "
2 - Terrible
3
7.2/10
Cleanliness
6.8/10
Staff & service
6.8/10
Amenities
6.8/10
Property conditions & facilities
6.8/10
Eco-friendliness
Reviews
10/10 Excellent
natasha m.
7 November 2024
natasha m.
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2024
10/10 Excellent
Karen L.
23 September 2024
Fishing cabin
Decent accommodation for a cabin fitting 6
Karen L.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2024
10/10 Excellent
chris s.
23 August 2024
Liked: Cleanliness
Weekend trip
Really loved the location, Nice location over looking the Manistee River.
chris s.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2024
10/10 Excellent
Jason P.
31 July 2024
Liked: Cleanliness
Jason P.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2024
10/10 Excellent
Roy A.
31 July 2024
Liked: Cleanliness
Roy A.
Stayed 1 night in May 2024
2/10 Terrible
Michelle N.
23 July 2024
Disliked: Cleanliness
Slept in the car
I knew going in this had not-so-great reviews, but the property condition forced us to stay outside for the evening while the owner of the property next door within 30 feet had extremely loud music and yelling until 1:00 am. I know this because I slept in the car to get away from the mold. Evidence of extreme water damage within the walls.
Michelle N.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2024
6/10 Okay
Dan M.
7 July 2024
It was OK
This is an ok property for a few guys for a fishing trip. Not a great place for a family stay. It is on the Manistee River, but you can barely see the river and there is no access to it. It is pretty clean inside, but definitely has a musty smell and the blakets and futon were damp from humidity. It worked ok for us(my wife, daughter and I) because we mostly just slept there and spent most of our time in Manistee, but we probably would not plan to return. It just depends on what you plan to use it for.
Dan M.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2024
10/10 Excellent
Caden H.
10 October 2023
Liked: Cleanliness
Great weekend of fishing with friends
Best fishing cabin we’ve stayed in on the manistee. We were very delighted to find the ohio state game on the tv! We will definitely be back! Thanks mike for letting us stay at your wonderful place!
Caden H.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2023
8/10 Good
Robert C.
7 August 2023
fishing and friends
The purpose of this trip was fishing, friends, and relaxing. We fish first with our friends enjoying the water and area. We eat real good and have time to relax, sleep and then more fishing. This is not a place my wife would stay at but for us it worked out just fine. Thanks Mike.
Robert C.
Stayed 9 nights in Jul 2023
10/10 Excellent
Eric A.
9 July 2023
Liked: Cleanliness
Very Relaxing
This trip was great, the lodge was fantastic. If you want to relax this place offers that. Loved the whole atmosphere out there. The owner is very nice and friendly, would absolutely book again
Eric A.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2023
2/10 Terrible
Mike R.
26 September 2022
Disliked: Cleanliness
Musty ran down and nasty
Crusty
Mike R.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2022
10/10 Excellent
Nate L.
21 September 2022
Liked: Cleanliness
Fish Camp
We had an excellent stay at fish camp! It is the perfect arrangement if you’re planning to visit Manistee and hit Lake Michigan. It is approximately 20 mins from the launch and has plenty of room to accommodate boat parking. We will definitely be staying again!
THE LODGE, is amazing and so are the owners!! Mike and his family are great people!! Can't wait to go back..
Thanks again,
The Mumas
April
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2021
4/10 Poor
Kevin Z., FLAT ROCK
2 September 2021
Disliked: Cleanliness
Property has Issues.
Old run down. Needs updates and repairs. Very musty smell upon arrival. Found mouse excrement on bed/sheet. Barbecue Grills were nasty, grates very dirty and rusted. Freezer was full of frost and door in refrigerator would not close properly. Mosquitoes in yard were terrible. I would not stay there again.
Kevin Z.
Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2021
10/10 Excellent
Kathy C.
22 August 2021
Liked: Cleanliness
Brutus was the best!
The Lodge was very quaint and quiet, tucked back in the Manistee National Forest, overlooking the Big Manistee River. Everything was exactly as advertised. The property manager Nina was very informative, prior to arrival and during our stay. The couple of items that we needed, Nina brought to us immediately. Our visit with her was most memorable and we appreciate her! Thank you Nina and Mike Tillman for allowing us to stay at The Lodge!
This property is not family friendly, there were bugs and no air conditioning so when you opened the windows more bugs came in. The oven was dirty and not usable. If you want to pay to “rough it” then stay here or save your money and keep from getting ripped off like I did and camp
In a tent at home.Tent camping would be cleaner and safer. The property is right by the RV park it is not secluded in a national forest like I was led to believe. I have reported this as a false listing to Vrbo, because it has been falsely represented. I spoke with Captain Mike the property owner, I thought they would refund some money but didn’t stand by that either. Not sure how people and Vrbo would allow a property to be listed and NOT refund money when you arrive and see it is nothing as described. Stayed for 1 of the 4 nights, wasted over $500 for my family vacation to be ruined. DO NOT STAY HERE! Wish there would have been a review for me to know this. I hope I save someone money and from being ate alive by bugs like myself and kids were. So much for thinking the best in people to find out they aren’t honest and steal your money.