Entire home

Initiative's Retreat - Ultimate Lakefront Destination!

Photo gallery for Initiative's Retreat - Ultimate Lakefront Destination!

Great room view from the kitchen. 14 ft dining table, double-sided fireplace!
Great room view from the kitchen. Lots of natural light and views of lake!
Great Room - view from fireplace looking towards chef's kitchen & dining.
Chef's kitchen and massive island that seats 6!
Great Room - looking into second seating area.

Reviews

10 out of 10
Exceptional
5 bedrooms4 bathroomsSleeps 8520.3 sq m

Popular amenities

  • Dryer
  • Parking available
  • Washer
  • Fireplace
  • Barbecue grill
  • Kitchen

Explore the area

Map
Washington, WI
  • The Historic Island Dairy
    ‪11 min drive‬
  • Schoolhouse Beach Park
    ‪14 min drive‬
  • Rock Island State Park
    ‪18 min drive‬
  • Escanaba, MI (ESC-Delta County)
    ‪261 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

5 bedrooms (sleeps 8)

Bedroom 1

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 2

2 Queen Beds

Bedroom 3

1 Queen Bed

Bunk Room

+1
5 Single Beds

Master Bedroom

1 King Bed

4 bathrooms

Bathroom 1

Bathtub or shower · Toilet

Bathroom 2

Toilet · Shower only

Bunk Bathroom

Toilet · Shower only

Master Bath

Bathtub · Toilet · Shower only

Spaces

Deck or patio
Porch or lanai
Kitchen
Garden
Dining area

About this property

Initiative's Retreat - Ultimate Lakefront Destination!

Initiative’s Retreat is open - we are pleased to safely welcome guests for the 2021 season!

This 5,600 sq ft. luxury destination property is perfect for corporate retreats, small weddings and family gatherings. The five acre, secluded waterfront retreat features walking trails around the perimeter, a natural limestone patio for beach activities and manicured gardens throughout the property for private conversations. Beautiful large rock shorefront where you can sit, swim or sunbathe.

Look out over land, water, and sky from every main room of this home. Easy access from the kitchen and dining and living area to the deck and screened porch! The great room features a double sided fireplace, formal and informal living room spaces and dining areas, plus an open kitchen. Kitchen is a cook's dream with every appliance, cookware, and serving ware you could want! Enjoy spacious living with intimate gathering places.The Master Bedroom includes a walk-in closet, private bath with whirlpool tub, and a separate seating area with TV. An added treat is the bunk room with private bunk cubbies. While a kid's dream, the older folks love it too! New in 2020: renovated family fun room with tv, game table, comfortable spots to relax with large window overlooking the lake!


Special Notes from our Guestbook:

"Best vacation EVER!! It was absolutely amazing. Tons of room for all of us. Screen room was amazing in the morning" - M. Family

"We all truly enjoyed our stay. The property is spacious and lovely. The beds were comfortable (you never know with VRBO). Thank you so much for opening up your beautiful home!" - Z. Family

"Thank you for allowing us to have a great family vacation. The bedrooms allowed everyone to sleep comfortably. The kitchen and dining area allowed us more than enough room to prepare the meals and eat with all at one sitting. We loved the quietness of the location our grandchildren to play and not disturb the neighbors. The road is not busy so our family took bike rides. We had a great time and if we ever come back to Washington Island we would love to stay here again" - M. Family

"We had a wonderful time! Loved the bunk house, tons of space, the grill and beautiful yard. Thank you for labeling the light switches and for the stacked wood for the outside fireplace. The paper products provided for bathrooms and kitchen and other extras like puzzles. There is enough individual space and the hot water was :). Thank you for the opportunity to stay here!" - S. Family

"Outstanding! Beautiful home and location! Thank you for sharing your home with us, we feel very thankful to be able to experience life on the island!" - Corporate Group

Update for 2021 - The Initiative Retreat team is taking extra precautions to ensure a safe and enjoyable stay for all of our guests.
• Extensive cleaning between reservations
• Bleach and antibacterial products used whenever possible
• Linens laundered between each stay

Social Distancing Opportunities Everywhere!
• Property is secluded on 5 acres
• Walking trails & large wrap around driveway for kids and activities
• Lakefront access to Lake Michigan
• Limestone steps and rock beach area
• Pier with swimming ladder
• Nearby activities & attractions

Island businesses and attractions are open –
• Restaurants
• Shops
• Beaches
• Parks
• Washington Island Ferry – Note Updated Schedule: https://wisferry.com/covid-19

••• Update for our 2022 Guests - Please note we are limiting our rental availability for 2022. If you would like to inquire about certain dates we will review each one individually.

Add dates for prices

Amenities

Kitchen
Washer
Dryer
Free WiFi
Outdoor space
Parking available

Have a question?

AI iconBeta

Get instant answers with AI powered search of property information and reviews.

Similar properties

House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 25
Check out before 11:00 AM
default

Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17
default

Events

No events allowed
Events must be discussed with property owner.
default

Pets

No pets allowed
default

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

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: Events must be discussed with property owner.
Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property

About the area

Washington Island

Located in Washington Island, this holiday home is on the waterfront. Ellison Bay Pottery Studios and Linden Gallery are cultural highlights, and some of the area's activities can be experienced at Deer Run Golf Course and Northport Pier. Make sure you get close to the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.
Map
Washington, WI

What's nearby

  • Deer Run Golf Course - 11 min drive - 7.8 km
  • The Historic Island Dairy - 11 min drive - 7.0 km
  • Schoolhouse Beach Park - 14 min drive - 10.8 km
  • Rock Island State Park - 18 min drive - 10.4 km
  • Grand Traverse Island State Park - 20 min drive - 11.7 km

Getting around

  • Green Bay, WI (GRB-Austin Straubel Intl.) - 177 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Albatross Drive Inn - ‬11 min drive
  • ‪Jackson Harbor Soup - ‬19 min drive
  • ‪The Point Grille - ‬14 min drive
  • ‪Red Cup Coffee House - ‬11 min drive
  • ‪K K Fiske - ‬12 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Initiative's Retreat - Ultimate Lakefront Destination! pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

What time is check-in at Initiative's Retreat - Ultimate Lakefront Destination!?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Initiative's Retreat - Ultimate Lakefront Destination!?

Checkout is at 11:00 AM.

Where is Initiative's Retreat - Ultimate Lakefront Destination! located?

Situated on the waterfront, this holiday home is 0.1 mi (0.1 km) from Lake Michigan and within 6 miles (10 km) of The Historic Island Dairy and Deer Run Golf Course. Washington Island Stave Church and Rock Island State Park are also within 9 miles (15 km).

Reviews

10

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 14 out of 14 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 0 out of 14 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 14 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 14 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 14 reviews

9.8/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Jone H.

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

Wonderful stay for Son’s wedding

This was the perfect place for our adult children to stay while on Washington island for our son’s wedding. Lots of space and very well equipped kitchen. Pictures don’t even do it justice!! We had a 10/10 experience!
Stayed 6 nights in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Flavia H.

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

Gorgeous home

This is a gorgeous house by the lake, perfect for large groups. Communication was seamless and it was an overall great experience!
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2019

10/10 Excellent

GARY S.

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

Great Getaway with family

Was spacious enough for 9 adults and 8 kids. Dock and jet ski lift were great. Was isolated enough but close enough to things. Great for biking and hiking. Once on the island spotty cell and data service.
Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2020

10/10 Excellent

Chris G., Hartford, WI

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

Washington island

Rented this house for a family vacation. Perfect location and perfect size house for what we needed. Kids really enjoyed the bunk house (I ditched my wife one night to sleep in one...). Large kitchen area was great for cooking for 12 people. Location on Washington island was amazing. Back deck area was used all day long. The house complimented a busy, yet relaxing type vacation.
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2019

10/10 Excellent

Rod M.

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

14 Family Member vacation

Excellent place for large family looking for a calm relaxing gathering. We had 6 grandkids from age 5 - 10 playing outside during the day and playing games in the evening. The outside fireplace was great for s’mores and the kitchen fireplace was great for taking the chill off at night. We never used the AC the week we were there. Water pressure hot water was great when we had several people taking showers at the same time. The large interior area allowed room for us to be together and also allowed us room to have private space. We will definitely use the place again if we vacation on Washington Island in the future.
Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2019

10/10 Excellent

Jennifer N.

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

50th anniversary celebration

Our family came together to celebrate our parents' 50th wedding anniversary. We had a lovely time swimming, kayaking, and paddle boarding off the dock. At night we gathered around the large table and played games for hours, just enjoying each other's company. During the day we biked, and ate at various island restaurants. We also loved our day excursion to Rock Island! We thoroughly enjoyed our week celebraring and making memories in this idyllic home. ❤️
Stayed 6 nights in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

Hilary o.

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

Great spot!

Absolutely beautiful, highly recommend!
Stayed 6 nights in Aug 2021

10/10 Excellent

Jeff J.

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

Just what we wanted

Beautiful home on the water! Very peaceful. Owners and staff were amazing Laying on the porch listening to the water Amazing trip to finish our summer Thank you
Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2021

10/10 Excellent

Bailey K.

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

Beautiful property

We had the best time here. The house and property are gorgeous, but the best thing was the beach! It’s shallow, clear and beautiful. Perfect for the little ones in our group! We didn’t have to worry too much about them because it doesn’t get deep until pretty far out! Wonderful stay and quick responses from the owners if we needed anything! We hope to return next year!

10/10 Excellent

Robert B.

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

Vacation with family and friends

Fantastic time in a wonderful home and location. Very serene and immaculate!
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2020

10/10 Excellent

Francis H.

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

Exceeded expectations.

Stunning setting. When we drove in, there was not a single leaf on the driveway. The home and amenities are impeccable.
Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2020

10/10 Excellent

Samuel H.

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

Beautiful Washington Island Getaway!!!

What a perfect home for our group of 15. Comfy beds and pillows, games and movies, and a wonderful screened porch for rest and conversation. Just over a mile from the county park with a sand beach. The kids loved the water and waves. No air conditioning was no problem with the fans and a nice breeze coming through the windows at night. Thanks for making your home available!
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2020

10/10 Excellent

Jill G.

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

Beautiful house, location and views

My daughter got married at this location. The housecwas the perfectcdize, the l ok cation was gorgeous. We had a wonderful time. Thank you!

10/10 Excellent

Anthony Z., Glendale

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

First Class

Beautiful property. Hosts made everything very hospitable. Top notch.

About the host

Your host

Host profile image