Beaver Island Retreat - Beaver Island, Michigan

Lynn B

For someone who does NOT like to camp, Beaver Island Retreat is absolutely AMAZING!! The tents are top notch (I want to bring the bed/sheets/pillows home with me)! No bugs to fight off! The Pavilion is a wonderful place to get together with other campers, cook, drink, talk, and enjoy the campfires. Brian and Maria are impeccable hosts and have truly thought of everything you need for a get away (so much less stuff you'll need to pack)! We booked our stay for next year prior to leaving this trip. Can't wait to be back! And to top it off, the Irish Fest was taking place the weekend we were there and had such great music and musicians to listen to at various places around the island.

Nan D

This was my first trip to Beaver Island and what an awesome experience it was. The Beaver Island Retreat was absolutely amazing. The owners and staff were so helpful, and the accommodations were more than I could have ever imagined. The beds were so comfortable, and the hot water bottles they provide at night were the perfect touch. The sheets and towels were luxurious. Anything you need is there and available to use. I would highly recommend the Beaver Island Retreat.

Meagan Thomas

We weren't sure what to expect being our first stay on Beaver Island but we will definitely be bacK! Oh my! The Beaver Island Retreat is top notch…the tents are so comfy, the linens are ideal, Maria and Brian have every detail dialed in. The attention to cleanliness is noticeable. They are like ninjas when cleaning the shared bathrooms…you would never know someone used it ever before! It is the perfect blend of camping/outdoor adventure opportunity and comfort of home stuff (awesome kitchen set up, curated comfort basket with awesome soaps and extras, fire pits, hammocks…the list could go on!). We loved that when we returned from a day venturing around the island, our bed was warmed with hot bottles! Maria and Brian were amazing hosts. Dan and I thoroughly enjoyed our time and will; absolutely be booking a stay next year.

Terra N

The owners, Maria and Brian, were the best hosts I've ever had the pleasure of meeting and offered the best hospitality I've ever experienced! Trust me, book your stay with them, THEN make the rest of your plans after through them. I am an experienced traveler from 5-star hotels to hostels on the other side of the world, so needless to say, I feel completely confident booking my own reservations, rental cars, and excursions. If it hadn't been for Maria, none of those things we booked independently would have worked out, and we would have had to cancel our trip entirely. The best advice is to 1.) STAY HERE, you won't regret it, and 2.) Have them book your dinner and car rental reservations. ||First of all, if you libate, they greet you with a cool beverage plus a detailed tour of the island with a map to get you oriented. Let's talk about the amenities: both indoor and outdoor showers (depending on how adventurous you want to be) complete with hair driers, endless fresh towels, a toiletry tool package (bring your own products), and hot hot hot water with good pressure. At your site are wine glasses, a cooler, one picnic table with tablecloth, cushioned furniture, a comfortable bed with soft linens, everything you need to grill (bring the protein), lawn chairs, a vanity, hooks, flashlights, and a USB cable to charge your devices. The main area has beach towels, coolers to pack your beverages/snacks for the beach, dishware, flatware, everything you might need to cook, a huge refrigerator & freezer, and coffee in the morning...it was like a hotel but WAY better. It's fun to hang around the property with your honey or a small group of friends day or night. Relax in the big swing and look at the stars! Campfires at your tent spot or in the community area...I could go on and on. Just book with them 🙂 Wouldn't think of staying anywhere else next time I visit Beaver Island!!!

Matthew Z

Recently I reconnected with a good friend after 11 years. We were searching for a unique adventure to make up for lost time and make new memories. After considering multiple locations across the country (and some outside) I stumbled upon Beaver Island Retreat. After convincing my friend that a place called Beaver Island did in fact exist, that if offered intriguing experiences, and gaining permission from our respective wives (whom we would be leaving behind) we started planning to make it a reality approximately one year ago. Fast forward to a week ago, after getting through the shock that life didn’t get in the way for once and this was actually happening, we started what would be one of the singularly most amazing experiences of our lives.||After flying in on a cargo plane straight out of Indiana Jones and picking up a rental car that was more dust than steel, we made our way to Beaver Island Retreat. After pulling through the winding gravel and dirt path, around carved beaver totems we made our way to the main pavilion. There we were greeted by Maria and Brian with a warmth and authenticity that went beyond customer service. They offered us a drink, provided a thorough tour, and enthusiastically started sharing all the retreat and island had to offer.||As I’ve heard countless others say, the pictures of the retreat simply do not do it justice. The general aesthetics (natural and manmade), the quality of the facilities, and both ease and convenience of how they operate are top-shelf, surpassing many top “Brick and mortar” resorts I’ve experienced in the past. The quality of the tents, the beds and blankets coupled with the fresh air and silent nights led to some of the best sleep I’ve ever experienced. The private bathrooms easily make you forget you’re sleeping at an outdoor resort and have everything one might need feel pampered. It was also wonderful to use the private outdoor shower (complete with beer shelf) in the fresh air and sunshine. We used the top-of-the-line kitchen and impressive outdoor smoke house to cook most of our meals, using the XL Blackstone grill was particularly enjoyable. ||My favorite part of the retreat grounds is the communal fire pits in the pavilion (often in conjunction with the communal bar). There wasn’t a night were my friend and I did not end up hanging out there with new friends, good conversation, and laughter, so much laughter.||Of course, the fire pits wouldn’t have been so meaningful without the people. Maria, Brian, Ethan and other staff/locals were always in the mix in some way. They interjected island history, provided endless curated suggestions of what to do next based on our interests, and stories of what it’s like to experience the island year-round as a local.||As a result of suggestions and often facilitation by these very individuals my friend and I were able to experience taking a 30 mile jet ski ride around the island and surrounding islands. We knew the best places to eat, tourist attractions not to miss (and some we might want to), where we had the best chance of actually seeing beavers, sunsets, beaches and exactly who we needed to contact to accomplish whatever we had our hearts set on.||On our last day Maria and Brian helped us arrange a UTV so we could explore parts of the island inaccessible to most other vehicles. Like so many others it was an outstanding experience…until we got stuck in mud on a largely uncharted trail as light faded. We called the rental company to no avail and then, with our tails between our legs, decided to call Maria. Without skipping a beat and without judgement, she said they were coming to help us and even enlisted other guests who had their own (far superior) UTVs. If wasn’t long until we all were back at the retreat laughing about our newly minted adventure.||There is no question that the environment of Beaver Island was a big factor in the quality of our experience but it would have not been the same without Maria, Brian, and everything else Beaver Island Retreat uniquely provides. Obviously no two experiences are the same and I can’t guarantee your experience will be like mine. But this is a very special place, run by some of the best human beings I’ve had the privilege of knowing, in one of the most beautiful places on earth, and I personally can not wait to get back there. ||Until we meet again!|-Matthew Zimmer

Pioneer06630003592

From the welcome drink to the local tips, Maria and Brain made sure every detail of our stay was perfect while at Beaver Island! We greatly appreciate the hospitality, beautiful amenities, attention to details, and immaculately clean facilities. Thank you for teaching us the importance of Dark Sky Sanctuaries and opening our eyes to the beauty of the night sky on Beaver Island. We can't wait to come back and visit again soon!

Allison Blackwood

This was our first of I'm sure many trips to Beaver Island, and Maria's and Brian's hospitality truly made our first experience a great one. We were traveling with two small kids and stayed at the site with the extra tent for them to stay in. My kids were nervous to not be sleeping in the same tent as mom and dad for the first time, but with Maria's help and kindness they actually enjoyed having their own space! Maria and Brian are wonderful hosts who make you feel like family from the start.

We love to tent camp, and use a small pop-up camper also. This was our first time trying glamping to this degree, and for a week to boot! When they say it is a resort, I agree wholeheartedly. They take care of just about anything you would normally need to bring while on vacation. I also loved that they try to limit paper consumables by having plenty of fresh, real hand towels to use in the bathrooms. Really, the only things you need to bring are some food and clothes. All of the amenities and facilities were very nice and taken care of. I can tell that this place is a labor of love.

Maria also was very helpful in making reservations for us whenever we needed them, and also for making suggestions on where to go on the island! She's a wealth of knowledge and with her background in tourism she's great at helping you make the most of your time on the island.
We can't wait to see how the space evolves. We will for sure be back the next time we visit the island!

Amy Pullen

The Beaver island Retreat is amazing!! Maria and Brian (Luke too!) are the most gracious hosts - anticipating every "need". You do not need to pack much other than clothing and and maybe a few snacks. They put hot water bottles in the bed to keep it warm at night, had the charcoal ready to light when we got back from our sunset cruise. The sites are nicely laid out with a hammock and picnic table in addition to the grill and fire pit. We had fun informative happy hour chats in the common area with local folks. I could go on and on about this place. We only stayed 2 nights which wasn't long enough. You need to book for 3+ nights to truly enjoy all they(and the island!) has to offer. Oh - the outdoor shower is glorious!! They provide the towels and perfect hand crafted soap too!! Also I'm so grateful that Maria recommended renting a vehicle so we could enjoy the entire island. She's a great trip planner, take all of her advice!