Lakeside Serenity Bay at Birch Lake Getaway
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| Details | |
|---|---|
| Bedrooms | 5 |
| Bathrooms | 3 |
| Sleeps | 14 |
| House | |
| Suitability |
|---|
| No Pets |
| Smoking Allowed |
| Suitable for Children |
| Suitable for Elderly |
| FlipKey traveler rating |
| 14 reviews |
| Stayed here? Write a review. |
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All reviews are written by verified travelers
Details
| Rental type | House |
| Minimum Stay | 2 nights |
| Living space | 2000 square feet |
| Bedrooms |
5 Total
Show Details ►
|
| Bathrooms | 3 Total |
| Sleeps | 14 |
| Suitability |
Pet friendlyNo Smoking allowedYes Suitable for childrenYes Suitable for the elderlyYes Wheelchair accessibleAsk |
Description from the owner
Welcome to the Serenity Bay Home on Birch Lake where your worldly cares gently melt away. The beautiful lake is just steps away.
Come on in and let the serenity and peace embrace you with the magic of nature. Panoramic views of valleys, hills, woods and water, greet you as you enter the great room.
The comfort of soft couches and chairs promise a safe place to let your spirt soar.
Step out the patio doors to your our furnished deck overlooking the water. You'll hear the babbling brook beckoning you to follow it down through the woods to the water.
Sit on your pier and let the sparkling water smile upon your day....Read more
Amenities
Location
Lakeside Serenity Bay at Birch Lake Getaway
Tomah, Wisconsin
What's Nearby:
Additional Location Information
OPEN YEAR 'ROUND
Just 3½ hrs. from Chicago and 3¼ hrs. from Minneapolis. I-90/94 all the way!
Only 40 minutes from Wisconsin Dells.
Tomah is located in South Central Wisconsin where I 90/94 divides. It is located 98 miles northwest of Madison, 3 hours and 15 minutes from Chicago's O'Hare, 3 hours and 15 minutes southeast of Minneapolis, and just 40 minutes from Wisconsin Dells.
Offering 4 fully equipped luxurious lakefront vacation rental homes/cabins on a secluded 12 acre
Wisconsin resort surrounded by scenic hills and woods. Just 10 minutes from town facilities,
the City of Tomah offers restaurants, fast foods, and all of your other shopping needs.
Rates
Rates shown in $ USD (change)
| Date | Weeknight | Weekend Night | Weekly | Monthly | Minimum Stay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rate Summary | $285 | $285 | $1,695 - $1,895 | $0 | 2 nights |
| Sep. 1 2011 - May. 31 2012 up to 8 ppl |
$285 | - | $1,695 | - | 2 nights |
| Aug. 1 2012 - Aug. 31 2012 | - | - | $1,895 | - | 7 nights |
| All Other Dates | $285 | $285 | $1,695 | - | 2 nights |
| Can't find rates for your travel dates? Contact the owner | |||||
Rental fees
- Additional guests - $30 / person - Per-Person Adjustment - Fee applies to parties of more than 8 guest(s)
- Tax rate - 5.5% of rental - Tax
Additional notes from owner
Some holidays require a 3 night minimum stay. Holiday rates are $30 per night higher than off season rates.
All rates are for up to 8 people. A nightly service charge applies per person for over 8. Rates do not include Wisconsin sales tax.
Availability
AvailableUnavailable Last updated: May 02, 2013 ◀▶
What Past Guests Are Saying
Overall Rating
ExcellentVery Good
Average
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Meg
NecedahRelaxing
Left on 05/13/2013 for a stay in May 2013
Thank you so much for such a great place to unwind. We had a wonderful time. The view was fabulous and the accomodations we fantastic. We had plenty of privacy and the birds were beautiful. We are hoping to get back every year.
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traveler
chicagoNice place and good Landlord
Left on 04/15/2013 for a stay in March 2013
We have group of 9 people spent 4 days at this property in March 13
We all have a wonderful time.
The house is in good shape, landlord is very responsible and easy to work with.
They have a private dock and boat. -
Ed
ChicagolandA winter wonderland in spring
Left on 04/02/2013 for a stay in March 2013
This was the first time we took our spring vacation north of Chicagoland. We had expected cold temperature in Tomah (a 4 hours drive north) but not snow covered landscapes and a frozen lake in spring!
The Serenity House was nice and clean and the owner was friendly. Internet connection inside the house was weak but this gave us a distraction free vacation. The trail was snow covered but our kids did their morning jog on a quiet country road. The fire pit had a few inches of ice but there was no problem in setting up an evening campfire. We turned the snow covered landscape into a large screen for a slide-snow (slideshow). The lake was frozen and our kids built a snow man and Teepee on it. (Caution: we pounded the lake surface with heavy duty monopods to make sure it was stable before we walked on it).
We skipped most tourist traps in the Wisconsin Dells area and visited Dr. Evermor's Forevertron on Hwy 12. You don't find many places like this Junk-Art wonderland in the world. We also visited the Necedah National Wildlife Refuge near the resort. The refuge is a wonderful place to explore nature in summer and fall but it was muddy in spring. The staffs at the visitor center were very friendly and we checked out snowshoes to hike a ski trail. That was another wonderful experience.
Stay in the Wisconsin Dells area if you are looking for typical waterparks or packaged entertainments. The Birch Lake Resort is for nature lovers. Come with a creative spirit to enjoy this place.
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Mzsmith08
ChicagoSerenity and Seclusion for a weekend get-a-way or retreat
Left on 03/31/2013 for a stay in March 2013
My husband and I spent our 5th year anniversary here and it was wonderful. I only wish the lake would have been not been frozen so we could fish, but that was Mother Nature. Overall we had a great stay!
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The Hills
Westchester, ILThe name says it all
Left on 03/23/2013 for a stay in February 2013
I decided to take my husband on a last-minute getaway for his 35th birthday. I called Terry at 6 PM Sunday night and after talking to him for 5 minutes we knew we had dialed the right number. Terry arranged for the home to be cleaned for us by the time we got there, pricing was excellent and paying was easy, he told us how to get there with turn by turn directions, sent all information immediately by email, and even called to make sure we all made it safely and we were satisfied. The house was amazing, the views were so beautiful; yes view(s), the beds and pillows were comfy linens fresh, bathrooms, floors and kitchen were all very clean which is very important to us. Only 4 people stayed but there was room for at least 10. We were secluded which was what we wanted but 10 minutes away from everything from Walmart to McDonalds. We loved this place we made it home and we will definitely be back again and again. It's a great place for a quick weekend getaway or a family reunion. There's so much to do and it's so relaxing. The house has every comfort of home. The serenity of the place makes you not mind throwing steaks on the grill when it's 9 degrees outside!! We have already recommended birch lake homes to everyone we know and were planning our next getaway soon!!
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Sharon in Chicago
ChicagoSerenity Bay an awesome place to stay
Left on 02/28/2013 for a stay in January 2013
We have been at Birch Lake Getway properties 3 years running, and highly recommend these serene and well-managed property.
We love the big open spaces and lots of windows with a beautiful view. Its sufficiently appointed and clean, and owners are not intrusive but very helpful. Having a hot-tub with a view is well worth the slightly funky showers, and the beds are comfortable. It is far removed from traffic and is beautifully quiet, and I haven't seen stars like this since the Florida Keys or the Southwestern deserts. It's not far to parks, or LaCross and the Mississipi, and while I wouldn't stay here for the nightlife or restaurants in Tomah, I would bring your food and gear and enjoy the beautiful serenity of this property. -
Secret Santa
Edina, MNFamily Christmas
Left on 12/28/2012 for a stay in December 2012
The Jacobson's were very nice to work with. We checked in on December 24th and out the 27th. The home was comfortable, maintained a good temperature from lower level to second floor, and was in a quiet and secluded area. From 16 to 80 years old, all had a nice time.
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miche
ixonia, wiWonderful weekend!
Left on 10/28/2012 for a stay in October 2012
We had a girl's weekend at the cabin on Birch Lake. It was just what we needed. We lucked out with beautiful weather. Everyone had a great time. The hosts were very accommodating and brought us a pan when we requested it.
The paddleboat was missing the rudder, so it made for an interesting attempt at steering, but we weren't really there to boat so it wasn't a big deal.
Some girls went for a run and the scenery was beautiful. The hike around the lake was short, but nice. -
Rick
Elkhart LakeNice Get away
Left on 10/15/2012 for a stay in July 2012
Nice Cottage. Lots of room. There were 10 of us spread out between all 5 bedrooms. The lake was small (no motors allowed). The beach was nice sand, but did get deep rather quickly, so we had to stay close with the kids, ages 4, 2 and 2. Nice floating raft, though hard to get up on to. We had a great time, useing the cottage as a great base for swimming, shopping and golf. Kitchen was well supplied and easy to use. Over all we had a great time, and plan to come back next year.
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Phillip
MarylandBeautiful House - wonderful location - excellent experience
Left on 09/25/2012 for a stay in September 2012
The communication with the owner was a pleasant experience. Had 1 little gripe minutes after arrivig and it was fixed within minutes. The home was beautiful and we were able to host 10 adults and 4 kids for a long weekend without incident (enough space and activities to keep everyone happy/ satisfied). The lake was stocked; the trails were a lot of fun & well marked; the beach was a big hit with the kids; the boat that came with the house was handy (as was the paddle boat); and the lake swim was a fun adventure. The location was remote and it was an overall great experience. If asked for a negative, the house needs updated a little, but we would definitely recommend it to family & friends. Would like to make this an annual vacation (potentially in one of the smaller homes with just immediate family).
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Trev
North Liberty, IowaGreat Times at the Serenity!
Left on 09/18/2012 for a stay in September 2012
We have a group of 6-8 friends that get together once a year to catch up, hang out and relax. Birch Lake is the perfect place for this! It's out of the way which is great but it is close enough to town when we need to get more supplies. The bottom line is that it is a relaxing environment and we plan to continue our annual visit for years to come!
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msomnipotent
Naperville, IllinoisWe had a great time.
Left on 08/17/2012 for a stay in July 2012
My entire family piled into Serenity Bay for the end of July/beginning of august. To be honest, we thought about cancelling our reservation after reading the first review, but we are all glad that we did not. Rooms were decent sized and clean, the beds and pillows were fine, and we all had fun swimming in the lake. The couches had new slipcovers on them. We were told that new carpet was coming after we left, so obviously the owner takes care of the property. I was the only one in our group that had poor cell reception, and that is because I have cheap Virgin Mobile. We had no problems using our laptop or the tv. The air conditioning worked perfectly. We never ran out of hot water. People in the area are so nice. We talked to the farmer on the corner for almost an hour. We visited almost all of the stores in town and quite a few restaurants. There is also a lot to do, which surprised me. We could have stayed another week and still would not get bored.
I advise would-be renters to bring lots of their own towels. Their website said towels are not provided, and boy they are not kidding! There are not enough plates, cups, and wine glasses for a larger group. I think there is enough for 4-5 people. I know there were four wine glasses, and that is what matters. There is a Walmart nearby, so we just bought our own. The blender leaks a lot, so have the pitcher handy before you lose all of your margarita, or bring your own blender. There are five million stairs to get to the lake, but you can avoid them by walking to the other property where the land is level. Have the least sensitive person stay in the downstairs bedroom. The smell from the hot tub chemicals gets a little overpowering when the jets are on (close the door to the bedroom and bathroom; problem solved!), and you can hear everything in the upstairs family room as if you are right there. I am kind of used to it, so it didn't bother me too much.
My only complaint is that the only staircase in the house is a spiral staircase. It is kind of narrow, too. It presented a big problem as we had small children, a pregnant woman, an arthritic woman, and someone with bad knees and nerve damage to her feet. It probably would have been a deal-breaker for us if we had known about it prior to reserving. -
kadams31
ChicagoFun For the Family
Left on 08/12/2012 for a stay in July 2012
We had a blast at Serenity Bay. Being from Chicago, this was the perfect spot to get away from it all. Terry and his maintenance worker were very accommodating and did everything they could to make us comfortable. The house had three large bathrooms and the bedrooms were a decent size too. We did not find the house dirty at all and for the price it was much nicer then we expected. Yes it is not furnished with granite and stainless steel but if that is what I wanted I would have stayed home and stared at my countertops for a week. The lake did not have much algea since it was skimmed every morning, sometimes twice a day so we had a great time swimming all day. The town itself had more to do then we expected and we made frequent visits to do shopping and dining. We especially like driving down the road with cows walking next to us. Much needed break from the city!
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Morningstar
BloomingdaleDisappointing family vacation
Left on 06/24/2012 for a stay in June 2012
My entire family stayed in Serenity Bay and The Haven. I was not expecting the Ritz, but I was expecting basic comfort. The mattresses were not comfortable and pillows were well past their prime, bathtubs were not clean and we saw cobwebs everywhere. The couches in Serenity Bay were filthy. I used the vacuum to clean the carpet in my bedroom and the canister filled up with dust. I doubt much cleaning is done between guests. There is a lot of algae on the lake, I passed on swimming. The tv's went in and out and most of us had no service on our cell phones. Maybe we are more picky than others, but I was glad to go home.
Response from Terry Jacobson - 07/23/2012
Owner
Re: the couches in Serenity bay, we plead partially guilty. They are covered with a crushed velvety suede. They are not dirty and have been cleaned often. With use, the fabric becomes crushed and shiney slick. Bad choice on our part, we will recover or replace. This is the first complaint we have ever had on mattresses. Cell phone service is beyond our control, ATT is the only provider with weak signals at this location. Satellite TV is never a problem except for those that don't know how to use the remote control. We don't claim that our homes are spotless but they are not dirty. Cobwebs? Maybe on the high cathedral ceilings. A bedroom carpet that filled a vacuum canister? That's perposterous. Maybe, if you first dumped a bag of potting soil on the carpet. Algae can bloom overnight. We have a boat with an algae plow and when we get a bloom we hit it right away. I'd venture to bet we have one of the most algae free lakes in Wisconsin. Guests were swimming every day that week. We sell out every summer week and almost every weekend in the other 9 months with a repeat business of 30%. We received complaints from this guest almost every day. We have gotten very few complaints in our 14 years of operation.
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