A rare adults only retreat where guests enjoy Portage Lake views. Upscale cottages are nestled around a central courtyard, flower gardens, wood fired sauna, and an Esther Williams pool. Designed for guests who value quiet and time well spent. If you are looking for a more refined stay, you will feel right at home here. Kick off your shoes, toss a steak on the grill, relax on your stone patio. A perfect landing spot for day trips on M22, the scenic route thru beach towns in Northern Michigan.
The space
Welcome to The Green Buoy Resort
Our cottages are an extension of our home here in Onekama. We love hosting guests and look forward to hosting you too!
⭐️ 4.97 stars across 500+ stays
⭐️ Super Host status since 2018
⭐️ A guest favorite ~ adults only retreat known for quiet, privacy and elevated comfort.
🌸Spring and early summer is a favorite among repeat guests- before peak summer arrives. Quiet beaches, open roads, early golf season and more time to relax.
🏡 Green Buoy Guests appreciate beauty, gardens, bird song, calm surroundings and our thoughtfully curated cottages.
Pure adults only luxury.
Early summer is when the property feels most alive and peaceful. Lilacs bloom throughout the gardens, birds gather at the feeders and mornings begin slowly with coffee and lake air breezes in the courtyard. Before summer crowds arrive, enjoy quiet beaches, open roads and unhurried days- an ideal time for guests seeking beauty and calm and a space to simply be. We have limited inventory here and stays go fast in the Summer.
⭐️ Amenities ⭐️
Esther Williams Pool
Wood-Fired Sauna
Evening campfires in the courtyard
Beautiful gardens and bird feeders throughout
Portage Lake views from your stone patio
Fully equipped kitchenette and Weber grill
Cozy sparkly clean interiors with high quality linens and robes
Walking distance to coffee shop and local pub
Become a castaway in our largest cottage, the Cabana - it feels like summer, flip flops and relaxing. This 1950's cottage has an interior designed for calm and connection. Intentionally designed with couples in mind, the space will have you wondering if you can stay just one more day.
☀️ Mornings begin with birds singing, coffee and catching up on your news feed.
👙 Afternoons invite time in the pool ~ shared with only our cottage guests.
🔥 Evenings here revolve around the sauna and firepit. Bring your favorite bottle of wine and enjoy the night sky.
Our Cabana Cottage overlooks the courtyard. The kitchenette offers a mini fridge (no freezer), coffee maker, microwave, toaster and a blender. Put the needle on the record and mix up a frozen cocktail with a little umbrella... it's vacation time. We provide the ice bucket, various glassware, dishes, silverware, grilling tools, paper towels, dish towels and dish soap. You bring the 2oz bottles of your favorite thirst quencher! The kitchenette is perfect for a light snack but cooking is not permitted inside the cottage.
The living area has a high top table with barstools, a loveseat, a record player, games and a smart tv so you can log in to your streaming apps (no cable).
The bedroom features a queen size bed, a reading chair, hooks for your swimsuits and a bureau to hold your souvenirs. The bedroom has a ceiling fan and a window a/c unit to keep you cool on warm summer nights. The private bath has a walk in shower, fluffy towels, robes and a generous vanity area to check your gorgeous reflection.
OUTDOOR SPACES:
PATIO + GRILL + POOL + SAUNA
After a day of hiking, biking and exploring, kick off your shoes, it's time to chop the veggies and grill the steaks. Your outdoor space has a stone patio, table and chairs as well as a Weber gas grill. Feel free to snip some fresh herbs for your dinner from our little herb garden by the pool.
Enjoy our seasonally open, spring fed swimming pool. We are celebrating the 71st anniversary of our vintage Esther Williams pool this summer! See if you can spot the original plaque as well as her signature ledge that goes all the way around the deep end and the steps with her name on them in the shallow end. We take great pride and extra care in opening the pool each season. As this is northern Michigan, our season is short, Memorial Day to Labor Day so don't miss out! The pool isn't heated but gets full sun so the pool water is warmer than the lake.
We provide lounge chairs, umbrellas, pool floats and a perfect backdrop for your photos. Our grassy courtyard has space for games and a gorgeous view of Portage Lake if you just want to stare at the water for a lazy afternoon. The courtyard firepit is a great place to roast s'mores after dinner, meet your cottage neighbors and toast to a great vacation day. We provide the firewood so you can just relax. Bring your own hammock for a lazy afternoon in the shade of the large trees out back.
When you're ready to unwind a little more, you may reserve a time to enjoy our Wood Fired Sauna. This amenity is by reservation only. We will prepare the sauna by getting the fire ready as well as provide towels, robes and water. The Sauna reservation is for a private 2 hour session and has a resort fee of $50 and can be paid on site.
PROPERTY DESCRIPTION:
There are 6 cottages on the property, each with a different design & layout. The owner's Chalet sits up front followed by our vacation cottages. Our guests share the resort amenities. (Listings all available on this platform.) The owners, Wendy and David, live in the main cottage. We are Super Hosts and have been sharing our love of Northern Michigan offering restful cottage stays since 2018. We look forward to hosting you!
NEIGHBORHOOD OVERVIEW:
🏠 The cottages are located in the quaint town of Onekama. Two blocks east is the EZ Market gas station and market featuring a meat counter, groceries and beer/wine/liquor. Walk another block to the Blue Slipper Pub, the locals favorite watering hole. To our west is the Village of Onekama with the usual post office, bank, hardware store, village park with a little sandy beach and boat launch. You will also find some super cute shops... park and walk... Anchored Designs, Lakeside Treats and Mac Beth, for eats there is an ice cream shop and Lake and Latte Coffee Shop. About a half mile farther is the Glenwood Restaurant, celebrating 25+ years, reservations recommended.
🏖️ Lake Michigan Beaches are 4 miles west of the cottage. Enjoy the quiet of a small town sandy beach like no other.
🎾 Do you like to play tennis? Public courts are just two blocks away on Main Street.
🚶♂️Morning walks? Enjoy the quiet village and surrounding neighborhood. Our Village park is about a half mile away, next to the ice cream shop, so take a walk, grab a double scoop and wander over to the little park to watch the boat traffic.
🚴 Biking? M22 is a popular biking route. The road has a nice shoulder for bicycles and a ride out to Lake Michigan is just 4 miles (one way). Plug in Captain John Langland Park into your map and be sure to stop at the artesian well along the way to fill your water bottle. People drive for miles for this refreshing cold water.
🦆 Bird watching? Arcadia Marsh, a Great Lakes coastal marsh, is a robust and vibrant nature preserve and home to more than 250 bird species, including 17 species listed as endangered, threatened or of special concern. Bring binoculars for the ¾ mile walk on the boardwalk. The beautiful Arcadia overlook is close by as is the Baldy Trail for hiking the dunes. Approx 10 miles from the cottage.
Guest access
Guests have access to the seasonal outdoor pool, sauna, gas grills, patio area and the shared grassy courtyard is great for playing games and features a community firepit where you can roast marshmallows and meet new friends and an area to hammock towards the back of the property. We will provide firewood, you bring the hammock ;)
As this is northern Michigan, our pool season is short, Memorial Day to Labor Day so don't miss out on the shortest, sweetest summer weather ever!
Other things to note
Our entire property is 100% NON SMOKING/VAPING. If you are a smoker, please book a different property. Our property is for adults only please, respectfully decline infants/children/teens/fur babies/pets/animals ~ even the well behaved ones. Your stay will be terminated for any violations with no refunds.
The Green Buoy charges a minimal cleaning fee. In order to keep the cleaning fee low, we ask that guests please tidy up before checking out and wash any used dishes. A cleaning fee of $75 will be added to your stay post checkout if necessary.
Outdoor cameras are used in public spaces such as parking areas, sidewalks, pool, courtyard, etc. There are no cameras in guest cottages.
ADDITIONAL FEES FOR DAMAGE~ HEAVY STAINS OR CLEANING:
I will attempt to remove stains from soft goods however
Blood-soaked items will not be treated, rather they will be replaced at guests' expense.
Replacement Costs for stains that cannot be removed:
•Towels and wash cloths $25 each
•Bedding $100/item (sheets/blankets/quilts)
Excessive Cleaning Fees:
•Heavily soiled bedding excess cleaning fee $50 per item
•Excess cleaning of the cottage, patio area or grills $100
•Damage/stains to wood counter tops $500
***Examples of excess cleaning apply to uncleaned kitchen area, stains or damage to wood countertops, clogged toilet, excess trash, and/or any heavy stains, bodily fluids/solids/bio hazards left by guest. Guest to leave cottage in the same condition as when he/she arrived at check in.
FURNITURE- full replacement cost
•Late checkouts $50/hour
•Items left behind by guest to be mailed will reflect a $25 handling fee plus actual shipping charges.
We take great care of our properties and ask guests to do the same for us during their stay. PLEASE NOTE that we will not hesitate to seek reimbursement for damages.
We truly love what we do here and look forward to hosting you.
