Betsie Riverside Resort — Hotel in Benzonia Township

I recently spent a week at Betsie Riverside Resort, a charming escape nestled alongside a tranquil river. The cabins and facilities are undoubtedly the highlights of this place. Each cabin is well-maintained, offering cozy interiors that perfectly complement the serene natural surroundings. The resort’s attention to detail is evident, with clean and comfortable accommodations that provide a genuine sense of relaxation. The communal areas, including the indoor pool/spa, playground, and fire pits make for a perfect family getaway.

However, it's worth noting a few aspects that potential visitors might want to consider. The owners are quite vigilant, with surveillance cameras placed throughout the property. While this does contribute to a sense of security, it feels intrusive, particularly if you're looking for a more laid-back and private getaway. The owners make it no secret they actively watch the cameras and will provide real-time feedback of guest’s activities. The owners also have extreme cleaning requirements for checkout. If you do not meet these requirements they will send you a followup email containing details and pictures of your transgressions. For example, there is an unwritten expectation to clean the toilet before leaving even though a toilet brush is not provided. I have never encountered such expectations at other resorts, vacation rentals, or hotels.

Additionally, the owners have a clear preference for individual cabin rentals. Large groups and children are discouraged, which might be a consideration if you’re planning a family vacation, reunion, or a group trip. This focus on maintaining a serene environment may not suit everyone’s vacation plans. However, if you’re a retiree looking to go fishing or kayaking this is your place.

This was our second summer at the resort and will be our last. Our family group rented 6 cabins, some traveling from out of state. Our group ranged from grandparents to young kids. We are a fairly quiet group that doesn’t “party”, nor do we stay up late. We did our best to stay out of other guests way and share the communal areas. The owners made us feel like a bother and unwelcome during our stay. We cleaned up after ourselves and cleaned the cabins before we left. Even still, we received emails after our stay indicating toilets were not cleaned and a couple of crumbs were left on a counter. While I can appreciate the owners’ high standards for cleaning and grounds maintenance, they do not have enough staff to maintain those standards and instead push the responsibility onto their guests.

Overall, Betsie Riverside Resort is a lovely destination for those seeking a peaceful retreat in well-kept surroundings. Just be mindful of the owners' preferences, expectations, and the presence of active security camera monitoring if you're looking for a more relaxed and...

If you love the outdoors, appreciate natural views, but do not love tenting it, you will love this place. I really don't want to leave a review because this place is going to survive easily on its own and i will have a hard time finding availability, i know it. =) but, Misty & Chris, deserve one. They just took ownership roughly back in November of 2020.. They stayed open to book us in, extra half hour. They were very easy to deal with and did not make us feel like a bother. These are cute, comfortable, have heat, have an ac wall unit, have a really nice shower with pressure, lots of hot water. Small Kitchen that is very adequate, [we stayed in Cabin 3].... some are very close to another, so if you expect a lot of privacy , if hanging outside, I am not sure if you will find that with most of these cabins but it seemed possible with some.. i also didn't feel very invaded in space, as someone was next door to us, at 4... the sound seems to be drowned out from hearing inside or out, if all the doors & windows are closed. I tested it with my radio playing, outside & in, [which we left our radio there, and did not know it until The amazing owners, shipped back to us, we got yesterday, THANK YOU! we just left Monday 3/30..]... We booked 1 random Friday night, as we just hit the road with only an eye on the direction, coming from the Ann Arbor area, and ended up staying through Monday. I have never seen my bf so excited about a place we have stayed as he was here. Not only did we stay 2 days longer, our friends met us up and ended up booking Cabin 5. Cabin 5 has a fireplace, more roomy than 3. It was cute. Those both are great for couples, 5 is a bit of an upgrade w/space and fireplace. My coworker booked a weekend too, she is trying cabin 1 bec it has a fireplace. It was not the best weather but the place was so homely, the weather being cold and wet, didn't stop of us from appreciating the grounds as well as the surrounding areas. We feel strongly we will...

I can't say enough! My husband and I stayed in Cabin 4 for 2 nights and we were quite surprised at how well every detail was thought out. Everything was sparkling clean, the kitchen was neat, organized, and well stocked despite its size (we made a full breakfast in there), the bathroom was large and really nice (shower is small - my 6'7 husband had a bit of a hard time but I was fine), and you can't beat the view of the river from the porch. I kept saying it was like a "hotel feel" while still being in a cozy cabin. We kayaked on the Betsie River (90 min trip) and it was absolutely beautiful. We actually forgot our kayak paddles and the resort was so kind in letting us borrow theirs! I also want to mention how great the location is. You are less than 5 minutes from Family Fare, lots of great restaurants and breweries, Crystal Lake, and only 15 minutes from Frankfort and Lake Michigan. I can't even describe how nice and how clean the hottub and pool are - we were shocked. Everything in there looked brand new. It is obvious that the owners are perfectionists (in the best way) and they care tremendously about their guests and their resort. It was such a perfect and peaceful getaway - we will...