Beaver Island Retreat — Hotel in Peaine Township

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 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...

Where to even start…. This was an a amazing experience we will remember forever. My family and I stumbled across a review for Beaver Island Retreat last December. After looking it all over in detail, reading more reviews and scouring their website I decided this is just the place for us. Maria and Brian were so very helpful with the planning of our trip. They leave no detail unturned. They booked our flights for us, had a rental car waiting at the airport for us, made us dinner reservations, booked us a really cool boat charter through Paradise Bay, had the coffee ready each morning and most importantly provided a top notch place for us to hang out hats when we were done exploring for the day.

The retreat itself is lovely and immaculately cared for. The hard work and dedication is found in every single detail of the retreat. Upon arrival, Maria met us at the pavilion where our restful nights and daily adventures began. She and Brian gave us a tour of the facilities showing us where we could find everything we could possibly need for our time there. Brian went over a map of the island with us in detail. The kitchen, restrooms and other common facilities are very clean and well maintained, much more so than almost any hotel I’ve ever stayed at. Everything you could possibly need with exception to food is provided.

We had two cabin tents reserved. Both were set up with a fire pit, bag chairs, charcoal grill, oven mitt, coolers, multiple flashlights, a camp stove, lighter, fire starters, a stack of wood, dining table with nice fabric cover and so much more. The interiors were just as well thought out. The beds are very comfortable. I believe they are queens and have memory foam mattresses. The sheets, blankets and towels provided are to die for. I purchased one of the throw blankets after an amazing cuddle with the one provided after just one night. All are made of bamboo. We had a nice care basket on the bed at arrival. It included tooth brushes, a hairbrush, two soaps with loofas, personal items like tips and even a back scratcher. You can literally show up with nothing more than some clothes. And even then you can pack light thanks to the free laundry facilities with all the needed biodegradable soaps and fabric softener on site. The restrooms have nice hairdryers so you can leave that at home too.

Above and beyond the retreat itself, the folks of Beaver Island are the friendliest I’ve ever met. Every single person waves! It’s a thing there. I had to Google it. So refreshing.

This is a place you will never forget. Just do it!

Thank you Maria and Brian for an amazing experience! We...

I recently stayed at the Beaver Island Retreat and truly enjoyed my stay. I was impressed that the host arranged my car rental and the car was patiently waiting for me after I got off the ferry. Once I arrived at the camp, I was ushered to the bar and offered a beer. I love the outdoor area with its fire pits and sturdy bistro furniture. The hosts gave me a tour of the facilities-I agree that the kitchen and and bathroom facilities were impressive. The kitchen has every imaginable cooking implement one could ever want in meal preparation. Since I can't boil water to save my life, I didn't utilize these. There were several indoor toilet and shower stalls and one outdoor shower which was much hotter than some of the showers I've had in hotels. It was one of the best showers of my life!

As for the tent-I stayed in tent #2 and loved how it was away from the road faced into the woods. Although I don't know how all of the others were situated, I would request this one in the future. On the bed was a metal tub filled with towels, backscratcher, first aid kit, brushes, soaps and a mask. I was informed I was allowed to keep everything but the towels. Outside the tent were a picnic table, fire pit and a hammock.

I stayed at the retreat for three days while I explored the island and remember having one of the best naps during my visit. The bed was far more comfortable than the one in the motel I had stayed in prior to my visit. I loved the nighttime sounds emanating from the woods but didn't care for the airplane which flies overhead from the neighboring airport. Since there was a statewide fire ban, I wasn't able to use the fire pit right outside the tent but the hosts did have fires by the bar which was a welcome touch as guests would socialize in the evening around the fire. Every morning, hot coffee would be waiting for guests in an urn. I loved being able to grab a mug and perch myself on one of the bistro chairs.

Overall, I didn't spend a lot of time inside the retreat but I loved the idea of seclusion it offered. It had been a 50th birthday present to myself and it didn't disappoint. I did mention on an evaluation before I left that it would be nice to have a power strip to plug in one's phone-I had to unplug the Bluetooth to access the only available USB port. I also wish the indoor showers were allowed to be used between 7-9am. This is prime shower time for me but I had to use the outdoor shower instead. Despite this, I would heartily recommend the Beaver Island Retreat to anyone who enjoys glamping off the...