Frequently asked questions
Q: How far away is the beach?
A: As the crow flies, 700 feet. From our front door, you can see the lake shimmering through the trees.
Q: What kind of beach access do you have?
We have about a quarter-mile of deeded private beach that is shared by nine houses. None of them are built on the bluff, so our beach has a “wild” quality that is unusual along Lake Michigan. You will often have it entirely to yourself, especially during the week or in the off-season.
The width of the beach, from the end of the dune grass to the water's edge, can vary dramatically from year to year depending on the water level in Lake Michigan. Sometimes it's 20 or 30 feet, sometimes ten or less. In 2019, the lake levels were at record highs. As a result, we had about 100 feet of usable frontage that was 10 to 15 feet wide from water to dunegrass when the water was calm. There was a rather alarming five foot drop to the sand from the places where our paths normally meet the beach, but a relatively flat access about 300 feet south, and someone thoughtfully created a path that leads to it. There is no predicting what the winter will do to it, and we will update this status in March when we visit to open the house for the season.
The quickest way to the beach is about a five-minute walk from the house (substantially less for children and dogs), down a woodland path at the end of our driveway (pictured above) and then a short but rather steep run down a dune. It sometimes involves climbing over a log or two at the edge of the bluff. This bluff is a lovely place to watch the sunset.
The alternative is about ten-minute walk from the house. It involves walking down our road to an emergency access road, and then over a low dune. (This route is pictured in the “Castle Park” section of the site, labeled “kinder, gentler path.”) This is the favored route for returning to the house among people who went down the first way but don’t feel like making the climb back. You can also drive down the emergency road if you have a kayak or a sailboat or people in your party who find walking difficult. It has a locked gate across the entrance, but we have a key, and you can bypass the gate if you have a golf cart. High lake levels are making it difficult to launch watercraft from our beach, but some of our neighbors are keeping kayaks on the beach so it's apparently not impossible.
NOTE FOR DOG OWNERS: Most of the time there is no one on our beach, particularly during the week and in the off season. However, since it's the only usable beach in the community right now, it is seeing more use than usual, and the South Dune association is requiring dogs to be leashed. If you want to let your dog off the leash to retrieve balls and sticks from the lake, or other activities of that nature, please go south to beyond the "Private Beach" sign that's a little bit south of where our steep-dune path comes down. This should be far enough that you will be able to see other dogs coming and put your dog's leash on before they meet.
The main Castle Park beach, at the south end of the south tennis courts in the Castle Park Association common area, has been devoured by the high water. In summer 2019 the association launched an elaborate engineering project to preserve the dune, and also hopes that it will cause some sand to accumulate, though at this writing there is none. If there is ever a beach there again, it will be about a 15-20 minute walk from the house or a 3-4 minute drive. You can’t park right at the steps; the nearest parking is at the Barnswallow, just north of the tennis courts.
Q: Do you supply beach towels?
A: We consider beach towels part of our recreational equipment (along with beach chairs, sand toys, tennis balls, etc.) rather than our linen supply. We normally have half a dozen or so. Our policy on these is that you’re welcome to use them if they’re there, but we don’t guarantee that they will be, because people do occasionally lose them. They are hard to keep track of from week to week, and we don’t want to disappoint anyone by promising that they will be there.
We request that bath towels not be taken to the beach, so if you think you’ll need a certain number of beach towels, please plan to bring them.
Q: Can you see and hear the lake from the house?
A: The lake is visible from the second-floor window seat and the outdoor balcony, though the view fluctuates depending on how recently we have trimmed the trees. The lake can be heard from the house anytime there is a significant breeze, though depending on the direction of the wind and the time of year, the lake sound is sometimes obscured by the rustling of the wind in the trees (which is a lovely sound in itself). The overall ambiance of the house is woodsy, with the lake as a background rather than a principal player.
Q: How far is the house from Holland and Saugatuck?
A: About a 15 to 20 minute drive from either, depending on where you are going. If you are in town for an event at Hope College, we are among the closest places you can rent that have Lake Michigan access.
Q: Is the house air-conditioned?
A: Yes, though AC is rarely needed because the house is also well-supplied with windows and doors that can be opened to catch a cross-breeze, and it has ceiling fans in all the bedrooms and the living room. Also, we have found over the years that our hill is usually five to ten degrees cooler than Holland in the summer.
Q: Do you have baby equipment (crib, high chair, etc.)?
A: We don’t have any baby equipment as such, so you should plan to bring your own or purchase it when you arrive. (There is plenty of big-box shopping along U.S. 31 in Holland, including Target, Wal-Mart and Sam's Club.) The daybed in the kids’ room has a removable rail that makes it a suitable bed for toddlers.
Q: Can I bring/rent a golf cart?
The Castle Park Association has some complicated rules regarding golf carts, and the best way to handle this is for us to rent a cart for you and for us both to sign the required paperwork. We're happy to do this, and we have used Cross-Country Golf Cars in Zeeland. They deliver and pick up.
Q: What is your policy on pets?
A: Well-behaved dogs are welcome, as long as they are completely housebroken, stay off the furniture, and chew only things that belong to them. Renters are liable for the full cost of repair, cleaning, replacement, etc., for any mess, damage, stray bits of fur, etc., caused by their dog or dogs. Our cleaners reserve the right to charge an extra fee for cleaning up after dogs.
We do not allow cats or other pets. However, our own cats visit once or twice a year. We do our best to keep them out of the bedrooms, they sleep in the utility room, and the house is always professionally cleaned before renters come. But if anyone in the party has an allergy to cats that’s severe enough to need a guaranteed cat-free environment, they may want to stay elsewhere.
Q: Do you have an outdoor fireplace? Can we have a fire on the beach?
A: We don't have an outdoor fireplace and probably never will, because the woods around the house are highly flammable. Laketown Township has strict rules about outdoor fires of all kinds, instituted in 2008 after several homes were lost to an out-of-control beach fire abandoned by a complete idiot on a very windy night. High lake levels in 2019 are making beach fires impractical or impossible, but in general, it is possible to have a beach fire if it's in a screened container (with a bottom, not just a fire ring), and if you call the fire marshal for permission on the day of the fire. Appropriate containers are for sale at Graafschap Hardware, near 146th Ave. and Graafschap Rd., not too far from Castle Park, and permission is generally granted if it's not windy. For more information on the fire regs (and on Castle Park in general) visit the Castle Park website.
Q: Is your house suitable for my wedding reception/birthday party/other large bash?
A: We don’t recommend the house for large gatherings. There is comfortable parking for only four to five cars in our lot, which is generally adequate for the number of overnight guests we can accommodate.
Q: If we rent your house, can we use Castle Park Association facilities for our wedding or other event?
A: No. The Castle, the Amphitheater, and the other public spaces can be booked only by members of the association and their immediate families.
Q: Can you explain the policy on your deposit?
A: We ask for a $750 deposit with your signed rental agreement, which serves both to hold the time and to cover cleaning and damage (if any). We keep it in our checking account until the conclusion of your stay. At that point, our cleaners let us know what your cleaning bill is, and whether they saw any damage (which we are happy to say is very rare). We deduct the amount of the cleaning bill from your deposit, and the amount of any damage, and send you a check for the balance after we receive the key back from you. Our cleaners charge a minimum fee ($180 for 2019), though it can be more if there is excessive mess, or more laundry than they can complete during the five hours that they allot to clean the house. They will also charge extra for taking care of any trash that is not disposed of in accordance with our rental agreement, and they may impose an extra fee for dog clean-up. Some of our parties are charged only the minimum cleaning fee, while others pay more. There’s a departure checklist at the house (and also in the house guide that we send each party) that can help keep the cleaning bill down.
We have the cleaners come in after every party (including ourselves, if we are expecting renters after us), so that the house is in a consistent state of cleanliness for all our guests.
The deposit also protects us to some extent if a party cancels before paying the full rent and we are unable to re-rent their time. If we do re-rent the time, we refund the deposit.
Q: Can we bring more than fourteen people if we bring our own air mattresses and sleeping bags?
We restrict occupancy to a maximum of fourteen overnight guests because our septic system is designed for that number and no more. Even babies add their share of laundry and dish washing to the total, so we must say no. We are happy to help you find a second house to rent in the Castle Park community. Several of our guests have done this and report having wonderful family reunions and other largish group events.
A: As the crow flies, 700 feet. From our front door, you can see the lake shimmering through the trees.
Q: What kind of beach access do you have?
We have about a quarter-mile of deeded private beach that is shared by nine houses. None of them are built on the bluff, so our beach has a “wild” quality that is unusual along Lake Michigan. You will often have it entirely to yourself, especially during the week or in the off-season.
The width of the beach, from the end of the dune grass to the water's edge, can vary dramatically from year to year depending on the water level in Lake Michigan. Sometimes it's 20 or 30 feet, sometimes ten or less. In 2019, the lake levels were at record highs. As a result, we had about 100 feet of usable frontage that was 10 to 15 feet wide from water to dunegrass when the water was calm. There was a rather alarming five foot drop to the sand from the places where our paths normally meet the beach, but a relatively flat access about 300 feet south, and someone thoughtfully created a path that leads to it. There is no predicting what the winter will do to it, and we will update this status in March when we visit to open the house for the season.
The quickest way to the beach is about a five-minute walk from the house (substantially less for children and dogs), down a woodland path at the end of our driveway (pictured above) and then a short but rather steep run down a dune. It sometimes involves climbing over a log or two at the edge of the bluff. This bluff is a lovely place to watch the sunset.
The alternative is about ten-minute walk from the house. It involves walking down our road to an emergency access road, and then over a low dune. (This route is pictured in the “Castle Park” section of the site, labeled “kinder, gentler path.”) This is the favored route for returning to the house among people who went down the first way but don’t feel like making the climb back. You can also drive down the emergency road if you have a kayak or a sailboat or people in your party who find walking difficult. It has a locked gate across the entrance, but we have a key, and you can bypass the gate if you have a golf cart. High lake levels are making it difficult to launch watercraft from our beach, but some of our neighbors are keeping kayaks on the beach so it's apparently not impossible.
NOTE FOR DOG OWNERS: Most of the time there is no one on our beach, particularly during the week and in the off season. However, since it's the only usable beach in the community right now, it is seeing more use than usual, and the South Dune association is requiring dogs to be leashed. If you want to let your dog off the leash to retrieve balls and sticks from the lake, or other activities of that nature, please go south to beyond the "Private Beach" sign that's a little bit south of where our steep-dune path comes down. This should be far enough that you will be able to see other dogs coming and put your dog's leash on before they meet.
The main Castle Park beach, at the south end of the south tennis courts in the Castle Park Association common area, has been devoured by the high water. In summer 2019 the association launched an elaborate engineering project to preserve the dune, and also hopes that it will cause some sand to accumulate, though at this writing there is none. If there is ever a beach there again, it will be about a 15-20 minute walk from the house or a 3-4 minute drive. You can’t park right at the steps; the nearest parking is at the Barnswallow, just north of the tennis courts.
Q: Do you supply beach towels?
A: We consider beach towels part of our recreational equipment (along with beach chairs, sand toys, tennis balls, etc.) rather than our linen supply. We normally have half a dozen or so. Our policy on these is that you’re welcome to use them if they’re there, but we don’t guarantee that they will be, because people do occasionally lose them. They are hard to keep track of from week to week, and we don’t want to disappoint anyone by promising that they will be there.
We request that bath towels not be taken to the beach, so if you think you’ll need a certain number of beach towels, please plan to bring them.
Q: Can you see and hear the lake from the house?
A: The lake is visible from the second-floor window seat and the outdoor balcony, though the view fluctuates depending on how recently we have trimmed the trees. The lake can be heard from the house anytime there is a significant breeze, though depending on the direction of the wind and the time of year, the lake sound is sometimes obscured by the rustling of the wind in the trees (which is a lovely sound in itself). The overall ambiance of the house is woodsy, with the lake as a background rather than a principal player.
Q: How far is the house from Holland and Saugatuck?
A: About a 15 to 20 minute drive from either, depending on where you are going. If you are in town for an event at Hope College, we are among the closest places you can rent that have Lake Michigan access.
Q: Is the house air-conditioned?
A: Yes, though AC is rarely needed because the house is also well-supplied with windows and doors that can be opened to catch a cross-breeze, and it has ceiling fans in all the bedrooms and the living room. Also, we have found over the years that our hill is usually five to ten degrees cooler than Holland in the summer.
Q: Do you have baby equipment (crib, high chair, etc.)?
A: We don’t have any baby equipment as such, so you should plan to bring your own or purchase it when you arrive. (There is plenty of big-box shopping along U.S. 31 in Holland, including Target, Wal-Mart and Sam's Club.) The daybed in the kids’ room has a removable rail that makes it a suitable bed for toddlers.
Q: Can I bring/rent a golf cart?
The Castle Park Association has some complicated rules regarding golf carts, and the best way to handle this is for us to rent a cart for you and for us both to sign the required paperwork. We're happy to do this, and we have used Cross-Country Golf Cars in Zeeland. They deliver and pick up.
Q: What is your policy on pets?
A: Well-behaved dogs are welcome, as long as they are completely housebroken, stay off the furniture, and chew only things that belong to them. Renters are liable for the full cost of repair, cleaning, replacement, etc., for any mess, damage, stray bits of fur, etc., caused by their dog or dogs. Our cleaners reserve the right to charge an extra fee for cleaning up after dogs.
We do not allow cats or other pets. However, our own cats visit once or twice a year. We do our best to keep them out of the bedrooms, they sleep in the utility room, and the house is always professionally cleaned before renters come. But if anyone in the party has an allergy to cats that’s severe enough to need a guaranteed cat-free environment, they may want to stay elsewhere.
Q: Do you have an outdoor fireplace? Can we have a fire on the beach?
A: We don't have an outdoor fireplace and probably never will, because the woods around the house are highly flammable. Laketown Township has strict rules about outdoor fires of all kinds, instituted in 2008 after several homes were lost to an out-of-control beach fire abandoned by a complete idiot on a very windy night. High lake levels in 2019 are making beach fires impractical or impossible, but in general, it is possible to have a beach fire if it's in a screened container (with a bottom, not just a fire ring), and if you call the fire marshal for permission on the day of the fire. Appropriate containers are for sale at Graafschap Hardware, near 146th Ave. and Graafschap Rd., not too far from Castle Park, and permission is generally granted if it's not windy. For more information on the fire regs (and on Castle Park in general) visit the Castle Park website.
Q: Is your house suitable for my wedding reception/birthday party/other large bash?
A: We don’t recommend the house for large gatherings. There is comfortable parking for only four to five cars in our lot, which is generally adequate for the number of overnight guests we can accommodate.
Q: If we rent your house, can we use Castle Park Association facilities for our wedding or other event?
A: No. The Castle, the Amphitheater, and the other public spaces can be booked only by members of the association and their immediate families.
Q: Can you explain the policy on your deposit?
A: We ask for a $750 deposit with your signed rental agreement, which serves both to hold the time and to cover cleaning and damage (if any). We keep it in our checking account until the conclusion of your stay. At that point, our cleaners let us know what your cleaning bill is, and whether they saw any damage (which we are happy to say is very rare). We deduct the amount of the cleaning bill from your deposit, and the amount of any damage, and send you a check for the balance after we receive the key back from you. Our cleaners charge a minimum fee ($180 for 2019), though it can be more if there is excessive mess, or more laundry than they can complete during the five hours that they allot to clean the house. They will also charge extra for taking care of any trash that is not disposed of in accordance with our rental agreement, and they may impose an extra fee for dog clean-up. Some of our parties are charged only the minimum cleaning fee, while others pay more. There’s a departure checklist at the house (and also in the house guide that we send each party) that can help keep the cleaning bill down.
We have the cleaners come in after every party (including ourselves, if we are expecting renters after us), so that the house is in a consistent state of cleanliness for all our guests.
The deposit also protects us to some extent if a party cancels before paying the full rent and we are unable to re-rent their time. If we do re-rent the time, we refund the deposit.
Q: Can we bring more than fourteen people if we bring our own air mattresses and sleeping bags?
We restrict occupancy to a maximum of fourteen overnight guests because our septic system is designed for that number and no more. Even babies add their share of laundry and dish washing to the total, so we must say no. We are happy to help you find a second house to rent in the Castle Park community. Several of our guests have done this and report having wonderful family reunions and other largish group events.