The Birches is a brand-new boutique condotel in the heart of downtown Lake Leelanau, Michigan — five identical luxury two-bedroom condos plus a whole-property buyout option, all professionally appointed and designed for slow mornings, lingering dinners, and the kind of summer evenings you remember long after you’ve gone home.

We sit just steps from the Lake Leelanau marina, a one-minute walk from the public boat launch, and a short drive from Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Traverse City, and more than 25 wineries on the Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail. Walk to dinner, walk to the lake, walk to coffee — you don’t need to get back in the car.

What makes us different

• Owner-operated. You’re talking to us, not a call center. We answer texts and emails directly.
• Boutique consistency. Hotel-grade linens, real cookware, smart TVs (use your own logins), in-unit laundry, and gigabit Wi-Fi — in every unit.
• Walk-everywhere location. Downtown, the marina, restaurants, NJ’s grocery, Dick’s Pour House — all within a five-minute stroll.
• Condotel flexibility. No minimum-night requirements on direct bookings — one night or one month, we’re happy to host you.
• Direct-booking savings. Reserve through this site and you save 5% off the rates listed on Expedia, Airbnb, and other booking platforms.

The bigger picture

Lake Leelanau is the kind of place that makes you wonder why you ever lived anywhere else. We built The Birches because we love this corner of Northern Michigan and wanted somewhere genuinely worth recommending to friends. We hope you feel the same when you stay.

Reservation Process

1. Submit your inquiry through any “Book Your Stay” button on our site. Tell us your dates, your party size, and which unit you’d like.
2. We confirm within 24 hours with availability, the total (already including your 5% direct-booking discount), and a secure payment link.
3. Secure your reservation with payment in full at booking. Once payment clears, your reservation is confirmed and the dates are blocked across all booking channels.
4. You receive your check-in code the morning of arrival, via email and text. Self-check-in starts at 4:00 PM.

Check-in & Check-out

• Check-in: 4:00 PM – midnight, self-check-in via smart-lock code (sent the morning of arrival)
• Check-out: 11:00 AM
• After-hours check-in: Not currently offered — please plan to arrive by midnight
• Minimum age to book: 25 years
• Access method: Access code, private entrance, no front desk

Payment

• All major credit cards accepted (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover)
• Payment in full at booking; reservation confirmed once payment clears
• Government-issued ID and credit card required for the reservation holder
• Direct bookings receive an automatic 5% discount off the rates listed on Expedia, Airbnb, and other booking platforms

Cancellation Policy

• 30+ days before check-in: Full refund of all amounts paid, less non-refundable payment processing fees
• Within 30 days of check-in: Non-refundable — no refund will be issued except for documented force majeure events
• Why 30 days? Our peak rental season is short; bookings cancelled inside 30 days are unlikely to be re-booked at the original rate
• Travel insurance is strongly recommended for trips planned far in advance

House Rules

• Quiet hours: 10:00 PM – 8:00 AM. Be considerate of neighbors and other Birches guests.
• Maximum occupancy: 8 overnight guests per unit (40 for whole-property buyout). Undisclosed guests trigger a $50/guest fee.
• No parties or events. Quiet, low-impact gatherings are fine.
• Strictly no smoking inside any unit. $1,000 cleaning fee if violated. Smoking is permitted on the private balcony or in the parking area.
• Pets: Not currently allowed.
• Children: Welcome.
• Damage and excessive cleaning charges may be applied as needed.

Questions?

We’re real people and we answer. Call (231) 994-3336 or email hello@staythebirches.com — we typically respond within a few hours during daytime, and always within 24 hours.

Last updated: June 22, 2026 · Version 2026-06

By reserving a stay at The Birches of Lake Leelanau, you agree to abide by the following House Rules. Violations may result in additional fees, early termination of your stay without refund, and/or charges to your card on file for damages.

Occupancy & Guests

• Maximum overnight guests: 8 per condo (40 for the whole-property “Elite” buyout). Includes children and infants.
• Reservation holder must be present throughout the entire stay and be at least 25 years of age.
• Daytime visitors: Permitted but limited — no more than 4 additional non-overnight guests at any time.
• Undisclosed overnight guests trigger a fee of $50 per guest, per night, charged to the card on file.

Check-in & Check-out

• Check-in: 4:00 PM ET – midnight ET, self-check-in via smart-lock code (sent the morning of arrival by email and text).
• Check-out: 11:00 AM ET. Late check-outs incur a $50/hour fee through 1:00 PM; after 1:00 PM you will be charged for an additional night.
• Early check-in / late check-out may sometimes be accommodated if the unit is available — contact us 48+ hours in advance.
• Government-issued photo ID must be presented or photographed for the reservation holder upon check-in.

Smoking, Pets & Substances

• Strictly no smoking inside any unit — including cigarettes, cigars, vaping, marijuana, and any combustible substance. Violation triggers a $1,000 deep-cleaning fee and you will be required to vacate without refund.
• Smoking is permitted only on the private balcony or in the parking area, with butts properly disposed of.
• Pets: Not currently permitted. ESA / service animal accommodation must be requested in advance with documentation.
• Illegal drugs and unlicensed firearms are not permitted on the premises and will result in immediate termination and notification of authorities.

Noise & Community

• Quiet hours: 10:00 PM – 8:00 AM ET. Be considerate of neighbors and other Birches guests.
• No parties or events. Quiet, low-impact family gatherings of declared guests are welcome. Any gathering exceeding the maximum occupancy is considered a party.
• Music, hot tubs (if applicable), balcony conversation, etc. must be kept to a reasonable volume after 10:00 PM.
• The Lake Leelanau Police Department and Leelanau County Sheriff are responsive to complaints — a verified noise violation may result in eviction without refund.

Property Care & Damage

• Treat the unit as you would your own home. Normal wear is expected; deliberate or careless damage is not.
• Damage, missing items, or excessive cleaning beyond the standard turnover (e.g., excessive trash, unwashed dishes filling the sink, stained linens beyond normal use, broken furniture) will be charged to the card on file at fair replacement or cleaning cost, with itemized documentation provided.
• Please report accidental damage promptly — we are reasonable people and small accidents handled honestly are not punished.
• Do not move heavy furniture between rooms or between units.

Lake, Marina & Outdoor Areas

• The public boat launch and marina are a one-minute walk from the property. Birches guests use them at their own risk and are subject to Lake Leelanau Township rules.
• Provided kayaks, paddleboards, or other water equipment (where applicable) must be returned to the storage area dry and clean. Loss or damage is the responsibility of the reservation holder.
• Swimming and water activities are entirely at your own risk. The Birches provides no lifeguard, supervision, or guarantee of water conditions.
• Adult supervision of minors near water is required at all times.

Parking, Vehicles & Trash

• One designated parking spot per unit. Additional vehicles may park in available unmarked spots on a first-come basis.
• No commercial vehicles, RVs, trailers, or unregistered vehicles without prior approval.
• Trash and recycling must be bagged and placed in the designated bins. Do not leave bags in hallways or on balconies.

Right to Refuse or Evict

The Birches of Lake Leelanau and its parent entity M.R.S. Ventures L.L.C. reserve the right to refuse service or terminate a reservation, with the guest required to vacate immediately and without refund, for any of the following: violation of these House Rules, misrepresentation of party size or purpose at booking, evidence of illegal activity, unauthorized parties or events, damage to property, abuse of staff or neighbors, or any conduct that poses a risk to property or other guests.

Last updated: June 23, 2026 · Version 2026-06b

The Birches of Lake Leelanau follows a 30-Day Strict Cancellation Policy for direct bookings made through staythebirches.com. Our peak rental season runs only mid-June through mid-September, so cancellation windows shorter than 30 days leave us little realistic ability to re-book. By completing payment, you confirm that you have read and accept the terms below.

Cancellation Tiers

• 30 or more days before check-in: Full refund of all amounts paid, less non-refundable payment processing fees (see below).
• Less than 30 days before check-in (including same-day): Non-refundable. No refund will be issued under any circumstance except the force majeure cases described below.
• No-show: Treated as a same-day cancellation — no refund. Failure to arrive or contact us by midnight ET on the day of check-in constitutes a no-show.

Why 30 days? Northern Michigan's high-demand vacation season is short. A booking cancelled inside 30 days is unlikely to be re-booked at the original rate, which is why this is non-refundable. We strongly recommend travel insurance for any stay booked far in advance.

Payment Processing Fees

The credit-card processing fee charged by Stripe (typically 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction) is not refundable in any cancellation scenario, including full-refund cancellations. This fee is paid to the processor at the moment of payment and is not returned to The Birches when a refund is issued.

Date Changes & Modifications

• Modifications more than 30 days before check-in: Date changes are permitted at no additional fee, subject to availability and the rate applicable to the new dates. If new-date rates are higher, the guest pays the difference. If lower, no refund of the difference is issued.
• Modifications within 30 days of check-in: Treated as a cancellation under the standard policy above (non-refundable) plus a new reservation. The original payment is forfeit.
• Shortening a stay after check-in: No refund for unused nights.

Force Majeure & Extraordinary Circumstances

In the rare event of a circumstance beyond reasonable control — for example: a documented natural disaster, a government-issued travel order specifically affecting Leelanau County, the property becoming uninhabitable due to fire / flood / mechanical failure, or a serious medical emergency requiring hospitalization (with documentation) — we will work with you in good faith to either reschedule your stay within 12 months at no additional charge or, at our discretion, issue a partial or full refund. Force majeure is evaluated case-by-case and is not a guarantee of refund.

Routine cancellation reasons (weather you don't like, traffic, change of plans, work conflicts, regret) do not qualify as force majeure. We strongly recommend travel insurance for trips planned far in advance.

Refund Processing

• Approved refunds are issued to the original payment method within 5–10 business days of cancellation confirmation.
• Disputes regarding refunds must be raised within 60 days of the original check-in date.
• Chargebacks filed without first contacting us in writing may be contested and may result in collection action plus chargeback fees.

How to Cancel

Email hello@staythebirches.com with the reservation holder's name, dates, and reason. We confirm cancellations in writing — you are not cancelled until you receive our written confirmation. The timestamp of our written confirmation determines which cancellation tier applies.

Last updated: June 22, 2026 · Version 2026-06

This Privacy Policy explains how M.R.S. Ventures L.L.C. (“we,” “us,” or “The Birches”) collects, uses, and protects information when you visit staythebirches.com or book a stay through us directly.

Who We Are

M.R.S. Ventures L.L.C. · 6831 West Day Forest Road, Empire, MI 49630, USA
Operator of The Birches of Lake Leelanau at 121 N St Joseph St, Lake Leelanau, MI 49653.
Email: hello@staythebirches.com

What We Collect

When you submit a booking inquiry, we collect:

• Identity: full name, email address, phone number
• Booking details: requested dates, party size, unit preference, any message you send us, the policy version you agreed to
• Technical data: IP address and approximate location, browser type, and the date/time of your inquiry (automatically logged by our web server for fraud prevention)
• Payment information — via Stripe only: when you pay, your card details are entered directly into Stripe's secure payment page or invoice. The Birches never sees, stores, or transmits full card numbers. Stripe sends us only the last 4 digits, expiration month/year, brand (Visa/MC/etc.), and a confirmation that payment cleared.

How We Use Your Information

We use the data above only for legitimate operating purposes:

• To respond to your inquiry, quote your stay, and process your reservation
• To send you check-in information, your smart-lock code, and pre/post-stay communications
• To comply with tax reporting, payment-processor requirements, and Michigan/federal law (including 1099-K reporting where applicable)
• To prevent fraud, verify reservations, and resolve disputes
• To improve the website and our hospitality (we do not use your data for behavioral advertising)

Who We Share It With

We share the minimum data required with the following service providers, each of whom has their own privacy policy governing their use of your data:

• Stripe, Inc. — payment processing. See stripe.com/privacy.
• Streamline VRS — our property management and calendar system, which holds reservation records.
• Google Workspace (Gmail) — receives the inquiry and reservation emails. See policies.google.com/privacy.
• Our web host — serves the website and stores log files.
• Tax authorities, law enforcement, and processors of disputes — only when legally required.

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to any third party for marketing purposes, ever.

Cookies

staythebirches.com uses only essential cookies required for the booking form to function (no tracking pixels, no third-party advertising cookies, no behavioral profiling). Embedded Google Maps may set its own cookies; if you do not want this, you can decline to interact with the map.

How Long We Keep It

We retain reservation records for 7 years after the stay, as required for tax and accounting purposes under U.S. and Michigan law. Inquiries that do not result in a booking are deleted after 12 months. You may request earlier deletion (see below); we may retain certain records longer if legally required.

Your Rights

Regardless of where you live, you may at any time:

• Access: request a copy of the data we hold about you
• Correct: ask us to fix inaccurate information
• Delete: ask us to delete your data (subject to legal retention requirements)
• Opt out of marketing: we send no marketing emails by default; if we ever add a newsletter, each email will contain a one-click unsubscribe
• Lodge a complaint: California residents have rights under CCPA; EU/UK residents have rights under GDPR; we honor reasonable requests from anyone regardless of jurisdiction

To exercise any of these rights, email hello@staythebirches.com from the address associated with your reservation. We respond within 30 days.

Children's Data

Our site and booking flow are not intended for, and we do not knowingly collect data from, anyone under 18 years of age. The reservation holder must be 25 or older. If you believe we have inadvertently collected data from a minor, contact us immediately and we will delete it.

Security

The site is served over HTTPS. Payment data is handled exclusively by Stripe and never touches our servers. We use industry-standard administrative and technical safeguards, but no internet transmission is 100% secure — you transmit your data at your own risk.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The “Last updated” date at the top reflects the most recent change. Material changes will be highlighted in our booking-confirmation emails and via a banner on the site for 30 days.

Last updated: June 22, 2026 · Version 2026-06

These Terms & Conditions govern your use of staythebirches.com (the “Site”) and any reservation made through it. They are a legal agreement between you (“Guest”) and M.R.S. Ventures L.L.C., a Michigan limited liability company, doing business as The Birches of Lake Leelanau (“The Birches,” “we,” “us”). By using the Site or completing a reservation, you accept these terms.

1. Booking as Contract

A reservation is a binding contract between you and M.R.S. Ventures L.L.C., formed at the moment your payment is successfully processed by Stripe. Submitting an inquiry through the booking form is not itself a reservation — a reservation exists only after we send you written confirmation and your payment clears.

2. Eligibility & Reservation Holder

To reserve a stay you must:

• Be at least 25 years of age
• Provide accurate name, email, phone, address, and a valid government-issued photo ID at check-in
• Be physically present at the property for the duration of the stay
• Have the legal authority to enter into this agreement on your own behalf and on behalf of any accompanying guests

You are personally responsible for the conduct of all members of your party and any visitors, and for any damage, fees, or charges incurred during the stay.

3. House Rules Incorporated

Our House Rules are incorporated into these Terms by reference. Violation of any House Rule is a violation of these Terms and may result in additional charges, termination of the stay without refund, and/or other remedies described in Section 7 below.

4. Rates, Taxes & Fees

• Quoted rates include all known taxes (6% Michigan use tax, 2% Leelanau County accommodations tax, as applicable) and your direct-booking discount.
• Rates are quoted in U.S. dollars. We accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover via Stripe.
• The total quoted at booking is the total you pay. We do not add hidden resort fees, parking fees, or service charges. The cleaning fee is itemized on every quote.
• Damage, missing items, excessive cleaning, undisclosed extra guests, late checkout, and other policy violations may be charged to the card on file after the stay, with itemized documentation.

5. Cancellation

Cancellations are governed by our Cancellation & Refund Policy, which is incorporated into these Terms by reference.

6. Property Condition & Limitation of Liability

The property is provided “as is.” While we maintain the property to a high standard, we cannot guarantee that every amenity will function perfectly during every stay. If something is broken or missing on arrival, contact us within 2 hours of check-in so we can repair or compensate; issues raised after check-out are difficult to remedy.

To the maximum extent permitted by Michigan law: M.R.S. Ventures L.L.C. and its members, employees, and agents are not liable for any indirect, incidental, consequential, or punitive damages arising from your stay, the use of the property, or your interaction with the Site. Our aggregate liability under any claim is limited to the amount you paid for the affected reservation. Nothing in this section limits liability that cannot lawfully be limited (such as gross negligence or willful misconduct).

You expressly acknowledge and assume the inherent risks of: the lakefront and waterfront environment, swimming, boating, watercraft use, walking on uneven natural terrain, weather conditions, and any recreational activity undertaken during your stay. You agree to hold The Birches harmless for any injury, loss, or damage arising from such activities.

7. Right to Refuse, Evict & Charge

We reserve the right to refuse service, terminate a reservation, or evict any guest (with guest required to vacate within 1 hour and no refund issued) for: violation of these Terms or the House Rules, fraud or misrepresentation in the booking, threatening or abusive conduct toward staff or other guests, evidence of illegal activity, damage to the property, or any other reasonable cause. We further reserve the right to charge the card on file for damages, additional fees, and reasonable enforcement costs as documented.

8. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless M.R.S. Ventures L.L.C., its members, employees, contractors, and agents from any claim, loss, damage, liability, or expense (including reasonable attorney fees) arising from your stay, your use of the Site, your violation of these Terms, or your violation of any third party's rights.

9. Governing Law & Dispute Resolution

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Michigan, U.S.A., without regard to its conflict-of-law principles. Any dispute arising out of or relating to these Terms or your stay shall be resolved exclusively in the state or federal courts located in Leelanau County or Grand Traverse County, Michigan, and you consent to the personal jurisdiction of those courts.

Before filing any formal legal action, you agree to first contact us in writing at hello@staythebirches.com and allow us 30 days to resolve the matter informally and in good faith.

10. Site Usage

The Site and its content (text, images, layout, code) are the property of M.R.S. Ventures L.L.C. or its licensors. You may view the Site for personal, non-commercial purposes only. You may not scrape, copy, republish, or reverse-engineer the Site or its booking system without prior written permission.

11. Severability & Entire Agreement

If any provision of these Terms is found unenforceable, the remaining provisions remain in full effect. These Terms, together with the House Rules, Cancellation Policy, and Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and M.R.S. Ventures L.L.C. regarding your reservation and supersede any prior oral or written communications.

12. Changes

We may update these Terms from time to time. Reservations are governed by the version of the Terms in effect at the time the reservation was confirmed (the version is recorded in your booking confirmation email).

Contact

M.R.S. Ventures L.L.C.
6831 West Day Forest Road
Empire, MI 49630, USA
hello@staythebirches.com