This property shows beautifully online and even better in-person! Everything was as pictured/described. Before booking our reservation, I read all of the reviews for this and the other homes in the Birch Lodge Association available for rent, and I found all of the reviews to be consistently positive and true to their words.
Located on US-23 at about the midpoint between Mackinaw City and Cheboygan, this was a great location from which we could easily "hub-and-spoke" our way to several day trips on Mackinac Island and throughout the eastern U-P, including Kitch-iti-kipi, Wagner Falls, Pictured Rocks, Oswald's Bear Ranch, Tahquamenon Falls, Whitefish Point, and the Soo Locks. And the Jack Pine Lumberjack Show is definitely worth an evening; plus, it's literally just down the road!
Cell phone and internet service are hit-or-miss; however, we found reception and connection in the loft and on the balcony over the front porch to be adequate for whenever we needed to make calls or reservations online. But with Lake Huron only 50 or so feet from the front porch and Mackinac Island in full view, one really should unplug and gaze out over the water or up into the stars filling the night sky from horizon to horizon.
So, what is lacking? Not much! No A/C, but the whole house fan in combination with the ceiling fans and open windows definitely kept the home comfortable during our stay in mid-July. That there is also a basement is a bonus; it's where we stored all our luggage and coolers for the week out of sight and mind. That said, one or two clotheslines down there to hang wet towels would be helpful. I prepared three breakfasts and four suppers in the kitchen. A proper chef's knife, cutting board and silicone spatula would be helpful, but I made do. The two-burner Weber grill on the front porch was just right for a family of four. I do suggest bringing along any "must have" utensils and seasonings one absolutely cannot do without. If space in your vehicle permits, I also recommend packing groceries from home, especially as I found produce and meat prices to be much more expensive than in suburban Chicagoland.
The bottom line is my family of four absolutely loved our week in Birch Lodge #4, the other families and neighbors were wonderful (be sure to meet Don & Carol in #1), and we definitely would look forward to a return trip.