Places to Stay : Egg Harbor

The Cottage Retreat
4355 County T
Egg Harbor
920-743-0967

Mailing address:
133 N 8th Place
Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235

www.cottageretreat.com - Visit their website!

There are many, many alternatives for places to stay in Door County now, from first-class resorts, inns, B&Bs, hotels and motels, and cottages! But The Cottage Retreat is a wonderful and little known spot where the owner, Dale LaViolette, has seven cabins/cottages that are first class and wonderful, and open year-round! And with prior approval, you can bring your pets (“though each counts a person – well, we treat them like people anyway!” says Dale).

The Cottages are nestled at the edge of 100+ acres of hardwoods, on a 15 acre spread, and only a mile from downtown Egg Harbor, about one and a half miles from the waters of Green Bay, the public beach and boat ramp, and not far from Jorns Sugar Bush, where you can buy some of the best maple syrup around!

The Cottage Retreat added two additional cottages, the Elena and the Elise (named after the owner's daughters). Both are "earth homes," built into a hillside overlooking the Egg Harbor countryside.  These are special cottages, with cathedral ceilings, large whirlpools, plenty of natural light and a whole lot more.  See beautiful pictures and get a lot more info at the Cottage Retreat website's pages for these cottages right now - these are truly special, unique and beautiful.

The Elise and Elena Cottages
The Elise and Elena cottages afford you intimacy with nature as you enjoy comfortable and soothing accommodations.  The cottages, named for the owner’s daughters, are accessed through a common entryway.

Still, each sits on 2.5 acres, making the Elise and Elena cottages a lovely choice for two couples planning a getaway to the Door Peninsula together or for a couple and their in-laws/parents.  Or just reserve one unit for yourself. These are private spaces; that’s for sure.

Take the gravel road into the Cottage Retreat property until you see a tasteful wooden sign marking the Elise and Elena cottages.

As you approach, enjoy the lush gardens, a hallmark of Cottage Retreat, and take note of the buttery exterior made from hemlock sourced at Chambers Island. 

“We spend a lot of time on the gardens.  We make our accommodations look as good on the outside as inside,” says Dale LaViolette, owner of Cottage Retreat.

What’s really unusual is the subterranean-style construction of these cottages, nestled within a hill on the 15-acre Cottage Retreat property.  You’ll actually see the pitched roof above ground before you see a building. Enter the doors (which, by the way, hail from a church in New Franken, Wis.), and step down into a stunning covered entryway (open to the outdoors).

The private entry to the Elise cottage is to your right, and the way to Elena accommodations is to the left.

Each is a two-bedroom earth home made from concrete.  Because of the clever way these homes are nestled into the earth, you probably won’t feel that you are underground. You will breathtaking enjoy views of the beautiful outdoors from large south-facing windows in the great room and master bedroom.

Exposed maple and white ash warm the concrete chinking on interior walls. The wood comes from trees that blew down.  There’s also a wood-burning stove, comfortable overstuffed furniture, a nearby fully equipped kitchen and a DVD player, satellite TV/VCR and stereo surround sound.

A highlight of the master bedroom is its openness to an oversized whirlpool tub (holding 100 gallons of water) with a slate tile surround.

From the master bedroom, you may exit to a private patio, where you can enjoy the view, the gardens and, well, peace.

“You don’t just rent the inside, but the outside,” Dale says. “You will get a lot of quiet scenery and time alone, time for great reflection. It is very rejuvenating.”

Also near the Elise and Elena cottages, built in 2003, is access to a trail circling the 15-acre Cottage Retreat property. You can take a hike or walk your pet.

“About 50 percent who stay here have pets. They like the place, but they also mention how happy the pet was,” Dale says.

One guest wrote about how happy she was to stay in the Elise cottage for a week during the winter:  “The place is lovely. The view is breathtaking. The coldest week of the year was cozy with the beautiful snow and sun shining each day.”

The cottages are made from concrete and use passive solar energy and radiant floor heating. There’s a conventional furnace and air conditioning as well.

“I am a big fan of Frank Lloyd Wright and his principle that everything has to relate to function.  Things can look pretty, but we don’t just do them to be pretty; we also do them for function,” Dale says.

“The underground homes don’t take away from the view of other cottages at Cottage Retreat. They blend into the surroundings.”

Indeed they do. What a natural, peaceful and unique escape in Door County! Next time you visit the Peninsula, try staying underground for a new perspective!

ROOM FOR 20?
The latest addition to this unique suite of cottages is The Lodge.  And yes, The Lodge can accommodate up to 20 people - perfect for family reunions, retreats and large groups.  DoorCountyNavigator.com does not know of another place like this in Door County!  And Dale LaViolette has incorporated advanced features into this 4,000 square foot "cabin," like a 300 gallon fish tank, spiral stairs, a two-sided fireplace, deck and radiant heated flooring and plenty of passive sun-power.

The original four cottages have wood burning fireplaces, whirlpool tubs, and come equipped with standard features like microwave, color TV and VCR, fully equipped kitchen, sheets and bedding, air conditioning, firewood, a bon-fire pit, and even patio furniture! Bring your own towels and other toiletries!We recently had a chance to meet with Dale and tour his four cottages. Here is a cottage-by-cottage look of what we observed. Remember to check out Dale’s website for more info.

THE VISTA
This cottage sports a panoramic view of Door County through its glass wall and southern exposure. This is a two-story cottage, built in 1991, that has 3 bedrooms (with double beds), 3 bathrooms, and even two foldout couches! The upstairs bedroom has a queen bed with a nice pine headboard. There are two nightstands, chest of drawers and a larger closet with bi-fold doors. It is very roomy with a large window and a hanging hall mirror with hooks. The living room and kitchen are divided by a large fireplace that is built into a wall consisting of large bank of windows providing fantastic views from both the kitchen and living room.

The kitchen has a great island with a double sink and tile counter-top on one end and a handy cutting block on the other end. The kitchen itself is very practical and spacious. It has everything you need from cutlery and wine opener to all the modern kitchen appliances. The high slanted ceilings add to the “vista” view and there is also a door that leads to a great deck that spans the width of the building. Two dining tables positioned along the glass wall allow for comfortable dining or a place to sit, chat, relax and play cards or read the morning paper.

The living room has the same vaulted high ceilings, two sleeper sofas, coffee table, real hanging flowers and flowerpots. There is an entertainment center with TV/VCR/CD stereo. This room is very bright and airy with lots of sunshine. The deck out front is great and you can easily watch your children as they play on the community playground out front. There is also a fire pit, picnic table and bench for you to use. Downstairs has two bedrooms, one with twin beds the other with a double bed; laundry facilities and a hot tub room. The bedrooms have private bathrooms, large closets and desks. There is a door leading out to the fire pit area. The hot tub room is really cool. It has a wall of windows looking out over the lawn area and is decorated with real plants and a wall painted like an aquarium—neat! You can even listen to the stereo through the speakers mounted in the ceiling!

The Fieldstone Cottage
This 800 square foot cottage was built from scratch by Dale (the owner) and his friends, using stone from the surrounding landscape. It is really neat and features a large sundeck and some unique interior features like walls made of Door County fieldstone. The bathroom has a double whirlpool surrounded by mirror and brick tile. The standing shower has a sunflower pattern tile. The floor is a combination of oak and beach stone with colored gravel and seashells!

There are two bedrooms (one queen and one double bed), which are both fully carpeted. One bedroom has a TV, window, nine-drawer dresser, plastered walls and a high slanted ceiling. The other bedroom has a dresser, pine headboard, built in cabinets for lots of storage and a hanging oval mirror. One wall of stone divides this room with the living room. The living room, which is nicely decorated with antiques, features a large bank of windows that looks over the sundeck into the wooded area beyond. It also has three skylights overhead and a Franklin wood - burning fireplace – firewood supplied!! The fireplace has a huge stone chimney that separates the living room and kitchen. The kitchen features open-air cupboards, a large eating counter with a wood cutting block and handy double sink. Lots of countertop space in this kitchen.

We loved the roomy sundeck, which is very private and secluded, and has a water fountain built into it. There is a garden incorporated within the deck and lots of perennials and other flowers planted all about. There are speakers outside so you can listen to your favorite tunes from the entertainment center in the living room. This is a very awesome setting and perfect for viewing the abundant wildlife. You may witness everything form turkeys and deer to a variety of birds feeding at the feeders nearby. A fire pit completes this back yard heaven.

That’s not all…
Just off the deck around back is a wood-burning sauna with a view of the woods through a stained glass window! VERY COOL!

The Gretna House
This cottage has over 1,500 square feet of living space with three bedrooms and three bathrooms making it perfect for larger groups or families. A large covered deck wraps around two sides of the building with entrances to the main cottage and the three-season porch. Upon entering you are greeted by a wood staircase which leads up to the master bedroom. At the top of the stairs is a landing with a couch and chair. From here you can go out to a second story private deck or go into the bedroom itself. Two skylights overhead let in loads of sunlight and you can look over the rail to the kitchen below on one side and the fireplace and sunk-in living room on the other. The bedroom is very impressive and features a large raised two- person bath surrounded by tile. It has a queen bed, vaulted ceilings, separate bathroom w/sink/tub/shower and a dresser.

The living room is to the left as you walk in and has a Franklin wood-burning stove surrounded by a great stone hearth with built-in stone shelves, which is unique and decorative with shells and fossils built into the stonework. The whole room is sunk-in and has a stone floor, built in couch on three sides, a nice stereo and a cool coffee table made from a wooden barrel cut in half.

The kitchen is very nice with lots of cabinets, tile floor, green tiled counter top with double stainless steel sink, skylight, track lighting and a window over the sink. There are lots of hanging plants and the vaulted ceilings give this kitchen a wonderful “outdoor” feeling. A nice table and four chairs are provided for dining. Right off the kitchen is a very spacious three-season porch that is used as a second and larger living room. We liked this room of the cottage the best because you can see right out into the woods from the five large windows that line the outer walls of the room. Knotty pine ceilings, barrel chairs, a couch and a couple of tables lend themselves well for just hanging out or watching a good movie. This room has a TV/VCR and nice selection of movies for guests to use. Two other bedrooms are located on the main floor, one with a half-bath; the other has a full bath. They are nice sized offer adequate storage for your belongings.

Downstairs…
As if the upstairs wasn’t enough! The Gretna House has a downstairs that is accessible from a staircase from the inside or an outside ground floor entrance. It consists of a carpeted, large “foyer” type area that has a handy sitting bench, a private wood-burning sauna, and a shower. The sauna can sit 6 adults comfortably on tiered wooden benches, has windows for natural light and is completely tiled. The shower for rinsing off has 5 showerheads with separate controls—awesome! Enjoy these quality amenities after a day of bike riding or some heavy duty shopping!

The Gretna House is a great cottage located in a very secluded spot smack dab in the middle of nature. Whether sitting on the wrap around deck or hanging out in the three -season porch, this cottage offers a very tranquil setting to relax and unwind. Remember, you’re just a mile from downtown Egg Harbor!

The Lincoln cottage
was recently completed in 1999 and has two bedrooms, one bathroom and a loft spread over 1,200 square feet of living space. The construction of the Lincoln is unique both inside and out. The outside is sided with cedar fletchers with chinking between. The cottage itself is nestled in the woods with lots of natural landscaping and man-made walkways. Birdfeeders, benches and decks add to the natural beauty of the woods.

Once inside you will find a great room that combines the kitchen and living room. The unique flooring, made from poured concrete, has radiant heat so you are always walking on a warm surface. It is colored with shades of copper and brown and provides a real “cabin” feel. The open concept and knotty pine vaulted ceiling adds volumes of space to this cottage. The kitchen is plenty big with a table setting for six, gorgeous clear maple cabinets with glass doors, tile countertop and an island station featuring a built in gas range on one side and a breakfast bar with four padded stools on the other. It has all the modern conveniences of home and is decorated nicely with stoneware and other vintage collectables.

The living room has a very large couch, large area rug, coffee table and fireplace with a tiled hearth and pine mantel/shelf. The trim throughout the cottage is clear pine and the walls are plastered. There is also a second couch and desk. To the left of the fireplace is an entertainment center with TV/VCR and stereo. Further to the left is a door leading to a great three-season porch with a knotty pine vaulted ceiling. There are lots of windows, a round area rug, L-shaped couch, coffee table and a chair with ottoman. It is well decorated with an American flag, deer head mount and an old sign from Lena’s bar (which is now O’Leary’s Pub and Bakery - they have great pizza, read our review, located right in Egg Harbor).

The bedrooms are roomy and comfortable, have windows with nice views of the woods, plenty of closet space and are tastefully decorated. There is a loft that is reached via a ladder between the kitchen and living room featuring a large built in bed, vaulted ceiling and two skylights—nice! It is fully carpeted, has a chest for storage, couch and television. The Lincoln Cottage has a whirlpool tub in the bathroom, is fully air-conditioned, and has a patio. With the two pull out couches, it can sleep 10 nicely.It’s always nice to know what guests say who have stayed here, so we took a few comments so you can have another view:

• “We needed the quiet and seclusion that the cottage offers – I’ll be remembering the wind as it whispered through the birch – and the stars at night – what a sight to behold. The sunset on Saturday was perfect!”
• “We’ve been to Door County many times, but this cottage is by far the best place we’ve stayed.”
• “We had a wonderful time, enjoying the peacefulness, and the artistry with which the cottage was built. . . ”

In fact, The Cottage Retreat has been written up in Door County Magazine too, in the Spring 2004 edition.  You can read that article by clicking here!

Give Dale a call and make a reservation! We think you will like this unique set of beautiful cottages, hidden away in Door County! A genuine hidden gem! Find them!

Visit their website! www.cottageretreat.com and please tell Dale you found him on DoorCountyNavigator.com!

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