SPACIOUS and Stylish Lakefront Retreat, Views, Fireworks!, Fire pit

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Entire home·Private host

Choose dates to view prices

Dates

December 2024

January 2025

Overview
Amenities
Policies
Location
Host

Exceptional

Entire home

6 bedrooms3 bathroomsSleeps 14279 sq m

Popular amenities

Washer

Parking available

Outdoor space

Barbecue grill

Kitchen

Air conditioning

Explore the area

Fox Lake, IL

Jet Funn
18 min walk
Chain 'O Lakes State Park
10 min drive
Volo Auto Museum
12 min drive
Kenosha, WI (ENW-Kenosha Regional)
43 min drive

Room options

About this property

Entire place

You'll have the entire home to yourself and will only share it with other guests in your party.

EPIC June 29th fireworks show night still available! Best views on the entire chain o’ lakes! Welcome to the Howard House. A hidden gem situated centrally on the waterfront of beautiful Nippersink Lake, part of the Fox Chain, just an hour outside of Chicago. This spacious and stylish retreat is located on a hill with ultimate views of the lake and amazing sunsets. Located very close to downtown Fox Lake and the Metra train stop. With over 60 ft of lake frontage, a private dock, fire pit and swimming area, you'll never want to leave! Some of the best fishing in IL!

GUEST ACCESS/AMENITIES
2 block walk to both El Puerto and Fam's on the Chain restaurants
13 minutes to Volo Auto Museum (must visit) and Dinosaur Park
15 minutes to Wilmot mountain ski area and snow tubing!
15 ninutes to McHenry Drive-In Theater.Open kitchen / living / dining room
Fully equipped kitchen
Two refrigerators
High Speed WiFi
Game room with bumper pool/poker table
Washer / Dryer
Two fireplaces
Dual zoned heating and cooling
Wrap around deck with seating for everyone
Propane Grill
Dock with room for one boat or 2 jet skis
Swimming area
Fire pit right on the water with seating
Pack N Play
Mobile baby gate
Toys
3 TVs with Roku

Check out more about the Howard House on IG: @howardhousefoxchain

Note: No bachelor/bachelorette or parties permitted. We are in a residential neighborhood and want to respect our neighbors. Kindly, but strictly enforced. :).

During your stay at this vacation home, you'll be within walking distance of Jet Funn. Enjoy features like an arcade/game room. The vacation home offers free WiFi and a jetted tub.

Air-conditioned home with kitchen, washing machine, and 2.5 bathrooms
Free WiFi
Onsite recreation includes a playground
Just a 3-minute drive from Jet Funn and 8 minutes from Spring Grove Fen Nature Preserve

This vacation home offers its guests barbecue grills, an arcade/game room, and a garden. The front desk is open around the clock.

Property manager

Jennifer Dickson

Languages

English

Property amenities

Ski

Close to skiing

Internet

Free WiFi

Parking and transport

On-site parking options include a garage
On-site parking

Kitchen

Fridge
Stovetop
Microwave
Oven
Dishwasher
Toaster
Blender
Ice maker
Spices

Dining

Dining table

Bedrooms

6 bedrooms
Bed sheets provided
Sofa bed

Bathrooms

2.5 bathrooms
Shower
Jetted
Towels provided
Toilet paper
Hairdryer

Living spaces

Fireplace

Entertainment

Smart TV
Pool or billiards table
Games room

Outdoor areas

Patio
Barbecue
Garden
Outdoor furniture
Firepit

Laundry

Washing machine and dryer

Work spaces

Office
Desk
Desk chair

Comfort

Air conditioning
Heating

Pets

No pets allowed

Suitability/Accessibility

Smoke-free property

Location highlights

On the lake
On the waterfront
Near a hospital

Things to do

Water tubing nearby
Kayaking nearby
Wildlife and game walks nearby
Swimming nearby
Waterskiing nearby
Fishing nearby
Sledging nearby
Jet skiing nearby
Snowmobiling nearby

Safety features

Carbon monoxide detector installed (host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property)
Smoke detector installed (host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property)
Fire extinguisher
First aid kit
Deadbolt lock

General

Unit size: 3000 sq ft (279 sq m)

Policies

Check-in

Check-in time starts at 4:00 PM

Minimum check-in age: 27

Check-out

Check-out before 10:00 AM

Special check-in instructions

You will receive an email from the host with check-in and check-out instructions

Pets

No pets allowed

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome.

Important information

You need to know

This property is managed by a private host (a party not acting within their trade, business or profession). EU consumer law, including the right of withdrawal, will not apply to your booking. The cancellation policy set by the private host will cover your booking.

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy

Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges

Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed

Onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited

Host has indicated there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property

Host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property

Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit, and a deadbolt lock

This property is managed through our partner, Vrbo. You will receive an email from Vrbo with a link to a Vrbo account, where you can change or cancel your reservation

You will receive an email from the host with check-in and check-out instructions. You will also receive an email from Vrbo with a link to a Vrbo account which will enable you to manage your booking.

Property is also known as

House

Fox Chain Spacious Waterfront Retreat With Views!

SPACIOUS and stylish waterfront retreat with VIEWS Fox Lake

SPACIOUS and Stylish Lakefront Retreat, Views, Fireworks!, Fire pit Reviews

9.4

Exceptional

9.0/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Amenities

10/10

Property conditions & facilities

10/10

Eco-friendliness

10/10 Excellent

Matthew S.

21 Aug 2024

Liked: Cleanliness

Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Kara R.

18 Aug 2024

Liked: Cleanliness

Girl’s Weekend

Perfect house for a girl’s weekend. There were 11 of us and we all fit comfortably!

Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Teri S.

10 Aug 2024

Liked: Cleanliness

Very nice property with lots of room for a big family gathering.

Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

Caryn C.

26 Jul 2024

Liked: Cleanliness

Wonderful getaway

The house is set up perfectly for a group or multiple families. The hosts were easy to get in touch with and so accommodating. Quiet location right on the water. Highly recommend!

Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2024

6/10 Okay

Barb F.

2 Jul 2024

Disliked: Cleanliness

Needs TLC

This house was spacious. Unfortunately, the kitchen was not clean. Bed sheets were stained. Not sufficient silverware or towels. Highlights of our stay in Fox Lake were Jet Funn and the Volo Museum.

Stayed 5 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Megan O.

26 Feb 2024

Liked: Cleanliness

Incredible home, incredible stay!

We booked this home for a long weekend for our book club. Honestly, we are all counting down the days until we have an excuse to do it again! The house is beautiful, well cared for and the hosts were super responsive. The layout is great for multiple couples, offering nice sized bedrooms and multiple full bathrooms. The fire pit on the water was a fan favorite as well, a perfect setting for sunset views. We can’t say enough about our experience and will definitely be returning yearly!

Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2024

10/10 Excellent

Kenneth

Travelled with family

12 Feb 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities

This property offers panoramic views of a beautiful lake, and the fireplace was so cozy! We loved the wide open floor plan and the multiple areas for entertaining each other. We celebrated my mother’s 93rd birthday there. There were plenty to do for every age group. The host was also very responsive whenever we had questions.

Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2024

10/10 Excellent

Michael S.

8 Jan 2024

Liked: Cleanliness

Great property, host and location

We had a great time. Communication was great. Short walk to el puerto for a dinner. Will try to stay again.

Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Ralph K.

27 Nov 2023

Liked: Cleanliness

Great location and lots of room

We had a family reunion and found all we needed. We were able to cook meals at the house. The small kids loved playing in the leaves and we really enjoyed the view!!

Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2023

10/10 Excellent

Kye L.

22 Oct 2023

Liked: Cleanliness

A Fun, Relaxing Location

This was perfect for the weekend my friends and I needed! The sleeping options worked out great, the view makes you feel peaceful, and it was the ideal accommodations for a few friends wanting a weekend away! Everything was just as advertised, if not much more pleasant in person!

Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Dimitar A.

4 Sept 2023

Liked: Cleanliness

Great location for jetskiing

Excellent view nice location

Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Kevin B.

7 Aug 2023

Liked: Cleanliness

Summer Vacation

Great place. Very clean and spacious. Everyone had a great time.

Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

scott g.

24 Jul 2023

Liked: Cleanliness

Excellent weekend

Everything went well with this property . The hosts were very receptive and easy to reach and communicate with. All went well would come back here again

Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2023

8/10 Good

Nadine J.

4 Jun 2023

Liked: Cleanliness

Very spacious

Location was ideal for our gathering. Wish I had requested slightly later checkout as we had to rush through breakfast and cleanup to be out promptly at 10. Next stay Ill remember to request in advance. Otherwise it was a beautiful and spacious location. We loved the fire pit for our smores!!

Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

1 May 2023

Liked: Cleanliness

A good place to relax

A wonderful house for a vacation with friends. We had a great time there.

Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2023

8/10 Good

Tom M.

21 Oct 2022

Liked: Cleanliness

nice home with plenty of room

This house was great for a big group in from out of town for a wedding. We enjoyed our stay and would recommend to anybody looking for a nice house for a big group.

Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2022

10/10 Excellent

James M.

10 Jun 2022

Liked: Cleanliness

Lakeside retreat

Very nice place, lots of room, spacious living room, great deck for sunsets and relaxing. Kitchen was large and easy to cook in. Lots of bedrooms, all with comfy beds,

Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2022

10/10 Excellent

Elizabeth R.

31 Jan 2022

Liked: Cleanliness

Perfect Weekend Getaway

We stayed here with 10 friends for a winter getaway from Chicago to go snow tubing at Wilmont mountain - the house and everything about our experience was perfect! Only about 15 mins away from Wilmont mountain and very close to the Fox Lake metra station. The house was very clean and had plenty of space and towels for all of us. The fireplaces made a chilly January weekend feel comfortable and warm. We would definitely stay here again and would love to visit in the summer! The house is right on the lake and has lots of outdoor space. Thanks again Ross and Jen!

Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2022

4/10 Poor

Susan S.

2 Dec 2021

Disliked: Cleanliness

Family Stay for Navy Graduation

We were surprised to find that there were dirty dishes in the cabinets, very few pots and pans, and that some of the beds(bunk beds) did not have bedding. We could not find additional blankets or towels. We had 10guests and there was not enough supplies. When we tried to use the washer there was already dirty linens inside. The day before we left our Sailor wanted to use the jet tub, only to find that before he could get it filled it began leaking in the kitchen. The view and water are great, if this is all you want. The house was not overly clean and there was dirt on the walls. This is not the overall experience we expected to celebrate our son graduating boot camp.

Stayed 4 nights in Nov 2021

10/10 Excellent

Katie H., New London, OH

20 Oct 2021

Liked: Cleanliness

Great views and location

House was great! Loved the sunsets and views from the living room and master bedroom. Also thought the queen/twin bed room was adorable! Perfect fit for our kiddos!

Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2021

8/10 Good

Angela R.

7 Sept 2021

Beautiful home on the water

Overall a good experience

Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2021

10/10 Excellent

Ellen W.

19 Aug 2021

Liked: Cleanliness

Great Place for a large group

This place was just perfect for our large family. Plenty of space for everyone to spread out inside and out. The kitchen is large enough that you can cook big meals. The lake area is nice for swimming and the boat ramp isn't too far away.

Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2021

10/10 Excellent

Saralyn P.

8 Aug 2021

Liked: Cleanliness

Beautiful property with amazing views!

Everything about this property is beautiful! The moment we stepped in the first thing we noticed was how clean it was! Second was the beautiful view of the lake from the living room. It was the perfect size for all us girls to have room to ourselves. We rented a pontoon and it was so simple to load it up and explore the lake. We had a blast and enjoyed our relaxing weekend away! Thank you for such a great property and making the process so simple!

Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2021

8/10 Good

Trudi A.

8 Aug 2021

Overall Good, but could upgrade a couple of services

The cleaning service the day we arrived was not finished by 4:00PM check-in time and we all had to wait in cars for 35 minutes until she (one person) was finished cleaning. The outdoor deck space, chairs and tables had not been cleaned for a long time as we had to spend at least 30 minutes cleaning it ourselves. We did find leaf blower which help clean the deck of lots of debris and leaves. I also think that the refrigerator should be cleaned out of all condiments between guests. Left over food items were not welcomed and took up a lot of space we could have used. The master bedroom TV did not work and one of our guests had to use his own Firestick to get any reception on that TV. The floors were vacumned, but not washed as everyone's feet were filthy after the first 30 minutes of being their. Guests were all used to taking off their shoes indoors to help keep floors clean. A little more attention to detail would have been appreciated. The owners are lovely and I hope they will take these comments, not at criticism but items that would help enhance guests stay!