Germfask Hostel is available for long term rentals.

See all properties

Choose dates to view prices

Dates

January 2025

February 2025

6 bedrooms, iron/ironing board, free WiFi, bed sheets

Overview
Rooms
Location
Policies

Excellent

Popular amenities

Breakfast available

Parking available

Kitchen

Free WiFi

Explore the area

Germfask, MI

Seney National Wildlife Refuge
8 min walk
Manistique River Roadside Park
1 min drive
Jolly Inn
1 min walk
Eagles Nest
1 min walk

Room options

About this property

You'll be staying in the longest-standing and largest building in Germfask!

Although we are a hostel, you are able to rent the entire building or one of the two levels for your group.

We are currently renovating the property and we plan to re-launch with a limited, soft opening in 2026.

Our business model will cater to a neglected user group that is challenged with lodging options that suit their activity and lifestyle. We will not only offer creative lodging options, but we will provide services to this user group as well.

We will be the first hostel in the Upper Peninsula!

We are centrally located less than an hour's drive to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore! Centrally located in the Eastern Upper Peninsula.

Germfask is less than an hour from Pictured Rocks, minutes from Seney National Wildlife Refuge, and overlooks the Manistique River! Three bedrooms, two baths, spacious apartment with large kitchen, living and dining. Grill out on the deck, fish for trout, or paddle the Manistique, this is the perfect location for those exploring the eastern half of the Upper Peninsula! You are 90 minutes or less to the Soo Locks, Tahquamenon Falls, Kitchi iti kippi, Escanaba, Marquette, and Mackinaw City!

Owner & live in Manager is Tom Funke, Author of 50 Hikes in Michigan's Upper Peninsula and 50 Hikes on the North Country Trail. Feel free to tap into our knowledge of the area when planning your trip.

The Hostel has 6 bedrooms, four bathrooms, dorm accommodations, and several outdoor outfitter tents on platforms for an exquisite camping experience!

The Jolly Inn (Restaurant and Bar) is across the street and Kersh's Market (groceries and package liquor) is a few blocks North within walking distance.

Germfask is the starting point for Snowmobile Trail #43 linking you to Grand Marais, Tahquamenon, and more. It starts 100 yards from our front door at the blinker light.

We are equally distant from the western & eastern ends of the North Country Trail in Pictured Rocks.

Our customers tell us they enjoy the overall property condition at this hostel. During your stay, you're just a quick walk from Seney National Wildlife Refuge. Features include breakfast (surcharge) and concierge services.

Free WiFi
Breakfast is offered for a fee
Services include a concierge and limo or town car service
8 minutes by foot from Seney National Wildlife Refuge and a 1-minute drive from Manistique River Roadside Park

As a guest of this hostel, you'll find barbecue grills, a garden, and concierge services. The front desk is open around the clock.

This Germfask hostel is smoke free.

Property manager

Tom Funke

Languages

English

Property amenities

Internet

Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
Available in some public areas: Internet access

Parking and public transport

Wheelchair-accessible parking and van parking available
On-site parking options include a garage
Limo/town car service

Food and drink

Breakfast available for a fee

Things to do

Bike parking
Bike storage
Kayaking

Guest services

Concierge services

Outdoors

BBQ grill(s)
Firepit
Garden
Outdoor furniture

Accessibility

If you have any requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
This property does not have any lifts
Handrails in stairwells
In-room accessibility
Smooth flooring in public areas
1 steps to reach property
Tile flooring in public areas
Upper floors accessible by stairs only
Well-lit path to entrance
Wheelchair-accessible parking
2 on-site accessible parking spaces
Wheelchair-accessible van parking

At least 80% of lighting from LEDs
Books
Comprehensive food waste policy
Comprehensive recycling policy
Double-glazed windows
Games
Local artist showcase
Local culture and ecosystem education
Locally owned and organised tours and activities
No plastic coffee stirrers
No plastic drinking straws
No plastic soft drinks bottles
No plastic water bottles
Reusable cups only
Reusable tableware only
Smoke-free property
Video library
Note from host: It is a violation of Michigan State law to smoke.

Room amenities

Bedroom

Bed sheets
Heating
Sofa bed

Bathroom

3 bathrooms
Bath or shower
Shampoo
Soap
Toilet paper
Towels

Entertainment

TV/satellite channels
DVD player
TV

Food and drink

Blender
Coffee/tea maker
Cookware/dishes/utensils
Dining room
Dining table
Electric kettle
Kitchen
Kitchen island
Microwave
Oven
Paper towels
Fridge
Spices
Stovetop
Toaster

Composting
Dryer
Eco-friendly cleaning products provided
Energy-saving switches
Iron/ironing board
Recycling

Policies

Check-in

Check-in time starts at 4:00 PM

Minimum check-in age: 25

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.

Note from host: We have extra twin beds/cots

Important information

You need to know

This property is managed by a professional host. The provision of housing is linked to their trade, business, or profession.

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

Note from host: We allow small conferences & outdoor events.

This property uses solar energy, plus eco-friendly cleaning products

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

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

Gateway Pictured Rocks Lodge Centrally Located Eastern UP

Gateway Pictured Rocks Germfask. Centrally Located Eastern UP

Gateway Pictured Rocks Centrally Located Eastern UP

Gateway Pictured Rocks Lodge Centrally Located Eastern UP

Gateway Pictured Rocks Germfask. Centrally Located Eastern UP

Gateway Pictured Rocks Lodge Centrally Located Eastern UP

Gateway Pictured Rocks Germfask. Centrally Located Eastern UP

Gateway Pictured Rocks Centrally Located Eastern UP

Germfask Hostel is available for long term rentals. Reviews

8.8

Excellent

8.6/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Staff & service

9.0/10

Amenities

9.0/10

Property conditions & facilities

10/10 Excellent

Holly P.

10 Oct 2023

Liked: Cleanliness

Exactly what we needed

This is our second time staying at this property. We love the size of the home and 2 bathrooms! I have teenagers so it’s enough space for Us all to relax after a busy day of hiking and seeing the sites. The host is always easy to communicate with. The Jolly Inn is always a treat for dinner. One great thing about this home is it’s location. It’s in the middle of everything to see this side of the UP. Since we do a lot of hiking, we get dirty and the washer and dryer is a huge help after a fun filled day. We are a family of woman and all feel very safe in this home. We will always stay here when we travel up north! Thanks for a wonderful, safe home for Us to stay and enjoy nature.

Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2023

4/10 Poor

Ellen C., Whiteland IN, USA

29 Aug 2023

Disliked: Cleanliness

Not what we expected at all

I'm unsure where to start but want to give an honest review so others know what to expect. We weren't expecting perfection but we were pretty shocked to find how dirty/run down it was. Starting with the good: Great location. Jolly Inn had great food! Seney Natl. Wildlife Preserve is just down the road and is awesome. Living room furniture and beds pretty comfortable; showers pretty good. Now for the need-to-know: This place was filthy dirty. Had to buy some cleaner and do it ourselves to stay. Fridge/freezer had old, part-used foods & leftovers- some moldy. Towels in linen closet were damp and stunk! Had to wash and dry them again. Stiff, wadded up used cloths found on dryer and in the linen closet. Broken stuff everywhere- windows, cabinets, doors, blinds, lampshades etc. Floors so dirty around edges & corners- sooo many dead bugs and cobwebs and dirt. Front bedroom infested with spiders!!! I killed at least 15 spiders in there! Dead, dried up smashed bugs were all over the walls in that room also. The "breezeway" into the house was dirty like an old garage- step into house very unsafe/unsteady and tipped if you didn't step on it right. I tried contacting the host twice but got no reply. I know he got the message because he had answered a previous message before we got there. I did contact VRBO and did not request my money back for the stay as we chose to stay, but I did request the "housekeeping fee" back as we had to clean our place to stay there!

Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2023

8/10 Good

brigid a.

16 Aug 2023

Liked: Cleanliness

Fit our needs

First impression was a little dreary, but the place grew on us. Mostly used as a good spot for all-day trips to pictured rocks, Tahquamenon Falls and then rafting on menominee river on the way home. Easy to find since on a main road, but that made it kind of noisy (for the UP). Beds, kitchen, 2 bathrooms were all functional for a 3 night stay. Enjoyed fire pit, watched shooting stars at night. Internet did not work for us, calls/texts very spotty and DVD collection was limited/damaged. A place to go and make your own fun. Which is what we were looking for. Overall good value for the $.

Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2023

6/10 Okay

Denise C.

9 Jul 2023

Review

Needs to be cleaner and updated.

Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2023

2/10 Terrible

Jason P., Quincy

2 Jul 2023

Disliked: Cleanliness

Renter beware

No pictures posted, keeping it classy. Not often is there time to write reviews. Always challenging to not be too wordy or not wordy enough. Not too witty but not too boring. However, the responses from this homeowner practically wrote the review so poignantly it made the review process effortless. We made a request for all or a partial refund in response to the countless dead bugs, live spiders and dirty floors encountered in this home; we left 2 hrs after arrival, painstakingly rearranging our entire vacation to accommodate. “That's why it's so cheap because folks know that sometimes it's not going to be perfect.“ “I have a very strict refund policy because my home is sometimes not what people expect from a VRBO even though I try to be very transparent in my home description.”

Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2023

8/10 Good

James S.

20 May 2023

Liked: Cleanliness

Spring Fishing

Great place to stay and good location for Fox River fishing .

Stayed 4 nights in May 2023

10/10 Excellent

Clare J.

8 Mar 2023

Liked: Cleanliness

snowmobile trip

Like any snowmobile trip the weather plays a big part. When there is good snow cover,can ride from place, trail about 1/2mi.,otherwise trailer to Seney 7mi, as alot of shoulder (pavement) riding to get Seney parking lot and pick up trails,this has nothing to do with the property. The place has all kind of room for a group. Full kitchen, washer/dryer if needed.Lot of history of the area in the house. Easy access to local bar,food right across the street. Grocery store 3blks away great selection.We try a new area in UP each, year lots of trails. Very center located.

Stayed 7 nights in Feb 2023