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Historic Retreat - steps from the Lake and Downtown

Vacation home near Lake Como in Lake Geneva

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Photo gallery for Historic Retreat - steps from the Lake and Downtown

Microwave, dishwasher, coffee/tea maker, cookware/dishes/utensils
Smart TV
Dining
Interior
Property grounds

Reviews

10 out of 10
Exceptional

Entire home

6 bedrooms4 bathroomsSleeps 16

Popular amenities

  • Kitchen
  • Washer
  • Dryer
  • Pet friendly
  • Air conditioning
  • Parking available

Explore the area

View in a map
Lake Geneva, WI
  • Place, Geneva Lake
    ‪3 min walk‬
  • Place, Riviera Beach
    ‪6 min walk‬
  • Place, Riviera Ballroom
    ‪10 min walk‬
  • Airport, Kenosha, WI (ENW-Kenosha Regional)
    ‪40 min drive‬

Room options

About the area

Lake Geneva

In Lake Geneva .Your stay at this Lake Geneva vacation home places you within a 10-minute walk of Geneva Lake and Riviera Beach. Lake Geneva Public Library and Lake Geneva Cruise Line are also within half a mile (1 km).
View more Vacation homes in Lake GenevaOpens in a new window

What's nearby

  • Geneva Lake - 3 min walk - 0.3 km
  • Riviera Beach - 6 min walk - 0.6 km
  • Riviera Ballroom - 10 min walk - 0.9 km
  • Geneva Lake Museum - 11 min walk - 1.0 km
  • Lake Como - 4 min drive - 3.9 km

Getting around

  • Harvard Station - 31 min drive
  • Kenosha, WI (ENW-Kenosha Regional) - 39 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪McDonald's - ‬15 min walk
  • ‪Culver's - ‬17 min walk
  • ‪Lake City Social - ‬14 min walk
  • ‪The Porch - ‬6 min walk
  • ‪Tienda El Rancho - ‬15 min walk

About this property

Entire place

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

Historic Retreat - steps from the Lake and Downtown

Book this 1896 charmer **with guest house** for your extended family getaway, golf outing, girls trip, wedding weekend or peaceful and fun retreat of any kind! There are a few summer weekends still available, but consider visiting Lake Geneva midweek as well when there are fewer people in town.

This home is fully updated, brimming with character, spacious and in the middle of everything that Lake Geneva has to offer. It has five bedrooms, three full baths and a hide-a-bed couch in the main house in addition to a guest house with living room, 4th full bath and 6th bedroom. The guest house offers some options for larger groups with some people that need or want a little more separation. Maybe grandma and grandpa want to come along, but would like their own space. Or a young parent with a baby that might be up at night. Or an introvert’s dream-come-true. Part of things, but on your own when you want to be.

The basement is a cozy place to hang out and play a game or watch a movie. The stone walls and visible support beams provide a reminder of the history and legacy of the home.

Your whole group can hang out together in the large kitchen, stocked with dishes and cooking supplies and a keurig. Appliances include double ovens, microwave, warming drawer, gas stove with pot filler, and beverage refrigerator. Cook a big meal or go out. You’ve got options.

Laundry detergent and shampoo/conditioner are available. Wi-Fi and Nest thermostats are provided in both units.

The lake is visible from the den and a couple of bedrooms as well as the long front porch where you can enjoy your morning coffee or a book while sitting on a rocking chair or the porch swing.

I grew up in the area and I'm excited to help you plan your stay and enjoy a wonderful time away with your people. The lake path and the park and library are right across the street. Walk to Inspire Coffee or Starbucks, restaurants, shops of all kinds, the beach or the Riviera boat dock to catch a delightful boat tour. So many fun things to do! Skip the parking and walk. It’s all right there.

I’m excited for the opportunity to serve you and your group!

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Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in the house: WiFi

Parking and transportation

  • Parking on site

Kitchen

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Cookware, dishware, and utensils
  • Dishwasher
  • Microwave

Bedrooms

  • 6 bedrooms
  • Bedsheets provided
  • Sofa bed

Bathroom

  • 4 bathrooms
  • Bathtub or shower
  • Hair dryer
  • Shampoo
  • Shower
  • Towels provided

Living spaces

  • Living room

Entertainment

  • Smart TV with cable/satellite channels

Outdoor areas

  • Barbecue grill
  • Dock
  • Porch/lanai

Laundry

  • Laundry detergent
  • Laundry facilities
  • Washing machine

Comfort

  • Air conditioning

Pets

  • Pet friendly
  • Welcoming dogs only
  • One pet total

Suitability/Accessibility

  • Smoking not allowed

Services and conveniences

  • Iron/ironing board

Safety features

  • Carbon monoxide detector not reported (host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector)
  • Smoke detector not reported (host has not indicated whether there is a smoke detector on the property)

Policies

Check-in

Check-in time starts at 4:00 PM
Minimum check-in age: 21

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
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools

Pets

  • Pets are welcome
  • Only dogs are allowed
  • Maximum 1 pets
  • Service animals are exempt from fees

Children and extra beds

  • Children are welcome.

Events

No events allowed

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Important information

You need to know

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 not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip
Host has not indicated whether there is a smoke detector on the property
This property has outdoor spaces, such as balconies, patios, terraces which may not be suitable for children; if you have concerns, we recommend contacting the property prior to your arrival to confirm they can accommodate you in a suitable room
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
Charges for extra guests may apply and vary according to property policy.
A cash deposit, credit card, or debit card for incidental charges and government-issued photo identification may be required upon check-in.
Special requests are subject to availability at the time of check-in. Special requests can't be guaranteed and may incur additional charges.
    This property is managed by a private host, not a professional engaged in trade or business. This property has outdoor spaces, such as balconies, patios, terraces which may not be suitable for children. If you have concerns, we recommend contacting the property prior to your arrival to confirm they can accommodate you in a suitable room. Onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited.

Frequently asked questions

How close is Historic Retreat - steps from the Lake and Downtown to the airport?

This vacation home is 28.7 mi (39-min drive) away from the Kenosha, WI (ENW-Kenosha Regional) airport, the closest popular airport to the property.

Does Historic Retreat - steps from the Lake and Downtown have an airport shuttle?

Airport shuttle services are not available at this vacation home.

How close is Historic Retreat - steps from the Lake and Downtown to the beach?

This vacation home is a short 5-minute walk from Riviera Beach and 5.1 mi (8-min drive) from Williams Bay Beach. Don't forget your sunscreen!

Does Historic Retreat - steps from the Lake and Downtown offer free breakfast?

This vacation home does not offer free breakfast.

Is there a casino at Historic Retreat - steps from the Lake and Downtown?

No, there is no casino at this vacation home.

What time is check-in at Historic Retreat - steps from the Lake and Downtown?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

Is there free parking at Historic Retreat - steps from the Lake and Downtown?

Free parking is not available at this vacation home.

Does Historic Retreat - steps from the Lake and Downtown have a pool?

This vacation home does not have a pool.

Does Historic Retreat - steps from the Lake and Downtown have a spa?

There are no spa services available at this vacation home.

How close is Historic Retreat - steps from the Lake and Downtown to downtown Lake Geneva?

This vacation home is 0.4 mi away from Lake Geneva.

Historic Retreat - steps from the Lake and Downtown Reviews

Reviews

10

Exceptional

Rating 10 - Excellent. 37 out of 39 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 2 out of 39 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 39 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 39 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 39 reviews

9.8/10

Cleanliness

Reviews

Verified

10/10 Excellent

Christina V.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Amazing host and location. The house is really special with a beautiful kitchen perfect for families
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Lindsay B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
The host was very welcoming and accessible if we needed anything. The house was perfect! Walking distance was great! We really had a great weekend!
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Betty H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great family vacation

Loved the house! Location, convenience, well maintained, jusr perfect!
Stayed 9 nights in Jun 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Mike B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Really nice house for a family vacation (6 adults and 3 young children), and within walking distance to downtown and the lake. Highly recommended.
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Lewis B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Just a GREAT neighborhood, so close to everything in town yet quiet and safe. House was amazing, super clean and well equipped - with the guest cottage a nice bonus.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Susan D.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
We had a great time! Beautiful home with lots of space and a nice easy walk to downtown shops, restaurants, and the lake. Rachel was an excellent host - very responsive!
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Sue O.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Fabulous location in Lake Geneva

We had a wonderful stay! So much to do and enjoy in a beautiful historic family home!
Stayed 3 nights in May 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

House was lovely.

The house was quite lovely and the accommodations were perfect for a family. Location was convenient to shopping and dining establishments.
Stayed 4 nights in May 2023
Verified

8/10 Good

Amy D.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Girls weekend

Enjoyed the location for a large group of friends. Well appointed but needed to pick up a couple things
Stayed 4 nights in May 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Gail T.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
The house is amazing! Old home with lots of antique character and yet totally modern classy baths and kitchen! More drawers and cabinets in the kitchen than we could count. We hung out on the front porch and the TV room, ate great meals in the spacious dining room, and mostly just sipped and noshed in the giant kitchen! House is 2 blocks from beautiful Geneva Lake and 2 blocks from shops, bars, cafes and more. Located in a historic neighborhood so we had scenic walks past elegant homes every day. A great stay! Highly recommend Rachel's rental and Lake Geneva for a long weekend.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Eric E.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Our family stayed at this property in July 2025. We had a great stay. The location of the house was perfect as we were able to walk to the lake as well as the various restaurants. Everything was within a 10 minute walk which was fantastic. It was also nice that the house owner provided us with beach passes.We also appreciated the board games that are available at the house for guests to use. The plate of cookies awaiting our arrival was a nice surprise as well and the cookies tasted delicious!I highly recommend staying at this property.
Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Cindy G.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

So comfy and roomy for everyone!

We really enjoyed our stay with our adult children, spouses, girlfriends and grandchildren. Walkable to parks, shops and the lake. Comfortable spaces in the home to talk and play. Comfy beds and beautiful bathrooms and kitchen! We loved it!
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Kevin W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Family Reunion

The property was amazing and located in the perfect spot to really enjoy Lake Geneva Wisconsin!!
Stayed 3 nights in May 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Jessica H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Such a beautiful home!

We had a very nice weekend staying at the Maxwell House! The renovations in the home are beautiful, there is a lot of space, and the location is perfect! We were blessed with good weather, so we walked all over town. We hope to come back again.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

kimberly m.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Amazing in town rental for whole family

We utilized this home for our daughter’s wedding weekend. It was perfect for our family to stay together and have a central location for the girls to get ready! The “coach house” in back was a fabulous bonus for the bride and groom to have their own space.
Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Beth T.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Historical House in Lake Geneva, WI.

We LOVED the property and the location. Easy walking distance to everything. Great house for friends and family to gather and bond. Beautiful kitchen! Comfy beds, great remodeled baths! Would definitely recommend!
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Shivani C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Maxwell Stay

We went with a couple families with 8 kids ages 11 and under. We had an amazing stay! The owner was extremely friendly and helpful. The location was perfect-short walk to the beach. The house was roomy, clean and lots of fun for everyone. We would definitely stay here again.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2022
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Stephanie B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Fantastic house for a Lake Geneva getaway

We had a wonderful time at Rachel's Lake Geneva house. Beautiful and very comfortable house with lots of space to spread out, and so close to the lake and downtown! Rachel was such a thoughtful and responsive host, and we'd love to return the next time we're in the area. Highly recommend!
Stayed 4 nights in Dec 2022
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Megan W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

A wonderful winter getaway

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at this property. The host was very accessible, the location was nice and central, and the house had lots of room for all of us (10 in total) to spread out. Pro tip: bring extra layers if temps dip below zero. It's an old house and got a bit drafty.
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Brian W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great Family Thanksgiving!

13 of us stayed very comfortably at this house for thanksgiving. Rachel was easy to communicate with pre, during, and post. Everything was perfect! I would highly recommend this location.
Stayed 4 nights in Nov 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Doreyne D.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Didn't Want to Leave!

Great house in a wonderful, safe neighborhood. We used the house for a family reunion. The layout was super conducive to conversation and fun times. We love Lake Geneva and we loved this house. Thank you, Rachel!
Stayed 6 nights in Jul 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Back a 2nd time!

Just love this house, this was our second time staying there and we booked it again for next year already. The host is amazing, makes homemade cookies, brought us extra beach towels and did everything within her power to make our stay comfortable. Home is charming, comfortable and properly equipped for large groups. We had two families of 5 each in the main house, grandparents loved having the cottage/apartment detached behind the house. They could visit and then retire to their peace and quiet when they were ready. Cannot say enough great things about this home and host. Is give it 6 stars if I could.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Karyn S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect family place

We loved that we had our own bedroom suite on main floor while the kids and grandkids were upstairs. The grandkids especially loved the main floor TV room where they gathered and played Mario together. Moms and dads too! We all enjoyed the short walk to town and the beauty of the Lake Geneva area. Everyone especially loved Rachel's cookies that welcomed us!
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

5 stars all around

Property was very clean, and comfortable - very accurately represented on the listing. Host was super friendly, went above and beyond with communication, very flexible and accommodating with requests and quickly responded to all communication. Plenty of space and well appointed kitchen. A few blocks from a school playground, beach and shops. Highly recommend and hope to stay there again in the future!
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Sarah B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Most Wonderful Experience!!

Had the most wonderful stay at this beautiful home with our family. The location is perfection- walking distance to town, park, library and beach. Communication with owner was prompt and extremely helpful. Every small hospitable detail did not go unnoticed. Welcomed us with freshly baked cookies waiting on counter. The home and accommodations were perfect for our large family. Truly appreciated the toys and room for play! We cannot wait to come back!!
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2024