Highland Park, Illinois
Escape the city and relax in our newly renovated historic cottage and gardens. Peaceful yet centrally located, vintage yet modern, Mere Cottage has so much to offer.
Inside:
You'll enjoy updated amenities in harmony with a distinctive vintage charm. The common area has an open layout, perfect for socializing. The kitchen and pantry (my favorite room!) are new from top to bottom and are fully stocked with any cooking gadgets you may need. Two bedrooms are joined by a Jack & Jill bathroom. The living room has a sofa that pulls out into full size bed.
Outside:
Jordan and I had fun redesigning the grounds from front to back. Enjoy the front garden from the rocking chair on our wrap around porch. Out back we've added a vegetable and perennial garden for you to take in. Dinner out on the back deck overlooking the garden is highly recommended!
Location:
Our cottage is located in Highland Park, about 25 miles north of Chicago on Lake Michigan. We like to think we have the best of both worlds- being in a quiet residential neighborhood with walking access to numerous amenities right around the corner. We're a quick 5 minute walk to Highwood (the north shore’s restaurant district) and an 8 minute walk to the Metra train that can take you from Chicago to Kenosha and any place in between. We're also right on the North Shore bike path (bring your bikes!). Fort Sheridan is also close by and worth exploring for its interesting history, architecture, and nature trails.
Getting around
On foot:
Many errands can be done on foot. We have some of the best restaurants and watering holes north of Chicago within walking distance. There is also a Walgreens convenience store 2 blocks away.
By car:
Getting around by car is also easy. Parking is readily available almost anywhere you'll visit. You can get to downtown Chicago in 30 minutes in ideal traffic.
Train:
The Metra (our train system) can also conveniently get you to and from various attractions including downtown Chicago (a scenic 45 minute ride), Ravinia music venue, the Chicago Botanic Gardens, Great Lakes Naval Base and many more.
Bike:
Pack your bikes! We're located on the north shore bike trail. Head north on the trail to check out the beautiful Fort Sheridan, Lake Forest, and quaint Lake Bluff. Head south to Ravinia, Chicago Botanic Garden, and numerous other beautiful villages along Lake Michigan. I bike often and will gladly point you to some great hidden gems!
If you're flying into O'hare, we recommend taking an Uber to our cottage. We're about a 30 minute drive from the airport.
Six Flags Great America is also a 25 minute drive away.
Terrific home in a great location.
We had a very pleasant stay at the cottage. Everything was in top shape, and Daniel was in constant communication. We'll be back!
Excellent location with charming, stylish and recently remodeled cottage. Very welcoming and a treat to stay there. Excellent communication with owners and we even had our favorite dark roast waiting for us. Although we didn’t have Thanksgiving dinner here, we had a few lunches and dinners and kitchen is well stocked. Had the weather been warmer we would’ve enjoyed the backyard for sure, thank you so much!
We stayed here for our wedding weekend and could *not* have been more pleased. Daniel and Jordan made our stay extra cozy and welcoming, with flowers, a card, and more. Check in was a breeze and they were around for every day question we had; they are the definition of hospitality. This little cottage is the kind of place you’d see in a magazine. Every bit of it is thoughtfully designed and considered. Stay here — you won’t regret it!!
This place is legit. We had great communication with the host (Daniel) before arrival. He was quick to respond to questions and very helpful. On arrival, it was apparent that they take great pride in their home. The gardens are absolutely beautiful. The front porch was darling and the keyless entry made it super easy to get in. The place is decorated so nicely. The set up is perfect. We used it as a home base for visiting friends and it made it a great place to relax before and after heading out. Comfy beds, nice sheets and towels, and although we brought our pwn pillows, theirs seemed to be good. The back deck is perfect for having some morning coffee or evening drinks. The garden back there was a mix of vegetables and flowers. My friends took note and said they wanted to do similar things to their place. The kitchen was clean and had everything you could want. Even the quality of the glassware was impressive. The hosts live across the street and are very friendly and helpful. We enjoyed speaking with them and they gave some good suggestions. You can't beat the location. Walkable to many restaurants, bars and shops. The town is just really cute and very easy to get around. I can't say enough good things about our stay. Next time we are visiting our friends, we are most certainly going to stay here again.
Was a pleasure staying at this cottage. Home is adorable, and the back yard is a true statement piece! Hosts were very helpful and accommodating! You will not be disappointed!
Our family of four stayed in Highwood while visiting family in the area. This home is lovely. Beautifully updated with incredibly thoughtful touches both modern and vintage in every room - from cozy blankets, designer wallpaper, kitchen equipped with everything you could need for cooking. We visited in the summer and spent much of our time in the stunning garden admiring the flowers, vegetables and fireflies. In fact, we hosted dinner out on the back deck every night we were here. There is a sweet very easily walkable downtown just a couple blocks away. And a park and lake beaches the other direction. But honestly one of the best parts of the stay was Daniel and Jordan, who live across the street and were super responsive to questions and with secret suggestions for making the most of the area and the visit. Cannot recommend highly enough.
Took a trip with 4 and 6 year old. The house was perfect! We felt safe, had space, and all enjoyed the garden!
The home was clean and comfortable. It had everything we needed to enjoy our stay plus a few extras. It’s in walking distance to some friends and to shops and restaurants, so I am sure we will be back.
This cottage is the perfect place to awake & retreat while visiting friends and places in Chicago. We were graciously welcomed by Daniel and our stay was fabulous. The cottage has been stocked with everything you could want or need. The neighborhood is quiet yet close to restaurants and shops in Highwood. We would highly recommend a stay here and look forward to returning! Definitely a 5 star property..
What a lovely stay at Mere Cottage in Highwood! Old world charm updated with all the modern amenities. Walking distance to coffee, great restaurants, Lake Michigan and the metro to enjoy the city. Host was super responsive and provided suggestions for enjoying the area. Will definitely be back!!
We had a wonderful stay at this beautiful cottage! The owners are incredibly thoughtful and communicative and have thought of everything! The cottage is impeccably decorated and maintained and is very charming. Check in and out was seamless. The location is great and easily walkable to a park and playground and many wonderful restaurants. I highly recommend a stay at this lovely cottage!
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Total
Includes taxes and fees