Enjoy a Romantic Couples only Getaway to Serenity Springs

Serenity Springs is located in northwest Indiana near Michigan City and a short drive from Chicago. For this North Eastern Ohio gal, that meant about a 4 ½ hour drive for me and my husband. It was an easy drive for a romantic couple’s only getaway and we had the perfect milestone to celebrate- our 25^th wedding anniversary.

Checking in to Serenity Springs

Arriving at Serenity Springs, we were immediately greeted by the staff. While I went inside, Jeff, the carriage driver was loading our bags onto the carriage which would deliver us to the steps of our cabin.

Upon arriving, guests of Serenity Springs park in the main lot. No vehicles are permitted by the cabins unless they belong to the staff. This drove my husband nuts while I found the horse drawn carriage ride added to the romantic charm.

We met a staff member at our cabin for a quick walk through. She instructed us on how to operate the lights, surround sound speakers and TV, in-room hot tub, gas grill and gas fire pit located on our deck and most importantly, showed us where to find feed for the ducks and geese.

The BEST Invention Ever

I was thinking that Serenity Springs had thought of EVERYTHING when she shared the Butler Box, which is probably THE BEST invention and THE feature that would incline me to visit again and again and again. Seriously, I loved the contraption that much.

Allow me to explain. The Butler Box is a wooden box with a locked door on both the exterior of the cabin and the interior with a light switch on either side and a light, similar to a call light in the cabin. If I want extra pop (or sodas, if you prefer), a bottle or wine, or even a movie or two from the office, I simply write my request on a piece of paper that is provided, slip in into the Butler Box and flip the switch designated as my switch.A staff member notices the request, accesses the box from the outside and retrieves the item that I have asked for. When they insert it into the box, they turn off my light and flip their switch which triggers the call light inside the cabin alerting me that I have a “delivery”.

I know, you may be thinking that’s not really a big deal, but let me tell you how I used our box during our visit. I received ingredients for S’mores, requested movies, scheduled a horse drawn carriage ride and ordered a candlelight dinner. And you know what happens to your dirty dishes while at Serenity Springs? You place the dirty dishes in the Butler Box and they are replaced with new clean dishes. C’mon, can I just move in already?

I could sing praises of the Butler Box all day, but then I wouldn’t be able to share the other great features of the property.

A Peek Inside our Cabin

There are several cabin styles and floor plans available at Serenity Springs and each cabin come with a different view. Some have lake views, pond views or canal views. There’s even one that is tucked away into the woods that would be perfect for winter and is appropriately called the Ski Lodge.

Each of the properties is decorated in a different theme. Our lakeside cabin was called the Parrot Paradise and decorated in a tropical theme with parrots throughout.

Serenity Springs touts the cabins as rustic. While I wouldn’t classify them as rustic, I wouldn’t say they are luxurious either but somewhere in the middle.

They are very nice and comfortable with an open floor plan, comfy leather furniture to relax in and an in-room sunken hot tub with views of the lake. The King Size bed in our cabin was also situated to allow views of the TV as well as the lake through the large patio doors.

The King Size bed in our cabin was also situated to allow views of the TV as well as the lake through the large patio doors.

The only thing I really didn’t like about the room and what was almost a deal breaker for me was the bathroom which does not have a door. There is a curtain you pull closed when you need privacy. My husband and I may have been together for the past 25 years, but there are still some things that we like to keep private.

We navigated around this by stepping outside on the deck when one of us had to “go” although, during the winter or cooler weather, I suppose one could simply turn up the surround sound if needed.

The cabins do not have kitchens, but who wants to cook on a romantic escape anyway? Not I. Each cabin is equipped with a microwave and hotel-size refrigerator that is pre-stocked with your favorite soda and juice for lunch.

Guests are welcome to pack in food and alcoholic beverages, which I suggest. You will receive a breakfast basket in the evening so your muffins and fruit are ready for you to enjoy upon waking. So whether you’re an early riser or prefer to sleep in, it will be waiting for you.

You’re on your own for lunch or dinner and if you plan to stay onsite as we did that means making your own food or ordering from one of the restaurants that Serenity Springs has partnered with.

A gas grill is located on your patio with grilling utensils for those who prefer to grill out. My husband and I stopped at the store on the way and picked up steaks to grill which we ate with potatoes that we “baked” in the microwave, and served with a salad.Serenity Springs had us set for dessert and dropped off a couple slices of cheesecake in our Butler Box that complemented our meal perfectly.

Serenity Springs had us set for dessert and dropped off a couple slices of cheesecake in our Butler Box that complemented our meal perfectly.

If you’re in the mood for a romantic dinner, and why wouldn’t you be after all, that’s why you’re at Serenity Springs for, right?! Order from one of the restaurants for dinner and the Serenity Springs staff will deliver it to your door and set up your table for a candlelit dinner.

If you feel this is too intrusive, allow me to put that fear to rest. Serenity Springs has this down to a science, they will enter the cabin at the appointed time for dinner and set the table in three minutes flat. Maybe two. I’m not sure but it wasn’t long at all.

What’s there to do at Serenity Springs?

Well, Serenity Springs does market themselves as a romantic retreat and I must admit that my husband and I didn’t see too many guests outdoors. Which means they must have been indoors watching movies. Hmmm…yeah…we’ll go with that.

Speaking of movies- the office has tons of movies for you to choose from. You can pick some up as you arrive and grab a board game or two, or you can request movies be delivered via your Butler Box.

There are also two clubhouses on the grounds that you can visit if you want to spend time with other guests, swap the board games, and play corn hole or billiards.

There’s even a fire ring and provided wood if you opt to light a fire and not the gas fire pit on your deck. My husband and I took a peek at the clubhouse but didn’t linger. We opted instead to pick out two complimentary bikes to use during our visit.

There is a trail that circles the grounds that you can ride on. In addition to bike rides, guests are able to schedule a complimentary horse drawn carriage ride as well. My husband wasn’t interested at all but eventually, I was able to persuade him. Our carriage driver, Jeff, was very personable and shared information about the history of the property.

Because the carriage is used during check-in and out, the carriage rides take place around that process so ours was at 12:30. Not ideal for a romantic ride, but still fun. Plus we found out that if you visit Serenity Springs during the winter months, they offer sleigh rides. I asked my husband right then if we can return for a winter visit.

After our bike and carriage ride, we opted to check out the short walking trail near our cabin before grabbing fishing poles and bait from the Bait Shop. Again, this activity is complimentary and we did see several couples fishing during their stay from one of four bodies of water on the property.

While my husband attempted to fish, I chose to feed the ducks, geese, and swans with the food that was provided in our cabin for them.

It was incredibly relaxing to sit on our deck and watch the birds and waterfowl on the lake. On occasion, we’d see a fish jump out of the water.

In the evening, the back deck of our cabin, the Parrot Paradise, provided a great vantage point for watching the sunset. We’d light our gas fire pit and roast S’mores while we enjoyed the outdoors.

Finally, let’s not forget the in-room hot tub. Serenity Springs provided scented bath salts for the hot tub which featured colored lights and a waterfall spout- the perfect way to unwind.

Guests also have the option of adding additional services like a massage for one or two for a fee.

Would I Stay at Serenity Springs Again?

While I felt the lack of a door on the bathroom was a drawback, my husband disliked not having our vehicle right at the cabin and the proximity to 94- which was visible from some of the cabins. Those issues were minor and not deal breakers. Our vehicle was only a short walk or bike ride away. You can’t hear 94, or anything else, from inside your cabin (and it wasn’t an issue for me when we were outside), and we worked out the bathroom issue as I mentioned previously.

My husband and I travel all the time. Sometimes it seems as though we spend more time traveling than we do at home- that was certainly the case when he traveled for his job and often the case now that we travel with mine. There are very few properties that I would LOVE to return to and plan another stay. Serenity Springs is one of a handful. As I write, I’m already looking at my calendar to see when we can plan a trip back.

From the time we arrived, until we departed, our stay was ideal. We didn’t need to go anywhere unless we chose to and we were unbelievably pampered. My husband and I both agreed that we will return to Serenity Springs. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for a white winter stay in the Ski Lodge with a sleigh ride.

If you have a special occasion coming up or just want to plan a romantic couples only getaway you’ll find more information about Serenity Springs at their website here. Remember, each cabin has a unique theme and while they are all adorable, I’m partial the cabins with the lake view. I just couldn’t get over waking up in the morning and looking out across the lake to see the swans floating across the water. You can also follow Serenity Springs on Facebook and Instagram for more information.