La CHIARA™
About this villa rental
https://www.mlive.com/news/2023/09/a-vintage-plane-custom-treasure-hunts-await-guests-at-this-michigan-airbnb.html?utm_campaign=mlivedotcom_sf&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&fbclid=IwAR1gr0nrMAPUk5CzutB8AtsINHIWw076vZqPUAay9w1Sa7cBnm3B4ReTAK8 Somewhere between an artist’s working studio, a rotating museum wing, outdoor grounds for sculpture, and a wonderspace for creating art yourself, you can find our beloved inn, La Chiara™ perched on the beautiful downtown bluff of Buchanan, Michigan. La Chiara™ is a vertically split Inn duplex that we’ve built into 2 lodgings which includes our Innkeeper’s Quarters. This listing is a separate postal address and is an entire half of the vertically split duplex; the upstairs and downstairs units combined, which sleeps 6 in queen beds or 8 on the foldout King. I’m happily available to help with any issues that arise as your innkeeper as I live on premises with my wife Katrina and daughter, Chiara, year-round. Boasting over two dozen works of art in media including photography, water color, sculpture, digital prints, laser, woodwork, printmaking, and repurposing, La Chiara™ aims to serve as an expanding, multi-faceted lodging and recreation wonderspace. In addition to art, there is great kayaking on the St. Joseph river. La Chiara™ is located 1.2 miles from the Buchanan dam which lends itself to a spectacular downstream paddle or float from Buchanan to the Berrien Springs dam. Outdoor activities include laying in the hammock, walking the grounds for sculpture and art, chilling on the porch swing, enjoying the breeze on your private balcony, creating original outdoor art yourself, corn hole, bocce, and the Plane Lounge. The Plane Lounge is a great place for coffee, wine, beer, provision or even an aviation-themed cocktail (alcohol and provisions not supplied). The Plane Lounge is a repurposed 1966 Mooney M20 fuselage - generally open from dawn till 12pm. Mooney aircraft are part of a family of piston-powered, four-seat, propeller-driven, general aviation aircraft, all featuring low wings and tricycle gear, manufactured by the Mooney International Corporation. Here at La Chiara™ however, the Plane Lounge is known for its exposed guts of tubes that now echo adventure with a Bluetooth speaker, a Stanley cocktail shaker set, phone charger, LEDs, and a mini-fridge. Feel free to stock the mini fridge accordingly for your stay. We hope you find the Plane Lounge fruitful as a refreshing ambiance for conversation and ideas. La Chiara™ is located 27 minutes from Lake Michigan and 25 minutes to The University of Notre Dame. One of our favorite aspects of living in Buchanan is access to the public kayak/boat launch 1.1 miles away that is free to use and is also free to park. Safety for you, us, the surrounding community (most especially the Elementary School and our neighbors) is paramount. We’re honored and extraordinarily grateful to unofficially partner with the Buchanan Police Department to assist in making the neighborhood the safest possible drop-off and pick-up location for children that we can during the calendar school year as well as through their Summer programming. We have five outward facing security cameras in use: at the front doors, side windows and overlooking the Courtyard Plane Lounge. We do not allow smoking cigarettes. There is no smoking cigarettes inside, and no smoking cigarettes outside anywhere on the property. It’s not uncommon to see an officer parked in a corner of the property so they can more easily direct school traffic and we consider ourselves very fortunate to be in a position to greater safety efforts for the Elementary School population. Taking its name from our first grade daughter, La Chiara™ is as much of a creative, de-risked, development tool as we could design to guide our daughter through the adventures of entrepreneurship; from the janitorial to the curatorial art direction, and finance. Chiara does everything with me from properly cleaning the toilets, to supplying the art program. She currently has 5 works of art on display and from what I’ve gathered, we should expect surprise installations. Our family is on premises and very grateful to host you as Innkeepers. We believe strongly in remediation if any issues arise. In fact, our policy for any issue that arises is for me to handle it asap, but I also share every communicated issue with my daughter Chiara. It's actually a great policy for life too; if something is wrong, what words would you choose knowing a little girl will hear them and do her best to find a solution? Our family moved here in 2021 and it’s easy for us to see why Buchanan, Michigan was named, “Nicest Place in America 2020.” We truly hope to be a lit doorway showcasing Buchanan and adding to its growing fascination. We wish you double the adventure and quadruple the safety! "La Chiara: What’s rad to you?"™ Frank, Katrina and Chiara
Amenities
Air conditioner
Pets allowed
Kitchen / Kitchenette
Internet / Wifi
Parking
Balcony / Patio
TV
Garden
Family friendly
Map of Buchanan, MI
Villa in Buchanan, MI
Reasons to book
People love it hereGuests give this property a top rating
Free cancellationFull refund if you change your mind
Great for pets
$$$$
Reviews
5.0/5.0
Outstanding(15 Reviews)
5.0
This was quite the unique place to stay at. When first finding out stays near South Bend for the Notre Dame game weekend were all but gone, I luckily chose this one from the choices a bit further out (~25 mins). We hadn't seen quite this much effort put into a rented stay, with artistic pieces inside and out. While the weather didn't allow us to hang out in the "plane bar" as much as we might have liked, we still were able to do the "scavenger hunt" and find some goodies!
Appreciated the stay, and if you're on the fence with its distance from South Bend or for some other reason, it certainly is worth checking out.
5.0
The stay was wonderful! Our hosts were more than accommodating! The place was adorable with all the sculptures in the yard and even a scavenger hunt!!! Thank you so much! We would stay again and recommend to people as well!
5.0
It is hard to put into words how wonderful our stay at La Chiara was. We arrived at the house which had a fridge stocked with food and drinks, a pebble ice maker full of ice, and even a scavenger hunt set up for our 5 year old. The basement was also stocked with toys and activities for her to play with.
The location was very conveniently located. About 20 minutes from Notre Dame and about the same from beaches and parks on Lake Michigan. Buchanan is full of character as well.
Throughout our visit, Frank was readily available to answer any questions we had or offer advice and suggestions, even calling ahead to a restaurant he suggested to let us know what to expect for a wait to be served. It is clearly evident he loves being a host.
The property itself has a wonderful screened in patio just off one of the bedrooms which gives a great view of the backyard which is filled with art, including the airplane lounge which is an experience you can’t get anywhere else, and something I will make a point to enjoy more the next time I visit.
5.0
We had a great time here! It's the first rental we've stayed in where my kids' socks weren't black on the bottom by the end of the day. So nice how clean everything was including the floors. The play room was a huge bonus that my kids loved, along with the treasure hunt and decorations around the property. We'll definitely stay here again!
5.0
My husband & I stayed here and we loved it.
5.0
My adult children, a couple of their friends and I stayed here for a whirlwind weekend! The beds were very comfortable! The artistic vibe inside and out was so fun! The stocked fridge with all the goodies was such a hit for all of us! Such generous and thoughtful hosts! We wish we had another day to stay at the house more to enjoy the space! Thank you so very much La Chiara!
5.0
I am very impressed with this location. Me and my children love to go on short trips to new places. This is located in a clean nice little town, but also close to New Buffalo and other Lake Michigan beach areas. Me and my adult children loved the rental. It was very clean and we loved the back patio area and the screened in porch. The artwork and airplane were a great touch. It had a great vibe to the place. Frank was an amazing host and would do anything to make our stay great. I loved that there were 3 stocked refrigerators with drinks and food. I can't say enough on how great of a place this was and how great of a host Frank was! 5 stars all the way around!!!
5.0
My small dog and I stayed for 2 nights to get out of the city and relax. I was looking for a place I’d have my own space, but would be near others as I was traveling alone. We had a fantastic stay! The place was immaculately clean, and the hosts provided some food, snacks, and drinks. Little perks like this are always very exciting :) The neighborhood was quiet and the beds were comfy- we slept very deeply. The master bedroom with the balcony was bright and cheerful- my dog loved looking out of the window. There were phone chargers and outlets all around, which was very handy! The TV was very large and nice, in our down time we watched movies. The spacious entryway had a large bamboo cabinet and chairs that was perfect for setting all my winter things & purse on when coming in. The plane and art installations were a neat feature of the property. My dog and I enjoyed peaceful walks around the neighborhood.
The hosts were incredibly communicative and the logistics were very easy!
Buchanan is a charming small town- my dog had an AMAZING time at the Field of Dreams dog park and we walked the McCoy Creek Trail a couple times. There are many other trails nearby. I hope to come back and check out River St Joe brewery.
We drove to Jean Klock Park in Benton Harbor (~30 min), and had a great long walk around the beach and golf course (it’s February- off season- so dogs seemed to be okay).
This was for sure the best vacation rental experience I’ve had!
5.0
Best Vacation rental we've ever stayed at. It is everything you see in the pictures. Great! for a family to just relax. This property is only about 1 hour from home but they made you feel like you were on an adventure. The family were great hosts as well! Always checking in and making sure we had more than we needed! So fun! And we will definitely be back.
5.0
We stayed here for a few days with a toddler and it was great. The host was extremely easy to communicate with and responsive. They had essentials for cooking and a few goodies like drinks and the best Danish I've ever eaten. There was a great playroom in the basement for kiddos with lots of toys. There was even a scavenger hunt we did one night. Dog friendly with a little runner outside and within walking distance (0.3 miles) of several dispensaries. Definitely recommend to anyone looking for a relaxing stay in Michigan!
5.0
There aren't enough words to describe how great La Chiara is !
I've been communicating with Frank from before we booked until checkout and he was been so so friendly and helpful. Every message or any questions I sent to him he answered so promptly. I can't express how welcome he made us feel before we even got there.
It's in a very quite neighborhood, right by a small elementary school. It also has a really cute downtown with a lot of small shops.
We booked it for a weekend to go to a notre dame football game. It was very easy to get to campus ,only takes about 20-25 minutes. The rental is very easy to get to from route 80 too.
It was just the perfect size for the 5 of us, 4 adults and one 12 year old.
Everything was absolutely spotless!
The attention to detail they put into every single this is so impressive. From anything you could need in the kitchen to the lamps on the nightstands with plugs on them so you could charge your phone or whatever you need to plug in.
The beds are so comfortable and the sheets are so soft! They provide more than enough towels and they are soft and big.
The kitchen has plates, bowls, cups, pots, pans, some spices, coffee maker, etc. There wasn't anything they overlooked.
They were so generous with the goodies they left us! It was such a wonderful surprise.
There is something so interesting and so unique around the house and property. Check out the Mars room! Make sure you look for the cute drawing their daughter Chiara's ( who the place is named for) cute drawing she did of a picture of their engagement in Italy.
Definitely have to check out the plane outside! Really cool! My neice loved that the most. There's a small fridge and a couple of seats for you to sit and enjoy a drink.
I wish we were able to be there longer so we could enjoy everything they had to offer .
We will definitely be staying here again. We all can't wait until we do.
You will never regret booking here!!
5.0
Loved the location and the house!
5.0
This place is close to everything but far enough to be easy to navigate and not too busy. The photos and descriptions are really accurate and capture the vibe, so I won’t add much to that. We loved having drinks and coffee in the sun porch. My only regret is not staying another night and doing cocktails in the airplane.
We arrived to some tasty assorted snacks and beverages. Clear communication from start to finish. Frank did such a nice job of recommending places to visit both in Buchanan and nearby and nothing disappointed. If you’re on the fence, just go ahead and book already. You won’t regret it.
5.0
La Chiara was spacious enough for 3 couples to hang out without feeling cramped. We made great use of the large living room area for games, turned the indoor tiki bar into a coffee bar, and spent lots of time enjoying beverages and listening to music in the airplane.
From the courtyard, the grounds for sculpture to explore, hanging out inside the fuselage of an actual airplane! - and our personal favorite - a collection of old photo slides that looks like stained glass on the dining room window, everywhere you look there’s something that engages your senses. There’s very real art here and in some cases it's often sweet, like the drawings and creations by Chiara herself.
The innkeeper family is ready to help but honestly the place was extremely clean and communication with the owners was easy and natural. They care deeply about building La Chiara into a larger inn and they’re using the current model to guide their first-grade-age daughter through everything that comes with entrepreneurship which frankly I applaud.
We loved the Spraypaint Experience and got to go home with a work of art we made ourselves. Oh and nugget ice machines make every drink better. Also, the beds are fantastic.
Buchanan is lovely with much to offer being near so many recreational waterways like Lake Michigan, and the St. Joe river for kayaking (which we enjoyed). The pizzas from Bamber’s in South Bend were imported from Rome and were delicious. The cinnamon buns from Gustavson cafe were unforgettable with breakfast.
Our stay at La Chiara, reminded us of the guest houses we stayed at while traveling Europe but with a whole lot more heart. We’ll always remember having drinks in the plane under the romantic lighting and we’re already planning to return later this fall for a longer artists retreat weekend with a different group of friends.
FAQs
How much does this villa cost compared to others in Buchanan?
The average price for a rental in Buchanan is $129 per night. This rental is $88 above the average.
Is parking included with this villa?
Yes, parking is listed as an amenity at La CHIARA™. For more information, we encourage you to contact the property about where to park.
Is there a pool at this villa?
We didn’t find pool listed as an amenity for this villa. It may be worth double checking if a pool is important for your stay.
Is La CHIARA™ pet friendly?
Yes! This villa is pet-friendly. For more information, we recommend contacting the booking provider about animal policies.
What amenities are available at La CHIARA™?
We found 9 amenities for this rental. This includes air conditioner, pets allowed, kitchen / kitchenette, internet / wifi, and parking.
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