Recently we were thrilled to take a trip to Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island in Michigan. We had never stayed at the hotel before and were not sure what to expect. Now that we are back home, we have so much that we want to share with you about our trip that we are bursting at the seams! We have traveled a lot, but this is unlike any place we have ever stayed at before.
The Grand Hotel is filled to the brim with charm, and it stands as a majestic beauty on the island. Originally opened in 1887, this mammoth grand structure has a magnificent front porch that is visible as you arrive by ferry to the island. You can catch a ferry in St. Ignace or in Mackinac City.
Upon exiting the ferry you can take a horse driven taxi (no cars are allowed on the island) or take a short walk to the hotel. We walked, and the scenery was lovely. It was breathtaking as we approached the hotel, walking along the beautifully manicured grounds up to the porch and the red carpeted entrance.
There are 390 rooms in the hotel, and each one is decorated differently. The hotel’s decor was designed by Carleton Varney. You can find out more about his relationship with the hotel here. Isn’t our room amazing?
We even made a quick video tour of our room to give you a better idea of just how charming it was.
Throughout the floor where our room was located you could see framed Carleton Varney scarves, which were gorgeous!
Everywhere you look within the hotel there is a sense of grandeur and charm. The geranium plays an important part in the decor and you will find it popping up in places from the lavish carpeting to the bathroom toiletries. Every single aspect of the hotel is top notch, with attention to detail.
As you can see, the lobby is expansive and has comfortable seating options for gathering and chatting with friends, or meeting travelers along the way. We loved waking early in the morning and sitting by the window to take in the majestic setting.
Within the hotel there are several shops and places to have a drink or something to eat. The hotel’s Full American accommodation plan includes full breakfast, the famous Grand Luncheon Buffet and a five course dinner in the Main Dining Room. We highly recommend staying on site and dining at the hotel. The hotel boasts that every meal is an event; we can sincerely agree with that statement. The food is out of this world delicious and the experience is unlike any other. The staff treats each guest like they are special; from start to finish every dining experience was delightful. You can learn more about the Grand Hotel dining options here.
Here is the Main Dining room:
It was so much fun getting dressed up for dinner; all guests of the hotel must adhere to the dress code after 6:30pm in all areas of the bar except for the Cupola Bar. This dress code includes evening wear for ladies (dresses, skirt and blouse, or pantsuit) and for gentlemen (a suit or sport coat, necktie and dress slacks).
Once we were seated for dinner we enjoyed looking of the evening’s menu and picking our appetizer, soup, salad and entree. We each tried something different, and every single item was delicious. The atmosphere of the dining room is like nothing else we have experienced. Our waiter, Michael, was superb. We actually formed a bit of a friendship with Michael and ended up sitting in his section every time we ate.
Here we are with Michael, on our last day after breakfast:
And here is a sampling of some of the amazing dishes we were served throughout our stay:
Delicious prime rib
Jim’s salmon
Oh, and the desert! We highly recommend the hotel specialty, the Grand Pecan Ball. Luscious ice cream covered in pecans is delicious! (Interesting fact: more than 50,000 Grand Pecan Balls are served to guests each season!).
After dinner our first night we relaxed in the Grand Hotel Terrace Room and enjoyed the music of the Grand Hotel Orchestra. We danced and visited and just enjoyed the night.
On the second day of our stay we rented bikes and rode around the Island. This took us about an hour and a half, but plan on longer if you want to get out and walk around to explore. It is just over an 8 mile ride. The day we were there it was a little chilly so we didn’t actually get off the bikes to explore. The road you travel is paved and well signed, making for an enjoyable and simple bike ride. Renting the bikes on the hotel property was very convenient and meant we did not have to walk into town to rent a bike and then walk back to the hotel when our ride was finished. The hotel charges by the hour, so you can customize your bike ride as you see fit.
Here is a little video from our bike ride adventure:
When we got back from the bike ride we were hungry and looked over the nine ways to lunch at Grand Hotel. We decided to try the Grand Luncheon Buffet that is served daily from noon to 2:00 pm. It features hot and cold entrees, seafood (smoked trout, salmon, fresh shrimp and oysters!), salad, fresh fruit, cheeses, selection of meats, pastries and more. Grand Luncheon Buffet has been awarded a 2012 Certificate of Excellence by TripAdvisor. It was fantastic – and we’d highly recommend it.
After lunch we took a leisurely stroll on the side streets within the island, which was nice. Hand in hand we strolled among the historic mansions and quaint cottages that dot the landscape. The trees were losing their leaves and the gentle breeze made them fall like rain as we walked. Both of us found ourselves relaxing and not really thinking about anything specific.
After our walk we returned to our room and took a short nap. Napping in the middle of the day is something neither of us ever do, so it was a real treat! By doing so we missed High Tea though, a unique experience you can also enjoy at the hotel.
Our plan for the second night’s dinner was to explore the Gate House, Grand Hotel’s casual dining restaurant that is just a short walk down from the main hotel. However, we enjoyed the formal dinner so much the night before that we decided to eat there again!
After dinner we took a walk outside and Jim captured these photos.
In summing up our trip, it is hard to put into words the experience. Before staying at Grand Hotel we admittedly didn’t think it was that big of a deal. Boy, were we wrong! Not only is the hotel a uniquely charming gem, but the experience provided by each and every staff member we encountered made it a visit we will remember forever. Now we will be sharing our excitement for staying at Grand Hotel with anyone we can, because it truly is something everyone should enjoy at least once.
For us, we hope to return yearly – it has made it to our “short list” of things to do every year.
To find out more about Grand Hotel, visit the Grand Hotel website, the Grand Hotel Facebook page or follow Grand Hotel on Twitter. They are also on Pinterest and YouTube as well as Instagram.
Disclosure: We partnered with Grand Hotel for an honest review of our experience in exchange for accommodations.
