The Grand Hotel

on

Mackinac Island

in

Pure Michigan 

Circa 1887

Detroit-based architectural firm Mason and Rice made the Grand Hotel a reality then and now.  The work was overseen by Charles Caskey, a prominent resort builder who had created a number of seasonal cottages throughout the area. Together with his brother-in-law Alphonse Howe, Caskey gradually created a stunning five-story resort hotel base on plans provided by Mason and Rice.  The building soon featured a wealth of outstanding amenities including dining facilities, meeting spaces and 286 gorgeous guestrooms.  Its exterior radiated stunning Queen Anne-inspired architecture although accents of American Colonial Revivalism appeared all around the facade. 

The Grand Hotel now has 397 guest rooms including seven suites that are decorated in honor of  our country's former first ladies.  In preparation for the 1998 season, Lady Bird Johnson, Betty Ford, Rosalynn Carter, Nancy Reagan and Barbara bush were all consulted on  the decor for the apartment which bears their individual name on the third and fourth floors on the West end of the hotel overlooking the Mackinac Bridge.  The Jacqueline Kennedy Suite replaced the former Summer Place theme room on the east side of the front of the hotel in 2002.  The Laura Bush Suite was added for the 2011 season.

The Grand Hotel

Mackinac Island

Michigan

The Grand Hotel

Opened on July 10, 1887, the Grand Hotel was built by the Grand Rapids & Indiana and the Michigan Central railroads and the Detroit & Cleveland Navigation Company through the efforts of Sen. Francis B. Stockbridge.  It is built of Michigan white pine.  With its magnificent colonial porch, longest in the world, it is a classic example of gracious living seldom seen today.  One of the outstanding landmarks on the Great Lakes, it is the world's largest summer hotel. 

The "Grand" as it is called on the island is an historic coastal resort with a spectacular 660-foot long, three-story high porch.  Below this covered veranda is a manicured lawn sloping down to a formal flower gardn where 10,000 geraniums bloom in season among other flower beds with wild blossoms.  The hotel is located on Mackinac Island which is in the straits between Lake Michigan and Lake Huron.  It has thrived because of an important decision made in the 1920s.  

Grand Hotel Lobby

Grand Hotel Dining Room

The Grand Hotel, a member of Historic Hotels of America since 2001, dates back to 1887. 

The Grand Hotel was a summer retreat for vacations on Mackinac Island who arrived by lake steamer from Chicago and Detroit. 

In 1887, after months of continuous construction, the Grand hotel opened for the first time.  Billed as a seasonal retreat to those living in Chicago, Detroit, Montreal and othr places, the standard room rates varied between three and five dollars.  The hotel, nonetheless, impressed guests who arrived referring to the building as "America's Summer Palace".

In 1890, the Grand Hotel's famous Front Porch debuted and became the largest of its kind throughout the world.  It quickly served as the primary meeting spot for anyone on Mackinac Island especially for island romantics who referred to it as "Flirtation Walk". the Grand Hotel established itself as one of the nation's preeminent holiday destinations.

In 1895, one of the most famous guests to visit the Grand Hotel was Mark Twain who held a lecture at the casino with an admission fee of a single dollar.  Other influential people to stay around the same time incuded inventor Thomas Edison and United States President Grover Cleveland. 

In 1901, renowned golf course architect Tom Bendelow created the Grand Nine right next to the Grand Hotel.  The Grand Nine would serve as the Grand Hotel's exlusive golf course for generations.  The Grand Nine has now been incorporated into an even grander course known as "The Jewel". 

In 1919, the average nightly rates had risen to as high as six dollars.  W. Stewart Woodfill was hired to serve as a front desk clerk, thus beginning his memorable career at the Grand Hotel.  

In 1933, W. Stewart Woodfill finally obtained enough money to purchase the Grand Hotel, becoming its principal owner.  His time as proprietor saw the hotel's popularity soar as it continued to host all kinds of guests from around the world. Among the most prominent were sitting United States Presidents such as Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman and Dwight Eisenhower. (During the 1950s R.D. "Dan" Musser joined the staff as a cashier and quickly rose through the ranks to become Woodfill's most trusted lieutenant. Musser fell in love with the building and eventually purchased it outright from Woodfill in 1979.)

In 1947, the Grand Hotel hosted its first Hollywood crew when director Richard Thorpe showed up to shoot portions of his movie, This Time for Keeps starring Esther William and Jimmy Durante.  The film was about a soldier who attempted to figure out life upon his return from serving in WWII. 

In 1979, Jeannot Szwarc, director filmed Somewhere in Time at the Grand Hotel.  A romantic drama, the film starred Christopher Reeves and Jane Seymour.  The film specifically followed the tale of a playwright who wishes himself back in time to the Grand Hotel at the start of the 20th century.  He then pursues the love of a young actress while trying to outsmart her overbearing manager.  

The Grand Hotel offers "Somewhere in Time" Weekends.

Jane Seymour, who starred in the movie has visited the Grand Hotel and the "Somewhere in Time Suite" on multiple occasions.  The weekends include movie showings, walking tours of filming locations and welcome receptions. Other landmarks from the film include the Round Island Lighthouse, Mission Point Resort and the Somewhere in Time Gazebo.  

The Somewhere in Time Suite

In 1957, the Grand Hotel was designated a State Historical Building.  In 1972, the hotel was named to the National Register of Historic Places.  On Jun 29, 1989 the hotel was made a National Historic Landmark.  Leisure magazine lists it among the "Top 100 Hotels in the World".  The Wine Spectator noted the Grand Hotel with an "Award of Excellence" and it made the Gourmet magazine's "Top 25 Hotels in the World" list.  The Automobile Association rates the facilities as a Four Diamond resort and in 2009, the Grand Hotel was named one of the top U.S. Historic Hotels of America by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.  In 2012, the Grand Hotel celebrated its 125th anniversary with a series of memorable events:  Saturday night dinner with former Michigan governors in attendance, presentation by Grand Hotel interior designer Carlton Varney, Friday night fireworks, live musical performances and much more.  A special edition 125th anniversary coffee table book was published for the occasion.  2018, marked the Grand Hotel's 131st birthday and over 85 years of Musser family ownership. 

In 2010, the Musser family added the Trophy Room which celebrated their dog, Sadie.  Sadie, a Scottish Terrier won Best of Show at the Westminster Kennel Club Show. 

In 2019, having operated the Grand Hotel for nine decades, the Musser family decided to sell the business to KSL Capital Partners.  The new owners endeavored to preserve the legacy left behind by the Mussers.  Indeed, they have taken great care to preserve both their memory, as well as the greater history of the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island.

If you have never visited Mackinac Island, treat yourself to a wonderful experience.

and

Be sure to visit Holland, Michigan in May. when tulips are in full bloom

 for

Tulip Time Festival  

.. Beautiful Beds of Tulips at the Grand Hotel ..