Inside the Grand Hotel
An Experience Worthy of a Bucket-list
On a small island in the Great Lake Huron off the coast of Michigan sits a treasure: The Grand Hotel.
Perched on a gently rising hill and looking out over Lake Huron and the Mackinac Bridge, it is a perfect place to have a truly grand experience. You must take a ferry to get to Mackinac Island and once there, your mode of transportation will only be, horse, horse-drawn carriage, bicycle or by foot.
Until you can go yourself, here is a pictorial journey to the inside of this truly amazing hotel on this very unique island.
You May Take a Ferry from Mackinaw City of St. Ignace - No cars on these ferries!
Mackinaw CIty is on the south side of the bridge which connects the upper and lower peninsulas of the state of Michigan. St. Ignace is on the north side of the bridge. Ferries run from both of these towns to Mackinac Island, but the Mackinaw City side is the most used of the ferry systems.
Getting There
If You're Going to Mackinac Island… - Here's a Guidebook For You
The island may be small, but there's a lot to see and do, so a guide book can be very useful. Here you go!
Guidebook for both Mackinac City on the mainland and Mackinac Island
Grand Hotel Taxi - Travel in Style
And, There it is Coming Into View…
Your "Taxi" Driver
Greeting You Upon Arrival - The End of the Long Porch & Entry Gardens
Hotel View From The Grounds Below
At The Second Level: the Extremely Long Grand Porch
You will enter the hotel from below on arrival, but you will spend a lot of your time on this beautiful porch which overlooks the grounds and the lake beyond.
Porch Chairs of the Grand… - Fill it's length, providing plenty of seating for you to enjoy a cocktail after dinner…
The Porch is Like Yet Another Room at the Hotel - Morning, noon and night, the porch is busy, but empty now only because dinner service has begun.
Red Geraniums Are the Signature Flower…
…And Favorite Symbol of the Grand Hotel
The Upper Lobby is Beautiful - It leads you to the porch, the dining room, ballroom and a cozy bar
Here is a Very Sweet Bedroom - They are each different, which makes it extra fun
A Close Look at the Bedroom Fabric & Wallpaper Detail - Each room is carefully designed
And Some Have Stunning Views - See the bridge in the background?
Just One of the Unique Carpet Patterns - Trilliums: my favorite woodland flower
You Can Expect a Chocolate on Your Pillow Each Night
And, Another Bedroom… - Here is Room # 23
Another Upper Lobby With Flowers - The hotel has it's own flower shop
One of My Favorite Aspects of the Grand Hotel… - The tremendous variety of light fixtures
Chandeliers
Of All Sizes and Colors
Unusual Ceiling Fixtures - This one is in a bedroom
Everywhere You Venture… - …More beautiful lighting
And, My Favorite: Umbrella Lights - …in the Breakfast Room
Lighting and Mirrors: Could it Be More Stunning? - This is a view into the dining room
Crystal Here, Crystal There, Crystal Everywhere…
Side Entry for the Dining Room
Grand Hotel Staff Come From all Over the World
Lower Level Lobby Shops: an art gallery, a jewelry store, fine clothing shop, tea room, tea store and a flower shop.
There Are Great Details All Over the Hotel
Mirror, Mirror on the Wall - Behind a carefully crafted ship
Plate in the Main Lobby
Painting of a Little Girl: Detail
Detail on Lobby Decor
Three-sided Chair at the Entry
Every Hallway is Decorated
Wall Mural
Walll Mural
Memories of the Grand - When it's time to check out, it's always hard to leave
Remind Yourself of Where You Were - "Somewhere in Time" with Christopher Reeve
This lovely movie was filmed at The Grand Hotel on Mackinaw Island. Every year they have a showing in honor of the movie and the era in which it was set. It is very romantic.