Grand Hotel (Mackinac Island) - Facilities

Facilities

Carleton Varney, Dorothy Draper's protege, designed the Grand Hotel in its late 19th century decor including its Pelargonium geraniums. No two of the 385 guest rooms are designed alike. There are four types of rooms: Category I, Category II, Category III, and Named Rooms. There are six two-bedroom suites consisting of two bedrooms connected by a parlor. Two of these suites, the Grand Suite & the Carleton Varney suite, overlook the Mackinac Bridge and the Straits of Mackinac, while the Presidential suite is located in the center of the hotel with a balcony over the porch. A detached structure added in early 2000 was named the Masco Cottage; the facility includes two downstairs bedrooms with private bathrooms along with a kitchen, living room, and dining room area. Upstairs are two bedrooms, a bathroom, and a media parlor.

Additionally, six suites are named for and designed by six former First Ladies of the United States, including the Jacqueline Kennedy Suite (with carpet that includes the gold presidential eagle on a navy blue background and walls painted gold), Lady Bird Johnson Suite (yellow damask-covered walls with blue and gold wildflowers), Betty Ford Suite (green with cream and a dash of red), Rosalynn Carter Suite (with a sample of china designed for the Carter White House and wall coverings in Georgia peach), Nancy Reagan Suite (with signature red walls and Mrs. Reagan's personal touches) and Barbara Bush Suite (designed with pale blue and pearl and with both Maine and Texas influences).

Beginning in 2007, many rooms have air conditioning. Formerly, air conditioning was only available in public rooms, such as the lobby, parlor and Salle a Manger (main dining room). Due to the building's design it was difficult to add air conditioning to the guest rooms. Air conditioning for 170 rooms will come from newly installed water heat exchangers in the bathrooms. The exchangers cool the air through contact with the cold water system.

Mackinac Island does not permit motor vehicles (except for emergency vehicles and, in winter, snowmobiles) and transport to and from the dock to the hotel is via horse-drawn carriage. The only other motor vehicles allowed in recent history were cars brought over for the filming of Somewhere in Time. During the winter months, when ice prevents ferry transport from the mainland, the hotel is closed. The island also has a small airport (no fuel or services) that is handy for private aircraft. The horse-drawn taxis will take you from the airport to the hotel or any other destination.

The hotel is owned by R.D. (Dan) Musser III.

The Grand Hotel has a wide array of activities including an 18 hole golf course is composed of the Grand nine, across the street from the hotel; and the Woods nine, set in the interior of Mackinac Island. The grounds contain landscape architecture. Tennis can be enjoyed on the beautiful setting of four Har Tru based clay courts. Lessons are available throughout the summer.The Esther Williams Swimming Pool is a favorite gathering place for guests. The heated 500,000-gallon, 220-foot-long (67 m) serpentine-shaped pool is ideal for sunning, swimming or just soaking up the beauty of the surrounding gardens. Poolside food and beverage service is available (seasonal). A sauna and two whirlpools are adjacent to the pool. The Grand Hotel rents bicycles that are ideal for exploring Mackinac Island at ones own speed. The Vita Course is a half-mile outdoor exercise course on the hotel grounds. Along the jogging trail, exercise stations are designed to challenge and motivate. Also, a complete exercise facility is located adjacent to the swimming pool.

Grand Hotel contains speciality retail for the use of guests and non-guests with a charge of $10 to enter (as of 2011). Oil Paintings by Marlee is a gallery featuring the oil paintings of local artist Marlee Brown. Brown is the wife of R.D. (Dan) Musser III (hotel owner).

Salle a Manger (Main Dining Room) serves breakfast and dinner daily on the American Plan. The Grand Luncheon Buffet is served daily to guests and those not registered. The Fort Mackinac Tea Room offers the ability to lunch within the walls of Fort Mackinac and features a breathtaking view of the Straits of Mackinac. The Gate House is the newest Grand Hotel restaurant located at the bottom of the Grand Hill. Open for both lunch and dinner, this casual bar/restaurant features televisions to watch the game and live music. The Jockey Club at the Grand Stand overlooks the first tee of The Jewel and is a casual retreat for lunch entrées, sandwiches, and snacks with your favorite beverages. Woods and Bobby's Bar is just a short carriage ride away from Grand Hotel. Woods is a restaurant brimming with Bavarian charm. The dinner menu includes a selection of appetizers, soups, salads, entrées, desserts and selections from Grand Hotel's award-winning wine list. At Bobby's Bar you can enjoy beverages and test your skill on the U.S.'s oldest operating duckpin bowling alley. Bar options include the Terrace Room, the Audubon Wine Bar, the Geranium Bar and the Cupola Bar. The Cupola Bar is located at the top of the hotel and features a breathtaking view of the Straits of Mackinac.