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For my in-laws’ 35th wedding anniversary, we were invited to celebrate a weekend with them at the Grand Hotel in Mackinac Island, MI — America’s favorite Summer Place.
One of the few romantic films I love watching while growing up was Somewhere In Time starring Christopher Reeves and Jane Seymour. It’s a very beautiful and timeless love story. I was pretty excited when my husband told me that he has been to this film’s location. It was filmed at Mackinac Island, MI where his parents often travel to annually. For their anniversary, we were invited to visit and stay there as well. Sweet! Related: Romantic movie locations that will inspire you to see the worldBooking

Grand Hotel has several special packages available for you to choose from.
Getting There

6 hour road trip!

Gateway to the ports at Mackinaw City, MI.

Waiting for our ferry to arrive.

It was a beautiful day to be in the upper deck.
Getting Around the Island

One of the several horse carriages in the Island.
Historic Hotel

Mom and the world’s largest porch in the background.

We didn’t mean to look so dramatic in this picture.

Dress Code at Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island, MI
Check-In and Lobby
We notified my husband’s parents of our arrival to the hotel and they met us in the reception area. Checking in is a breeze. The staff welcomes us warmly. It is very interesting to note that it felt like we were not checking into a hotel but were being welcomed into someone’s home instead. The ambience is pleasantly comfortable and cozy. Unlike other hotels, the rooms come with an actual key and not a card.The Room
We weaved through the decorated hallways reminiscent of the early 1900s. Although spacious, it felt like it has been built and added on top of another area. It just kept going and going. We arrived to our room that has 2 canopy beds. The same motif of floral wallpaper, greens and reds grace us as we unpack our things.
One of the rooms in Grand Hotel.
Amenities
Swimming Pool
The 220 foot swimming pool is a popular hangout for families. It has complimentary pool toys, 2 whirlpools and a sauna!
Learning how to swim. Esther Williams Pool at The Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island, MI
Arcade
There is an arcade available. No additional tokens are needed to operate the games. Everything is free to play. It is another great area to entertain the kids. When we went, it was only us. Nobody else is in the arcade which is good news. That means, everyone is having fun with the several activities you can do in Mackinac Island.
One of the benefits of traveling with a grandparent: leaving the baby with them while the parents have fun. LOL.
Dining Options
This is my most favorite part of my stay in the hotel. If I am coming back, it would be for the food. It’s that good.Main Dining Room
Most of the packages that you can book include a full-service breakfast and dinner at the Main Dining Room. Non-guests can still dine in the Main Dining Room for a hefty price. You would always look forward to starting your day with a full breakfast in Grand Hotel’s Main Dining Room. Choose from an ala carte style menu including eggs, omelettes, cereals and breakfast entrées. Otherwise, the breakfast buffet is also available featuring a selection of juices, fruits, pastries and entrées.The Gate House
The Gate House is a great affordable place to catch some American lunch classics.
Hubby enjoying his wrap at the Gate House, Mackinac Island, MI
Service
The staff is superb. Helpful, attentive and cordial without being too familiar. Tipping is not permitted within the hotel grounds. One less thing to worry about during your stay at the hotel. However, I was dissatisfied with their ushers by the entrances. It was an annoying experience for an obvious lack of a better system. They asked me repeatedly if I was a guest of the resort while my husband was not even asked a single time during our stay there. I felt like I was being singled out. Not to mention that I was just asked by the same person 5 minutes ago. It’s like playing a Pokemon game and a random person spots you while you were walking and challenges you to a match.Check Out
Once we are ready to go home, we notified valet and bell hop that we are ready. Bellhop arrived promptly and similar to our arrival, the hotel sent our luggage to the port at Mackinaw City. This gave us ample time to explore the shops downtown for some last minute souvenir shopping.
The shops in Mackinac Island