Grand Hotel Mackinac Island, Michigan All-Inclusive | Reviewed in 2025

What to Do

Staying at the Grand Hotel will have you feeling transported back in time. Nothing feels more like the past than sitting in a rocking chair on the world’s largest front porch with spectacular views of the Straits of Mackinac and the Mackinac Bridge. Or head down to the lawn with your family to play some lawn games, like croquet, bocce ball, cornhole, and even a giant chess game on hand). Other activities available are enjoying a traditional Afternoon Tea, complete with live music in the Parlor, taking a behind-the-scenes tour of the celebrated gardens, or going to a wine and whiskey tasting.

There are also plenty of outdoor activities. You can swim in the 220 ft-long Esther Williams Swimming Pool with waterslide or the adults-only infinity-edge pool, which looks out over the main pool below and Lake Huron. Other fun amenities include two 9-hole golf courses, mini-golf, tennis, pickleball, foot golf, riding a horse from the stables, and getting pampered in the Salon & Spa. One interesting thing to do is rent a bike or a horse-drawn carriage and tour around the island (8.2 miles) to see the historic sites and magnificent views.

In the evenings, guests gather in the Parlor to enjoy after-dinner drinks, listen to the soothing melodies of the hotel’s harpist, and play a game of cards or backgammon. The hotel also has an orchestra that plays nightly, where guests can participate in ballroom dancing. From morning to night, staying at the Grand Hotel is an experience you can’t duplicate anywhere else.

This iconic hotel has seen five U.S. presidents, Mark Twain, and Thomas Edison, stay here. It has also been the filming location for two movies, the 1947 movie “This Time For Keeps,” starring Jimmy Durante and Esther Williams, and the 1980 movie “Somewhere in Time” with Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour. The Grand Hotel was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972 and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1989.

What to Eat & Drink

With 13 restaurants and bars, there are plenty of options for the family to choose from fine dining to casual. The all-inclusive package includes eating at the Main Dining Room, the Jockey Club, The Gate House, and In-Room Dining. After 6 PM in the Main Dining Room and 6:30 PM in the main areas of the hotel, you will have to dress up.

Within the Main Dining Room is an elegant setting for unforgettable buffet-style breakfasts, the Grand Luncheon Experience, and formal dinners. The five-course dinner menu includes an appetizer, soup or salad, and an entree you can choose through three rotating menus of local artisan cuisine — red, yellow, and green. There is also a kid’s menu, over 350 wine selections, and a dessert menu. The signature dessert is the Grand Pecan Ball with fudge sauce, which debuted in 1947 and has been a must-have ever since.

Room Guide

Each of the 397 Guest Rooms at the Grand Hotel is uniquely decorated with bright prints, beautiful textures, and historic memorabilia, and no two rooms are alike. Your room options include guest rooms, suites, and the Masco Cottage. And no matter which room you choose, treats are available for an extra fee, like Milk and Cookies at Turndown and Cordials at Turndown.

Guest Rooms: The Guest Rooms choices are Balcony rooms, Lake View Rooms, or Grand rooms. Depending on your choice, there will be a king or queen bed or two double or two queen beds. Each guest room has modern amenities, natural lighting, and a spacious room with views of the Straits of Mackinac, the Jewel Golf Course, or some of the best views of horse carriages and bicycles.

Suites: Two-bedroom suites with a parlor, Cupola suites, and the Musser Suite are available. Each suite offers spectacular island views, modern amenities, and natural lighting. Also, when you stay in a suite, you get the Modified American Plan, which includes breakfast and dinner daily. Suites with Parlors also include a stocked bar. The two-bedroom luxury suites are ideal for families wanting extra space; they include two separate bedrooms and a large parlor with wall-to-wall windows.

Masco Cottage: The Masco Cottage is a luxury summer cottage featuring a private walkway, wrap-around deck, private hot tub, and amazing views of the Straits of Mackinac, the Jewel Golf Course, and downtown Mackinac. Beautifully decorated in bright, colorful hues, the four-bedroom cottage has two bedrooms with private bathrooms, a full kitchen with a fully stocked refrigerator, and a living and dining room area downstairs in the cottage, and the other two bedrooms, a full bathroom, and a media parlor are upstairs. If you stay multiple nights, you can even have a memorable and romantic multi-course dinner created specifically for you and served by a Grand Hotel waitperson and bartender in the cottage.

Special Experiences

Make your stay at Grand Hotel extra special by having a few of these exceptional experiences. Mackinac Shepler’s Ferry has a couple of departures a day that takes you directly under the Mackinac Bridge, which is intimidating and impressive. There is no extra cost for this tour, and it takes an extra ten minutes to get to the island. Go ahead and hunt for the ‘Secret Garden” on the lawn, which is quite a popular location to have a surprise proposal. And the highlight is the Cupola Bar, which is at the hotel’s highest point in the central tower, to have a nightcap and watch the epic Michigan sunsets. These and many more special experiences at the Grand Hotel make your stay here truly memorable.

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