Grand Hotel will open its doors for the 132nd season on Friday, May 4. The 2018 season will debut two newly designed Named Rooms, along with the opportunity to experience Grand Hotel like never before with a variety of special packages, themed weekends and unique summer experiences.

“Each year, we look forward to creating memorable new experiences for guests by offering the activities and amenities that are part of the Grand Hotel tradition,” says Dan Musser, III, President of Grand Hotel. “My family is dedicated to preserving the history and charm of the resort, while ensuring that families from near and far are able to enjoy everything Grand Hotel is known for. We have made a number of necessary renovations and special improvements over the winter months that will greatly enhance our guest experience during the 2018 summer season.”

Two guest rooms have been reimagined by the hotel’s longtime interior designer, Carleton Varney of Dorothy Draper & Company in New York into the Prentiss M. Brown Suite and the Lilac Suite.

Room 320 honors former Michigan Senator and U.S. Representative Prentiss M. Brown, who was a prominent figure in state history and considered the “father” of the iconic Mackinac Bridge. Brown is also grandfather to Marlee Brown, wife of Grand Hotel President Dan Musser, III. Decorated in rich red tones, the room comes alive with family artifacts and historic memorabilia set against a mural of the Mackinac Bridge.

Room 318 pays homage to the signature flower of Mackinac Island, which is home to a flourishing variety of lilacs that are celebrated each year when thousands of visitors converge for the island’s largest summer event, the annual Mackinac Island Lilac Festival. With vibrant spring shades of lilac, the Lilac Suite features breathtaking views of the Straits of Mackinac and Grand Hotel Tea Garden.

Additional renovations to Grand Hotel include significant upgrades to the hotel’s bustling kitchen facilities and the installation of custom trellis wallpaper in the Art Gallery and guest room hallways.

Guests of all ages can find a special weekend package to match their interests, from the annual AAA Memorial Day Weekend and Ballroom Dancing Weekend to the Murder Mystery Weekend, with special packages for everything in between, ranging from wine appreciation, an Old Fashioned Fourth of July Celebration, Labor Day Jazz Weekend, golf and more. For more information on available 2018 special packages at Grand Hotel.

All new this year is the Grand Princess and Superhero Package, July 8–10. Families should arrive ready for a royal reception, sing-a-long and goodnight stories, princess charm school, superhero training, and Afternoon Tea.

Grand Hotel has recently been honored with a number of awards, including being named the Best Hotel in Michigan by U.S. News & World Report for the second consecutive year. Additional recognitions from 2017 and 2018 include:

  • USA Today Best Historic Resort 2017
  • Travel + Leisure Best Resort Hotels in the Midwest 2017
  • USA Today Editor’s Choice 10 Best All-Inclusive Family Resorts in the U.S. 2018
  • Architectural Digest Most Beautiful Hotel in Michigan 2017
  • Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Top 10 Midwest 2017 for the fifth year
  • AAA Four Diamond Rating in 2017 for the 25th consecutive year
  • Family Vacation Critic Best All-Inclusive Family Resorts in the U.S. 2017
  • The Knot Best of Weddings Hall of Fame 2018

For more information or to make a reservation, visit www.grandhotel.com or contact Grand Hotel directly at 800-334-7263 or reservations@grandhotel.com.

Grand Hotel is located on Mackinac Island, Michigan, where there are no motorized vehicles and the island is only accessible by ferry or airplane. The hotel is open from the first weekend in May through the end of October. The 393-room hotel is third-generation family-owned, a National Historic Landmark, and a proud member of Historic Hotels of America. Grand Hotel, America’s Original Grand Hotel, has been one of America’s premier summer vacation spots since it opened on July 10, 1887, to receive summer vacationers who arrived by lake-steamer or by rail. Throughout its history, Grand Hotel has hosted dignitaries from around the country and the world, including five U.S. presidents.

—Press release provided by Grand Hotel, Identity


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Photo(s) by Dave Weidner