Imagine polishing a dusty diamond.
Spending $ 10 million on the legendary Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island over eight months is not meant to change the traditional feel of the place, but rather to make things a bit more spectacular in subtle but important ways, the owners say.
“It’s a breathtaking change,” said Doug Dean, executive vice president of operations at the Grand Hotel, to the Free Press. “I was amazed at the job done. We had a pretty ambitious plan.”
The hotel is already seeing strong reservations for June and July.
The Grand Hotel, which opened in 1887, sits between the Upper and Lower Michigan peninsulas and overlooks the Strait of Mackinac. The hotel will officially open on May 7th and will close on November 7th.
Businesses across the island, a tiny 3.7 square mile summer mecca, often combine their seasons with the popular Grand Hotel.
This year the excitement for the big reveal has increased.
The most noticeable change will be felt while taking the ferry to the island.
The Esther Williams swimming pool, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, has been completely renovated. Williams was a competitive swimmer and actress who directed the film “This Time for Keeps” in the pool of the Grand Hotel in 1947.
A pool deck has been expanded to make room for more guests who want to distance themselves socially in the sunshine. And now there’s a family-friendly water slide.
An original slide disappeared years ago, so this element is being restored.
Cabanas reserved for reservations only as well as an adult-only pool area with an infinity edge pool have been added. There is a new pool bar that also serves food.
“It has breathtaking views of the island,” said Dean.
The pool house was reconstructed and expanded to include a fitness center, bath house, improved changing room, lockers and showers.
Denver-based KSL Capital Partners, which is focused on travel and leisure businesses, bought the property in 2019 by the Musser family, owners since the 1930s. The company is committed to preserving what is considered a national treasure.
These days, the hotel and the rest of the island are carefully implementing security protocols to keep guests and visitors safe, Dean said.
“We are proud of the work we did last year to make our goal safe,” he said.
Face masks with a Grand Hotel logo were big sellers.
More:Mackinac Island: “We really want people to come” (prepared)
More:Mackinac Island offers distance learning for families
In addition to the pool area, the hotel has added a meeting room above the pool house for activities such as rehearsal dinners for weddings and other events. There is an elevated outdoor seating area that also overlooks the strait.
“This spirit of continuous improvement adds to the allure of Mackinac Island and keeps guests coming back year after year to see what’s new,” said Margaret Doud, who has owned the Windermere Hotel on Main Street since 1975 Mayoress.
More:You Can Own a Piece of Michigan’s Iconic Mackinac Bridge: How To Bid
More:Longtime customer buys a favorite hotel on Mackinac Island
The projects started at the end of the 2020 season, shortly after Halloween. Activity last year was marked by the coronavirus pandemic, which saw more visitors from Michigan and its border states than those traveling by plane.
“I don’t think it’s going to be Michigan-centric as it was last year,” said Dean, “but we haven’t returned to normal. Data shows that most people feel comfortable getting in their car and driving to go out and get a destination experience without having to get on a plane. “
Mackinac Island won Recognition from TripAdvisor, Conde Nast Traveler and Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards for friendliest island in the world.
Activities were lighter in April and May, strong in June and July, and easier in August to November, the island’s entrepreneurs said. But this year could bring a return of the regulars.
What has changed with COVID-19 is the way people make reservations – at the last minute.
“The booking window is further reduced,” said Dean. “People seem to be a lot more spontaneous.”
The old-fashioned environment doesn’t allow vehicles, only options for horse-drawn carts and bike trips. While low-tech getaways sound charming, the Grand Hotel has upgraded its internet capabilities for guests who want more bandwidth and faster internet speeds for remote work.
In the hotel, guests will notice changes in the corridor on the ground floor.
The stores on the lower level have been upgraded and a jewelry store has become a children’s store for Grand Kids’ children selling gifts to commemorate family trips. The spa stays. Margaret’s Garden Florist has expanded into a former meeting room to accommodate more personal orders and weddings.
“We have a lot of weddings,” said Dean.
Around 90% of the guest rooms have new bathroom fixtures with improved shower and bath design to enhance the experience.
“We don’t say modernized,” emphasized Dean. “This is about a better experience. We have great respect for the heritage, brand and history of the Grand Hotel.”
He noticed that no one who works for the hotel uses “that” in front of it.
Tulips bloom until mid-May, and lilacs come out in early June. Anyone who has traveled to the island will remember the island gardens forever. They are simply the most comprehensive and breathtaking on the Grand Hotel’s grounds.
The 1980 romantic film “Somewhere in Time” starring Jane Seymour and Christopher Reeve and Christopher Plummer was shot at the Grand Hotel.
While an actual room from the movie doesn’t exist, the hotel has two suites dedicated to the movie: the Somewhere in Time Suite and the Jane Seymour Suite. Both rooms are decorated with memorabilia from the movie, as indicated on the Frequently Asked Questions page on the Grand Hotel’s website.
“The tradition of this new company continues. They didn’t buy the Grand Hotel to change it, they did bought it to do better“said Tim Hygh, executive director of the Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau.” The money they are investing in this first year is enormous. The more you travel across the country, around the world, the more you appreciate what we have in Northern Michigan. “
This major grand hotel project also received great praise behind the scenes.
Building Tradesman newspaper, March 26, called on the Grand Hotel to hire union electricians for the job.
Dave Fashbaugh, general manager of IBEW Local 498 in Traverse City, said that about 30 IBEW electricians worked on the island for Northern Power in Mancelona over the winter. The union has coordinated with Upper Peninsula Local 906, which is responsible on the island. Local 498; and Local 692 from Bay City, which provided a large portion of the workforce, reported the contractor.
More:Mackinac Island Grand Hotel Owner: We didn’t try to sell
More:She was a 15 year old smuggler in Detroit
More:Rare home videos of downtown Detroit from 1926-27 reveal images from the past
The construction workers lived in apartments that were used by employees of the Grand Hotel during the season. Three hot meals, the freedom to go home on the weekend and use snowmobiles in winter. Street hockey was played on Wednesday evening.
The electricians helped renovate around 400 rooms at the Grand and were involved in building the swimming pool on the property’s lawn, the newspaper reported.
More:The easily missed popular Mackinaw City brewery food saved it during the coronavirus
More:Michigan Central Station on track for 2022 goal: “This is a rising phoenix”
Contact Phoebe Wall Howard at 313-222-6512 orphoward@freepress.com.Follow her on Twitter@phoebesaid.
