Watervale Inn is simply amazing; the most important word being "simply". You will lose yourself…read morehere in amazing views, delicious home-cooked meals, and great company. I stayed here for an anniversary party/family reunion, and what a perfect spot to be with the whole gang... plenty of space, huge dining room where you can all sit together for a hearty breakfast... this place is actually owned by my aunt's family, so it felt even more homey having a sense of familiarity here. You can go hiking, swimming, boating, water skiing, or just sit on the porch of your cabin and breathe it all in. I could've stayed there a very long time and not felt tired of it. It's a shame for me that I live in California- so far from Watervale- but I'll be back. Definitely.

American writer Janet Mock once said "I think of family as community. I think of the spaces where…read moreyou don't have to shrink yourself, where you don't have to pretend or to perform. You can fully show up and be vulnerable. And in silence, completely empty and that's completely enough. You show up, as you are, without judgment, without ridicule, without fear or violence, or policing, or containment. And you can be there and you're filled all the way up. So we get to choose our families. We are not limited by biology. We get to make ourselves, and we get to make our families." And, in short, that is all that Watervale is; it's a family that you choose. As a good friend of mine named Avery Kaplan once said, "it's the people, it's always been the people". And in its simplest terms, that's it. Watervale is a place where society is absent. Regardless of your social standing, economic status, or personal withholdings, everyone is equal. Each person is an individual, judged solely on the strength of their character, and the conviction of their person. Watervale offers a place of universal acceptance: whether you are working on yourself, finding a purpose, or you are perfectly content with who you are, you will find love and compassion that is incomparable to any place in the world. This past year has offered me true acceptance, and a real family. Over the course of the summer I gained eighteen wonderful brothers and sisters. Eighteen peers and mentors. Eighteen of the best friends I will ever have. I could not have asked for a better group. At every turn I felt truly accepted and appreciated, and I acknowledge how much of a gift that truly is at this time. All the late nights and early mornings. All the hard days of work and small moments between them. All the tears (there were a lot) and all the laughs (there were even more of these). Each moment, and each and every person that enabled them, will always be held deep in my heart. Thank you all for making this the best summer of my life. I love all of you more than I could ever explain. Just know that each and every one of you have impacted my life in immeasurable ways, and I love and appreciate all you are. Watervale is forever, and so are our staff memories. 5 stars incredible service.

This place knows how to social distance. They also have gorgeous rooms. We literally did not see…read moreanyone other than one other couple who were coming out of their room floor below us. We had a wonderful queen room that looked out over the side Street so we could see our motorcycle parked below. It was the Fourth of July and we kind of worried that someone might mess with my husband's Harley. OK, he worried about that LOL. We rolled into town late afternoon after a 7 hour ride, it was super hot, and we were so happy to get into our nice cool, clean room with bottled water and refrigerator where we could stash some beer. Stephanie had called and left a message on the way letting us know that no one would be there to check is in and how to access our room. It was super easy, and we appreciated the social distancing. People in town we're wearing masks outside and restaurants were open & the people in the restaurants working there were wearing masks. All in all, I feel like Michigan felt really safe for someone like me who has an auto immune disease and so therefore needs to be more careful than regular folks. But I think everybody needs to be careful now, let's be real. The Ramsdell Inn is in an old bank, very cool building with a lot of history. The room we had was decorated to reflect the era, our bed was a big wooden one, with fresh clean linens and plenty of pillows. We also had a very striking fireplace that we obviously would never use in July but it was it was cool. We were up and out the door by 7 AM to catch the ferry back to Milwaukee So we appreciated the granola and kind bars that were left in our room for us. We really weren't in this lovely inn or the town for very long but we loved it. And we will be back.

Really neat place to stay! I was going to get a room at the casino but they didn't have rooms…read morebecause of a renovation. The Dempsey Manor didn't have any vacancy for that night, but the Ramsdell did and I'm so glad! It was really nice to just walk over to the nearby antique shops, and then after a movie at the Vogue just a step back down the sidewalk to go to bed. Enjoyed a cup of coffee in the morning in this little tower-nook. So novel!

Even in the winter, this is a lovely place to stay. The rooms are simple, tastefully decorated,…read moreand comfortable. Situated right on Lake Michigan and at the helm of Main Street, it's a perfect home base. The lovely staff is what made the stay. We were arriving late due to the weather (the front desk closes at 11 pm), so I called ahead. The night receptionist told us not to rush, that she would leave our keys and a map to our room if we ran past 11. Then our work took us past the 11 am check out time, but no problem. The morning receptionist kindly allowed us to check out an hour later at no additional charge. They were both friendly and helpful. Looking forward to our next stay!

Absolutely amazing staff! When there was a mixup with our room, the two women behind the desk went…read moreover and above in their attempt to help resolve in a way to keep these two old and fussy people happy. And they did it with a smile. Better yet, when my husband mentioned the snowy path between our room and the hot tub, they immediately had someone out there and shove it for us. I can't believe that we found such wonderful service. Kudos to the staff at this place.

We did not stay here on our trip to Traverse City but definitely would based on this one…read moreinteraction! These kind business owners let both of my young daughters use their restroom at 10:45 pm at night while traveling back from Traverse City to St.Ignace. As we found ourselves in the middle of no where without a rest stop, gas station, or restaurant! Thank you for your generosity! Forever grateful The Fiori's

We really appreciated the flexibility shown to us by Cindy when we arrived later in the day looking…read morefor a room. She was generous enough to show us a couple options between a room and cabin. Our cabin was immaculately clean and we loved the finishing touches to the design. Cool community fire pit and picnic area. We walked over to Lake Michigan for sunset one night and out to Torch in the morning, really enjoyed the location and hospitality we were shown! Highly recommend.

A friend found this resort when we were looking for somewhere to go for a girl's weekend. We stayed…read morein a third floor penthouse. I can sum up Lebear with one word: WOW. Absolutely amazing. A beautiful spacious apartment, with three bedrooms and two full bathrooms. It easily slept the six of us and we did not feel the least bit over crowded. As there was a group of us the price really was pretty reasonable for the weekend. While family friendly, it could be a bit pricey. The kitchen comes with everything you need from dinner ware to dish soap. There is a large grill on the private porch besides the stove top and oven. Two fireplaces (one is gas and the other you have to light for which they provide all needed materials). There are two flat screen TVs in the main rooms, another in the master bedroom and a small one in the bunk room. The shower in the master bath is huge and there is also a separate large tub. The best part is the large porch that overlooks the beach and Lake Michigan. It wraps around the side around to the back. the view of the lake and Sleeping Bear Dunes is beautiful. The resort also has a gym, outdoor pool and hot tub. Blu, a restaurant I highly recommend, is attached. There is also free wifi (they provide a password). The staff was also amazing, expect to be treated like an honored guest. They take care if anything you might need, even marsh mellows. The only slightly negative thing is that Lebear is a bit off on its own in Glen Arbor. The wineries are about a half hour away which was reasonable. Glen Arbor is small but charming. There are several shops, a couple bars (try Art's Tavern) and a grocery store. The resort is a very short walk from the town.

This review is really more of a 4.5. Absolutely beautiful location and accommodations; very…read morefamily-friendly, great amenities. There are all sorts of tiny details that make Lebear a special place, such as cucumber-ice water by the pool, cookies in the kitchen, and free and easy kayak use on site. The location is excellent. We have stayed at the Homestead in years past, but the Lebear location really sets it apart as it is a quick walk to the grocery stores, restaurants and shops in Glen Arbor. My only complaint is a minor one, and it's just that the bedroom situation is a little funky. In all three of the units I saw, the master bedroom was perfect, but the two smaller guest rooms left much to be desired. One of the bedrooms has a nice queen bed and bunk beds and the other has a double or queen-sized trundle bed. I would think to put the trundle bed in the room with the bunk beds (making it more of a "kids" room) and leave the nice queen-sized bed in its own room. Also, the hallway lighting outside of the two smaller guest rooms was extremely bright at night and made it very difficult to sleep.

My friend and I had a fantastic stay here! The grounds are beautiful, and the location is…read moreperfect--close to delicious restaurants, great shopping, and the beach. Suttons Bay and Glen Arbor are also just a short drive away. The Innkeepers, Ty and Rachel were incredibly friendly and helpful, making us feel welcome from the moment we arrived. Our room was spotless, and the breakfast muffins each morning were absolutely delicious! We truly enjoyed our stay and would not hesitate to come back. Highly recommend!

We stayed at the Whaleback Inn for a wedding in the area. The grounds were beautiful and the staff,…read morewho live on the property, were very nice. They had coffee, tea and hot chocolate out every morning. They also provided bananas, muffins and oatmeal. The only reason I gave 4 stars instead of 5 was because the spa room we got had 3 large skylights and we didn't know. I would have brought an eye mask instead of having to try and find one in a small town (not easy to find). Also, no closet in the room and we had formal wear that needed to be hung up.

Wow! I am very impressed with our stay at the Stone Waters Inn. It came recommended to us by my…read moreparents who stayed before the ownership change and said it was nice but could use some small upgrades. It seems as though the new ownership has made most all of these upgrades. To begin, the booking process was a little weird. I called and the woman who booked me seemed a little lost. I asked about a weekend three weeks in advance and she explained the few options available (ranging from $109 a night to $169). I tried to book the $109 room but after much back and forth, she kept figuring out most everything was booked already so we ended up having to book the fancy Vineyard Suite. When we arrived, the only thing I really didn't like was that there was no staff to greet us but we did call and get a hold of the manager who explained what to do. Our room door was left wide open for us with the key in the knob, which we didn't like at all. We felt really uncomfortable upon first getting into our room - like maybe security was loose and anybody could have come in and done anything to the room first. That was the only part we really were unhappy about. As for everything else, we were amazed. The grounds and building are stunning and everything from the lobby to the room were kept very clean and polished. The lobby had a lounge, pool table, popcorn machine, and a covered patio hangout. The manager welcomed us to bring alcohol or drinks if we'd like and supplied wine glasses and everything. We had a lot of towels and they were very nice quality as well. There was a nice bed, pretty comfy, and lots of blankets. Our room had a fireplace and jacuzzi, which you can imagine, I used right away. There was a mini fridge, a radio, a Keurig coffee maker, and many different other small amenities that were nice. The night was very peaceful and quiet. I loved having a ceiling fan as well. The price, $169 a night, actually was very worth it. We definitely agreed that we didn't want to leave the suite. The only other thing I didn't like was that some of the windows didn't have blinds that would close all the way but that was a very simple fix with a small sheet hung over the middle. We will definitely be back and it is very much worth spending the extra few dollars to pamper yourself for the Vineyard Suite!

We love Stone waters Inn so much! Each room is beautifully decorated in a different theme and is…read moresmall enough to make you feel cozy and quaint in a picturesque little town. Rooms are clean and well appointed the view on the water cannot be beat! We are also huge fans of the complementary pool offered in the lobby. We enjoy our visit year after here. Thank you so much!

We spent an awesome wknd away at the NorthPort Inn. The rooms are beautifully appointed with great…read morecolours and bay views. The proprietors are proud to show you this amazing property they have renovated. We enjoyed breakfast which included gourmet cheeses and jams, homemade granola, even homemade scones! The town is lively offering great eateries and entertainment. Our evening included live jazz music and wine in the LēLu Cafe on the entry floor. If you take a little time away, consider this Inn with all its uniqueness and you will love it as much as we did!!

I really wanted to like this hotel. The room itself was very nice, and we specifically chose this…read moreproperty because it presented itself as a boutique hotel experience. Unfortunately, what happened during our stay--and the way it was handled afterward--completely changed my opinion. Our room had a significant fruit fly problem. This wasn't one or two flies that we happened to notice. They were throughout the room, landing around our belongings and water bottles, and when we woke up in the morning there were so many that they were around our faces. I took pictures because I couldn't believe the number of them in a hotel room. We had been traveling through Michigan for the week and stayed at multiple other properties without experiencing anything remotely similar. We also travel to Northern Michigan regularly, so when management explained that there is a short period each year when fruit flies can be particularly prevalent in the area, I understood the explanation--but it didn't explain why this was the only hotel room where we encountered them at this level. I brought the issue to management's attention and gave the hotel an opportunity to make it right. I was initially offered a 15% refund. I explained why I didn't believe that was an appropriate resolution, and management took my concerns back to the owners for further review. I was ultimately told that the owners had decided the 15% refund would remain their final resolution and that nothing additional would be offered. I declined the 15%. I've worked in hospitality for 25 years, and what disappoints me most isn't simply that the room had a problem. Problems happen in hotels, restaurants, and every other hospitality business. What defines a hospitality organization is how it responds when something goes wrong. For a property positioning itself as a boutique hotel, I expected considerably more care in both the condition of the room and the response afterward. Being awakened with fruit flies around us is not an experience I consider acceptable, regardless of the season. I'll include my photos with this review so people can see what we experienced and make their own judgment. I don't enjoy leaving reviews like this, and I gave the property an opportunity to address the situation privately before posting publicly. Unfortunately, after the owners determined that 15% was their final resolution, I felt it was important to share an honest account of our experience. The room had a lot of potential. The hospitality surrounding the problem did not.

Our 2nd visit to northern Michigan and stay at The Wayfarer. Iris and Mike are superb hosts , the…read morecabins are clean and well equipped. Very grateful that good dogs are allowed and they have a charging station for our Rav 4. Location is excellent - we do a lot of hiking and there are plenty in the area. Frankfort is charming and has great coffee shops! Highly recommended

Sweet, full of charm and peace. Close to everything in Elberta and Frankfort, and so enjoyable !read more

Just wanted to say what a lovely place. It's not a high end hotel or something, but the location is…read moreabsolutely unbeatable. I loved the room... dated, but equally modernized. It was clean, easy to access, and had an exceptional shower! The bed was one of the single most comfortable beds I've ever seen in a hotel. You have IMMEDIATE access to the Heritage Trail system right out your front door. Easy check in, easy check out. Very happy with my choice to stay at the Dune Climb Inn.

Let me start out by saying that I'm 73 and I have stayed at 5 star luxury hotel in Malta and I have…read morealso stayed at a Motel 6 in Rock Island Illinois and this is by far the most disgusting hotel that I have ever stayed at. We stayed there for three nights and they gave us 1 roll of toilet paper and one packet of coffee . There was never anyone in the office to obtain new towels or anything. The place was filthy and bug infested. The exterior was unkept and overgrown. Here is the pathetic part: during the high season they can command as much as $453 per night! For that kind of money go buy a complete camping gear set and sleep in the Sleeping Bear Dunes park nextdoor. The owners of this establishment clearly do not care about this property or live anywhere near it. The bottom line is don't even consider this even hotel as a last resort.