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    Whittaker Woods

    Whittaker Woods

    (3 reviews)

    This was a great venue for the wedding reception of two very good friends. They staff was friendly…read moreand accommodating. I wasn't part of the planning, but I hope the bride and groom were happy with the set-up because it really was beautiful. I like how they set the tables up, too, because you didn't feel so far from the wedding party. Really minor: The bartender didn't know what a dark and stormy was and when I just told her rum and ginger beer, she kind of looked at me funny. Also, it was an August wedding so it was very humid and although the fans inside, above the dance floor were beautiful, it still got very hot. Doesn't matter too much when you're celebrating, though! The dinner set-up and bathrooms were very clean, I should add!

    We had both our ceremony and our reception at Whittaker Woods. The venue is lovely and the servers…read morewere nice. Those are really the only positive things that we can say about Whittaker Woods as our venue. The rest of our experience was horrid. Our experience seemed to be common because whenever we told people who lived in the area where our wedding was going to be held, their eyes would get wide, and they would say, "Oh? How is that working out?" When we would ask them for their opinion, they all basically suggested that the management was very unpleasant to deal with, from what they had heard from other couples. Our event coordinator changed twice during the less than one year that we were planning our wedding. We had high hopes going in because the original coordinator seemed to know what she was doing, was nice, and seemed to really want our business; however, she was replaced for mysterious and complicated reasons shortly after we signed our contract. The two coordinators who followed her seemed to have no experience or training in event coordination. The prices were all increased substantially between when we signed on with them and when our wedding was held, and we were not given the new prices until a week before our wedding - talk about stress! The owner, Mr. O'Brien, seems to only care about money and is very unprofessional. We were never introduced to him, but heard him once yelling at his staff about someone who hadn't paid their deposit, where all the customers (not many that day) could hear him-he seemed not to care. Our coordinator (the third one) consistently did not return our phone calls regarding the planning, and seemed always to be disorganized. She also once claimed to have never received a message that we left her, but later FAXed us a sheet that had a photocopy of the message slip that she "didn't receive". She also miscalculated our bill. We scheduled a tasting, and our coordinator did not give the chef the list of items that we wanted to taste, so he was unprepared. He also had dirt under his fingernails, just what you want in a chef. The food did taste good, but was overpriced. The shuttle bus that we paid to have to drive our guests from the hotel to Whittaker Woods and back left 30 minutes prior to the time that we had paid for, even though the coordinator had told us that he would stay. Then many of our guest (and us!) had to bum rides back to the hotel. Their excuse was that the shuttle driver had been sitting there for a while waiting for people to need a ride. What does that matter when we are paying by the hour?! Why should a lot of people be leaving when the reception is far from over?! That pretty much sums up our experience. As I said, the facility looks very nice and is set up well to hold a wedding and reception, but by the time we had our weddding, we had had so many problems with the management, it was hard not to let that affect our feelings about the place; also, we were worried about how they were going to take advantage of us next, but tried not to let it spoil our day.

    Juniper Holiday + Home

    Juniper Holiday + Home

    (6 reviews)

    We just had a relaxing stay at the Black House on Beech, a Juniper Holiday + Home in the charming…read moreVillage of Three Oaks, MI. The company provided a detailed manual of instructions, attractions, and notes (Wi-Fi, lock box) prior to check-in. We were also surprised with some sweet treats and a bottle of wine upon arrival. The Black House on Beech is a small stunner called The Starling. Perhaps The Startling might be more apropos because it is a 2-story 3BR, 2BA house on a small footprint painted a pure matte black. Inside is modern and simple, decorated in black and white. They've considered every comfort -- there's a sauna, a hot tub, fire pit and hammock-- outside. Connect to the house Wi-Fi, watch a movie, play some tunes on the turntable, challenge your companions to a few board games--inside. Or walk a few minutes to Staymaker Restaurant at Journeyman Distillery, stock up on staples at Froehlich's Kitchen & Pantry, or enjoy a casual lunch/brunch at Oaks Eatery. This is a fine getaway for a small group or family. We only had a small mixup with the Wi-Fi but they were very responsive and this was cleared up right away. All the amenities at a small and quiet oasis. We didn't use the sauna but will be ready to try it on a return visit.

    Some girlfriends and I celebrated a 50th birthday at Sunset Manor, an absolutely amazing lakefront…read morehome in Grand Beach, MI. The house was beautifully appointed, with a fantastic pool, hot tub, and breathtaking views. But more important than the house was the service and the "little extras" provided by Juniper Holiday + Home. From start to finish, they communicated everything we needed, making the trip easy and enjoyable. When we asked questions about the area and concierge services for our celebration, they were attentive and helpful. I can't say enough great things about the entire experience--my friend loved every moment of her celebratory vacation!

    Marina Grand Resort - Check in desk

    Marina Grand Resort

    (111 reviews)

    $$$

    I was there for a 3 day retreat. It is the regular place it is held since there is a well equipped…read moremeeting room near the rooms and food service. The front desk crew were top notch. The food service crew was also. Even the room I was in was above average and had the bathtub I need to soak. But the room didn't have an alarm clock or sound machine that should have been normal for a place like this. While the TV had a very good range of channels, the lack of a sleep timer again adds to stars being subtracted. Not having a microwave in regular rooms should be a no no for resort hotels. The food was average at best. Nothing to write home about especially the quiche and the muffins. If they want more stars, it is the little things that matter.

    This hotel is beautiful. I loved that every room faced the marina so you always have an amazing…read moreview. My favorite part was watching the sunrise over the marina from the balcony in the morning. It was a vibe. The room also had a fireplace which came in handy since it was around 40 degrees on the night we were there. Overall the room was nice and the view made it worth it. While there were some great amenities, they didn't quite match up to what I was expecting. They recently opened up The Living Room area in the lobby which has breakfast in the morning and snacks and drinks in the evening. They also gave us drink tickets as well to use on coffee or drinks. Breakfast starts at 8am, but I am an early riser and was hoping for a coffee while I watched the sunrise. I did make a tea with the electric kettle in the room. The lobby/Living Room set up is perfect for drinks, not so much for a family having breakfast. They do sell local Michigan snacks, but you have to ask at the front desk and they have to find them. I would've just preferred a vending machine or an easier way to get snacks between 8pm and 8am when the Living Room is not open. The pool and jacuzzi were great, but we did have a hard time finding them. The indoor pool entrance was through an unmarked door on the second floor so it took us a few minutes of exploring to find it. I don't think the indoor pool was heated, but it wasn't too bad. The hotel is very centrally located so it was just a short drive to the beach, restaurants, and shopping.

    The Formal Fork - eventplanning - Updated May 2026

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