Watervale Inn — Hotel in Blaine Township

This was our fourth visit to Watervale Inn, and it never fails to relax us and take us back to a simpler time! The cottages are rented by the week during the summer season (Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend), and it's a short walk to the Inn for morning breakfasts and evening dinners. Or no walk if you stay in the Inn itself, which has rooms by the night. ||||For the cottages, housekeeping is available upon request for an extra fee, otherwise you can exchange your towels behind the Inn at the laundry as needed. There are kayaks and canoes (and life jackets) available for guests' use, as well as shuffleboard, tennis courts, a playground, tether ball, and sand volleyball. By design, there are no t.v.s in the cottages, which are quaintly furnished like Grandma's. There is free wifi at the Inn itself, but not at the cottages. The entire property is very walkable and picturesque. ||||Kids have fun ringing the dinner bell to begin the 6:00 pm and 7:30 pm seatings, and you have the same dinner table and friendly and enthusiastic wait staff (college kids) all week. The food is delicious with a focus on seasonal and local produce, and you can order more if you'd like a second helping. I'm particularly fond of the homemade soups and moist carrot cake (with pineapple chunks, yum!). One night a week they throw a fun BBQ outside (which is also vegetarian friendly).||||There is private beach access to both Lower Herring Lake and Lake Michigan, plus Boo Hoo beach that is a short kayak ride across from the Inn. Bring a flashlight if you use one of the fire rings or watch the sunset on the beach because there isn't any light pollution here! They also have fun organized activities such as square dancing and bingo. Not to mention you can climb Mt. Baldy (a sand dune with an impressive view), go bike riding at the nearby Betsie Valley Trail, shop in Frankfort, Michigan, check-out a drive-in movie in Honor, Michigan, the list goes on! ||||I would be remise if I didn't mention the people as well. Jennie and Pat are your daily contact with Watervale management, and it shows that they love the place. They are fantastic and never too busy for a friendly word or recommendation. Jennie's hands-on and easy-going attitude clearly spread to the whole staff as everyone is friendly and accommodating from the beverage wait staff to the laundresses. ||||We've already booked our trip to back to Watervale for next summer, and can't wait to make more happy memories there with...

Watervale comprises a group of cottages and an Inn (where I stayed) in northern Michigan, across from Lower Herring Lake and very close to a giant and gorgeous swath of Lake Michigan sand and stones. It has everything you need for a relaxing, away-from-it-all vacation - clean (if tiny - we slept in a standard double bed) rooms, a beautiful and unpopulated beach, breakfast and dinner so you don't have to think about them, pervaded by an atmosphere of history - it maintains a feeling for the generations past who have enjoyed it.||There is a no-fuss attitude - if something needs to be done it is (my bathing suit rescued from the roof onto which it had fallen from the fire escape), meals are tasty and choices are adequate for pescetarians (like my husband), the dining room staff is young, charming, and eager to please (one of my companions is unable to order straight from the menu and all of her requests were satisfied) and I honestly can't think of anything to complain about. Maybe that the wifi is only from the public areas, but honestly, you shouldn't stay in your room OR be checking your email all the time while you're there - you're missing the point if you do.||It might be dullish for teenagers, but it was perfect for a group of 9 adults who just wanted to have fun, and did.||The beach at sunset...

If you don’t mind sharing bathrooms, having no internet, air con or keys for your room for that matter but dare to embrace it all, you will have an experience like no other. It is like a time warp, and you are going back in time where everyone is ridiculously kind and friendly. I genuinely didn’t mind the fact that I couldn’t sleep for the heat or that I had to slip out to the corridor in my nightie whenever I had to use the bathroom. I just couldn’t wait for my early morning walk while everyone was sleeping, followed by the most amazing breakfast. Always a sweet for starter, like blueberry ganache or bishop bread., then fruits, Omelette is to die for, most delicious home fried potatoes and French bread toast with yummy jams. Tea is of high quality Rishi , great coffee. servers are all friendly students, efficient and well organized and everything is like a clockwork. Families of three generations all gather and loose themselves in this timeless gem where all you care about is the sunrise, the lake, the hikes the walks , Canoe and ocean kayak and the sunsets over and over again. It is truly captivating and mesmerizing at the same time. Been like that since 1917 apparently and all within the same family. We are already planning to return and I truly miss the wonderful...