The Mackinac House — Hotel in Mackinac Island

Instagram vs Reality…

Thanks to social media and a talented photographer, The Mackinac House has created quite the demand for their 19 room boutique hotel. I booked 3 rooms in September 2023 for my family vacation in August 2024 and quite frankly regret it. I should have trusted my tried and true experience at The Island House.

We checked in Thursday evening and once we entered our room, we were greeted with 3 box unit fans and realized the air conditioning in two of our reserved rooms was broken - something the Front Desk Associate completely failed to mention upon check-in. They also never provided a proactive update regarding the fix of the AC. I had to ask several times what the status was and every time was told “let me ask my manager.” How disappointing that this Mystery Manager of a 19 Room Boutique Hotel never once apologized or tried to communicate about the issue to our group…pretty strange if you ask a Hospitality Business Major and former Hotel Worker.

This was our first hotel experience with our infant daughter who naps 3 hours a day and goes to bed early so air conditioning and a comfortable room was a must, however, I was disappointed by the lack of AC and the cleanliness of our room. While the fabric headboards are cute, they are coated in dust, there are crumbs all over the floor, mold in the shower and sink drain cap. We let our daughter stretch her legs and crawl on the floor and she her clothes immediately had dirt transfer all over them. They do Room Service “by request” but should consider offering it daily since the rooms are gross.

Additionally, the online description says this room comes with a “Mini Fridge,” however it’s actually a wine cooler that NEVER kept the temperature of our food or stayed sealed shut. We had to throw out food every day that had gone bad. This didn’t bode well for a child who needs to take daily medicine and requires specific food to take it with…

Another Catfish moment for this hotel…The “Lower Level Family Suites” are actually located in the Basement and you can hear footsteps of guests on the first floor all throughout the day and night - not ideal for a child who needs to nap. Room #1 is next to the laundry room if you like to breathe in marijuana smells every day, too! I noticed that they have since listed “basement” on their website but this was not made clear when i booked my rooms in September 2023. I assume other guests have complained about this as well.

The hotel offered a small discount to compensate for the broken AC that lasted our entire 7 Day Stay, however, it’s not enough for the lack of of cleanliness, the mouse that ran across the first floor, the terrible customer service experience from this mystery manager, the food wasted from their terrible fridge, the daily headaches and sore throats from the box fans, the horrible night sleep, etc. etc. etc….

I will never give my future business or recommend this establishment to anyone. Save your money and avoid falling for the...

My family and I stayed at this beautiful boutique hotel for the first time and it will not be our last! Mackinac Island is our favorite summer vacation spot and staying at The Mackinac House added to our enjoyment. We wouldn't want to stay anywhere else after staying here. We loved that it is located on Market Street, which is a very short walk to Main Street - being on Market Street felt peaceful, relaxing and not as busy. We felt like we were right at home when we walked in the front door. The staff always greeted us with a kind smile and a warm welcome. The fresh breakfast each morning was so perfect to get our day started (the muffins were still warm!)...and the snack time each day from 3-5pm was something we looked so forward to...yummy salty and sweet snack options along with lemonade & iced tea! Such a nice touch each afternoon to break up our day! The beautiful lobby also had baskets of games that our kids loved playing inside or on the beautiful porch. Our room was gorgeous (I felt like I walked into a Serena & Lily store!), clean and very comfortable. It didn't feel like a hotel room....it felt like HOME. It was also nice to see bottles of water and La Croix in the room fridge for us to enjoy. There were also complimentary Aveda products in the bathroom which was wonderful! They have truly thought of every detail to make their guests happy. We have stayed at many hotels over the years and this was by far the nicest of them all. It was so hard to leave! Since returning home, we cannot stop talking about how much we enjoyed staying here. We will return to The Mackinac House each time we visit the island. Thank you for a wonderful vacation!!! It was one we will always...

I've been in the travel industry for a little over 38 years now and have traveled extensively all over the world. There is always the handful of places that when you arrive you feel like you don't really want to leave. Mackinac House creates that feeling on beautiful Mackinac Island. The moment you arrive you are taken care of by Alyssa, David and the wonderful team. The Inn is lovely and the rooms well appointed. Aveda products and colorful tasteful decor highlight the rooms. The beds are so very comfortable. Fans are also provided to create white noise and it all makes for a pleasant nights sleep. They welcome children however as some have mentioned it does feel like a peaceful haven for adults. ||If you are looking for a contemporary newer property this would be your place. Breakfast consists of bakery fresh muffins and cinnamon rolls in addition to your standard continental style breakfast choices. My husband and I enjoy the protein options they offer such as the hard boiled eggs, protein packed yogurts, cheeses and smokies. They also offer various cereals, oatmeal, bagels, breakfast sandwiches fruits and smoothies along with coffee and tea. Wouldn't it be lovely to have a Nespresso Machine (wink wink).||We looked forward to our afternoons when we would return back to the Inn after our long days exploring the island. You can grab a snack, some lemonade and sit on the porch and relax as time slows down. ||Are we returning anytime soon? You know we are. A big thank you again to Alyssa, David and the rest of the Mackinac House for the great...