Gordon Beach Inn — Hotel in New Buffalo Township

This hotel is truly a hidden gem! From the moment we arrived, we were greeted with warmth and hospitality that set the tone for a wonderful ladies’ weekend getaway. The charm of the property was exactly what we were hoping for—peaceful, relaxing, and full of thoughtful touches.

One of the standout features is the attached restaurant and bar. Not only is the food fantastic, but having direct access from the hotel made dining super convenient. There’s also a cooler stocked with cold drinks for purchase, which was a nice bonus. Mornings were equally pleasant with complimentary coffee and tea, and the option to pre-order breakfast and pick it up in an adorable little basket made our start to the day feel extra special.

The rooms were quaint and full of character. The rocking chairs were particularly stylish, they were also surprisingly relaxing—perfect for unwinding after a day at the beach. Both Room 16 and Room 18 had great water pressure in the showers, the beds were very comfortable, and we appreciated the extra pillows and heavier blankets provided.

One of the highlights of staying here is the access to a private beach within walking distance, and the hotel even provides beach towels for guests. Be aware though—reaching the beach requires navigating quite a few stairs, which may be challenging for those with mobility concerns.

The property encourages true relaxation. Rooms do not have TVs, which we actually loved—it gave us the chance to truly unplug. We spent time reading, journaling, playing cards, and painting our nails. For guests who want some entertainment, there is a basement area with a TV, games, a washer and dryer, and an ironing board. They also offer bikes to borrow and plenty of outdoor seating, including a cozy fire pit.

That said, there are a couple of minor things to be aware of. The walls in the hotel are quite thin—you can hear everything from conversations to snoring—so light sleepers may want to bring earplugs. Also, while the basement is functional, it could benefit from a remodel to make it feel more modern and welcoming for guests.

Despite these small notes, we absolutely loved our stay. The price per room is very reasonable, and the service from every staff member was outstanding—welcoming, kind, and always helpful. We’re already planning our return for another relaxing and cost-efficient escape. It is also a 8 minute drive to downtown New Buffalo were you can do some shopping, dining, spas and site seeing....

We have gone to Gordon Beach Inn for years. This time I saw good weather and made a last minute reservation. All that was left was room number 5. It was quite small but had the charm of an old inn. I immediately noticed how stuffy it was and fiddled with the thermostat to no avail. Being unable to sleep we finally resorted to opening all the windows. It was if they had never been cleaned between the window and the screen. There were all kinds of insects large and small entangled in a jungle of cobwebs. I cleaned them up to some extent with toilet paper. I didn't want all that crud blowing in to the room. Actually our first problem was that there was no small fridge. All our other rooms had had a fridge. There was room for one as small as the room was. Thank goodness we had some icepacks. The bed was lush but the foam pillows gave me a stiff neck. The good weather held and we saw a lovely sunset at Gordon Beach about a mile hike away. Still no relief on the stuffiness. We each managed to get some sleep anyway. The toilet was the tiniest I have ever seen except in a kindergarten. You sort of fall onto it and then have to grasp something to pull yourself up. The shower/bath was adequate. The sink ample. Some hooks would have been most welcome. And unlike our last experience in the lovely, more modern Room #1 that had fridge and microwave, the lamps were solid and working. I would note that there was no way to fully darken the room because of skylight in Room #1. The lobby is large and charming with a fireplace. The best thing is The Grove Inn with wonderful food and wonderful people creating and serving the food. You can eat inside or out. Oh, and for dogowners, for $25 surcharge per night, you may bring them along for the 9 rooms on the first floor. There are books and games downstairs. I recommend seeing the lake in various...

We booked room #5 on a whim because we love our dog and wanted to spend a special weekend together as a “family” (we are suffering from infertility and recurrent pregnancy loss and therefore have no living children). The trip was planned for the end of the summer and we sort of put it on the back-burner until it was time to go. A few days before we left, we read some of the reviews and started to panic, thinking maybe we had made a mistake.

Not sure what the other reviewers were missing, but this is clearly a historic little inn full of memories and charm. Our room was so pleasant and special, we adored every second here! Very clean and aesthetically pleasing. We spent most of our time out and about, but our room was a calm, quiet oasis in the midst of our exciting (&hot) beach vacation.

We ordered breakfast both mornings, nothing exciting but for $6 it was a great start to our day. Plus it was served in a little picnic basket. Our dog was welcome on the private beach until 10AM so we did that first thing. We hiked the Warren Dunes, hung out at the dog beach there, and enjoyed a vineyard and lots of dog friendly restaurant patios. We even drove to South Haven for a quick lunch! It was crazy up there, but worth the drive. So relaxing to come back to this quaint location.

We had a blast, and my dog is tired. They say a tired dog is a happy dog. Thank you, Gordon Beach Inn, for such a special and memorable weekend. Loved sleeping with the windows cracked, falling asleep to the quiet laughter of folks enjoying meals on the patio and the occasional Amtrak rolling past.

An awesome get away for a few...