Grand Hotel Celebrates 125 Years

You may have heard the exciting news that Grand Hotel is celebrating 125 years this season.   Twenty five years ago, in 1987, I was a new sales person at Grand Hotel, and was awed to be onsite for the 100th Anniversary celebration.  On that occasion, our big event, as I recall, was a ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Woodfill Conference Center – dedicated meeting space that had been renovated in fabulous Carleton Varney style.  (For those of you who have visited, this is the pink and white striped meeting room, with the three story cathedral ceilings.)

This year, I am especially aware of the changes and improvements that have been made since that 100^th Anniversary in 1987.  Those include almost 100 more guest rooms, all on the original footprint of the Hotel, allowing us to maintain our status as a National Historic Landmark.   We have also added a lovely new private dining room, the Grand Pavilion, with seating for 250 guests and a balcony/patio overlooking the front nine of our 18 hole golf course.

We are pleased that we now have four off-site restaurants for our guests to enjoy, in addition to lunch service at the Tea Room at Fort Mackinac where guests may sit indoors or outside on the terrace and enjoy a breathtaking view of the harbor and the Straits of Mackinac. 

Twenty five years ago no one would have guessed that Grand Hotel would have a casual bar at the top of our Hotel – the Cupola, where guests can be casually attired through the day and evening, making it the perfect spot for a nightcap after dinner in one of our casual restaurants.

We now have air conditioning and color TV in every room (yes - people did come to Grand Hotel even when there was no cable available on Mackinac and therefore not much point in having a television in the room!).  We now have great cell phone reception (who even relied on a cell phone in 1987?) and we have complimentary high speed wireless internet throughout the hotel.  I’m sure I had never heard of high speed wireless in 1987!

The staff quarters where I stayed over that anniversary weekend in 1987 have been converted to a wonderful four-bedroom cottage, the Masco Cottage, which is very popular with social groups and families.  It also makes an attractive destination for a small board meeting or staff retreat where collaboration is enhanced im casual yet elegant full service surroundings.

Grand Hotel’s official birthday is Tuesday, July 10.   If you are on Mackinac Island that day, please come to Grand Hotel and enjoy a piece of the 125 foot long birthday cake that will be on display on the World’s Longest Front Porch.  Call me ahead of time, and I’ll make the arrangements!   We would love to have you join us in celebrating this historic milestone for America’s Summer Place – Grand Hotel!