Mackinac Island Bed and Breakfast: 5 Places To Check Out

Considering a Mackinac Island Bed and Breakfast to stay at? Travel is about much more than arriving at your destination: the experience, hospitality, amenities, activities, and much more can easily make or break your trip. While a full service, grandiose resort can be expansive and enjoyable, there is something truly unique about a bed and breakfast property. In this post, you’ll find all the details you need to book one of four spectacular historic Mackinac Island bed and breakfast venues and one new B&B on the block. Whether you are new to the island or a seasoned veteran, welcome! You are about to embark on a fantastic journey to Mackinac Island that will change your life forever. Just ask those who have already been!

When you stay at a Mackinac Island Bed and Breakfast, you’ll have the opportunity to interact with the local proprietor or property manager as you wish, ensuring the time you have to spend on your trip will be worthwhile. Contemplating a trip to the local shops, museum, or perhaps an excursion? You can hear from the “feet on the ground” which tourist trap to dodge and which is worth your precious time. Many take a vacation with the desire to “live like the locals”, and when you have someone who desires to ensure their guests enjoy their home, you know they’ll only recommend the best of the best.

Want to make sure you don’t miss out on the best local eats? Be sure to pick your host’s brain before making your dinner plans! The proprietor of your Mackinac Island Bed and Breakfast will likely have the scoop on new, local restaurants opening and give you tips you won’t easily find online. Another benefit? Breakfast is included in your nightly rate at each of these properties, with many offering seasonal, local options you wouldn’t find at a standard hotel. Keep reading on for some of the popular bites at these five top bed and breakfasts, including local sweet treats and much more.

Tip: there are a lot of restaurants on the island that have been around forever. Occasionally a new one opens up and if you happen to be on the island when it does, try and snag a table. The island recently (in the last couple years) got its first Starbucks. If I had to guess, it is probably the busiest place on the island because it is the only place that you would recognize on a global scale. Which means, a lot of the businesses are unique to the island!

Mackinac Island Bed and Breakfast: 5 Places To Check Out

Cottage Inn of Mackinac Island

According to their website, Cottage Inn is the #1 Mackinac Island Bed and Breakfast property on TripAdvisor. This picturesque, Victorian style building, painted a soft shade of yellow, is located just one block from the downtown Mackinac Island area. Despite the very traditional, English architecture, the Cottage Inn takes great claim as “the most modern Inn on Mackinac Island”. Built in 2001, many modern amenities are outfitted at the Cottage Inn that you likely won’t find at the Island’s more traditional bed and breakfasts, including rainfall shower heads and luxury sheets in each of their guestrooms. Even as the Cottage Inn boasts their modern amenities, you’ll find the accommodations very cozy and evoking the quintessential bed and breakfast charm of a small island.

Some of the notable amenities at the Cottage Inn include: air conditioning, free WiFi, flat screen TVs in each room, a selection of movies, afternoon treats (including local fudge, peanut brittle, caramel corn), pillow top mattresses, and much more at this smoke-free property.

You’ll find all the guestrooms at the Cottage Inn have a Queen size bed. The rooms vary in size and style, with the majority of rooms (7) starting in the Deluxe Queen category. For a larger room, you might wish to upgrade to a Premium Deluxe room. The Victorian Turret rooms include a Queen size bed as well as a Queen size pullout for additional guests. Finally, The Mackinac Suite is a spacious, three-room, third-floor suite with two Queen size beds, comfortably sleeping four adults.

A complimentary homemade breakfast is included in your stay at the Cottage Inn. Served in a bountiful buffet spread, fresh fruit, homemade baked goods, and much more are served in a dedicated dining area. You’ll also find hot egg dishes prepared fresh on-site as well.

You’ll enjoy a wonderful stay at this Mackinac Island Bed and Breakfast. Rates range from $110-330 per night, depending on which room you select. Reservations can be made on the Cottage Inn website or by calling directly: 906-847-4000.

Haan’s 1830 Inn

For those with an interest in history with their travels, you’ll find the Greek Revival home of Haan’s 1830 Inn on Mackinac Island especially charming. This Mackinac Island Bed and Breakfast was first built in 1830, and after additions made in 1847 and 1988, it has been set as a special property with comfortable amenities for your trip. The proprietors of Haan’s indicate their guests will truly relax and enjoy their stay on Mackinac Island by slowing down to enjoy the simple beauty around them.

The antique furniture pieces and artifacts around the home truly evoke the 19^th century, and that is reinforced at Haan’s 1830 Inn. A very traditional style bed and breakfast property, the owners wish to preserve their Old World charm. While free WiFi is available on their property, they do indicate it is not optimal for streaming movies and suggest those desiring access to “modern technology” consider other accommodations on the Island. You also won’t find TVs at Haan’s 1830 Inn.

Haan’s 1830 Inn has just nine unique guestrooms with stately, antique amenities and traditional architectural details. Two of the guestrooms, the Pere Marquette and the Rev. William Ferry, share a bath with one another. Each of the other accommodations has their own private bathroom. You’ll enjoy perusing the lovely pictures and great details of each guestroom on their website, truly enabling you to visualize your relaxing vacation to Mackinac Island before you even arrive.

Guests will enjoy a complimentary, homemade breakfast spread at a long, wooden table with other guests, studded with antique lamps, fine China, and much more for a truly authentic, traditional experience. You’ll find homemade baked goods, hot egg dishes, fresh fruit, and much more at this Mackinac Island Bed and Breakfast.

For those desiring a very home-style, traditional venue, you’ll find the antique features and charming spaces at Haan’s 1830 Inn meet the desires of your bed and breakfast stay. This property is also among the more affordable on this list, with prices generally between $62-235 per night. Reservations can be made on the Haan’s 1830 Inn website or by calling directly: 906-398-2662.

Metivier Inn

Many envision a sprawling veranda on the outskirt of a charming Mackinac Island bed and breakfast property, and the Metivier Inn delivers in a stylish way. With a quaint white picket fence and flower beds scattered across the front yard, this property is the quintessential, vibrant, local fixture you dream of when thinking about a trip to Mackinac Island.

With a blend of English and French country styles, each of the 22 guestrooms boasts authentic style and antique embellishments. Most rooms include a Queen bed, but some of the suites will have a King sized bed for your stay. I recommend the Jacuzzi Room, which even has a private patio space!

The garden at the Metivier Inn is one of its most unique features. Fresh, colorful florals mingle with various plants that thrive in the Island environment. You can visit this property every summer and find a new picturesque style, thanks to Owner Diane Neyer, who designs and tends to the garden.

In addition to a wonderful breakfast service, the Metivier Inn offers a special afternoon coffee and tea with local sweet treats, perfect to enjoy on their front veranda and relax with an enchanting read. For a lovely morning meal, you’ll find a variety of eggs, oatmeal, fresh baked breads, fruit, perhaps even pancakes, French toast, or a special Amish granola.

The Metivier Inn boasts a strong reputation, with recognition from the New York Times, Conde Nast, Midwest Living, and many more, including being named one of the top Island Bed & Breakfasts in the U.S. for 2015 by www.bedandbreakfast.com. Rates for the Metivier Inn range from $240-340 per night. Reservations can be made on their website or by calling directly: 906-847-6234.

Cloghaun Bed & Breakfast

Sophistication, style, and grace all come to mind at the stately, Victorian home that you’ll call home during your stay at the Cloghaun (pronounced CLAH HANN) Bed & Breakfast. The property was completed when Thomas and Bridget Donnelly left Ireland for Mackinac Island in 1884. The bed and breakfast has been well preserved by their family ever since, offering a unique stay for all travelers.

At the Cloghaun, traditional style and antique furnishings are found in all guestrooms. Each ranges in amenities, with the top Thomas room including a private balcony, King bed, and private bathroom. Of the 11 guestrooms on their property, only two share a bathroom (The Henry and Mary). In keeping with the traditional style of the property, there is no air conditioning at the Cloghaun.

A wonderful garden is found throughout all seasons on the Cloghaun property, with a sprawling patio to observe the natural beauty. You’ll also find the Sitting Room a tranquil space to relax, as well as the Kelton Library a special room to unwind, play games, and much more.

The Breakfast Room is a lovely space where you’ll find breakfast served buffet style from 8-10am and afternoon tea from 3-5pm. Homemade cakes, hot dishes, fresh fruit, and much more are served for everyone to enjoy.

Rates for the Cloghaun include breakfast and afternoon tea, starting from $89-214 per night, depending on guestroom and time of year. Some of the specials on their website even include a 1/2lb. box of Mackinac Island fudge! Reservations can be made on the Cloghaun website or by calling directly: 906-847-3885.

On the Horizon…Mackinac House!

There’s a new kid on the block this year on the Island…Mackinac House! You can be among the first guests at this property, now accepting reservations after June 16, 2019.

Bold colors and modern touches exude refinement at this craftsman style property. This is not your typical home with traditional antique features. With over a thousand followers on Facebook, a lovely website, high-end designer finishes, and much more, the anticipation is building that Mackinac House will be a staple on the Island beginning this summer.

While rates range from $165-435, this modern fixture with designer details may be worth the premium of rates among the highest on Mackinac Island. Online reservations are not available at the time of writing (February 2019), so contact the proprietors directly for questions or booking: 906-847-3911. Mackinac House will be the most modern Mackinac Island Bed and Breakfast on the island this year. If you are lucky to snag a room at this beautiful Mackinac Island bed and breakfast, let us know. We would love to hear how your stay went and what you thought of the property.

Plan your next trip to Mackinac Island and ensure your stay evokes the spirit of the island with accommodations at one of the Island’s charming bed and breakfast venues. Adding to its charm and small town feel, you won’t find a single commercial hotel brand with a property on Mackinac Island. You won’t be disappointed with a relaxing stay at any of these unique bed and breakfast properties.

Additional Information about Mackinac Island

• There are far more bed and breakfast establishments on the island than hotels. However, Mackinac Island bed and breakfasts do not accommodate the sheer volume of customers that a hotel or a resort on the island can, which means these can book up pretty fast. If you have a favorite, book as early as possible to make sure you can stay there. Otherwise, you can try your hand at one of the many other lovely properties available on the island.
• Most of the Mackinac Island bed and breakfasts are not on major booking sites like Travelocity, Expedia, etc., which means you will need to book directly through their company website or by phone.
  • Often people make the mistake of only checking these third party booking websites and when they see the property that they want to stay in not come up, they assume it is sold out. On the contrary, they just are not being offered there. So make sure and call in to double check about availability.
• Since these properties are so small, I would not run the risk of coming to the island and hoping to score lodging for the night. In fact, I would not recommend doing this for any property on the island during high season. More often than not, the island is sold out.
• One of the many perks of staying in a bed and breakfast is that it comes with breakfast! If you do not want to have to go out and find a meal every morning, having this home cooked option may just work better for you. You don’t have to rush out to beat the clock before lunch starts and just eat in and relax.
• On average, it is cheaper per night to stay at a Mackinac Island bed and breakfast than it is to stay in a resort. So if you are looking to stay somewhere that you won’t get lost in the sauce or are trying to watch a budget, this option may be for you. However, bed and breakfasts are just as nice as hotels, they are just set up differently and their offerings vary from place to place.
• If you are looking for all the trimmings, like a pool, then checking into a Mackinac Island bed and breakfast will not be for you. Very few hotels on the island even have a pool because space is so limited. i would not expect to find one at smaller properties.
• A lot of the Mackinac Island bed and breakfast locations have a yard with a bike rack. It would be advantageous to rent a bike on the island for the duration of your stay to get around.
  • Pro tip – do not forget to lock up your bike. While thefts have been reported, and there are not many, they do happen. If you are downtown and leave your bike somewhere, it can easily be picked up by someone on accident if it looks similar, etc.
  • Additionally, be careful on your bike should you rent one. Since there are no cars allowed on the island, biking is the way most visitors get around and it is also how the police enforce traffic. You CAN get a speeding ticket and you can get a DUI. The goal is to keep all the other visitors, employees and horses safe on the island. Bike cautiously.
    • One area to keep an eye on is the hill coming down from the Grand Hotel. If you go up in the island, you will most likely go up by way of passing the Grand Hotel (you will know you are going up because a lot of people walk their bikes up on the sidewalk along the Grand Hotel and then continue riding once they pass the hotel and get on a more even terrain). When coming back down that hill, it can be dangerous because it is slightly steep and there will be horses, carriages, other people on bikes, and people walking all over the road. This is the most common place to get a speeding ticket and the most common place to wipe out on your bike. Tread cautiously.
• Accessing the island is very easy. You can opt to take a ferry over from either Mackinaw City or St. Ignace. The ride is usually under 40 minutes, so it goes pretty quickly. Alternatively, you could fly to the island from st. Ignace and it takes about 15 minutes. So if you are up for seeing the island from new heights, this would be an excellent way to do it.
• When taking the ferry over to Mackinac Island, most of the bed and breakfast establishments do not have a dock porter who will get your luggage when you arrive. You will need to grab your luggage when the ferry clears out and you can either walk it to your destination or pay about five dollars for a taxi ride on a horse.
  • I would suggest taking the taxi for a variety of reason. The main one being is that the island can get very busy and trying to walk through crowds with luggage can be daunting. Additionally, since no cars are used on the island and horse and carriage are primary transporters, they poop whenever they have to, thus there will be droppings and piles around. The last thing you want to do is roll your luggage through it.
    • Side note: if you do plan to walk with your luggage, try and stay on the sidewalk away from horse poo and be cautious of all the other people around you.
• If you are looking for ways to fill your days while you are spending time on Mackinac Island, some of the top things to do include: afternoon tea at the Grand Hotel, biking around the island (it is just over eight miles around), trying all the fudge at various shops, shopping in all the little specialty stores, eating white fish because you know you wont get it again until you come back (at least not the good stuff), take a carriage tour, visit the Butterfly House, view an epic sunrise or sunset on each end of the island, take in a spa day, visit Arch Rock, hike one of the MANY trails on the island, or try one of the many water sport offerings you can now find on the island (sunset or booze cruises, parasailing, stand up paddle boarding, or even kayaking).
• Pro tip: if you eat fudge fast enough, your fit bit will think you are running – so try ALL the fudge and don’t forget to bring like ten bricks home for family and friends.

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