Painting by Jane Seymour outside the Somewhere in Time Suite

A while back I wrote a post about Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, also known as “The Somewhere in Time Hotel.” I had every intention of visiting there, someday, but never dreamed it would happen as quickly, or as magically, as it did.

To celebrate turning 40, my best friend Stefania and I cooked up a wacky road trip that included driving a Ford Mustang up to the Michigan peninsula and a visit pilgrimage to the setting for the time traveling romance movie, Somewhere in Time, which starred Christopher Reeve, Jane Seymour and Christopher Plummer.  Fun idea, but who would sponsor a thing like that?

Turns out Ford was willing to let us drive their car, and Grand Hotel was willing to put the two of us up for two nights! All we had to do was get to Detroit to start the adventure. Oh, and pay for gas. No such thing as a (totally) free ride.

Journey Back in Time, or Just a Journey – You Decide

A quick 20 minute ferry rides gets you from the mainland to Mackinac Island, where it really does seem like time stood still. There are no cars on the island, so we caught a horse drawn “taxi” up the gentle hill to the hotel.

Walking into the lobby, the feeling of going back in time stays with you. But at the same time, it’s a thoroughly modern feeling resort, with every kind of store or service you could want. It’s just packaged in a slightly more genteel manner.

For example, there is a tea shop just off the lobby where you check in. It’s charming and quaint, and lends itself to afternoon tea which you perhaps have in a china tea cup  and enjoy at a table in the gallery-like long hallway. Or you can get a latte to go, just like at Starbucks.

That’s one of the nice things about Grand Hotel — you can control you level of escapism.

The Rooms

This was the biggest surprise of the trip. The incredibly generous people at Grand Hotel put us each in our own First Lady Suite — the ones designed by famous interior decorator Carleton Varney, in consultation with the actual First Ladies after whom they are named.

The Roslynn Carter Suite, Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island, MI

I was handed the key to the Rosalynn Carter Suite, which featured “Georgia Peach” walls, a romantic faux canopy, and a most impressive star design on the carpet. Best of all, I had my own private deck, overlooking Mackinac Bridge, the Straits of Mackinac, and the mansion-like “cottages” that line the neighboring streets.

Jacqueline Kennedy Suite, Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island, MI

Stefania’s room was equally awesome, the Jacqueline Kennedy Suite! The room featured blue and white stripes, a lot of fringe and several photos of Jackie. It’s a fan’s paradise.

Portraits of Jackie in her eponymous suite

Somewhere in Time Suite

Picking our favorite room is impossible, they are both so luxurious and beautiful. But if we were forced to choose, the Jackie suite would win just because it was two doors down from the Somewhere in Time suite.

We knew which one was the Somewhere in Time suite because there is a name plate over the door. But we would have been able to tell anyway, because the walls outside the room are covered with paintings by Miss McKenna herself, Jane Seymour. I had no idea she had that kind of artist talent!

Self-portrait of Jane Seymour, in costume as Elise McKenna

Just to make it even better, we got a tour of the room from Bob Tagatz, the Grand Hotel concierge, official historian and chief blogger. It was pretty exciting! He told us stories about when the cast was filming at the hotel, although he was unable to confirm my long-held suspicion that Christopher Reeve and Ms. Seymour had a passionate affair during the production.

Bob Tagatz, the Grand Hotel concierge, official historian and chief blogger

Don’t take my word for it, watch the movie yourself — housekeeping will bring you a copy to watch in your room during your stay!

The Dining Room

One of the neat things about Grand Hotel is that it’s an inclusive property, meaning that breakfast and dinner are included in most packages. And it is so worth it!

Dinner is the more formal affair, with “evening attire” required for guests in all areas of the hotel, but specifically for dinner. It’s an event! It was really fun to get dressed up to go eat, and to see all of the other guests at their scrubbed up best. Particularly sweet were the big families in their Sunday best. One four or five year old little girl stopped us in the hallway to show us her pretty dress. We complimented her on the excellent twirly skirt, and smiled when we saw her later on, showing off for another guest.

Fancy dinner - that was duck confit in aspic

The food is sort of “High Resort” — a bit formal, with indulgent ingredients like foie gras and truffles, and maybe just a bit heavy on the salt.

Booze note: wine is not included in the packages, so be prepared to sign the cost of your bottle/cocktail up to your room.

Things to Do

Bike rides can be fun! Just watch out for horse poop!

The weather was gorgeous the weekend we visited, so it was all about the outdoor activities. Far and away the most popular thing to do is rent a bike, either at the hotel Tennis shop, or at various locations down in the village. We took a leisurely ride around the island, with a stop for hotdogs and french fries at the halfway point. The whole trip — which is nice and flat, no sweaty hills! — took less than two hours. Remember the sunscreen, and watch out for dive bombing seagulls at the hotdog place!

Seriously, Don’t Tip. Don’t Even Try. No. Just Stop.

You know how some places say, “No tips” but you still do it, and sometimes the staff lets you? Not here. After the first awkward interaction we didn’t even try again. Relax and enjoy not having to figure out if you should be palming $2 or $5 or a 20. You’re on vacation!

Also, empty your pockets of change before you get to the hotel, or your vacation could end precipitously, with you suddenly transported back to your home at a moment’s notice. (It’s a joke/reference to the defining plot point in Somewhere in Time, oh, just watch it already!)

Housekeeping will bring a copy of the movie!

Photo credits:

Cat Lincoln #1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 9

Grand Hotel #3

Stefania Pomponi Butler #7, 8

The Hyatt Regency Dearborn, Michigan

One of the perks of being a hotel review writer is that hotels offer you deals — or free rooms — all the time. This is usually accompanied by pretty good service because everyone wants a good review.

I try to balance out the inherent bias of this setup by totally spying on hotel staff, peering around corners and taking notes like my hero, Harriet the Spy. I also strike up conversations the strangers at ice machines and the hallway or lobby.

Yes, I’m that lady, and I keep trying to talk to you because I want to find out if “regular” guests get the same treatment as I do. Usually the answer is yes, as far as I can discern. But recently I was a “regular” guest at the Hyatt Regency Dearborn, MI, and my stay kinda sucked.

The Room – Tiny, Dark and oh my God, is that Pizza on the Carpet?

This is exactly what my room looked like. Plus pizza under the desk.

I have a pretty broad tolerance for hotel rooms, but this one at the Dearborn Hyatt was small.  It was cramped and crowded with two beds, two chairs, a desk, the tv/bureau thing, and the luggage stand. Lose a chair, let us breath a little!

The bathroom was tiny, and the handle on the sink was wonky, accidentally turning on the hot water way higher, hotter and faster than was safe. I did appreciate the extra sink and mirror outside of the bathroom, which made it easier to get ready. That’s also where they keep the single cup coffee maker, which was nice to have, but they only provided two tea bags — one caffeinated, one decaf.

I sort of feel lucky that we didn’t die in an electrical fire during the night. All of the outlets were strangely too loose for my computer, phone, and ipod chargers. As in, the plugs kept falling out of the outlets. Then the bedside light was broken. And then my traveling partner and I both had to pay $9.95 for wifi, which isn’t an electrical issue, but is surprising and annoying considering this is a business hotel. You’d think most of the guests would be traveling with laptops.

When I found chunks of dried up pizza on the floor, I was done. The room was terrible, and we didn’t have time wait around for a manager/housekeeping/fairy hotel godmother to come make it better, so we left to go meet friends at the lobby bar.

The Service – Mixed but Mostly Good

They were nice to us in the bar. It helped.

A room can be cleaned — or upgraded — if you’re staying long enough to bother complaining to management. The kind of service you get is a better indication of how good the property is. At this Hyatt, the service was mostly good. Our bellman was very friendly and helpful. The valet guys (who were in love with the Taurus SHO lent to us by Ford) were attentive and fast. The waitress in the bar was terrific.

On the other hand, the clerk at the front desk was vacant and unhelpful — checked out if you will.

Three out of four ain’t bad. But it’s not stellar, either.

No Mini-bar = No Cashews

My favorite Real Life Review hotel measurement was not available at the Hyatt Regency Dearborn. No mini-bar in the room, so no cashews. We can deduce from the pizza on the carpet that room service is available. Also, because the website says they have it.

The Verdict

Next time I’m in the Dearborn area, I’m going back to the Ritz, where I stayed earlier in the week. For about the same price, in the same area, I get amazing service, a nicer room, and that Hospitality Suite with the bottomless bowl of Reeses and Rolos.  The only upside to the Hyatt is the big, modern lobby with a more happening bar. Which is nice, but not why I’m staying at a hotel. Sorry Hyatt!

Photos: Hyatt Regency Dearborn Hotel

I just got back from a whirlwind 10 day road trip that culminated in Chicago, IL, where I attended the BlogHer and TBEX conferences. It was an action packed week and a half, which started with a delightful stay (is there any other kind?) at the Ritz-Carlton in Dearborn, Michigan.

Ritz-Carlton Dearborn, Michigan

You heard me right, yes, there’s a Ritz in Detroit.

When I was putting together the itinerary for this roadtrip, which included picking up a Ford Mustang in Dearborn, my contact at Ford mentioned that the Dearborn Ritz is very close to the corporate offices.

“There’s a Ritz in Detroit?” I said, trying to keep the amazement out of my voice because I’m polite like that.

“Yes! And it’s really affordable, and nice,” she replied.

Since I have a great PR contact for the Ritz, my next call was to her. She confirmed the existence of the property, and even better offered to comp a night there so I could try it out. I’m smart, I immediately said “YES, PLEASE!”

It was a quick visit, but I was able to check out all of the things I care about: room comfort, cashews, mirrors & lighting.

The Room

Pretty room at the Ritz-Carlton Dearborn

The Dearborn Ritz-Carlton seems to be one of the older properties. It was impeccably clean, just a little staid in the decor. We had a room with two double beds, and it was a decent size, not huge, but spacious enough for two adults to be comfortable. It was surprising to see that the TV wasn’t an HD flat screen, but it really didn’t make any difference to us. We watched “Grease” and it was just as Shamalama Ding Dong magical as ever.

The bathroom was good sized, the shower cap thoughtfully came with a little hair tie, and the amenities were these gorgeous smelling Bulgari soaps and lotions. Slathering them on, you totally get that “Yeah, I’m at the Ritz, baby!” feeling of luxury.

The Mini-Bar Situation

The Hospitality Suite, where they keep the free booze & candy

There is no mini-bar at this Ritz … because they don’t need one. Instead there is a Hospitality Suite on the top floor where they have five different “food presentations” through the day. In wedding planning lingo, this translates to “heavy hors d’oeuvres all day, all night.” Over the course of four visits (during a 12 hour stay, yes, we were a little embarrassed, but it was irresistible!) we sampled bruschetta, fresh fruit salad, s’mores, and bagels with smoked salmon. And so much more!

The Hospitality Suite also is stocked with Ritz-Carlton branded bottled waters, sodas, coffee, teas, and bottom-less bowls of Rolos, Reese’s peanut butter cups, cookies, granola bars, and more snacks galore.

There are comfy chairs, a beautiful view, and did I mention the open bar? Red, white and sparkling wine, plus your basic hard liquors in drinkable brands, i.e. Absolute vodka. And there was always a gracious attendant on hand to get you anything else necessary to make you happy.

And Then We Got Room Service

Don’t judge, but yes we also ordered room service (which we paid for — only the room was comp’d.) Maybe because the last place I got room service was in NYC, these prices seemed amazingly affordable to me. The usual litmus test, a pot of coffee, was only $8. I’ve been charged as much $40 for one, to give you some perspective.

There was a nice range of pasta ($13 for penne), salads ($9 for a Caesar) and burgers ($15) on the menu, with a great kids menu that included a PB&J with the crust cut off for just $7. Nice touch with the crust, right? But of course it is the Ritz.

Mirrors & Lighting

The dark and classic lobby of the Ritz-Carlton Dearborn

Light is always my issue in hotels. There is usually a good reading light by the bed, but the rest of the room is in shadows and darkness. Why is it so hard to make the rest of the room bright enough to do stuff like repack your bags that are filled with black clothing? Or put on makeup anywhere besides the bathroom?

Our room at the Dearborn Ritz was tastefully lit, but it wasn’t very bright. I decided to wait until the morning, when I could open the curtains, and let in sunlight, to repack my bags.

Having more mirrors in the room would have helped a lot, both to amplify the lighting, and to make it easier to get ready. Besides the mirror in the bathroom, there was only one other mirror, behind the closet door. It was inconveniently far away from both the lights and the window, so we couldn’t use it to do makeup.

Judgment

Thanks to the doorman for taking this photo!

You stay at a Ritz-Carlton for the service, and the Dearborn property definitely holds up that tradition. I heard “It’s my pleasure” echoing off the walls, and it was always delivered in a sincere, low-key way. After helping us load our bags into our cherry red 2010 Mustang, the doorman spent another ten minutes taking pictures for us and giving us directions to our next stop.

A quick check on the Ritz-Carlton site just pulled up rates starting at $139/night. While you can certainly get a less expensive room in the Dearborn/Detroit area, that’s a pretty amazing rate for a night at a luxury hotel. I’d stay there again just for the Hospitality Suite and the Bulgari amenities!

Grand Hotel, Mackinau Island, Michigan

There is a reason the producers of Somewhere in Time chose Grand Hotel, on Mackinac Island in Michigan, located on Lake Huron, at the eastern end of the Straits of Mackinac, as the setting for the romantic time travel film.

In some ways, time has actually stopped at Grand Hotel, a place where you are still required to dress for dinner, there are no cars allowed on the island, and the primary method of transportation is horse drawn carriage.

"World's Largest Porch"

Not to mention it boasts the world’s longest front porch. It’s the social center of the island, and you can relax in a rocking chair and watch the animated buzz around the hotel or contemplate the lake views.

But don’t get the idea that this family friendly resort has a lack of amenities or activities! The variety and quality is definitely 21st century, from the 18 holes of golf on The Jewel, to tennis, swimming and a daily children’s programs for kids five and older.

Built in 1887, the hotel offers a choice of 385 rooms decorated by famed New York designer Carleton Varney. Each one is different, with a series of deluxe rooms decorated and named after famous people or places, like the Teddy Roosevelt Lodge Suite and the Esther Williams Suite. There are six “First Ladies” rooms that were actually decorated with input from Jacqueline Kennedy, Lady Bird Johnson, Betty Ford, Rosalynn Carter, Nancy Reagan, and Barbara Bush.

Every guest room, from the smaller (and less expensive) “Category I” rooms with interior views, to the the “Category III” deluxe lake-view rooms with balconies, comes with individually controlled AC, mini bar, in-room safe, cable TV, iron, and coffee maker.

The season at Grand Hotel runs from April through October, with room rates ranging from $395 night for a single person in a room, to $780/night for double occupancy in one of the luxury Named Suites.

One of the reasons that the rates are so high is that daily breakfast and dinner are included. There are several dining options on the property, including the main dining room, where you must be dressed for dinner, four additional restaurants with varying degrees of formality, four bars that serve light snacks and lunches, as well as three options for afternoon tea – the Fort Mackinau Tea Room, Carleton’s Tea Store and in the hotel palor.

There are several romantic packages at the hotel, worth checking if you’re planning a wedding, honeymoon, or anniversary trip. They also offer several “theme” packages, like a Labor Day Jazz Weekend, Murder Mystery Weekend and the Grand Hotel Lilac Festival.

As a fan of the Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour classic, my vote for the best package is the Somewhere in Time weekend!