When it comes to travel, it is hard to beat a good bed and breakfast. When it comes to traveling in Michigan, this is a state known for homestyle hospitality, even in the great big city called Detroit. What makes a really good bed and breakfast establishment is the combination of a retreat that is relaxing, scenic, and offers top-notch customer service.
10. Historic Webster House Bed and Breakfast Inn (Bay City, Michigan)
When it comes to that ideal bed and breakfast getaway, the biggest appeal is the relaxed feel of an inn that specializes in homestyle hospitality. Adding to this with some history and picturesque scenery makes it even better. Located in Bay City, the Historic Webster House Bed and Breakfast was the 2020 winner of Trip Advisors’ Travelers’ Choice award. Built by Judge Thomas Webster in 1886 as a private residence, this immaculate mansion served as the family home until the day of his death in 1940. The change of ownership eventually led to the full restoration and upgrade of the Webster House and has since become one of the premier bed and breakfasts in Michigan.
9. Hidden Garden Cottages & Suites (Saugatuck, Michigan)
Smack in the heart of downtown Saugatuck, Michigan, is Hidden Garden Cottages & Suites. This is a bed and breakfast that has become a national and international favorite. This getaway offers guests so much opportunity to enjoy the quaint town’s scenery and history that it may warrant either an extended or return visit. The history of Hidden Garden starts with Reuban Rogers, a ship captain and master boat builder. He moved to Saugatuck from Rochester, New York as a young boy and married in 1868. Together, they raised three sons in the area. As business and family life blossomed, what is known as Hidden Garden today started off as an 1898 housing establishment that catered up to one hundred guests. At the time, it was the hub of Saugatuck’s activity before Rogers died in 1926. Since then, it was sold and used as a boarding house before it was purchased in 1996 by gary Kott and daniel Indurante. Together, they renovated the building to create The Wine Sellers of Saugatuck and Hidden Garden Cottages & Suites. In 2002, Jonathan Schreur joined Gary as the two own and operate this charming bed and breakfast that is the pride and joy of Saugatuck.
8. Goldberry Woods B&B and Cottages (Union Pier, Michigan)
For fans of nature and rural living, the Goldberry Woods B&B and Cottages may be too hard to pass up. This majestic house is surrounded by trees and flower gardens, making it the ideal oasis for folks wanting to get away from the rat race of everyday living. In addition to serving as a bed and breakfast establishment, there are cottages that can also be accessed by guests opting to stay here. As facility provisions, there is access to bikes, canoes, and kayaks that are free to use by the guests. Located on the shores of the Galien River in Union Pier in Southwest Michigan, this bed and breakfast is less than a mile from the shores of Lake Michigan in the heart of Harbor County.
7. Munro House Bed and Breakfast (Jonesville, Michigan)
The small town of Jonesville, Michigan, is in the southern part of the state. As a tribute to the building’s history, the rooms are decorated with era-related classic paintings, carpeted floors, and flower boutiques sitting in old vases. The Munro House Bed and Breakfast makes the home away from home experience more than just a place to relax and unwind. As a romantic getaway, it has become a favorite among honeymooners and city-dwelling escapees. Adding to the bed and breakfast experience is an in-house spa that offers therapeutic massages and treatment to put as much of the stressful world behind you as possible. The historical significance of this building is that it was the first of its kind built in Hillsdale County. There are seven unique guest rooms to choose from that have been enjoyed by visitors from all over the world as its reputation as one of Michigan’s finest continues to grow.
6. Canfield House Bed & Breakfast (Onekama, Michigan)
Built in 1900 by Charles Canfield, this was a summer home for the lumber baron before it was converted to what is now known as Canfield House Bed & Breakfast. The renovations to restore this home to its former glory allows guests to enjoy the luxuries of today while still surrounded by the charm of yesteryear. Onekama is located forty-five miles southwest of Traverse City. This village overlooks the picturesque Portage Lake and offers a private beach that is measured at two hundred feet. Lake Michigan’s beaches are just a short distance from the inn as its water is channeled in by Portage Lake. The pristine condition of the lake allows boaters to take in an optimal experience while away from shore. The doors to the inn stay open all year as it has something for everyone in every season. During the winter months, there is nearby access to the slopes and snowy trails that accommodate skiers and snowmobilers alike. While visiting during warmer months, golfers can take full advantage of the championship-quality golf courses. Hikers will enjoy the wooded trails and sand dunes, as well as visit the nearby town of Manistee and its historical downtown district. Innkeepers Paul and Jane Mueller recently passed the torch of Canfield House to new owners that fell so in love with Onekama and the bed and breakfast that they’re determined to keep up with the tradition of providing a world-class establishment.
5. Himelhoch Bed & Breakfast (Caro, Michigan)
Located in Caro, Michigan, the Himelhoch Bed & Breakfast has a long list of four-star and five-star reviews to earn its place as a top-notch getaway worth mentioning. This luxurious facility first started off as a three-suite main building that has since expanded to five additional rooms at two houses that are within walking distance from each other. The popularity of this place, along with the innkeepers of Don and Melissa, keeps Himehloch in high demand as new and returning visitors continue to offer one rave review after another. Located in what is regarded as the heart of Michigan’s thumb, the main building has been restored to its Victorian charm. The Parsonage House was a residence that was built in 1902 by the Baptist Church and was since purchased by the innkeepers in 2019. Just blocks away, the Guest House is a circa 1880 home that also has its own rich history that is now part of the Himelhoch three-house bed and breakfast establishment.
4. The Nordic Pineapple Bed and Breakfast (St. Johns, Michigan)
As impressive as The Nordic Pineapple Bed and Breakfast is on the outside with its pillars and brick walls, the interior has a vintage vibe in the common areas and private rooms that feel like the guest has just taken a step back in time. This 1861 heritage house is located in St. Johns, Michigan, and is one of the most beloved gems as a romantic bed and breakfast in the state. Among the many guests who’ve given this bed and breakfast rave reviews, the most common shared was the personal attention received by the innkeepers, Greg and Kjersten. While staying here, the idea of approaching the breakfast area in your pajamas might be something another guest staying in another room has opted to do as well. The idea of a perfect bed and breakfast is to feel relaxed enough as if you’re staying in a home away from home and loving every minute of it.
3. Cartier Mansion Bed & Breakfast (Ludington, Michigan)
With nearly one hundred views giving the Cartier Mansion Bed & Breakfast a five-star rating, it’s safe to say this is one of Michigan’s best. There are two structures that sum up the neoclassical elegance of this historic location near the shores of Ludington’s Lake Michigan location. The Cartier Mansion and the Carriage House both offer a step back in time that is met with luxury-quality accommodation and service. The Cartier Mansion was built in 1905, which continues to display the classic tastes of the Cartier Family. There are six historic rooms that feature detailed craftsmanship in the woodwork, as well as a collection of period antiques that have been carefully preserved over the years. As for the Carriage House, the authenticity of its design has been carefully maintained by the innkeepers that feature two ground-floor rooms of an era where a stable and carriage area were deemed necessities. The second floor features two cozy family suites that once upon a time served as a hayloft.
2. Yelton Manor Boutique Hotel B&B (South Haven, Michigan)
With over one hundred five-star reviews to its credit, the Yelton Manor Boutique Hotel B&B is an impressive estate that’s just a few steps away from Lake Michigan as part of the South Haven township. The Manor has been fashioned as a large family-sized home that can accommodate anywhere from four guests to fifteen. Also classified as the social hub of the inn, this is where the guests gather for breakfast, games, and in-house social activities. There is also a Guest House that is designed as a more intimate stay that features privatized common areas. Depending on a visitor’s wishes as a guest, one can either choose to be as social as what the Manor offers or as private as what the Guest House offers. Originally known as a luxury resort in the early 1900s, one of the main attractions of Yelton Manor was the lakeside setting. It was built in the 1800s for the Postmaster of South Haven and his family before his grown daughters fashioned it as an upscale boarding house. Throughout the majority of the 1900s, the Feinstein Family lived in the manor and ran it as a hotel. Its Dewey Hotel was torn down in the 1970s while the main house itself was turned into a beach rental throughout the 1970s and 80s. When innkeepers Elaine and Robert obtained ownership of the property, they worked hard to design it as a life enhancement inn. The original house received the TLC it deserved, including a fully modernized upgrade that officially became the Yelton Manor Bed and Breakfast. This place was recognized in 1991 by The Chicago Times as “Topp of the Crop in Luxury B&Bs.” As for the Manor Guest House, it was built where the Dewey Hotel once stood. Now going into 2021, Elaine and Robert retired as innkeepers as Victoria has picked up the mantle to uphold the same high standards of quality and customer service.
1. Kingsley House Bed and Breakfast (Fennville, Michigan)
There are over five hundred positive reviews of the Kingsley House Bed and Breakfast in Fennville, Michigan that have given it a near five-star rating overall. In 2022, it was the Travelers’ Choice winner by Trip Advisor for what has been the third year in a row. From 2016 until 2019, it won Certificates of Excellence, also from Trip Advisor. This is more than just a bed and breakfast. Kingsley is also noted as that romantic getaway that has been a honeymooner’s favorite. It’s been featured as a fan favorite in publications such as Time Magazine, as well as notable travel magazines throughout North America and the world. Chuck and Sandy Pappalordo are the proud innkeepers who own this circa 1886 home that was first erected by Harvey Judson Kingsley and his wife as an inspiration of the Queen Anne style. Kingsley was also noted for introducing apples to the Fennville area. In 1995, the Kinglsey House was first turned a bed and breakfast by Gary and Kari King. It was then sold in 2015 to Chris and Brenda Brzys before Chuck and Sally Pappalordo picked up the mantle to keep it going as Michigan’s top bed and breakfast establishment.
