Island House Hotel

This was our first trip to the island for most of us . Family trip that included a 14 month old. We called the night before arriving to ask for early check in so the baby could nap and were told they would do their best to get us in early. Arrived on the island in the morning and they had our rooms ready by 11:30 a.m. We were so appreciative of the staff allowing us to get in so early. Hotel was very pretty. Bathrooms are a little small but we were not in the rooms that much. Loved sitting on the upper deck of porch watching the sun go down. Very beautiful view of Lake Huron. Looking forward to going back again someday. Also ate at the Ice House. It was very good as well. Liked the location of the hotel being away from the busy part of the island. ||We give the staff an A+!

It's our first time staying on Mackinaw Island, and the island house is providing a beautiful experience. The rooms are quiet and clean, and the community lounging areas are perfect. Music, fire pit, and scenic porch with plenty of seating that overlooks the harbor are just wonderful. My only concerns are the underwhelming size of the king-sized bed and the hot tub without working jets, but with everything else this hotel offers, we'd highly recommend this hotel for couples and families.

Really enjoyed our stay here. Rooms have definitely been renovated recently and have all the modern amenities. Great location and walk able from the ferry. Has a wonderful view of the harbor with great chairs to sit and people watch from the porch. Has two great dining options on location depending on what type of meal you are feeling. Would definitely stay again

Anyone wishing to plan a family vacation to Mackinac Island should look no further. Island House Hotel has the perfect location just a few steps from downtown and a few houses from Marquette park. The restaurant is fabulous for both breakfast and dinner. There are bike rentals right outside the hotel, which makes it convenient and you don’t have to wait in an atrocious line. They also offer fire pits that the kids can use to make smores after 7. The staff was also wonderful. The room is clean with basic amenities, although the toiletries were excellent. Overall, good value for the price. Perfect spot, seeped in Mackinac island tradition by the Ryba family of Ryba fudge.

Great option for staying on Mackinac Island with an amazing view. Walkable from the ferry and to explore downtown & Fort Mackinac. The rooms are renovated and very clean - housekeeping is excellent. Highly recommend the Island House Bicycle rental out front- reasonable prices for day bike rental on the island and they spend time ensuring the bike fits you and giving you suggestions for your ride. Get there early to have first pick of the bicycles for the day. Dining at 1852 Grill Room is expensive and nothing to remember, but the view from the dining room and porch is beautiful. Warning if you haven't been to Mackinac Island, the luggage is transported by bicycles and we saw some luggage take a tumble making it up the driveway - pack fragile goods with care!

I've stayed and many places on the island over the years. Until I found the island house and now that is the only place I will stay. This hotel is the epitome of what it feels like to be on vacation on the island. The beds are crispy cotton, the furnishings are tasteful and fresh and the staff want to make your stay the best it can be and are very accommodating. I will never be able to recommend this hotel highly enough and is a traditional trip that I look forward to every year from the minute I leave.

Great hotel located right off of Main Street. The porch was the most beautiful place to sit out and look at the water. The staff were all very friendly and they had coffee and fudge samples in the lobby throughout the day. The pool and hot tub looked nice but we were not back in time to use them. Overall a nice property with comfortable and clean rooms.

I was here as part of a 4th grade field trip with my daughter. Pros: The room was just gorgeous and so was the view! It was very spacious and the cleanest room I’ve ever stayed in. We slept incredibly well. The beds were very comfortable. If we stay on the island again, I would definitely consider booking the Island House. My daughter lost her TickTalk watch and staff found it and sent it back to us bus USPS (Only $6) and I appreciated that ! Cons: The buffet style food for the schools could use major improvement. The hotel restaurant is very expensive and not kid friendly. Also, because it is an older hotel, you can hear those around you really well. If you are sensitive to sound, I suggest requesting the highest floor.

Great check in process. She was delightful and friendly. I was slightly disappointed when arriving to our room. It was in the back corner of the hotel with two windows, one facing a back courtyard with storage and random things , and the other window facing overgrown grass, both eye sores. There was a backdoor outside our room that was propped open with garbage. The walls were paper thin and could hear everything. Great location.

Beautiful hotel across from the harbor on Mackinac Island. We were part of a tour, and couldn't have felt more welcomed at this hotel. Spent 3 nights here. Breakfast each morning was freshly made, servers were attentive and wonderful. Beautiful views of the harbor and Lake Huron. Short walk into town and for those that choose not to walk, horse drawn "taxi's readily available. Nice quiet hotel, away from the bustle of downtown.! Had dinner 1 night in their 1852 Grill, fabulous! Highly recommend this hotel to visitors on Mackinac Island!

We found out we paid way too much for our room. The room was very small and had a sloped ceiling that my fiancé and I cracked our head on continuously. When discussed with the front desk staff, they acknowledged and did nothing to correct. Would definitely not stay there again for the 650$ a night that we paid. Also discussed and dismissed by blaming Expedia as a third party booking source. Lack of ownership for customer concerns/complaints would definitely not bring us back. Lots of other places to stay on the island. During our stay it was a normal occurrence to see a resident complaining about something at the front desk. Very unfortunate for such a long standing and historic building/hotel in the island community. On a positive note, the restaurant within the hotel, 1852, had amazing food! Also expensive but happy to pay for the great service and food received.

We stayed here with an Independence Day 3 night package and had a fantastic time. The hotel is perfectly located close to downtown but far enough away from the hustle and bustle. It is beautifully remodeled inside, with moderately sized bedrooms. Porters brought our luggage to and from the ferry; checkin was effortless; included breakfasts were delicious with friendly service; and the front porch and lawn sitting options provided perfect marina and front street views. We were on the 3rd floor and had a side view (though we only were in the room to sleep)...plus it seemed to be very quiet, aside from occasional footsteps above us. Island House Hotel is a great place to stay on the island, for sure.

Super cute hotel. Beautiful porch. Nice dining options. Easy walk to downtown yet out of the busy streets. We stayed in a two bed double with no view and still got a partial view!

Stayed for one night 10/5/24 and it cost $700. When we arrived, we were put into a room with a broken lock. When I called the front desk to ask for a different room, a super rude girl (Hallie) seemed pretty bothered to do her job. For that kind of money, I expected better service. Rooms were very small and hot (even with the air on). Not worth the money...at all.

The AC in the room made it impossible to sleep. They need to upgrade the rooms in order for to justify what they charge.

Been coming to Island House Hotel for the past few years. This year I was happy to see the lobby renovation - it was clean, welcoming, and fresh. The updated gift shop was also great with tons of yummy drink/food - perfect for a picnic or making smores. Love not having to worry about getting my luggage from ferry to hotel - the folks at Island House will bike it for you and bring it up to your room. Check-in was great and staff were friendly. We were told though that they haven't had full staff for the season, which is under understandable with crazy coronavirus. Our room was a little underwhelming. It was a very small room - it was updated with laminate floors and clean bedding. However, the room hadn't had a good deep clean in a while - dust on the wall by the heater/ac unit. Some paint and scuff marks. Room felt surface clean, just not a deep clean. Bed was comfortable and room was fine - just cramped. We utilized the hot tub which was perfect for a September day. Wi-Fi was strong. The chimineas out front are nice to sit and relax and warm up. Great views from the winding porch as well. Island House always has gorgeous flowers. The place is historic which is awesome but has some quirks here and there - especially tons of stairs branching off to the rooms. But overall, was pleased with our stay.

We had a great stay for a night. The porters to and from the ferry boat took our luggage for us. Nice quite rooms and great views. Thank you for the great service. Did not see any blue M&Ms if you want to know you will have to go on a haunts of mackinaw tour. Thank you!

We came to Mackinac Island for our honeymoon (almost 10 years ago!). We stayed at the Island House Hotel and loved our stay. Time truly slowed down here and we treasured every moment. We had a romance package that included round trip ferry tickets, champagne and chocolate covered strawberries, a private horse-drawn carriage ride, breakfast and dinner every day, one lunch at Mary's Bistro, a 1/2 lb of fudge and some coupons for shopping! We had such a memorable stay! This is the oldest hotel on the island. We LOVED sitting outside by the chimeneas. You could make s'mores or just relax. There's cute rocking chairs on the porch, a spiral staircase and fireplace in the main lobby area, and just amazing service. We vowed we will be back for our 25th wedding anniversary (in 2036)! We had such an incredible stay plus the package was amazing and in the heart of town with amazing views along the water.

Book here if you have low expectations, money to throw away, you don't mind if you fall victim to a marketing hype and Fluff scheme and won't be coming back Our children came here in May, spent several nights and a couple thousand dollars. They told us to stay here for our 45th W.A. Since we're not well off, we booked a Traditional Room w/o any extras or views, basically a low price. Checked in went smooth, friendly SEASONAL staff member, room was close, on first floor. Room 110, IS RIGHT NEXT TO THE BAGGAGE/LUGGAGE HOLDING ROOM! Every time the SEASONAL House person would bring in baggage, we heard the foot steps on the raised floor foundation, the SLAMMING of the baggage against the walls and floors. The wall is next to the headboard, WAKE-UP CALL, THUMP-BANG in early AM. Spoke to the SEASONAL front desk person about switching rooms, but she didn't care......SEASONAL PART TIME EMPLOYEE! Room 110 floor slopes to the sink and bathroom. Your outside window is in the service area of the hotel, with an outside light on a motion detector coming on at all times of the night, lighting up your room. We joined the 906 Rewards Club to "recoup" some of the price gouging that the island charges. The Pink Pony is a reasonable place to dine, the Pancake House, (owned by the Island House of horrors) was very good- staff and meals. The 1852 Grill....MEH! We ordered a "to-go" pie slice from the not busy bar, except with the two SEASONAL PART TIME EMPLOYEES carrying on a long conversation between themselves with their backs turned from the bar. Key Lime Pie, somehow that was interpreted as an Apple Pie Slice. Didn't realize until we got back to our room. We consumed, and later complained to management next day, who replied with, "an Honest Mistake"! REALLY? The only mistake was hiring these two SEASONAL PART TIME EMPLOYEES! The building is located in a decent area, down the street of the owners mansion near Jack's Livery Stables on Lake shore Drive. Go early or late in the season. Don't park your car in the Dock Side Parking of Star Lines. They charge a daily fee of $25, EVERY CALENDAR DAY. So overnight will be $50. Seasonal part time employees are like tourists. Here today, gone tomorrow. They may not see you again and you won't see them. They take your $$ and don't care if you're not satisfied. It's all about turn-over of guests. Hotel IS OLD, The only sound proofing is when the SEASONAL PART TIME EMPLOYEES don't hear you complain! Heather, (Marketing Director) who comments on POOR HONEST REVIEWS with her marketing hype and FLUFF, is another tool of this organization. There are other "hotels" on the Island. you may get a great room and may not. Your gamble, your money, and no recourse except Social Media

I can only speak to staying in room #111, but if you want to get zero sleep, this is the room to be assigned. There was noise from when we first walked into the room, and we assumed it was the room's occupants upstairs from us. It may have been them, but most of the noise comes from the luggage room across the hallways, with luggage banging and footstep noise all hours of the night. Went and asked the front desk person if we could switch rooms and was told they were all booked for the next night. Also, they allow guests to sit on the porch throughout the evening, and while room #111's section is roped off, you can still definitely hear people talking on the porch. Will definitely be looking somewhere else when we book next time.

My boyfriend and I really enjoyed our stay at island house hotel! It was a great location... very close to town where it was easy to walk back and forth if we needed to go back to the room. We stayed on the fourth floor, which had no elevator service to, you could ride it to the 3rd and then go up a few flights of stairs. It didn't really bother us, but it was slightly confusing trying to figure out which stairs led to our wing of the 4th floor. Overall, we felt that our room was clean, the staff was friendly, and it was a great place to stay for a weekend on the island!

We stayed here for my parents 50th wedding anniversary. The hotel has a good pool for kids and the room was nice. We really loved the restaurant behind the hotel, it had good food and great outside areas for the kids to play while the adults relaxed. The service was very good at the hotel and we loved the location.

All accommodations on the island are going to be costly...but definitely something everyone should try for a night. Luggage was picked up at the ferry by the hotel staff...and delivered to the ferry when we were ready to leave. Please note that if you are have your luggage ferryed ahead (as you continue to explore the island) - your luggage may sit within a tent which is unattended (Sheplers). So as a precaution - do not place any valuables in these bags. The only hotel which provides an attended/secured luggage tent is the Grand Hotel. The Island house rooms are small, but surprisingly quiet at night (Rm 320) The bathroom sink is outside the toilet/shower room. There is no microwave or mini-fridge. Very nice porch to hang out on at dusk or dawn - wonderful view of the harbor area. Also, word is the hotel is haunted, but we did not encounter any spirits.

If you're looking for rest and relaxation I would recommend a smaller hotel on the island. You hear everything in the hall from kids running around to people talking, doors slamming shut. Had silver fish and spiders in my room and find out they don't clean your room daily. Disappointing as this was very expensive. G.C

In our 30+ years of visiting Mackinac Island, this was the first time we stayed at the Island House. You have to remember that this is a historic hotel. The rooms are a little small, but that makes them cozy. Their porch, with the rocking chairs are a great place to plan your day or relax after exploring the Island. Our plan included breakfast in their beautiful dining room. It did not disappoint, they had some things on the buffet that we did not expect to see. A great way to start your day. On a previous trip we have eaten in their smokehouse restaurant which is behind the hotel. The food was delicious.

I had to award a star. A four month handicap request reservation ends us up a flight of stairs in an attic. The staff's attitude? Take it or leave it. We are on an island. Where else can we go? Many other people checked in after us. Did I mention reservations made four months ago? And reconfirming this morning? This is the pits. Edited to say that a refund was courtestly given.

Beautiful, stayed 2 nights, luggage brought to room by ferry didn't have to worry about a thing, staff attentive, room clean. View beautiful !

After hotel contacted me about reviews thinking she has power over reviews or something. She stated I must have it out for them as many BAD reviews for their businesses, I call it how I see it. I did give your company a good review for the bike rentals and you sent nice compliments regarding my review. It seems you do not read all the reviews and just think everyone is getting even or something. The electrical wires on the catwalk to pool are where a lighting fixture is to be, missing is the fixture. I wanted you to know about the person, staff not responding as she stated she would, never got back to us regarding pricing errors. We did not know if you were honoring the $35 nightly stay, GREAT PRICING ERROR, until we got to the hotel at check in. The room was nice, But not $400 nice, I have stayed in many hotels and travel about 40-45 days each year.

Had a very nice stay at the Island House Hotel during this 4th of July weekend. Staff was very friendly and seemed to be locals, meaning they provided good tips that a non-native-islander would not necessarily know. Bags were sent from the ferry directly into my room! Amazing. Room was on the smaller side, and the sink was actually outside of the bathroom. No minibar. Other than that, it was clean, a/c worked, and served its purpose. Grill restaurant was nice, however buffet wasn't outstanding. Recommend using your free buffet voucher to order one item off the regular menu instead. Horse taxis run to the hotel, and there are a few bike racks, however they did seem to overflow occasionally. Good stay, no issues.

We usually love the Island House when we come to Mac Island however our last stay was appalling to say the least. When we checked in (my family checked in previously as we were competing in the Race to Mackinac) we were given the keys to the wrong suite. We walked in on a family sleeping. When I returned to the front desk, the attendant doubled down insisting it was our room. When we went in a second time, the tenants woke up and yelled at us (rightfully so). We both confronted the attendant and she acknowledged her mistake (although no apology) and gave us the correct keys. When I spoke with the manager the next day, there was a delayed apology but no effort to compensate for their mistake. Also there wasn't any housekeeping so our trash cans were never emptied during our 4 day stay (we have a toddler so it got gross fast) nor were our towels replenished after asking them to be. The restaurant, 1852 Grill Room, was great and wait staff were superb.

First stay at the Island House. Our room was very spacious, beautifully decorated, and spotless, and our harbor view was stunning. Lauren at the reception desk was especially helpful and accommodating.

Doolen-Flynn Wedding Sept 2, 2018 "The Perfect wedding reception VWe chose the Island House to host our wedding reception on Mackinac Island. We had 150 guests. Let me just start by saying looking back on that day my wife and I couldn't even dream of having it in any other place other than The 1852 Grill at the Island House Hotel. The planning was handled by Carol and Dan and they were amazing. All of are questions were answered promptly and completely by these two. They made us feel safe in our decisions concerning our wedding which is a gift during that stressful planning portion of a wedding. They had great working relationships with other vendors which made that process seamless. After our wedding ceremony and pictures we pulled up on a carriage ride and were greeted by our guests out on the Veranda and front porch. The Island House hosted a cocktail hour where are guests were able to enjoy the scenery looking out on Main Street and the marina. The Hotel was a perfect backdrop for us to do our family pictures. The 1852 Grill easily accommodated 150 guests. The way they set up tables , the fixed booths and the dance floor made you believe that hosting wedding receptions in this room was its only purpose. The ability to have a real bar was also such a plus for people to mingle and be served without delay. The food was amazing and the variety of choices gave us the ability to accommodate all of our guests. The waitstaff were professional and went out of there way to make the night perfect for our guests. The entire Hotel staff made our wedding exactly what we dreamed of. We could never thank them enough. Joe and Katie Doolen-Flynn

Good hotel if you are ok with maintenance issues (sold out vending machines, AC issues, carbonation out at the Ice House bar, etc), almost 2 hour wait for luggage, and noisy rooms. Good news is the staff was friendly and 1852 Grill food was very good. Not worth $350 per night

Great service, clean and beautiful room, would highly recommend this hotel to anyone looking for a nice place to stay on the island.

Adorable historic hotel. Still retains the historic charm but has been nicely updated. Super clean comfortable rooms with a great location across the street from the marina. Close to the action downtown without the night time noise. We stayed here for the Port Huron to Mackinac. With a 3:00am boat arrival it was even better!! We woke up ran across the street to meet the crew of Rowdy and congratulate them on a first place win!! I would definitely recommend to friends and family!!

We had a great stay at the Island House and really enjoyed our time here. We booked through an Amazon deal, so having that extra value built in was nice too. When we first checked in there was a little confusion with our booking and we were placed in the wrong style room. The front desk was quick to correct the mistake and even upgraded us to a nicer room to make up for the inconvenience. And speaking of the front desk staff, they were incredibly friendly and helpful. A+ service for sure. Our room was very nice - the antique/boutique feel but with modern conveniences. We had a great view of the water out our two windows and even a mini-fridge, which we used to chill some wine for sipping in the evening hours. Housekeeping was great and everything was clean and orderly. No complaints there. The hotel also offers a few nice things on their property - a pool and hot tub, bike rentals, two restaurants, and, my personal favorite, a large porch with rocking chairs perfectly positioned to watch the sunset over the lake. The hotel is also located close to downtown, but far enough away that the street outside isn't very busy and loud. We really enjoyed our stay here and, with the Amazon Local deal it was a very good value. There are lots of lodging options on the island, and this isn't one to write off. Thanks for the great stay, Island House!

We stayed in a king room on the first floor. The room was very small but adequate for a one night stay. The bedding looked like it could use a refresh, but other than that it was very clean. There were not enough outlets though, but that is to be expected in such an old hotel. We tried to use the pool/Jacuzzi area but all the towels were gone. Instead, we enjoyed the view on the front lawn and porch seating areas. Our room came with free breakfast vouchers at the 1852, and the food was amazing! All in all the hotel is ok - it is in a great location with bike rentals right outside the front door. It is a bit overpriced in my opinion, but that's what you get for staying on the island.

This is an amazing place to spend time while you're enjoying island time on Mackinac Island. We were so comfortable - from the cozy beds, to the hot tub and heated pool, to the group bonfires at night roasting marshmellows for s'mores. The service is impeccable and I highly recommend Meaghan at the front desk. She really went the extra mile during our stay!

What a romantic spot for our 30th Anniversary the service the location the delicious food and the secluded 4th floor dormer room made our getaway so perfect and heavenly! We loved renting our bikes right out front and loved our breakfast with the best view on Mackinac Island ! We will be back

This place is a gem. Very old fashioned but love that! Its unique. Comfortable room. and house keeping was amazing! I cant say enough good things about them and the staff! Cons Our toilet needed to be fixed twice..just wouldnt flush, and only one staff member (who was new I believe) wasn't sure about things open or closed on the island. But she was very nice and friendly.

Excellant clean historic hotel to enjoy. The calaweart family has been in the hospitality industry for years. In fact they are proud owners of many busineses on the island.dont forget to try the dining room for a memorable dinner. Allan the head manager sees to a great run hotel.

From check-in to check-out we had an amazing experience at Island House. The staff at the front desk was knowledgeable and polite, assisting with early check-in, ordering our taxi for dinner and a late check out request. The baggage was seamlessly transferred from the ferry directly to our room upon check-in. The room was clean and brightly lit with both natural light and lamps throughout. We loved taking advantage of the rocking chairs on the porch and Adirondacks on the lawn, we had purchased a bottle of wine from Dodd's down the street and enjoyed a glass of wine on the porch before dinner and then coffee the next morning. The view from the porch is awesome, with a nice view of the edge of downtown and the marina - you can sit and watch the boats come in and out. Well worth the price for a relaxing weekend close to Main St (but not too close :) )

Horrific experience! The room was incredibly dirty and gross. The Ice House restaurant was one of the worst dining experiences we have ever had- We had reservations on a Saturday evening at 6:30. When we arrived we were told that even though we had a reservation we would still have to wait another 30-45 minutes. This obviously isn't ideal, but it wasn't a huge deal because they have a nice setup with cornhole and jenga. As we were waiting to be seated we heard a family loudly complain to your hostess about their terrible service. It was a bit awkward, but we quickly understood what they were talking about. When we finally got seated (we weren't even seated, they just pointed) we were directed to an incredibly dirty table with bbq sauce all over it, HUGE chunks of food on the ground all around us and a used dog dish underneath us. Pretty gross and uncleanly which is never acceptable, but even more so given the times. I was going to ask someone to clean up for us, however it took over 25 minutes for a waitress to even address us for the FIRST time and bring us waters. She didn't apologize or act sorry, she acted annoyed she had to be there (and she said as much- super professional!) When we finally got to order (we are now almost an hour in) we were told that there was no more chicken or pork- so our only option was brisket. We then ordered a regular hamburger for our son, and specified that it cannot have cheese. Fast forward another 35 minutes and our food comes out. Our brisket is ICE cold and fatty, and our son's burger had cheese on it. Side note- we were supposed to get apple sauce with our kid's meal- that is what it says on their menu, but when asking about it we were told "oh no, we haven't had apple sauce in a year." Maybe update your menu? We now had to wait another 35 minutes for them to cook us a new burger. The burger comes out with no fries or anything. No apologies, nothing. We had our drink refilled exactly ONE time (she only came over once and that was only after I had to go hunt her down because my pregnant wife needed more water). It was sa cold night and there are outdoor heaters all over. We asked if they could turn one on and they said "you can try but it has never had propane in it." So, they wouldn't even take the time to TRY and get it started- I took 2 minutes to try and start it, and guess what- it worked! Great service! It was literally so pathetic that I thought we were being filmed or something on candid camera to see our reactions. Imagine the most ridiculously poor experience you have had dining, and then raise that 2x and that was our evening. I have now tried 3 different times to connect with their management to ensure they are clear at how pathetic their staff did. I have heard NOTHING back from their GM Alan- apparently if he doesn't address the issue it never really happened? Mackinac is an INCREDIBLY beautiful island. DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY ON THIS TYPE OF HOTEL.

Family and I stayed on the island for 4th of July Weekend, very cool place. Memorable and fun location tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the modern world. The hotel itself was equipped with pretty much standard convenience, and was backed with a professional and friendly staff. Lauren at the front desk was awesome! I'd definitely like to return in the future, very cool spot.

My wife and I stayed here 2 nights for our anniversary. Its location is nice, and it certainly has a lot of historic charm, but we weren't very impressed with the rooms, the service, or the price. We had a 4th floor room, which is up the elevator, up another flight of stairs and has sloped ceiling and dormer window, but we found it quaint and certainly adequate. The furnishings and decor seemed old and tired. Carpet that needed replaced long ago, cheap furniture that was well past its prime, and bathrooms that could use updating. Our bed was uncomfortable. The front porches are great, as are the lawn seating and fire pits. Everything was clean - not an easy task in a hotel this old, I don't imagine. I've never seen anyone at the front desk - I had to ring the bell every time I needed assistance, though somebody always appeared promptly. The Wifi is terrible - I quit trying to use it after the first day. We didn't try the restaurant - it was too crowded, which unfortunately means the waiting line spills over into the main lobby, which was crowded with people. We had to weave our way around people just to get to our room. This hotel has a lot of potential, but not quite there in terms of execution, especially for the money you have to pay. We'll be back to the island, but we'll plan ahead and book a room at another hotel.

We were 45 minutes late checking out. We were never told this was their policy. They charged us $50 extra. Learning of this "gotcha" on leaving was entirely inhospitable and delivered with the detached perfunctory tone of Nurse Ratched. Our error for not meeting their requirement. Don't let staying here be your error.

The hotel is fine. It's about par for the island. Expect to spend a lot of money for old, unrenovated "charm." Our room was in the fourth floor attic. BTW, the elevator stops on the third floor, so pack light because you'll be hoofing it up a narrow flight of stairs. Our room had subpar a/c and the ceiling sloped so when you sat up in bed, you hit your head. The coup de grâce of the Island House is that the hotel manager is an absolute bear. If you have the unfortunate circumstance that you might need her assistance, I am sorry for you. They clearly do not care about a pleasant island experience. Word of advice, stay somewhere else.

Maybe it is because I read all of the negative reviews that I was mentally prepared for the quirks at this hotel, but we really have very little to complain about. We booked through GroupOn and requested a fourth floor room because we heard it was haunted. We were massively disappointed when blood didn't run down our walls from the ceiling, but this was offset by the fact that we dodged a third-floor bullet: a MASSIVE group of elementary kids. Talk about scary. The fourth-floor room was on the smaller side, but we figured we didn't come all this way to sit in a hotel room anyway, so who cares? The accommodations were clean and we found the staff to be friendly and responsive to the few minor requests we had. I would recommend this hotel to families or maybe younger people in their 20's and 30's. Go for the fourth floor if you want a quieter room, because it would seem they book the majority of the elementary/middle school kids on the lower floors.

Stayed 2 nights at Island House. While the area is beautiful, the hotel is only adequate. I imagine that many hotels on Mackinac are like this and you are primarily paying for the location. The package deals offered here are worth it... Particularly the one that includes ferry tickets and breakfast. You can easily find cheaper dinners of equivalent quality so I'd skip the package that includes dinner. Do not select one of the 4th floor rooms if you can afford not to. They are tiny, have sloped ceilings, have small TVs, and the bathroom is right next to your bed headboard. On the plus side, some of them offer partial views of the harbor without the added cost of a room upgrade which definitely softened my dislike. If you have to use the loud wall mounted air conditioner in your room it won't matter because your lack of sleep will cause you to be too cranky to enjoy the view. Lucky for me it was cool, breezy and just the right amount of sun. The queen mattress in our room was terrible. Hard springs and an unsupportive frame. Peeking into other rooms while housekeeping was cleaning revealed similar looking mattresses in the king rooms. The decor of the hotel is fine on the main floor. The colors selected for the rest of the hotel are absolutely an eye sore. I understand that this is the trend amongst Mackinac hotels but I really don't understand why they think the garish colors are acceptable. Is it really too much to ask for a place with normal or neutral colors? Carpets need to be replaced soon. On the flip side cleanliness is fine and its bright and not dingy which it could easily be due to the so many cramped and narrow spaces. Staff was fine. Everyone was nice but didn't do anything extra or beyond the standard service except maybe the dock porter. He made sure to locate us immediately upon exiting the ferry and took a couple minutes to explain the lay of the land which could be confusing for first timers.

It's old, so you have to forgive some of the flaws. It's older than the Grand Hotel. Good service, amazing view from our room (#300), nice porch and lawn to hang out on - lots to watch with view of harbor. Our shower was the best hotel shower I've had since Ceasar's in Vegas (where you feel guilty about the water use!). Breakfast buffet ok. Coffee bitter. BUT eat dinner at the 1852 Room. You won't be disappointed. Best on the island? We had two dinners - pork loin, perch, and then the Delmonico rib eyes. Fantastic. The steak was one of the best we've ever had. French Onion soup not traditional cheese-covered crock, but good too.

Close enough to town to be a short walk but far enough to still be peaceful. Hotel is over 100 years old. They keep enough of the old charm so you feel the history while still having modern conveniences like a fridge, pool, WiFi and air conditioning. Staff is very friendly and helpful.

We've been staying here for many years, and in the last couple of years the hotel has changed ownership, for the worst in my opinion. The hotel rooms have always been kind of quirky and in need of repair. This year's room had just been painted and the bathroom door didn't close - there was a 3/8 inch gap - really not acceptable in a $300 hotel room. Breakfast has always been included with our room and our first two nights/mornings the dining room staff had us on their guest list and gave us a zero balance bill to sign. The third morning before seating us the maître 'd said we needed vouchers for breakfast and lied to our face saying that we had needed vouchers all three days (which we were not given). When we went to the front desk another guest was working with management - $1k had been added to their bill without their knowledge for multiple days of breakfast for 15 people that they were under the impression was included with their room. After discussing with front desk management we were given a voucher for our final day of breakfast. I sort of hoped they would try to charge us for the first two days, since we had been presented with and signed a zero dollar bill, and charging us seemed like it would be illegal, but they didn't. As for the restaurant, we had dinner one night in the restaurant and the planked whitefish that I ordered was inedible. It had an unpleasant fishy odor and was undercooked. I should have sent it back but I was with a group and didn't want to make a scene. On the positive side, they still serve Plath's bacon, which is excellent quality and delicious. I loved the crab-cake Benedict which I had two of the three days for breakfast. And our servers - Sebastian and Allison - were extremely friendly, knowledgeable and professional.

Very clean. Staff was great. The front porch was good for sitting and watching the Harbor. We enjoyed the comfy chairs on the lawn by the fire pits in the evening. It had All the amenities of a 4 star hotel without the 4 star facility. The hotel was nice and comfortable but in need of updating decor. The rooms were fine although the decor was very outdated and beds were marginally comfortable.

My wife and I decided to take advantage of a Groupon offer to stay at Mackinac Island's oldest hotel in September. We took the Arnold Ferry which turned out to be the closest one to the hotel. It's a very beautiful hotel inside and out. We found the service to be helpful and friendly. The Groupon package included a $40 voucher for the 1852 Grille inside the hotel. It's a beautiful restaurant with views of the harbor and excellent food. $40 won't cover the cost of dinner for 2 but it certainly put a dent in the check. We stayed on the 4th floor which is supposedly haunted. We were spared any paranormal activity in our 2-night stay. My only critique would be our room and the path to reach it. It's an historic hotel that was built in sections over time so there was no direct route to reach our room. You do a lot of zig-zagging and stair-climbing in order to reach it. The room, itself, was ok but small. It would have helped greatly to have more shelves, hooks and drawers to store our things. There were no available outlets to plug anything in. In this day and age, it is essential for hotels to offer some kind of outlets for guests. Even a lamp with outlets in the base would have helped. The hotel did have WiFi but it was very slow. Fortunately I had several bars of service for data. Aside from the room's shortcomings, it is an excellent hotel to stay in when visiting Mackinac Island.

We've been visiting the island for years but had never stayed at Island House until this past week. While some of the staff were professional and friendly, many were not and there were numerous instances where I just shook my head at hour badly we were treated. They lost our luggage ... I asked housekeeping for an extra blanket and was offered what was clearly a dirty blanket off one of their service carts (not folded, but clearly bundled up while they were cleaning an adjacent room). When I asked if it was clean I was told "probably not". I then asked for a clean blanket and they said they would send one up. A few minutes later they delivered the exact same blanket (still not folded and clearly dirty) to our room. Next, I needed a small glass so that my wife could take some medicine, so I walked into the 1852 grill, their onsite restaurant and attempted to ask "John" the bartender for a small glass ... he looked me up and down as if I were a piece of garbage, and stated "I don't have time to deal with you ... I need to get ready for a wedding ...", and then turned his back on me. No guest at any hotel should ever be treated like that ... especially when I was asking for something as simple as an empty glass ... Then there was what I can only describe as a general level of decay and mismanagement of the facilities themselves. Peeling paint, poor quality repairs, lots of things that simply aren't maintained. Totally in line with the attitude of many of the staff. I spoke with Alan Sehoyan, the General Manager of the hotel about "John, the bartender", and he made the excuse that John was new ... and said he'd talk to him. That made everything better ... NOT. You couldn't pay me to stay at this dump again! We'll come back to the Island ... we always do ... but not to Island House.

We came here for a weekend get away with our two children and stayed here for the weekend. Our room was HUGE although we did stay in a two bedroom suite. The service here is amazing. From the front desk to the wait staff everyone had a smile on their face. Food at the restaurant was awesome! I recommend the pancakes in the morning with powdered sugar. At night we had dinner and the scallops were awesome! Great time and great staff We will be back!

Overall the hotel was good. The location was excellent for my girlfriend and I to get around where we wanted to go. The room we had was relatively small, considering it had a king bed in it, although the size was not necessarily a problem. The issue some people will have is getting in and out of bed with the slanted ceilings on either side. Both my girlfriend and I had a couple bumps into the ceiling, and many more close calls. We were aware of our surroundings, so we just tried to be extremely careful getting in and out of bed. With that being said, we still enjoyed our stay, as we were not in our room very much. The overall property was very nice. We enjoyed both the indoor and outdoor hot tub. The sauna was not working during our stay, though. The front desk staff was professional, although their lack of knowledge of basic questions about the property, the area, and the 906 program was frustrating. On the other hand, the male manager was extremely friendly and knowledgeable. Overall, it was a good experience because we were excited to be in a historic hotel and were able to overlook some of its apparent flaws.