The Vault Hotel Houghton

Interesting concept. No front desk quasi lux. For the most part it delivers. The memory foam mattress was supportive, although I had to sleep in the very center to not feel like I was going to roll off the bed. The bathroom had a heated mirror which was helpful. Nice shower. Great staff. They aim to please. My main issue was the room was just not comfortable. Nowhere to sit (except in vault) or work on laptop. The chairs in the vault are really uncomfortable and the vault itself is pretty cheesy. Definitely would skip that if staying again. The covered parking was a blessing. The loading zone is less than ideal given the wall of snow to navigate. For load-out we went around the corner and parked. Much better.

A glamorous reinvention of a beautiful historic building, The Vault is an unexpected delight on my trip to Houghton. The 12’ + ceiling height in my room on the 3rd floor made the room feel very spacious, almost like staying in a castle. The building has new windows that are nicely sound-proofed from street noise and it was an overall quiet, restful stay with comfortable bed and linens. Modern bathroom amenities were also luxe. The private basement lounge (open only to guests staying at hotel and a few club members) was a nice spot to end the evening and had a nicely appointed bar. A cozy, quiet spot to recount the day’s adventures. The hotel offers a complimentary breakfast spread in the morning with grab-and-go coffee, tea, Chobani yogurt, juice, bagels, Nutella, etc. One other free perk—parking in a ramp directly across street from front door of hotel. It’s great to see a boutique hotel like this in the Keweenaw!

Our 5th visit to the Vault, each time we have found to be great experience. Rooms well appointed and clean. Check in relative easy, just have to understand they work with limited staff but their always attentive. Sophia in the Counting Room (hotels private bar) was enjoyable to talk with and TJ at check out quite accommodating and helpful with local knowledge and information.

Traveling the upper peninsula in an electric vehicle has become almost easy. My partner and I visited the Vault in Houghton intending it to be a jumping off spot for Copper Bay and Laje of the Clouds. We expected to find a ChargePoint EV charger compatible with our vehicle. Unfortunately for us, we did not have a CHAdeMO adapter. Finding no other suitable charger within 125 miles we opted to cancel our reservation and drive on to Minocqua expecting to be charged for both reserved nights. The innkeeper was gracious offering to speak to the manager on our behalf but offering no expectation of a refund. So, I was pleasantly surprised to find a credit from the Vault on my card this morning. ||The upper peninsula is beautiful and the Vault is a charming and unique hotel in the heart of Houghton. The rooms are lovely (we did check in before discovering our mistake) and the overall complexion of the hotel stands out in all of Houghton

My family stayed at the Vault this past weekend and what an amazing place. It is so sophisticated and rivals some of the luxury hotels of the Detroit area but with the charm and character of historic Houghton. The beds were so comfortable, we all slept like a dream. The speakeasy in the lower level was very cool too. The Vault is located right in downtown, it was within walking distance to many great restaurants and shops. Make sure to go to the Ambassador for pizza and KBC for a local beer after :)

Beautiful historic hotel in downtown Houghton! Has a boutique, intimate feel with the amenities of an upscale establishment. We had a Found Money room and loved the high ceilings and window seat. Convenient parking garage right across the street. Securely locked front door. My family and I thoroughly enjoyed our stay!

The rooms are pretty nice. I recommend one with a jacuzzi tub; they’re much nicer. The Counting Room is a nice, exclusive bar that makes really great drinks. Their hours aren’t the best as they’re closed Sundays and Mondays. Breakfast could be improved. There are bagels, muffins, cereal, assorted beverages, yogurt. They used to have quiche that they’d heat up for you, but that wasn’t offered either morning we were there. For the price of the rooms, I’d expect a better selection. Also staff is very hard to come by since there isn’t a desk in the lobby. They hide in the back. We’ve stayed here about 4-5 times, even though we’re local. I’m not sure I’ll bother going back though.

We took our youngest son (17 months) and stayed here as a getaway for the weekend - absolutely WONDERFUL! From the moment we walked in we were welcomed graciously by the host to a beautiful, private, spacious lobby. They accommodated an early check in (extra appreciated with a toddler who needed to nap!). The complementary concierge bar was amazing - yogurt, coffee, milk, pop, chips, breakfast… we never went hungry! The room was gorgeous, and the bathroom was like something from my dreams - plus it was big enough we could put our pack n play in there for the baby and he could sleep comfortably while we relaxed in the room. The hotel is locked, so is wonderfully private and quiet. We can’t wait to come back!

I did not actually stay at the Vault Hotel but was a guest at the Counting Room. Collin is an amazing master of drinks and comes highly recommended! He perfected me a lemon drop! The bar has a speakeasy vibe, very demure and quaint. The next time I'm in Houghton, I will be sure to stay at the Vault just so I can visit this place again.

Service: The person/persons manning the front are less than cordial. If this hotel is working toward a great niche feel, then customer service should be top notch. We found the individuals cold and uninterested in creating a welcoming environment. In contrast the bartender in the Counting Room made the experience very special. Food: I see other reviews were positive about the breakfast, but we were underwhelmed. Bagels, toast and cold cereal are not that exciting but to be fair we did not try the quiche. Coffee was mediocre at best. The room: Nice, bed is a bit low to the ground but tolerable. Shower was good. Bathtub looked enticing but didn't try. The French Press coffee in the room was a nice touch, but was tempered by the fact that there was only enough to make one cup?! Lost the "wow" factor on that note. Parking: Great space across the street, covered with easy access. Overall this hotel seems to be striving for the niche boutique experience, has the potential, but misses the mark.

I have stayed at The Vault twice and enjoyed both of my stays. The rooms are spacious and well kept. I enjoyed the complementary drinks and snacks in the lobby. Staying at the hotel gets you access to The Counting Room speakeasy bar. The drinks I have had there have been top notch. I will say that the beds are a bit low to the ground for my taste, and you must ask the person working the front desk for the breakfast quiche because they are not out with the other breakfast food.

Incredible hotel. They've converted an old bank into a nice hotel, with some rooms having the original vaults in them. The vaults are basically a sitting room with cocktail sets and chess sets. The rooms are quite nice. The only downside was the shower: it got scalding hot immediately and would not cool down. The lobby has lots of snacks and drinks to take, all of which are delicious. Breakfast is included and was pretty good: I enjoyed the ham quiche. The main draw is The Counting Room: the speakeasy bar in the basement. The only way to get in is an annual membership (which is VERY expensive) or by staying at the hotel. The drinks are absolutely fantastic and the bartender was great to talk to. I really enjoyed the visit. Highly recommend The Vault. Most hotels in the area are pretty expensive and I think this one is worth a little extra for the experience.

Best hotel I have been in in a while and I travel for work and cannot wait to visit again. Perfect boutique hotel! Hidden gem.

This was our second stay there and I'd have to agree with others that the quality this time was less than stellar. For starters the speakeasy bar is closed on Sundays which was the primary reason for our choosing to stay there. Surprisingly the cost to stay on a Sunday is even higher than during the week when the bar is open. Needless to say we were very disappointed. Our rooms shower head and head held sprayers were sticking and could only be switched if the water was turned off. There were also only 2 hangers in the room. For the amount charged this hotel should be top notch which it is not. This will be our last stay at The Vault because it's no longer worth the money to us.

This is an absolutely beautiful hotel. It will remind you of the small hotels in Europe. The rooms are beautiful and very clean. The staff was super friendly and very helpful with information. Nice little breakfast which they offer a broccoli, bacon or ham Quiche (I would recommend the ham). The hotel is very secure, digital locks on all doors, including the main entrance. So upon your arrival at check-in, use the phone next to the front door to get the attendant.

Best hotel in all of Michigan. Yes. I'll say it again: BEST. HOTEL. IN ALL. OF THE STATE. OF MICHIGAN! It's boutique, sexy, cozy, CLEAN (hallelujah!!!) and unique. The speakeasy downstairs is amazing. When we stayed, it was for hotel guests only. Hopefully that's still the same now. We LOVED our stay, and we cannot wait to go back.

I love this hotel! I was not expecting anything of this caliber in Houghton. But the staff was friendly, rooms immaculate, the vegetarian breakfast quiche in the morning was delicious! They have snacks and drinks readily available 24/7. And have even more for breakfast. They really put effort in and it shows. I appreciate a good hotel, and this one is definitely worth staying at.

A pretty nice place in Houghton! Love the complimentary snacks and the staff is great.

We just spent two nights there and felt totally pampered. Beautiful surroundings from the lobby to room to The Counting Room bar in the cellar, with attentive staff when needed, quiet and peaceful. Grant and Collin in the bar were very knowledgeable and friendly, we enjoyed quite a few unique cocktails and were never disappointed. Convenient parking and perfect location in walking distance to restaurants, bars, coffee shops, and shopping.

I really would have given this hour a 4.5 had that been possible. Summary because this is long...I highly recommend booking a room at The Vault. We'll be back. The Vault is a great hotel and a lovely option of the moderate chain-based hotels in Houghton. The staff is friendly, the rooms are well-appointed and interesting. Our room had a very comfortable bed (tempurpedic-ish mattress) and feather and synthetic pillow options. There was also a small sitting area featuring a fold-out couch. My son rates its comfort as "the most comfortable fold out but still not that comfortable." The room also had a nice bar area with coffee service (French press and locally roasted coffee), fridge, and microwave. The bathroom was also well-appointed with a large shower, thick towels, and lit mirror. The breakfast service was great...locally made mini-quiches and baked goods. The location is great...walking distance to KBC, which is really all that matters. The parking is convenient. The lobby is non-traditional...no front desk, which is a neat touch. The staff greeted me with laptop to complete the transaction. So why not 5 stars? 1. Value. The rooms are expensive. I would file it in the "if you really want to treat yourself" category. Last time I stayed at the Country Inn in Houghton it was $160 (total rip-off), so it makes it easier to justify the cost of The Vault (we paid $260) 2. In-room microwave...oddly you have to remove the microwave from a storage cabinet and move it to the countertop to plug it in. This could easily be solved by putting a plug in the cabinet. 3. The bed frame is an ankle biter. It is a low wooden platform frame. The mattress is smaller than the platform by design (aesthetically pleasing), but this leaves the corners of the platform exposed. We all clipped our ankles (not a whiner...ouch!). It seems like we aren't the only ones because the sharp corners were chipped on both sides of the bed. 4. Now this is picky...I travel a lot for work and *hate* the super-sized pump-driven body wash/shampoo/conditioner. I travel with my own shampoo, but I really prefer a bar of soap. There was one bar of soap for hand washing, which we moved back and forth from sink to sink to shower. The soap, btw, is lovely (very high quality for hotel soaps).

The Vault Hotel staff were great! Every encounter had a smile and where always helpful. The Counting Room Bar is a really cool place to grab a drink and relax. It truly reminds you of a secret speak easy.

Ants everywhere! Double queen suite was an ant haven with ants located all around perimeter of the room! Did receive room change, but not much else. This was a second stay here and as someone else mentioned, cleanliness has gone down hill.

When I was a student at Michigan Tech, what is now The Vault was, at that time, a Wells Fargo (I'm starting to sound like my parents...). I was very intrigued to see what a boutique hotel in Houghton, MI would look like! And wow, are we impressed. The style and decor upon entering is stunning and impeccably tasteful. It's slightly reminiscent of a Gatsby-type style- lots of dark jewel tones, velvet furniture, beautifully lit and white marble and tile. The welcome bar downstairs (and breakfast in the AM!) is full of coffee, tea, quiche, bagels, sweet treats- all made from local vendors. I really appreciate any venture that makes an effort to support other local businesses and their products. It's obvious that the proprietors of The Vault wanted to create a community-focused operation here. I can't wait to come back. And one last thing- don't forget The Counting Room when you visit!

Great hotel tucked away in Houghton. Highly recommend. Staff was extremely accommodating with a looming snowstorm and our need to amend our plans. Sarah was outstanding and even alerted us to an item left in our room. She arranged shipment for return. Amazing experience. We'll definitely be back.

Refreshing vibe after several lackluster "mom and pops" on our rural road trip. Bed was comfy, amenities in the room adequate, breakfast decent especially when adding quiche, fresh fruit, baked muffins and access to coffee, tea and drinks 24-7. It's also a nice touch to have freshly baked cookies mid afternoon. It's a bit off-putting when you arrive and door is locked, but quickly resolved with quick attention from the on duty person. Free, easily-accessible garage parking as well.,My biggest beef is very spotty wi-fi. It is simply not dependable and it doesn't seem to matter the weather, time of day etc. we are all so dependent upon decent WiFi and at the price for a room here, I'd expect better.