Island House Hotel Review

A beautiful place to stay with a welcoming relaxed atmosphere. It's located right on main street and convenient to everything. There are cozy little seating areas inside and outside on the gorgeous grounds. The whole place is immaculately clean and the rooms are comfortable. They have a restaurant off the lobby, they recommend making reservations for dinner. They will also send your luggage to the ferrys whenever you'd like so you can just board and your stuff will be waiting for you on the other end.

We had always wanted to get to Mackinaw Island and when The Island House Hotel ran a Groupon special, we just couldn't pass it up. If you've never been, my advise would be to absolutely put this on your short list of destinations for 2019 and keep your eyes open for an opportunity to visit Mackinaw and stay at The Island House Hotel.
It's a quaint little place with all the amenities you could ask for. It's nothing short of picture perfect and the island affords you a serene getaway without all the hustle and bustle of the everyday grind. No car, no planes, no noise to distract you from the beauty and majesty that is Mackinaw Island. We went with a group of friends and everyone enjoyed the time together and the ability to get away for some quiet time too.
Check it out and I'm certain you'll be in the same boat that we are now... so when are we going back?!

On my 5th grade field trip to mackinac island we stayed at the island house hotel and it was one of the best hotels I have ever stayed at. It had good food and amazing service and the waiters and waitresses were very nice, I recommend the island house hotel to and body who likes a quiet room and a good view of Lake Huron.

We understand that this is the oldest hotel on the island. It has lots of rich history which we enjoyed learning about. We stayed in a deluxe Lakeview room. The view was wonderful. The room had the look, feel and furnishings of an older hotel; which is what we expected. Our room was close to the staircase and we could here people ascending and descending the stairs. There is not much insulation between rooms or floors, so we could here conversations in other rooms. We were woken several times by the sounds coming from the room above us (walking, toilet, chairs sliding, talking.) The 1852 restaurant was very nice and the food and service were excellent. Be sure to walk back to the Ice House located behind the hotel. It's where the pool is located and home to a more casual restaurant and bar. We really enjoyed our time here and would recommend it.

Quaint hotel, nice amenities and great restaurant. Reasonable compared to other areas on the hotel. Breakfast buffet was good, hors d'oeuvres were great, but portions small. Would stay again at this hotel.

Great service and beautiful rooms. The restaurant there is outstanding.

We have been coming to the Island House for years and the service is reliably quite good, but the rooms are always hit or miss. This summer we again stayed in a Premium View room, expecting that all the rooms had been recently updated. We were immediately disappointed when we entered our room. Number 409, while spacious, is in need of attention. The wallpaper was faded and had holes in it, the chairs in our sitting area were wobbly and questionably unsafe, the refrigerator was functional but broken, the towel bars, inaccessible, and we had very little storage space to unpack our things. The wallpaper in the halls leading to all the guest rooms has, for years, looked tired and the carpeting, dirty. The furniture in the foyer too has seen better days. The view, the sounds of the island, and the hopes that this time we ll have have a pretty room are what bring us back to the Island House.

Absolutely a wonderful hotel to stay in when you're on Mackinac island

This is a very quaint place. Friendly staff and clean rooms. WiFi could be better.

Small room, pricey, and loud. But it was easy to check in and check out and the location is good.
If you are going to stay here get an upgraded room for sure.

The view is unforgettable
The era
Timeless.
Everything about this place screams
Most memorabul place I've been to.
A short story in a few footsteps. The history is amazing.

Great place to stay. Staff is courteous, food is wonderful, and the beds are comfortable.

I loved my stay here. Very comfortable and accommodating. Very friendly staff.

Great food! The bartender Ryan was amazing super helpful and knowledgeable!

Absolutely loved this restaurant! Amazing food, great wine, servers are wonderful and loved the views! They even had a piano player that added to the nice night

We have visited the island several times, but this was our first time stay there, and we stayed in one of the family suites at the back of the hotel. The accommodation was nice, quaint, and clean. The hotel staff at the front desk was wonderful, and very helpful upon check-in/check-out, and any time we called or needed anything! Keeping in mind that this was the first weekend the island was open after the pandemic shutdown, there were a lot of policy changes for the staff, and it was apparent that the hotel was not fully prepared to be open for the season. The indoor pool was not heated, most of the outdoor furniture was not accessible, and there was a lot of clutter and spaces that were just not ready to receive guests. The restaurant service and food was terrible; we did not even go back for our complimentary breakfast on the second morning. All in all, it is a nice place, but definitely not the type of accommodation we are used to receiving from high-end hotels. We will try another hotel on our next visit.

Room was very clean. Staff was friendly. Enjoyed the location

Got there 3 hours early and only had to wait 20 mins in the lobby while they got our room ready. Easy access to the pool and great restaurant in the back if the hotel as well.

We had great service and a pleasant stay. The location is great-very close to the shops and the fort.

We stoped there for lunch. The food was good, though priced accordingly. But the beer was priced well to make up for it. The service was good and hardly anyone was there. All would have been well if not for the ridiculess amount of flys buzzing around the dining aria. Harmless, but very annoying. Would recomend this place for lunch if not for this fact.

Very quaint hotel, stayed in room 329, small but cozy, needs a little refreshing. Staff was pleasant, food in the grill restaurant was very nice (breakfast buffet)

Nice room a bit small. Love the porch and fire outside in the evening. The pool and hot tubs were great. The ice house patio restaurant is a favorite and affordable. This hotel has a lot of stairs. The staff is very helpful.

Great experience. Highly recommend the Butterfly House and Arch Rock.

Room was amazing, the location was perfect, breakfast was pricy, but otherwise a great place to stay.

Historic old fashioned hotel. A nice distance from downtown to get away from Main Street. Hotel staff very friendly and helpful. A little noisier with creeks experienced in an older building from the 1800s. The breakfast in the morning was very good, slightly pricey but well worth the view

Awesome historic hotel! Rooms are nice. Staff is great!

Fantastic and reasonably affordable for the area, featuring some of the most cutely decorated and clean rooms I have visited. As it is the oldest hotel to operate on Mackinac Island, it's rooms are secured by two small brass keys, yet the mattresses are near brand new and the rooms seem to be freshly painted. The food is fantastic here and their staff is very polite and hard-working.

We were very happy with this place. It s an older hotel with a lot of charm. The rooms were very comfortable and clean. The bed was on the hard side which I do prefer. My husband doesn t like hard beds but slept great regardless. The staff were all friendly. The restaurants are both great with a good selection. Loved how they have accessible plugs on both sides of the bed. We look forward to staying here again.

Attached are the view from the huge porch with ample supply of rocking chairs. Read about the history of this beautiful hotel and visit the restaurants. Met some very friendly fellow travellers from all over the United States. I will definitely be back.

Clean and conveniently located to Main St. Restaurants

Loved it! Really enjoyed sitting on front porch and the lawn in the evenings. Idyllic setting!

My husband took me to the Island House 1852 to have dinner, drinks and live music played by John Kissane. What a wonderful pianoist... the food, staff and atmosphere was wonderful. The food was phenomenal and the music was absolutely unbelievable. Thank you to the Island House and James Winegard for a wonderful evening! Best Prime Rib steak ever!!!

Perfectly Mackinac Island, great location, friendly staff.

Attended for a school lunch. Location and view from the veranda and front of the dining room is great. Food was good also.

Very old hotel that is overpriced for stays here.
We got an awesome rate due to an error on website, $35 a night, otherwise we would not have stayed here. The normal rate is $300 plus nightly. The staff tried to get the extra money but no dice. This is one of the oldest hotels on the island, but it shows this too. I brought to their attention the exposed wiring on the catwalk to the pool area, and it was glossed over as old hotels need work. Opened wiring near people that are wet from swimming is not a good idea by any standard, old hotel or not.
This was a nice hotel but we felt it quite a bit over-priced for what you get. We think staying on mainland and boating over each day is maybe a best deal. That way you do not have to carry all your items with you.
If you get a great price maybe again.

We enjoyed ourselves so much. The staff were so friendly and courteous. We will definitely come back. Also, the hotel was very kept up and clean.

SPECTACULAR!!! WORTH EVERY PENNY!!!
Absolutely loved this place!!! We reserved the most basic king room and were thoroughly pleased. It seemed fresh and recently renovated. Our room was on the smaller side but we expected that based on the rate and that Mackinac Island is popular and in demand. The views from the covered porch and 1852 Grill Room restaurant are breathtaking and soothing.
1852 GRILL ROOM
The food from the 1852 Grill Room was absolutely outstanding! We highly recommend purchasing the modified American plan when you book your room, which includes a full breakfast and dinner each day. You will save a lot on the your meals and once you have your first meal there you won t want to go anywhere else anyway! When booking your room be sure to also make your breakfast and dinner reservations so you get your choice of dining times. The blueberry pancakes are an A+++! The best we ve ever had by far. I can t say enough good things about the food. OUTSIDE AMENITIES
*There are 2 clay fire pots that are lit each night overlooking the water, with cozy chairs to relax in.
*There is a place to rent bikes right in front of the hotel and the two gentlemen who work there are super friendly, helpful and knowledgeable.
*Rocking chairs on the front porch looking out toward the water are good for the soul.
*Family pool and spa are well kept up and inviting.
ICE HOUSE BBQ & BAR
There is a delightful casual bar & restaurant at the back of the hotel, called the Ice House. Food, service, and atmosphere were outstanding. The background music was great too. At far too many restaurants it s too loud, but here it was on that fine line of being upbeat and energetic without drowning out conversation. We really appreciated this often unnoticed but important aspect of a dining experience. There is also a corn hole game to take advantage of.
ADULTS ONLY SPA TUB
We loved the adults only spa tub. When my husband and I get away with just the two of us, we appreciate adults only areas.
FINAL THOUGHTS
The Island House Hotel is now our go-to place to stay on Mackinac Island. The quiet and peace there because of no automobiles is lovely.

The service and hospitality could not have been better. Wonderful location & terrific views!

Thank you Island House Hotel for an amazing experience. Your accommodations were cozy, and your food was delicious. It was the perfect location to relax and take in the beauty of the Island! I had the opportunity to have bbq at the Ice House, the restaurant directly behind the establishment, and breakfast at the 1852 Grill Room. Both were equally as exceptional. I used the bike rental right in front of the hotel. It was a convenient, and an inexpensive way to take in the sights of the island. Thanks again for a relaxing and beautiful way to enjoy Mackinac!

This is an older hotel on Mackinac Island but is actually very nice. The jets in the hot tub weren't working when we were there. The shower and toilet from was very small. Very quaint and the staff are very friendly. It is expensive like most things on the island but we will probably stay there next year.

The service was very good. Everything was timely. The food was excellent. I enjoyed the wedge salad (it was incredible with an onion ring on top) and the sockeye salmon special. The ambiance is also beautiful with a great view of the lake. I would highly recommend it.

Very clean; outstanding staff that actively look to help enhance your stay on the island.

A generaly good experince when I stayed there a few months ago, however a few odd things happened in my room. I stayed in room number 401, for two nights on the Island. The service was amzing, don't get me wrong, but I often would come back to my room with a few things moved out of place. At first I assumed housekeeping had moved my wallet, ad changed around how my clothes where aranged umong other things. But then when I woke up the next morning the picures in the room were on the floor facing down. I asked the worker at the desk if they had known anything about this, he told me that they had been given a lot of recent reports of such things happening. There had also been reports of people hearing children's voices wispering their names late at night, but only in this room. The hotel itself it really nice and I would definitely stay here again, however the erie presence in this room makes me not want to go in this room again. I would not suggest this room to anyone not willing to go through the creepy expirences I did.

Had drinks and dinner there last week. Bartender never introduced himself. We were able to get a drink order but we were never approached again over the next hour to see if we wanted a refill or a different drink. I asked if we could get an order of their freshly made potato chips and was told we don t have bar snacks. Maybe Mike the bartender needed a nap? Dinner was good.

Comfortable, but the wallpaper and drapes are unpalatable.

We loved how this was off the main streets. Definitely a hidden gem with great food and drinks!

Architecturally pleasing and the housekeeping staff was very accommodating.

This was my favorite place on the island, even after staying at the Grand. I prefer this, actually. You are closer to the action, asing staff, and you don't feel like your shepherd around like sheep.
It was a historical building but they do a great job of keeping things up to date and looking great. This is also the only place you can get coffee before 7 am (ha ha). At night, we enjoyed listening to the fort play taps above us while warming up next to their little fires on the front proch. It was a really cool place that was very close to the action. I would recommend this to anyone.

I had the very top room in the attic, and while the veiw was great, it was only accessible via tons of stairs. Its hard to call this a fault, though, because I was getting a great work out. They have handicapped accessible rooms, though. The water pressure was phenomenal.

This is a lovely property. However the staff just doesn't seem very friendly or accommodating. Maybe it is because they appear to be so short staffed. Everybody seems harried. Not much courtesy or kindness is being exhibited. When you pay over $400 a night you have expectations. They weren't met this time.

Went for CMU alumni weekend. Awesome venue and service. My only wish is for in-room amenities, such as iron/ironing board or a mini-fridge.

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.

Rooms are clean and modern with charging stations on both night stands for devices. Great location from the dock where you get off the Star Line Ferry boat. Departed from St. Ignace side which has free overnight parking. Hardwood floors in room really give off great feel of clean. Bathroom was clean but very small and no sink in bathroom. Sink and mirror are outside of bathroom. DO NOT order express breakfast from the hotel restaurant. Pricey, which is not a surprise but quality was bad. I had the breakfast burrito and eggs were horrible. Wife got yogurt parfait and bagel continental breakfast and yogurt was hot. Overall I would recommend this hotel but just wanted to share my thoughts. Happy and safe travels

Great! The staff is friendly and helpful.. loved the large room and we had a fantastic view. We would stay here again

Very nice experience here, ate at the grill room, very good food and a great experience as well. Breakfast was good as well and I was actually ok paying the "island" prices. Rooms are dated and small but that's why you are on the Island. My only advice is the 4th floor is basically the attic, ceilings/walls are low nice big dormer window but still.

Staff of hotel was fantastic. The restaurant servers, with the exception of a few, seemed annoyed with customers. Food was great!

Hotel lost our luggage. Fortunately, it went to another room where friends of ours were staying. Then, they tried to give us another friends luggage. Even worse, when our friends opened their cooler which was checked as luggage, there was a radio of one of the hotel workers inside the zipped cooler. Meaning, they opened it and went inside it. Hotel room was very noisy with paper thin walls. Half of our party had terrible meals at the on site restaurant.

The hotel was pretty but on our way there from Mackinaw City and our luggage was lost and somehow sent to St Ignace and we didn t get it till 8:30 at night-it took 4 hours before they actually found it. Then on our way back to Mackinaw City we dropped it off with The Island House desk and it was lost again just bring the luggage with you it s so much easier.

Nice hotel! Right by the water front and not too far from the main area with all the shops and restaurants. Unique decor and clean rooms, a bit small but cozy. Great breakfast too! Will definitely be back!

We stayed overnight for a field trip. They are very accommodating for our large group every year!

Beautiful this is one of the oldest hotels on Mackinac

It was an amazing quaint experience! A trip back in time. Lol but not too much. The staff was excellent! Attentive & efficient .definitely a repeater! Thank you for the experience!

5 STAR does not begin to describe this place, America's oldest hotel will not disappoint you with very nice rooms and most of them have fantastic views of the island and harbor. The hotel is full of history and the two restaurants located on the property are top notch!!!

Although we had visited Mackinac Island before, we've never stayed on the island overnight. After checking out several hotels, my wife settled on Island House. It was great. Our room overlooked the harbor and we loved waking up to the sound of horse hooves on the pavement. The hotel is situated a few blocks from the hustle and bustle of main street which was perfect after a long day of walking the island. The Island House Hotel also contains an almost secret BBQ restaurant called the Ice House BBQ. The brisket, mac and cheese, and cornbread were fantastic and they also have an awesome corn fritter appetizer.

That was. A really good experience the service increible

Nice hotel with good pricing. The staff was friendly and helped us in our stay. Breakfast was not included. Outside the hotel there is a bike rental that we used.