Mackinac Island, Grand Hotel Information
The Grand Hotel on Michigan's Mackinac Island (pronounced "Mackinaw") in Lake Huron was built in 1887 by a group of transportation firms to address the need for more accommodations on the island. Begun as a summer destination, to this day the hotel is only open May through October.
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Rooms
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The Grand Hotel has 385 rooms and suites, no two of which are alike. Six of the suites were designed with the input of First Ladies Jackie Kennedy, Lady Bird Johnson, Betty Ford, Roslyn Carter, Nancy Reagan and Barbara Bush.
Transportation
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Other than emergency vehicles, no cars are allowed on Mackinac Island. Guests must arrive by boat or private plane and are escorted to the Grand in horse-drawn carriages.
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Features
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The Grand has what many say is the world's longest porch, measuring in at more that 600 feet.
Amenities
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The hotel's Esther Williams pool is named after the actress, who appeared in the movie "This Time for Keeps," filmed on the property in 1946.
Famous Ties
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Presidents Truman, Kennedy, Ford, George H.W. Bush and Clinton have all stayed at the Grand.
Fun fact
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The 1980 film "Somewhere in Time" starring the late Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour was filmed primarily at the Grand. Devotees of that film gather at the hotel each October for an annual fan convention.
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