Okay, its not the prettiest motel I have ever stayed at, But for the price and the views from my room can't be beat. We had a room on the water with a balcony, so relaxing. The staff was very accomodating and made any request easy. We have stayed there twice now, and everytime we go to Mackinaw we will stay at the Waterfront!

For those of us that grew-up in Michigan and spent our summers going 'Up North' on family vacations, this is a place that wil bring back a bunch of memories of those times!

Waterfront Inn is on the south end of Mackinaw City and close enough to walk to many of the restuarants, shopping and boat docks to Mackinaw Island. The waterfront rooms have spectacular views of the Island, as well as Round Island, Bois Blanc island, the Mackinaw Straits, and of cours the Mackinaw Bridge! The beachfront is for swimming but the recent drought and many years of low precipitation, both winter and summer, has reduced the lake levels to new lows and the water is very shallow for a long way out from shore -- no fault of any hotel on the Lake Huron coast.

The rooms are somewhat dated but that is what lends itself to the nostalgia of the property and the 'feel' of being on vacation as a kid. However, the rooms are well appointed, many with new carpet and furnishings, and wi-fi and cable TV are there to bring the complex into the 21st century. Breakfast is a free continental style, there is an indoor year-round pool, hot tub and waterfall, and room rates vary by the room location and time of year but it still a bargain even at the peak times. PLUS, if you prefer a vacation that is not from the mid-20th century, the adjacent property, Mackinaw Beach Resort, is owned by the same folks and is an all-suite facility. While more expensive, the property is only ablotu three years old and every suite faces the water.

Bonfires on the beach, some of the best sunrises anywhere, history and nostalgia can all be enjoyed at a modest price and make memories for the next generation going 'Up North' for family vacations and new memories!

Respectfully Submitted
Mark H.
Marshall, MI

Just got back from 4 nights at the Waterfront Inn. We had room 250, which was at the end on the second floor. The beds were on the outside wall, so the only time I heard our neighbors was when we were both in the bathroom at the same time. Room was a pretty good size, 2 beds, table and chairs, fridge, sink and good size counter. Tub and toilet in a pretty small room. This is not a fancy or totally modern place. But the room was clean, the hotel is on the beach, and kids loved the pool and hot tub. Breakfast is 3 kinds of cold cereal, 2 kinds of muffins, bread for toast, waffle maker, juice, coffee, tea. Hot beverages available all the time. We grilled on the beach a couple of nights. Staff were very nice, friendly. Beds and pillows were also very good. We had a courtside, we had a small view of part of Mackinac Island. Again, it's not modern, but the decor is also not from the 50s. We paid $80 Fri and Sat night, and $60 Sun-Wed nights. I've paid a LOT more for rooms that were only slightly more up to date. If you aren't looking for fancy, just want a decent room and breakfast and want to be on the beach, give this place a try.

The hotel was in a good location and easy to access the ferries and shopping. We stayed for 1 night at the Waterfront Inn, waiting to go to Mackinac Island for the weekend. We had a king room on the end of the back part of the hotel. I couldn't even take my sandals off - the carpet was damp - eww. The walls looked like the paint was peeling and the be all to end all - we killed 3 spiders. The service was ok - when we checked in and out the person at the desk was on the phone and was in no hurry to end their personnal call. Breakfast was pretty nasty too - we went to Burger King instead. Next time, we'll spend the extra $30 - $40 and stay at a name-brand hotel.