Mackinac Island hotel gets $30M renovation, to reopen in 2024 after two years closed
After being closed for two seasons, the iconic Inn at Stonecliffe on Mackinac Island is planning to reopen in 2024 and reveal a massive $30 million propertywide transformation.
The 1904 Edwardian estate overlooks the Straits of Mackinac and the Mackinac Bridge and plans are to maintain the historic nature of the property while now offering access to a wellness center with steam showers, a sauna and yoga, two swimming pools, a 3,074-square-foot events center for weddings and reunions, private cottages for families and fire pits on the big lawn.
Dining choices will soon include fine dining in the dining room, al fresco dining on the updated patio, and casual dining in the outdoor barbecue pavilion. The pavilion, called "Porky's," will feature a wood-fired pizza oven, a rotating spit, a smoker and a grill. It also has a long, island countertop to accommodate experiential events ranging from a whitefish boil to make-your-own-pizza night to cooking classes with guest chefs.
The summer house is newer. But honoring tradition is key, according to Stonecliffe. So the on-property apple orchard has been restored, too. The orchard has 30 new fruit trees and will include beehives and a community garden that grows herbs and produce for the restaurants.
Picnics and s'mores
This is the island site that in 2021 changed its sweeping backyard into an al fresco dining experience called the Lawn at Stonecliffe with cozy outdoor patio furniture, and encouraged diners to bring picnic blankets. Dessert included a s'mores option that came with graham crackers, one Hershey chocolate bar and four marshmallows to be cooked on a roasting stick held over a small fire pit.
Since that time, workers have been infusing cash into the place.
Beyond the big remodel of the mansion and summerhouse, a trio of three-bedroom cottages will be built so families can vacation together in a home setting.
"We're looking to create a tranquil escape 2 miles from downtown," Bethany McCann, Stonecliffe director of sales, told the Detroit Free Press. "This is a peaceful experience."
Cooking classes, croquet and beekeeping
Family-friendly games on the lawn will include cornhole, ladder ball, yard bowling and croquet, McCann said.
"We're trying to create a retreat up the hill, a place where guests can build traditions year after year," she said.
Other activities on the property will include plein air paint classes in the apple orchard, cooking and cocktail-making classes, beekeeping and gardening classes, Mackinac Island history tours and talks by local celebrities. The library will offer chess and board games.
A price tag that was estimated at $28 million in January has grown to $30 million because of general building costs, McCann said.
A Mercantile store on the property will serve coffee and homemade ice cream as well as goods made locally for purchase.
A number of hotels have poured millions of dollars into renovation in recent years, including the Island House and the Grand Hotel. Other hotels have sold in recent years, too, including the Bicycle Street Inn, Waterfront Collection North and Waterfront Collection South, and the Iroquois Hotel.
Many hotels are already booked for the 100th anniversary of the Bayview Mackinac Race from Port Huron to Mackinac Island in July.
Local leaders watching closely
Tim Hygh, executive director of the Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau, said, "It’s a huge commitment to build anything on an island, especially one without automobiles. Stonecliffe has taken their time to do it right."
A dray is used for everything from cases of beer headed to Doud's Market to building equipment en route to Stonecliffe. The island is free from cars and has been for a century. It's known for bicycle riding, horse-and-carriage taxis, hiking and walking.
Mackinac Island Mayor Margaret Doud, who has won reelection every year since 1975, often talks about the importance of cherishing the history and tradition of her beloved island that attracts visitors from all over the world. The island found new patrons during the pandemic and set a revenue record in 2021.
"I'm appreciative of Stonecliffe's continued community support and look forward to seeing the finished product next season," Doud told the Free Press.
An unusual business model
This Stonecliffe renovation has been underway since the Pulte Family Charitable Foundation acquired the property in 2021. And 100% of profits from The Inn at Stonecliffe goes to the foundation, which serves local communities and the world through grants, foster programs, mental health, shelters and more.
The mayor noted that the William J. Pulte Scholarship Program awards two students from Mackinac Island School $10,000 a year for up to four years to support their college career, as well as a $1,500 stipend for academic testing, college application fees and travel.
The scholarships are awarded to 11th graders so that they know they have access to money when making decisions about where to go and what they might afford, Kevin Doyle, chief operating officer for the Pulte Charitable Family Foundation, told the Free Press.
On top of individual scholarships, the foundation gives $10,000 a year to Mackinac Island School for college prep for its student body, he explained.
By 2025, the foundation will be providing up to $93,000 each year to Mackinac Island School and its graduates, Doyle said.
Other donations in the area included a $1 million gift in 2021 to help build a new 16-bed adult inpatient McLaren behavioral health unit in Cheboygan. This year, the foundation gave eight $7,500 trade school scholarships to students attending the Industrial Arts Institute in Onaway, Doyle said.
Reservations for Stonecliffe will be accepted in December for springtime, McCann said. Prices have not been released.
The Pulte Family Charitable Foundation owns St. John's Resort in Plymouth Township, too.
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Contact Phoebe Wall Howard: 313-618-1034 or phoward@freepress.com. Follow her on the site formerly known as Twitter @phoebesaid.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Mackinac Island's Inn at Stonecliffe to reopen in 2024
