How do Michigan bed and breakfasts with 5-star reviews earn all those 5-star reviews?
Dave from Midland, MI, says the innkeepers are the key ingredient. In a TripAdvisor review about the Chelsea House Victorian Inn in Chelsea, Dave wrote: “We have stayed an a number of B&Bs over the past years. It has been our experience that the quality of the hosts makes all the difference in how much we enjoy being at a particular B&B.”
For innkeepers who have the hospitality gene, the ways they cater to guests are, to them, so effortless that they don’t realize they’re doing anything unusual. But guests notice, even the small things. A couple examples:
- At Munro House B&B in Jonesville, no matter how late you need to arrive, owner Mike Venturini opens the front door with a smile. And then, by 6 or 7 a.m., he’ll be in the kitchen making a full breakfast. Mike’s cheerful attitude: “Guests come first, no matter how much it may inconvenience the proprietors.”
- When a prospective guest called Frankenmuth B&B asking how to get from Flint’s Bishop International Airport to Frankenmuth, long-time innkeeper Bev Bender didn’t hesitate. “Don’t worry,” she said. “Tell me when your flight gets in, and I’ll pick you up.” Thirty miles one way. To Bev, it is just part of the service.
How to find a Michigan B&B with 5-star reviews
Search this site first because all Michigan Bed and Breakfast Association (MBBA) member inn are periodically inspected and approved by independent, trained reviewers. And what is MBBA’s promise to guests? That “you can rest assured of quality lodging, warm hospitality, enjoyable breakfasts and an exceptional experience.”
But we know you read online reviews, too. So, if you agree with Dave from Midland that the innkeepers make all the difference, peruse TripAdvisor and other review sites for nuggets like the following, all excerpted from recent published reviews. Click each inn’s name for more info.
The Heather House, Marine City: “One morning the men in our group planned an early round of golf and informed Helen. She insisted on preparing them a delicious, hearty meal and had them out the door on time! This is the kind of attention the innkeepers give their guests.”
Dove Nest B&B, St. Joseph: “We had a flat tire while we were there and John jumped right in to help my husband change the tire.”
More from Dave of Midland about Chelsea House Victorian Inn, Chelsea: When we called to book a room for our 59th wedding anniversary getaway, “Andy asked it we planned to attend the play at the Purple Rose Theater. We said we did. He asked it we had tickets. We did not. Andy then said he would place an order for tickets for us, which he did. Next, he asked if we
would like to eat at the Common Grill before the play. We said we would like that, so Andy said he would put us on the wait list for 5:30 p.m. on the evening (of) the play. Needless to say, that was quite a favorable introduction to the Chelsea House Victorian Inn!”
‘The wedding fairy’ wowed them
Candlelite Inn B&B, Ludington: “At one point I asked if they had Sprite or 7Up. They didn’t, but within ten minutes, Gary knocked on my door with two 7Ups and stocked the fridge.”
Bear Lake B&B, Bear Lake: “Cindi and Greg … walk the extra mile for their guests. Just like that, they took us to Arcadia Bluffs Golf Club to enjoy a gorgeous sunset. We had traveled on bikes, so this was really an exceptional offer for us, which we did not expect at all.”
Hankerd Inn, Pleasant Lake: The reviewer had rented nine rooms for a wedding, including a cottage where the bride and bridesmaids dressed for the wedding. “You cannot imagine our surprise and delight to return from the reception to find that the wedding fairy had come in while we were gone and straightened up a cottage left in a whirlwind!”
Next time you want to experience a Michigan B&B with 5-star reviews, start your search here. Pick a city. Any city. It would be hard to go wrong.