In the early Victorian era, women wore corsets, balloonish sleeves and crinolines. For men, it was stove-pipe pants and cravats -- broad and often frilly neckties. The clean-shaven look of the Regency was out. Mustaches, mutton-chop sideburns, Piccadilly Weepers, full beards and Van Dykes like that worn by Napoleon III were the order of the day.
In West Michigan, Victorian architecture is a prevalent and a visual reminder of the years between the 1830s and the 1870s -- and of the cultural, political, and industrial influences which produced these charming structures. The region is also filled with many Victorian communities .
Victorian B&Bs
. ALLEGAN
The Queen Anne-style Castle in the Country broke ground in 1906 and was completed
in 1911 as the summer home of Pennsylvania coal executive John H. Wurtz.
He sold it in 1922 to a prominent Chicago dentist, Dr. George Bridgman, who
enjoyed it as a weekend get-away. Magnificent craftsmanship inside and out
provides guests the opportunity to study the architectural features and design
techniques of the late Victorian age. The B&B features four staircases,
original brass hardware, Italian-tiled fireplaces, pocket doors, original
gas lights and other unique details. Natural quarter-sawn oak woodwork and
patterned oak floors are an elegant backdrop to reproduction and family antique
furnishings throughout the home. Each of the five guest rooms are exceptionally
maintained and romantically decorated. For a more private experience, guests
can opt for the Castle Keepers Cottage, tucked away on five acres of lawn
and wildflower fields. www.castleinthecountry.com or
888-673-8054
. BAY HARBOR
The Inn at Bay Harbor is a luxurious Victorian-style resort on Little Traverse
Bay, just minutes southwest of Petoskey. The Inn at Bay Harbor, a member
of the "Preferred Hotels & Resorts," is the centerpiece of Bay Harbor
Village, which is set along the water's edge. The Inn features 85 one, two
and three-bedroom suites, the Bay Harbor Beach Club, The Spa at the Inn at
Bay Harbor, conference facilities and spectacular lake-front dining. The
Inn at Bay Harbor affords guests breathtaking views of Lake Michigan and
the surrounding coast. www.innatbayharbor.com or
800-462-6963
. COLDWATER
The Benedict Doll House Bed & Breakfast was built in Coldwater
between 1898 and 1900 in the ornate Queen Anne style of the late Victorian
period. It was the home of Benedict Doll, who immigrated to the U.S. from
Bavaria in 1883 at the age of 31. By 1894, he owned Kappler's Brewery, which
was later renamed City Brewery. He and his wife raised 11 children in the
mansion, which remained in the Doll family for 85 years. Daughters Bertha
and Marie opened the Doll House Restaurant in 1927 between the home and an
adjacent service station. The property was sold in 1985 and transformed into
a charming B&B.
It sits on nine acres, offering four distinctively-decorated rooms and lavish
breakfasts for its guests. The Benedict Doll House B&B is featured in "The
Unofficial Guide to B&Bs and Country Inns in the Great Lakes States." www.benedictdoll.com or
517-279-2821
. FENNVILLE
Kingsley House Bed and Breakfast is a beautifully-restored Victorian Queen
Anne mansion. The house was built in 1887 by Harvey Judson Kingsley for his
wife and daughter. Kingsley is well known for the introduction of apple trees
to the region, and worked closely with Michigan State University. The Kingsley
House library holds volumes of his research. Designated a Michigan State
Historic Site, the home was restored in 1989 and opened as a B&B the
same year. It is just minutes from Lake Michigan and the lakeshore resort
towns of Saugatuck, Holland and South Haven. www.kingsleyhouse.com or
269-561-6425
. GRAND HAVEN
Harbor House Inn offers Victorian charm on the waterfront in downtown Grand
Haven. Although the inn was built in 1987, its style is true to the Michigan
farmhouses of the mid-1800s. Seventeen spacious -- yet cozy -- rooms offer
guests a homey and comfortable respite from the hectic pace of the outside
world. Sweeping views of the Grand River and Lake Michigan sand dunes add
to the Inn's ambiance. www.harborhousegh.com or
800-841-0610
. HASTINGS
In Hastings, named one of the "Best Small Towns in America, " you'll find the
Adrounie House Bed and Breakfast. A Michigan historical site, this Queen Anne
Victorian features an oak staircase and a sitting room with fireplace. The
Adrounie House is also known as "The House of Two Doctors." It was built in
1894 by George W. Lowry, M.D., who also served as mayor of Hastings from 1906-1908.
After his death in 1922, Dr. Haroutoune A. Adrounie, a Detroit physician, purchased
both the home and Dr. Lowry's practice. Adrounie's wife, Dorothy, lived in
the house until her death in 1988. It then sat vacant until 1995, when it was
purchased by the current owners and innkeepers. The Adrounie House overlooks
the historic Barry County Courthouse. Its six guest rooms are tastefully decorated
with Victorian-era antiques and collectibles. www.adrouniehouse.com 800-927-8505
. KALAMAZOO
High on a hill overlooking downtown Kalamazoo, the Henderson Castle Bed & Breakfast
offers a perfect mix of solitude and the best view of the city. Set on three
acres, this 11,000 square-foot Victorian mansion has 25 rooms and four guest
rooms. Walk around the orchard or the vineyard. Sit on the wrap-around porch
with a cup of tea or a good book. Enjoy the rooftop hot tub in the moonlight.
Or spend some time in the dry sauna and steam room. From May to October, take
advantage of limousine service in a 1957 Rolls Royce Silver Wraith. Henderson
Castle features Italian marble floors, brass fixtures, antique light fixtures,
hand-laid tile and woodwork. Built by wealthy regalia manufacturer Frank Henderson,
construction began in 1890 and was finished in 1895. Although Frank died in
1899, his wife lived in the Castle until 1920. Then it sat vacant for several
years before being converted to a five-unit apartment building. In 1974, work
began to restore the castle to its original grandeur. www.hendersoncastle.com 269-377-1827
. MACKINAC ISLAND
Nestled on historic Market Street, the Cottage Inn of Mackinac Island is a
distinctive 11-room B&B, built in 2001 -- but in the Victorian style.
Along with modern-day amenities, the Cottage Inn has a flavor and character
as unique as its themed guest rooms. Each one reflects the bygone Victorian
era and is professionally decorated to reflect the history of Mackinac Island
and the Straits area. The inn's third floor features a uniquely-appointed
three-room suite with vaulted ceilings and a sitting turret with three stuffed
chairs. Others include the Victorian Turret room, the Somewhere in Time room
and the Lighthouse Tower room. www.cottageinnofmackinac.com 906-847-4000
The magnificent Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island welcomes guests to a bygone era of old-world hospitality and charm -- horse-drawn carriages, afternoon tea, croquet on an endless lawn, dining to chamber music and dancing the night away. On an island where no automobiles are permitted, nothing intrudes on the serenity and natural beauty surrounding the Grand Hotel, the world's largest summer hotel since 1887. A living, working museum, it was originally financed and built by two railroads and a steamship company to meet the needs of the Victorian traveler. More than 1.5 million feet of Michigan white pine were used to erect the enormous classic revival structure. The Grand Hotel opened its doors with considerable fanfare on July 10, 1887. It has since served as the setting for two major motion pictures -- the 1947 Esther Williams film, "This Time For Keeps"; and the 1980 film, "Somewhere in Time," starring Jane Seymour and Christopher Reeves. Each year, the hotel hosts several themed weekends ranging from big bands to "Somewhere in Time." www.grandhotel.com 800-33-GRAND.
. MUSKEGON
The newly-built Shoreline Inn in Muskegon offers "The Victorian Suite" for
the enjoyment of its guests. Reflecting the most romantic of eras, the suite
features a four-poster, carved king bed and a matching armoire. With approximately
900 square feet, the suite's living room showcases a sofa with carved legs
and front piece, side chairs, a table, two dining chairs, a fireplace and a
complete kitchen. Both rooms overlook Muskegon Lake with a marina front terrace. www.shorelineinn.com 231-722-4448
. PETOSKEY/BAY VIEW
Located on the shore of Lake Michigan's Little Traverse Bay, Stafford's Bay
View Inn was built in 1886 and is fully restored to its Victorian elegance.
The Inn boasts 31 individually- appointed, stylized Victorian bed chambers.
Each has a private bath. Suites feature bayside balconies, in-room fireplaces
and whirlpool tubs. Stafford's celebrates a Victorian Christmas with a two-night
holiday package including Christmas Eve reception, holiday gifts from Santa
and its famous Christmas Day buffet. Other theme packages are offered throughout
the year. Stafford's, located just north of Petoskey's historic Gaslight
District, is one of only two historic inns in Bay View open year round. www.staffords.com 800-258-1886
The historic Terrace Inn was built in 1911 by W. J. DeVol, a prosperous banker from northern Indiana. Soon after its completion, summer vacationers from Detroit, Chicago and southern Michigan began arriving by train and steamship to stay at the Inn and enjoy the Bay View Chautauqua programs. Recognized as a National Historic Landmark in 1987, today the Terrace Inn offers guests a unique vantage point from which to experience Bay View from the inside. Enjoy theme weekends throughout the year including a Victorian Weekend, June 6-8. The Terrace Inn is noted for its "Northern Michigan Buffet" dinners, which include Chicken Hemingway, Upper Peninsula-style beef pasties, oven-broiled whitefish and more, available every Saturday evening. www.theterraceinn.com 800-530-9898
. SAUGATUCK
The Twin Gables Inn Bed and Breakfast in Saugatuck is a state registered historic
building with a checkered past. Samuel Clipson and his wife, Susan, came
to Saugatuck around 1862 and opened the village's first brewery. Clipson
originally constructed the building in 1865 as an ice house in which to store
his finished beer. Between 1869 and 1922, the building was a tannery, a stove
factory, a shingle manufacturing plant, a planing mill and as residence.
In 1922, an entrepreneur on the vaudeville circuit converted the former ice
house into the Twin Gables Hotel, which operated under that name until 1968.
It has operated as the Twin Gables Inn B&B since the mid 1980s. Several
guest rooms feature in-room fireplaces. The B&B offers regular themed
weekends through a partnership with other area properties, collectively known
as Grand Escape Inns. www.twingablesinn.com 800-231-2185
Sherwood Forest Bed & Breakfast promises Victorian-style elegance in a wooded setting. Hardwood floors, leaded-glass windows and a wrap-around porch add to its ambience. All guest rooms are complete with antiques, cozy wing chairs, Jacuzzis and fireplaces. One of two suites reflects the serenity of the north woods by replicating a log cabin interior. It includes a stone-mantle gas fireplace that can be viewed from either the two-person Jacuzzi or the bedroom. The second suite features the same amenities but is decorated with a late 19th century flair. In another room, a hand-painted mural transforms the room into a canopied tree loft, complemented by a gas fireplace. www.sherwoodforestbandb.com 800-838-1246
. SOUTH HAVEN
Listed as the first and only AAA Four Diamond Award-winning bed & breakfast
establishment in Michigan, the Carriage House at the Harbor is located in the
Lake Michigan lakeshore community of South Haven. Each of the inn's 11 rooms
feature antiques and Amish furniture. And each is named after a style of horse-drawn
carriage, like Dorsey, White Chapel and Concord. www.carriagehouseharbor.com 269-639-2161
The Sand Castle Inn in is an historic Lake Michigan resort hotel. Operated as The Shamrock Hotel in the 1920s, this Queen Anne Victorian is completely restored, marrying modern conveniences and amenities with traditional Victorian charm. During the restoration, workers found love letters, newspapers, coins and other items buried in the walls. They are now on display in the designer living room. The huge white wicker front porch is unchanged. Guests still relax there, overlooking the lawns and ancient trees of the park across the street. Six of the nine guest rooms feature gas fireplaces. The Inn is only a block from Lake Michigan beaches and sunsets and three blocks from downtown shopping and dining. www.thesandcastleinn.com 269-639-1110
Yelton Manor Bed & Breakfast offers a three-story Victorian mansion built around 1890 as well as a guest house built in 1993 in the Victorian style. Open year around, each of its 11 guest rooms has a private bath. Special features include two parlors with fireplaces, two porches, a cozy den, a lake view "widow's watch" and a library. Guests who prefer greater privacy may enjoy the Guest House, which features a wicker porch, parlor and the private nooks for which Yelton Manor is known. Each room in the manor is named after an historic South Haven resort, celebrating the memories of old-time resorting. Each of the six guest rooms is furnished as an independent romantic escape and appointed with fine antiques. The upper-level suites have lake views and two have balconies. www.yeltonmanor.com or 269-637-5220
. TRAVERSE CITY
On US-31 just north of Traverse City, discover an 1883 Victorian-style farmhouse
known as the Country Hermitage Bed & Breakfast. Located on a 250-acre
working cherry farm, the B&B commands a sweeping view of East Grand Traverse
Bay. Inside, wood trim has been lovingly restored to its original beauty.
The B&B is situated in an idyllic country setting, but is close to the
area's premier golf courses and just 10 minutes from downtown shopping. Country
Hermitage offers romance packages as well as packages for golfers and fly
fisherman and baking get-away weekends. www.countryhermitage.com 231-938-5930
You'll find accommodations with turn-of-the-century ambience inside the tallest building in downtown Traverse City. Park Place Hotel features 140 guest rooms with modern conveniences and Victorian furnishings, hardwood headboards and grand armoires. Exclusive to the ninth floor, spacious suites offer open-air balconies and bay windows with breathtaking views of West Grand Traverse Bay. Built by Henry D. Campbell on park land purchased from the city in 1873, it started as the Campbell House Hotel. Five years later, lumber barons J. Perry Hannah and A. Tracy Lay bought and upgraded the property to levels of opulence and service equal to the era's world-class hotels. Appropriately, they re-named it Park Place. In 1930, completion of a 10-story tower made it Traverse City's tallest building. Atop the tower, a 25,000 watt symbolized its far-reaching hospitality. Today, a designated Michigan State Historic Site, Park Place enters its second century under innovative new ownership, managed by Regency Hotel Management . www.park-place-hotel.com 800-748-0133
. UNION CITY
Welcome to the world that is A Victorian Villa -- an inn celebrated both for
its elegant overnight accommodations and its seven-course champagne and wine
dinners. The Villa is located in the 19th century river-side village of Union
City, on an acre of peacefully-landscaped Victorian gardens and grounds.
It was originally the residence of Dr. and Mrs. William P. and Caroline E.
Hurd. Completed in 1876 for the princely sum of $12,000, the home was originally
designed and built as a one-family retirement residence. In 1978, the now
dilapidated old mansion, divided into low-income apartments, was purchased
by the Gibsons. Completely restored, it opened in January of 1982 as the
third B&B Inn in Michigan and only the sixth in the entire Midwest. The
Villa is retrofitted with 10 authentically-detailed bed chambers and suites.
Seven are in the main house and three are in the carriage house. An on-premise
antique shop, 19th Century Lighting Co., features the largest inventory of
restored antique Victorian parlor and chamber lighting in the Midwest. Also
enjoy Victoria's Gourmet Restaurant, a 42 seat, full-service non-smoking
restaurant. www.avictorianvilla.com 800-34-VILLA
For regional travel information, contact WMTA toll free at 800-442-2084
or log on to www.wmta.org . Founded in
1917, WMTA is the oldest continually-operating tourist association in the
nation. Representing 41 counties from the Michigan-Indiana state line north
to Mackinac Island and covering the entire west half of the Lower Peninsula,
WMTA is dedicated to proving that "Nobody Knows West Michigan Like We Do!"
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