Inn at Bay Harbor, Autograph Collection

Overall, this is a solid option if you’re looking for a resort feel in northern Michigan. That being said, I would not pay peak prices to stay here. The rooms are on the verge of being outdated, the pool facility is not equipped to handle the inundation of families on the weekends, and the food is exorbitantly overpriced. For example, while breakfast was “included” in our rate, it would have cost $35/person. Vintage Chophouse (onsite restaurant) was decent, I think the service was great. Would recommend Nomad in Bay Harbor proper, though, for better food options. On service, I think the front desk and restaurant staff were lovely, but for $1K+ per night, you should have some form of poolside service. Now for positives, I really loved the daybeds on the beach + the grounds are well maintained. As with most beaches in this part of the state, it’s pretty rocky, but a beautiful view nonetheless.

The information presented here is based on an extended nine-day stay in June in a one-bedroom suite rated at $700＞ per day. The rooms are quality and clean, the grounds are beautiful, and the area is incomparable. The housekeeping girls were sweet and solicitous. However, we experienced some significant negatives: 1) We are elderly professional writers who were on a working vacation, so we requested a quiet room multiple times six months in advance, but when we arrived they insisted on locating us in a room adjacent to the noisy main lobby and immediately above the valets and their reserved parking area. It was the worst room in the massive hotel complex – having an elevator, laundry, stairs, housekeeping closet, lobby approach, and meeting room encircling our suite?! The hotel was seemingly NEVER near capacity based on the largely empty parking lots, so this poor location was purposely assigned to us for some other reason. They simply demonstrated a practiced inflexible and dispassionate attitude. 2) The valets continuously and needlessly honk the car horns relentlessly at all hours. The hotel insists that without exception all vehicles be immediately controlled by them. Thus valets are fully responsible for all vehicular noise, including any prolonged and loud idling of those with thundering modified exhaust systems. BUT in particular, the purposeful habitual honking is very annoying and disturbing (honking is NOT required to lock a car, it is only to be used for finding a misplaced one). 3) After several days of patiently accepting the auto-related noise, we requested management to ask the valets to cease their useless honking. We were told they would comply BUT the honking immediately increased in volume and quantity in a likely deliberate retaliatory manner. Management simply told us what they thought we wanted to hear and did NOT follow-through on their commitment and responsibility. Two female senior managers were working only a short distance from the valets but did nothing to resolve the issue based on our close observations and continued discomfort. My question to management: How would you like to pay $700＞ daily for the questionable privilege of listening to a car horn honk on average every three to four minutes around the clock for nine days? Would it motivate you to fix the problem? Like many other hotel resorts, it is only a job to them so they have forgotten that guests plan for months, travel for hours to arrive there, and actually live there day-after-day while desiring to sit on the patio, nap, dine, talk, and read in relative peace. The only resolution I am left with is this review. 4) All the convenient parking and loading is reserved for valet use only with the nearest guest parking a city block away. 5) The hotel provides standard bicycles on a complimentary basis but all are men's style with none for women. 6) Televisions are equipped with only the most basic service with no streaming options or premium channels.

Let me preface this by saying I have stayed at hundreds of resorts. We are a couple that came for rest and relaxation. If you are a couple this is not the hotel for you. The pool was bombarded with kids playing football in the pool and their pool appears much larger in their pictures. It was intrusive to the point where it was not useable for fear of being big by the balls. There were employees passing by the pool and not one person said a thing. It was a complete free for all and at times did not seem safe. When we checked in we have a certain status with Marriott. But they advised us they no longer give plastic bottle water due to the environment but they had plastic cups everywhere. In the door to the room it states not responsible for stolen items yet there is no safe in the room and I have news for the hotel they are responsible for their employees. On the first day we asked for our room to be cleaned and nobody came. At checkin our room was not ready at 4 and the front desk quickly pointed out that’s when their check in begins. There was limited courteous and at other resorts when this has happened they have offered something for the inconvenience even a free soda would have been nice. I also didn’t appreciate being called honey when I was upset at checkin by a very young clerk. Ma’am would have been respectful. Honey was very condescending. On the positive, the room was adequate but walls are very thin so don’t get a connecting room. The lake was lovely and by default at the pool we spent time at the small beach area.