The Grand Hotel

Mackinac Island is one of the most beautiful locations on earth

and my favorite place on the island is

The Grand Hotel

Particularly, this exact spot on the loooong front porch overlooking glimmery Lake Huron.

I sat for several hours in a rocking chair waiting for that woman to leave so I could take a picture of

MY SPOT...

but she was enjoying a book, so I realized...she NEEDED to be in the picture to show how happy and relaxing MY SPOT is!

The Grand Hotel is lost...

Somewhere in Time.

If you're one of the cult-like followers of this movie, you will recognize the scenery.

The film was shot here in 1979.

The hotel has a little shrine set up with pictures and memorabilia from the filming.

But, back to that looooong porch!

Ripley's Believe it or Not lists it as the longest porch in the world.

This is just half of it.

I adore afternoons here when most of the white rocking chairs are occupied.

The view is spectacular!

You can see the Esther Williams' pool peeking through down below.

The serpentine shaped pool was built for one of Esther's swimming movies,

This Time for Keeps which came out in 1946.

LOTS of famous people have stayed at the Grand Hotel including five presidents. Various rooms are named after them.

We must be pretty famous, too because when we opened the door of our room Hubby and I

GASPED!

"I think we're in the wrong room," Hubby declared when he saw our elegant spread.

It is named the China Suite.

It was a very sweet suite indeed and those doors lead to a private terrace!

This is the most interesting piece of furniture in the China Suite:

HOLY COW!  A lofty bed with a liability...

Hubby stubbed and bloodied his toe while trying to climb into it in the dark.

Most of the guest rooms are decorated bright and summery like this:

The hotel is only open in the warm season.

The lobby is set up for an old-fashioned tea every afternoon complete with tiny sandwiches, dainty tea cups and a harpist. 

Darn, I missed the tea...but here's the lovely lobby:

Red geraniums are a trademark of the Grand Hotel as seen in the carpet

and lining the gorgeous front porch.

That's the hotel taxi!

I love this view from the porch, too.

That garden below hosts wedding receptions, our convention reception and our Bocci ball tournament.

The dining room is gourmet all the way...

Five course, formal dinners served every evening.

I wish I could figure out their recipe for Lobster Bisque!

After being spoiled rotten for four days, I tried to grab my arms around my favorite spot and hold onto it

FOREVER...

Hubby pulled me away...

back to the ferry which will pull us back to 2010...

"Just ONE more picture???"  Snap! Snap!

Bye, luscious scenery...

Bye, BIGGGG porch!

We'll leave it for the next people...

to explore...

and embrace.

Tomorrow: Endearing Summer Cottages and

Mackinac Island flowers!