Mackinaw City Hotel Review: Econo Lodge-Bay View

Mackinaw is one of our favorite places to visit in the northern part of Michigan. Summer of 2010 we wanted to do something different with the kids and actually make a weekend out of staying in Mackinaw City as a jumping point to a variety of attractions available nearby. Upon doing some research, as I knew we would be on a tight budget for the weekend, I settled on the EconoLodge - Bay view located in Mackinaw City.

Location Location Location...
While this hotel is cheaper because it is further inland, it's location is prime for anyone wanting to visit Mackinac Island during their stay due to its proximity to the ferry docks - right across the street. There are also sandy beaches available across the street for guest use.

Variety of Sleeping Arrangements
The hotel itself has a variety of rooms available. In the front of the property are brand new log cabins. The newer models feature lofts and are ideal for families. In the middle of the property are older private chalets with one, two or three bedrooms. In the back are traditional rooms with two queens or one king bed. Each room features the basic hotel amenities including a refrigerator. Wifi is available as well but it was slower than molasses. (Keep in mind we visited on July 4th weekend and the Wifi is shared between several hotels in the area).

We were originally supposed to stay in one of the middle cabins until we actually saw the size of it... there was no way our family of 5 would be able to fit. The guest service staff were able to change our reservation to a traditional room, which was typical Econo Lodge quality. It was a nice room, but basic.

It's all about the Customer Service
I have to say that the guest services is what made the hotel for me. We visited on an extremely busy weekend and there were only two staff members (the same two) on duty every time we stopped in. The employees were more than willing to help us out when we ran into a problem with our arrangements and bent over backwards to make sure we were taken care of. There were many upset patrons on the busiest day due to rooms not being ready and/or miscommunication about when the room would be ready.

What to do at the Econo Lodge...
On the property guests have access to several family friendly activities. There is a play area centrally located with a play structure and some sand available. If the beach isn't your style, there are a variety of other swimming options available too. There is an outdoor pool (which we did not try as it was chilly out), and a indoor water park available. The website boosts of the heated pool and largest indoor water park of the area. Upon entering the waterpark we found a small play area with one slide and the heated pool. Both contained very cold water so we didn't even venture very far in.

Venturing around the city is fairly easy from the Econo Lodge. There are shops and restaurants within walking distance and Mackinaw Crossing is not all that far off either.

Rates and Packages
As would be expected from the Econo Lodge, the rates are very reasonable. I believe on a holiday weekend, we paid around $120 per night. During the off season, you can pay $89 on the weekend and $49 during the week. In addition to the room rates, you can purchase packages which will save some cash. I ended up adding our tickets for the ferry onto our room and ended up saving $5 per ticket. You can also add entertainment items such as carriage rides or mini golf depending on what your family is interested in. As an added insentive, you will recieve a discount for booking through the chamber's website (listed above).

Overall the Econo Lodge-Bay View in Mackinaw City, Michigan is an economical way to have a decent hotel stay in a tourist oriented area. Though top class it is not, the Econo Lodge offers average rooms or even nicer private cabins at a value price. Located near the ferries and added amenities makes it desirable for families wanting to visit the Island.