Opening Day is Here at the Chippewa Hotel Waterfront

Today is the day we’ve all been working toward.

After a long winter and weeks of preparation, the Chippewa Hotel Waterfront officially reopens today, and we couldn’t be more excited to welcome guests back to Mackinac Island.

But before the doors opened this morning, there was a tremendous amount of work happening behind the scenes to get everything ready.

A Winter of Improvements

This offseason, our maintenance team took on several major projects throughout the hotel and restaurant.

Most notably, we completely remodeled five of our Waterview Suites, including:

  • Our top-floor two-bedroom suite
  • Our Honeymoon Suite
  • And three additional waterfront suites

These upgrades bring a fresh new look and feel to some of our most popular rooms, and we can’t wait for guests to experience them this season.

From Construction Zone to Opening Day

Over the past few weeks, the hotel looked very different than what guests will see today.

Rooms and hallways were filled with sawdust, drywall dust, tools, and construction materials as our maintenance team worked hard to complete these projects. It truly felt like a construction zone at times.

And then came the final push.

All Hands on Deck

Getting the hotel ready for opening day was a full team effort.

Our housekeeping department worked tirelessly to reset every room. They’ve been dusting, deep cleaning, and making sure everything was spotless after weeks of construction work.

At the same time, our restaurant team stepped in to help, assisting housekeeping with cleaning rooms as we worked through staffing challenges. Their support made a huge difference in getting everything done on time.

In the restaurant, that same team was busy moving construction supplies, resetting the space, and cleaning away dust and debris to prepare for another busy season at the Pink Pony.

A Special Thank You

We’d like to extend a special thank you to a few team members who went above and beyond:

  • Shauna, Shan, and Jeff, for coming to the Island early and helping wherever needed
  • Patti, our Restaurant Manager, for coordinating her team to support both the restaurant and hotel operations
  • And our Housekeeping Manager, who has been working every single day since arriving to ensure every room was ready for our guests

Your hard work and dedication did not go unnoticed.

Ready for Summer

As of this morning, the dust has settled…literally.

The tools are put away, the rooms are clean, and the Chippewa Hotel Waterfront is ready for another unforgettable season on Mackinac Island.

The transformation over the past three weeks has been incredible, and we’re excited to share some of those before-and-after moments with you.

Welcome Back

Opening day is always special, but this year feels especially rewarding after everything that went into getting here.

We’re proud of our team, grateful for their hard work, and excited to welcome both returning and first-time guests back to the Chippewa Hotel Waterfront.

Here’s to a great season ahead.

Exterior picture of The Chippewa Hotel Waterfront on Mackinac Island with views of Main Street with bicycles and bikes

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