Reviews

Strongest Recommendation — You’ll love it!
We’ve just returned from our second renting of the Jacob Wendell House for our annual siblings/spouses reunion. The house is exactly as pictured, and sits behind an attractive black iron fence, about 60 feet back from the street, and has a nice front lawn. It rents as a B&B, or the entire house can be rented turnkey (as we did). The 8 of us rented the house for a most relaxing week. There is something unique and very calming about sitting on the deck, or in the house, and hearing the clippity-clop of holves in the street. The lake can be viewed between the houses across the street, or via a short walk in either direction. This historic house is well located, about 6 doors from old St. Anne’s Church, and a 4 or 5 minute pleasant walk from the fort and the start of downtown at Dowd’s Market, which extents for several blocks toward the Grand Hotel. Understand that this is a very old house (1846), and not a Holiday Inn experience…it is much better than that. Each bedroom has a bath, and its own personality (the most different bedroom being the large master BR), and there are a few interesting quirks, like the very small powder room near the kitchen, where you will note the section of exposed original siding (planks measuring about 1 x 20 inches); and the butler’s pantry, where tea is prepared. The kitchen is fully-equipted, and has a pleasant window sitting area (and many restaurants are within a short bike ride or 10-minutes walk). The dining room is large, and also serves as a game table. The living room is quite comfortable. The large deck with cushioned furniture is most inviting, and there is also a BBQ grill with umbrelled table/chairs for outdoor dining. The wi-fi is appreciated. There is a laundry behind the kitchen. If you can, bring your own bikes, as they are rather expensive to rent on the island. We saved a lot by preparing most of our meals in the kitchen. The innkeeper, Kristin, is the perfect combination of friendly, professional, and helpful.

Take the whole house!
We are an extended family of 4 retired siblings and spouses who have an annual reunion of 5-7 days (adults only). This year, we chose the Jacob Wendell House on Mackinac Island. Renting the entire home gave us a totally free an relaxing environment, complete with everything any home offers. I can’t imagine any hotel (especially the Grand) offering so relaxing an environment as the house, especially as everyone had their own bedroom and bathroom. We enjoyed the porch, the living room, the kitchen and large dining room. Games were played nightly at the dinning room table. The house is about 3 blocks from town, and an easy and safe walk at any hour. It is a very old house (1846), and like all old homes, it shows some age. I would have liked a bit more water pressure in the shower (BR#3), but I head no complaints about the house from any of the other 7 family members. [hmmm, come to think of it, I could have been writing about myself] All 4 BRs are upstairs, One is a large master w/small porch, others are small but comfortable. If you go, do take bikes if you have them, or can borrow them. Bike riding is extremely popular and easy (almost no hills on the beautiful 8-mile coastal route), but they do not come with the house, and will cost your right (arm) to rent. There are many forested and overlook walking trails that are well worth the modest effort required. Of course there are also horse-drawn tours covering about all one need see. The main historical attractions are the Grand Hotel and the fort. The town is very ‘touristy’, as one would expect (and of course, that’s part of the fun in going). Do consider the buffet lunch ($40) at the Grand, it will allow you to explore the hotel, the famous 1,000 front porch, and the grounds. Persons not moving by foot or by bike are riding in a horse-drawn carrage (including taxi). The lake is a beautiful blue, and one can easily see Lake Huron’s stoney bottom some distance out from the overlooks (the water is also a bit cold). The Great Lakes are the world’s largest freshwater supply, an international boundry, and traveled by many large ships passing the closeby Straits of Mackinac leading to Lake Michigan. Restaurants are very good, and prices are about what one would expect in a seasonal and remote location. Yes, it really is an island, so 99% of those coming here take one of the frequent ferrys from Mackinaw City or St. Ignace (if you go to St. Ignace, you will travel over the famous Mackinaw Bridge ($3.50), and have a bit shorter ferry ride). The other 1% fly into the small airstrip. Finally, the Jacob Wendell housekeeper, Kristen, is perfect for her job. She is extremely helpful in every way, and has the personality of your best friend. If you don’t fall in love with Kristen, there is something wrong with you…not her.

Wonderful Anniversary / Family Celebration
We spent ten days / nine nights at this wonderful home. Our whole family celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary. At different times during the week we had up to ten people counting the young children staying there. We had a full kitchen with everything you can imagine as far as utensils and supplies and if they didn’t have it they got it for you. Kristen and her staff were wonderful! Having the four bedrooms each with its own bath was very nice. There was a washer & dryer which we used more than we thought. This is one of a few homes that rent by the day or week vs monthly.

Clean and comfortable room, great service and incredible breakfast on the porch… all in a relaxing and historic B&B!
Kudos to innkeeper Kristen and her associates at the Jacob Wendell House for making our stay so truly relaxing and comfortable. My wife and I enjoyed the historic charm and comforts of the King Master Suite, and absolutely loved the breakfast that was delivered to our balcony porch each morning… what an incredible way to start the day! Also, when we were late to catch our ferry back to the mainland, Kristen and her staff made sure our luggage arrived at the dock just in time for boarding on schedule. If you desire a peaceful step back in time, without sacrificing comfort, the Jacob Wendell House is an incredible place to stay while touring the beauty of Mackinac Island.