The Homestead Resort - Glen Arbor, MI Review

When planning our recent trip up north, I choose Glen Arbor because I wanted to visit Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park.  The search for hotels proved difficult since they don't really have big name hotels in these small towns.  When I found The Homestead Resort it seemed almost too good to be true, but after visiting I know it is truely great.  We stayed at The Homestead from June 21 to 25, 2009. 

The Homestead Resort is more than just a hotel. In fact, there are many places to stay in this resort including condos, homes for rent, and various types of "hotels".  The hotel we stayed at was called The Inn and with only 17 rooms it was quiet and quaint, perfect for a couple like us.  We choose The Inn because it was right on the water and a decent price.  Our room was on the 3rd floor.  It had a king bed, a nice sitting area and a great view.  The fireplace would probably have been nice in the winter, but we didn't need it.  We used the AC instead which worked great!

The Inn was so small that we hardly saw anyone else come in or out during the whole time we were there.  It almost felt like our own private house!  Eventually we did see other people at the inn, and they all seemed to be couples.  At least one couple was their on their honeymoon.

The Inn is located right on Lake Michigan, with the Pool nearby.  Although the entire Homestead Resort is nice, The Inn is one of the only hotels that is actually on the water.  You can check out the map on their website to see other options they have on the water, but they are mostly rentals.  The Beach Club which included a Cafe and a pool/spa was right in front of us.  We could walk right to it while other guests had to take a shuttle to get to this pool.  This Cafe was the only place at the resort I really cared to eat at, so it was just a perfect location. 

With a long stretch of beach, The Homestead Resort offers many places to sit and enjoy the Lake Michigan breeze.  We walked the beach every day that we were there and got lots of pics.  I've heard this beach gets crowded in the dead of summer, but at the time we were there it wasn't crowded at all.  You can see Sleeping Bears National Park, South and North Manitou Islands and lots of beautiful water.  The Cafe bar was the perfect place to watch the sunset since kids weren't allowed up there.  Speaking of the Cafe, the meals we had there were great!  We ate at the bar because we wanted to stay outside and enjoy the view.

If you are looking for a 5 star hotel where everyone waits on you, The Homestead Resort isn't it.  This is more of a place to go when you want to do everything yourself. We brought our own food and stocked up the fridge with sandwiches and sodas so we could feed ourselves at least once a day to save money.  Breakfast consisted of orange juice, a fruit and a muffin and was left outside our door each day.  Our beds were made when we left and we got fresh towels, but other than that we hardly ever saw workers.  It's more of a laid back place, not a fancy-dancy hotel.

In Fall, Summer, Winter or Spring - look up the Homestead Resort!  The Homestead is open all year long.  They offer activities for every season including kayaking, golfing, tennis, and skiing!  Next time I go up to this area, The Homestead is the ONLY place I will plan to stay!  If you think staying in Traverse City would be nice, think again.  We visited Traverse City on a few different days of our trip and it was CROWDED.  The beach area was PACKED and there was traffic and people everywhere.  On the other hand, Glen Arbor was quiet.  We had the entire Lake Michigan view practically to ourselves, and we were able to sit back and relax.  Check out The Homestead for your next vacation and enjoy!!