Baymont by Wyndham Mackinaw City

Housed in a three-story building with peaked roofs, the interiors of this Baymont Inn are about as standard as it gets. The reception window is situated immediately beyond the sliding glass entrance and the lobby doubles as the breakfast room. The dining area offers several gray and peach-colored tables and chairs on a speckled carpet. The only other public spaces here are the indoor pool and hot tub, which are clean, but surrounded by only a handful of chairs. The majority of guests at this hotel are American families and tourists seeking a budget stay within striking distance of Mackinac Island, where hotels are far more expensive.

This hotel is situated in North Michigan, directly off of Interstate 75, which runs north to Canada and south through the entire state. There isn’t much in the immediate area other than the Shepler's Mackinac Island Ferry parking area and a Burger King. Mackinaw Crossings shopping mall, with its many restaurants, shops, and a cinema, is a six-minute walk from the hotel. Icebreaker Mackinaw Maritime Museum is an 11-minute walk from the hotel and the Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse is a 13-minute walk. St Ignace, on the upper peninsula of Michigan, is a 15-minute drive away over the famous Mackinac Bridge. Pellston Regional Airport is an 18-minute drive from the hotel, while Grand Rapids can be reached in about three-and-a-half hours.

The rooms here are spacious and simple, and when we visited in 2015 the hotel was undergoing renovations, so some rooms appeared more modern than other. In older units, decor is basic and bland, with wallpaper borders, green carpets, old-fashioned quilted bed runners, striped '90s-era curtains, and bare walls. Newer rooms look sharper, and feature grid-patterned carpets, upgraded fabrics, mid-tone wood furniture with clean lines, and nicer seating. With the exception of a couple of suites that have separate bedrooms and living areas, most suites are one large room. Rooms include flat-screen TVs, plush mattresses, and a variety of pillows. Each room also has a desk and rolling chair, coffeemaker, and free, reliable Wi-Fi access. Some suites also have mini-fridges, microwaves, and private indoor hot tubs, as well as enormous bathrooms with mirrors and counters on three walls. The updated bathrooms feature attractive, speckled granite countertops and all offer shower/tub combos.

Though there is no restaurant or bar at this budget hotel, a free continental buffet breakfast is served daily and includes a waffle station. There's also an indoor pool as well as a hot tub. The carpeted fitness room is tiny and has only three cardio machines. A computer and printer is available for guests' use, plus Wi-Fi is free throughout the property. Free outdoor parking is available.