Located at the east end of Mackinac Island, at the convergence of Lake Huron and Lake Michigan, Mission Point Resort is relaxing its formality in a bid to lure more families and tourists, especially travelers from outside the Midwest.
It’s also undergoing a multimillion-dollar renovation, including improvements to the 239 guest rooms and the completion of a larger spa facility and pool complex. In addition, a new menu across the facility’s four restaurants focuses on local fare, including fresh-water salmon, trout, walleye, perch, whitefish caviar, pheasant, quail, venison,and Michigan-sourced Piedmontese beef.
“We’ve recognized that this is a relaxing, Up North environment, so we’ve gotten away from the formal, scripted greetings,” says Bradley McCallum, vice president and managing director of the resort. “This year, we’re using Zingerman’s training program to train our guest services team so that
we make the guest the center of everything we do.”
Last December, D&S North, co-owned by Dennert and Suzanne Ware, acquired the 18-acre resort. In addition to launching a years-long renovation plan, more experience-based packages are being added or enhanced, including water sports activities, sunrise viewing sessions, and horseback and bike-riding excursions.
What’s more, a horticulturalist was hired to add historically themed gardens featuring native plants and flowers, a new cocktail garden, and new landscaping treatments. “The gardens will be like a living history,” McCallum says.
Whether guests arrive for a vacation or a business conference, the goal is to make each stay as memorable as possible. “We’ll also expand our marketing reach to more people on the East and West coasts,” he says. “And we’ll remind our Midwest guests that we’re enhancing everything, so come back and enjoy our resort to its fullest.” db
