Ushering in a Milestone Season at the Grand Hotel
This year, fireworks and celebrations will fill Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, recognizing the hotel’s 140th season and America’s 250th anniversary. Since its construction in 1887, the Hotel’s iconic front Porch has been visible as you approach the island from Lake Huron.
However, 2026 Mackinac Policy Conference guests will notice the porch’s new, historic, wooden feel since its restoration. With this season bringing a celebration of the country’s 250th birthday, red, white, and blue bunting brightens the hotel’s exterior, and fireworks will echo across Lake Huron as America’s Summer Place marks both its own milestone and the nation’s.
“We’re celebrating from day one,” David Jurcak, President of Grand Hotel, said. “We have established what’s called the Grand American Evening to celebrate America’s 250th throughout the course of the evening every [night] of the season.”
Project Presses on Despite Harsh Winter
During renovations, Grand Hotel was not exempt from the devastating winter storms in Northern Michigan, making it increasingly difficult to stay on schedule and ensure safe working conditions for those completing this project.
With temperatures fluctuating, the porch was enclosed to trap warmth from the heaters inside, creating a workable environment where hands could keep moving, and paint could properly cure. Despite brutal conditions, the team pressed on, adapting to delayed deliveries and sudden weather shifts in preparation for the season and Conference attendees.
A Refreshed Garden Terrace and More Guest Rooms
Inside, the renovation builds on a long-standing design relationship with Dorothy Draper & Company, which first worked with the property in 1976 to shape the parlor’s unique look. The initial collaboration introduced the now signature iconic red geranium, Grand Hotel green, and layered furnishings – each creating a space that feels both welcoming and rooted in history.
As part of the current renovation, the firm is refreshing the parlor and redesigning 20 model guest rooms, improving its historic feel while preserving the character that its historic
feel while preserving the character returning guests recognize.
Renovations at Grand Hotel come as part of a eight-year refurbishment plan that will polish one of the nation’s finest hotels. These improvements are detailed and intentional; some are visible to guests while others are infrastructure-focused, creating long-term value and a space generations to come can experience.
Jurcak said, “We focus on selling summer memories. Something that’s going to bring you back year after year, that you can celebrate generationally with your families, kids, and grandchildren down the road… It’s just special.”