Holiday Inn Express Munising-Lakeview by IHG

We are very pleased with our 6 night stay. The front desk staff were very friendly. The complimentary breakfast was good. Our room was clean, and the bed comfortable. We would definitely stay here again.

The low rating of this hotel is based solely on price. It was as you would expect any Holiday Inn Express to be. The rooms were comfortable and clean, breakfast was as expected. It honestly had a beautiful view. The parking lot was not located next to the hotel but below and in front so that you had to climb steps to get to hotel level. There is an option to drop luggage off and then park which was helpful. Our problem was the price! Our original plan was to stay 2 nights, but that would have been nearly $1000 for a room only used for sleep! No bells and whistles here! In our opinion, it was well beyond what is typical for a Holiday Inn Express, but the area is hours away from other towns and is the only major hotel. We ended up staying only 1 night and actually cut our trip a little short as a result. If we were ever to go again, we would look into a B&B.

Comfortable bed and very quiet. I slept well.

A little bit pricy but a good place to stay in Munising, MI.

The only downside was the parking lot doesn’t have sufficient spaces for all the travelers.

Location is very easy to find, and very close to the Pictured Rocks Cruise and Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.

Everything about it was gross

Great staff, good breakfast, quiet room.

walking up the main stairs I noticed trash under the steps .people were tracking dirt into the lobby and no one bothered to clean it until the next day. not what I expect from a $300 a night motel.

Room was really clean

Great view from the lake front rooms. Parking is the only downside since the hotel is on a hill and parking lot is below with many steps.

We did bring these issues up at check out and were refunded partial cost of our room, and were told we were in an “unrenovated room” - there is no difference in rate.

We paid over $300 per night for this room, in early September. With clear conscience I can’t imagine recommending this hotel to anyone. It’s one of the worst travel experiences we have had, and we travel with some regularity. I understand that being in a more remote location has limitations, but all of the issues we had were avoidable or preventable if staff cared.

Pros
The view from our “lakeview” room was beautiful.
Breakfast was Holiday Inn Express standard (new coffee machines caused back ups for a basic cup of drip coffee).

Cons
Our first floor room was LOUD. So loud we were woken up multiple times each night from people on the second floor. We complained to the front desk mid stay about the noise of children on the floor above us- they did intervene, but relief was short lived.
The room was dirty. Rusty bathroom fixtures, gross floors, and an upholstered chair in the room that was so filthy I can’t fathom who thought it was acceptable to be in a guest room.
Things in poor repair - the soft close on our door was missing, bathroom tiles were very loose and grout was missing, the door from the TV cabinet was completely gone (hinges remained!), large crack in the bathroom sink.
The AC never pulled the moisture from the air in the room - leaving it smelling musty and like pets had stayed here before us (p.s. this hotel is pet friendly).
The pool area was also dirty, the pool itself was clearly not being cleaned regularly, cardboard was taped up all over walls, it smelled moldy. We did not get in, and when we poked our head in after dinner on a Friday the pool was empty. Sad, because it’s large and has potential to be a great space.

All good. Pricey….

I booked two separate rooms for one night at the Holiday Inn Express in Munising.

For context, there aren’t many hotel options in Munising. This is a small, remote town with far more visitors than the limited lodging supply can handle. Even if new hotels were built, staffing them would be nearly impossible absent a significant increase in the local population.

That context aside, my experience was mixed.

The front desk staff were excellent — polite, professional and genuinely hospitable. Small-town friendliness at its finest. Housekeepers deserve credit for their hard work. I saw one lady working from 7 a.m. to about 4 p.m. Across multiple floors. Maybe she is the only housekeeper. I don't know.

The real issue I experienced is ownership and management. Maintenance and cleanliness problems suggest neglect at the top, not with the frontline staff.

The single elevator looked as if it had survived a war zone. My room on the top floor was also in rough shape. The bathtub had stains and hair, while more hair was scattered across the bathroom floor. It appears some parts of the hotel have been renovated, but my section — with different carpet, wallpaper and room numbers — didn’t match the rest of the corridor. It was almost like two hotels in one building. If this is the condition of the best rooms then I don't want to see what the worst rooms are like.

Beyond that, the room itself was standard Holiday Inn Express. Amenities were minimal: no bar of soap and no bottled water, not even a bottle of water offered at check-in for IHG elite status guests. The breakfast was adequate but about half the size of the usual Holiday Inn Express buffet.

Other aspects of the property were better. The lodge-inspired decor was attractive, the gift shop was a nice touch and a complimentary daily newspaper was appreciated. Still, considering the hotel’s location outside downtown Munising, a beer and wine license for the pantry market would be practical. As it stands, there’s no safe way to get back after drinking in town — walking along a busy highway without sidewalks isn’t an option.

Parking is also a challenge. The hotel's one parking lot was extremely full. It didn't seem to have enough parking spaces for the maximum number of guests and staff. I had to improperly park in an empty area of the lot because none of the marked spaces were empty.

The biggest sticking point is the price. I paid over $700 for two rooms including taxes on a weeknight in mid-September. That is extremely expensive for a Holiday Inn Express in a small town in the middle of nowhere. Yes, the limited number of rooms with balconies facing Lake Superior offer spectacular views, but those overlooking the parking lot and highway are not worth the rate. $150 would be fair. Maybe even $175. But over $300 for a standard room with a parking lot view is excessive. For that price, guests should at least receive higher standards of maintenance and cleanliness.

In short, if you can book a Lake Superior-facing room, the views may justify the stay depending on the rate. Otherwise, it’s hard to recommend unless you value IHG points. Next time I need to stay in Munising, I’ll probably try the casino hotel.

clean room and great staff

Having only one person at check in time, very disappointing.

Great stay! Our balcony room had an incredible view, staff was friendly and helpful. Room had Kuerig coffee maker, microwave, refrigerator, plus a coffee machine in the lobby. The free breakfast was adequate and a nice plus. The mattress didn't score any points from me and maybe it's my age, but the lack of any grab bar in the shower or anything to grab in case you slipped really surprised me. I would have thought that to be an hotel requirement.

Generally good. One day hotel room was not serviced

We had a room facing the highway, and it was noisy. Though we had a dog and that's how we made the reservation, we didn't get one of the first-floor rooms for pets. Dining in Muninising is mostly burgers and pizza. And few trails in Pictured Rocks are available for dogs.

First the view was the best of the bay. You can see the hotel from boat trips as well. The room was basic but balcony was worth it. The bathroom wasnt clean as it should have been trash in garbage. Hair in shower. There was someone water in fridge. So clearly not as clean as i would expect. The pool was cold but the hot tub was big and nice relaxing spot after hiking all day. Did include breakfast it was just basic nothing to brag about. But literally the view was worth it all. If your booking here get a balcony room

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