Author Biography

In Mackinac Island's Grand Hotel, author Mike Fornes takes the reader up the red carpeted steps, through the doors, back to the past, behind the scenes, and to today's world of Mackinac Island finery. Fornes has covered Grand Hotel for more than 25 years for several media outlets in northern Michigan, including radio and television stations and the Cheboygan Daily Tribune. While operating the Straits Area Step-On Guide Service for three decades, he has escorted many private tours, corporate organizations, and motor coach groups to the 19th-century mystique of Mackinac Island. He has also lectured and performed as a musician in Grand Hotel's theater.

Long Description

A Michigan icon, Grand Hotel is in its third century as America's summer place. The ambiance of Mackinac Island combines with the hotel's ultimate level of hospitality, premier dining, and five-star guest experience for an unforgettable stop on any visitor's itinerary. The setting itself has been captured by Hollywood on film, relied upon by politicians and the business community for conferences, and explored by those seeking relaxation and top-notch amenities for everything from weddings to family vacations. Three generations of one family have cared for Grand Hotel for more than 85 years, inspecting each room before opening, planning constant off-season improvements, and greeting everyday guests with the same welcoming smiles and handshakes that presidents receive. Grand Hotel has been named a national historic landmark and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

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