HAMPTON INN & SUITES MANISTEE, MI – Lakeside Comfort in Manistee

The hotel sits directly across from First Street Beach on Lake Michigan, with a patio that contains three gas fire pits and Adirondack chairs shaped like the state of Michigan. An outdoor bar next to the patio serves drinks, and the patio has cushioned rattan couches, tables, and wooden benches. Guests have direct access to the beach for sunset walks, and the patio is also used for live music with scheduled guitarists and singers.

The hotel offers 98 guest rooms, including king suites and two-queen rooms, many with private balconies that face Lake Michigan. Each room includes a large shower, a refrigerator, a sofa bed, and a work desk, with interconnected rooms available for families. The hall-facing odd-numbered rooms do not have a lake view, but the even-numbered rooms provide a small balcony.

Windward, the hotel's fifth-floor restaurant and bar, offers a menu that includes hamburgers, Margherita pizza, meatloaf, fish tacos, and salmon, with a digital ordering system on tablets. The restaurant provides views of the beach, the pier, the lighthouse, and the red-roofed Coast Guard building. A free hot breakfast is served each morning with a waffle station, real maple syrup, eggs, sausage, bacon, pancakes, and pastries.

The indoor swimming pool is open year-round, and the hot tub has a large swim-through opening that connects an indoor section to an outdoor section with a rubber flap. The fitness center contains five treadmills, elliptical machines, and free weights, with floor-to-ceiling windows that look onto the beach. The pool area is small, but the hot tub is considered spacious and a major draw.

A children's playground, a dog park, a disc golf course, and a beach volleyball court are all within a one-minute walk of the hotel. The hotel accepts pets, and the surrounding area includes multiple parks and play structures. The beach is adjacent to the hotel, and the pier is a short walk away for fishing and evening walks.

Location: Directly across from First Street Beach on Lake Michigan

Outdoor Living: Patio with three gas fire pits and an outdoor bar

Dining: Windward restaurant on the fifth floor with lake views

Hot Tub: Indoor-outdoor swim-through hot tub with an outdoor section

Fitness: Fitness center with five treadmills and beach-facing windows

Pets: Pet-friendly policy with nearby dog park