Cartier Mansion 5/5
- I’ve spent a lot of time in Ludington, MI, recently named The Best Small Historic Town, and the Cartier Mansion brings something special.
- A 21 and older policy makes for a relaxing and mature environment.
- It’s not a party establishment though. This is a modern bed and breakfast for guests that like a little independence with some “old school” flair.
Before we dive into the review, I’m going to be 100% clear that we were invited to stay here by the owners. Our rooms were complimentary, and we received some additional hosted meals at local restaurants for the purposes of collaboration with the owners of Cartier Mansion.
With that in mind, I did my best to keep in mind the real cost of booking a night in the room we stayed in and the value of the overall experience. As I wrote, I have spent a lot of time in Ludington and am very familiar with the available lodgings, their quality, and prices.
Basics
Let’s get a few important and straighforward things out of the way.
Parking at Cartier Mansion is easy. They have a dedicated parking lot and side street parking is also available. Moreover parking in Ludington is easy and often plentiful.
It’s only two blocks away from downtown Ludington and they are easily walkable blocks. The city itself isn’t too big, so walking it is what you do once you’re down there. There’s a massive public beach just down the road and the whole area is peppered with big and small parks.
The view to downtown from the Cartier Mansion. Just two blocks away from the town center.
There’s electric car charging stations at the mansion which, although updated in technology, are in keeping with the history of Cartier Mansion. Kate Dempsy, Warren Cartier’s wife, had an electric car in 1917 that she bought on the advice of her friend Clara Ford.
The busy season is the warm months, obviously, and the building itself is right on the main street, Ludington Ave.
The last, but still important point, Cartier is not pronounced like the famed jewelers, it is said with an American “er” ending.
Adults Only
Cartier Mansion has a policy of 21 and older, meaning that it’s an adults only environment. As a married couple with no kids (yet), Nichole and I understand the value of spaces like these. Since the 1980s, there’s been a strong shift in the world of travel toward catering to families, and it makes sense why. Many, many people have kids and either want to, or need to, travel with them. That’s why cruise lines like Royal Caribbean and Disney are so popular, as well as resorts like Universal Studios.
However, if you don’t have kids, then you probably don’t want to vacation with them and because of that aforementioned shift in travel offerings, it can be hard to do that. So, like with Virgin Voyages, finding a place that offers 21 and older policies is a breath of fresh air. This is doubly true in a growing vacation town.
The Cartier’s were lumber barons and the house is filled with rich, warm woods. Some from species impossible to obtain now. It needs a little extra care.
There’s more behind the policy than just having a child free environment. Remember, Cartier Mansion is more than 100 years old and much of it is original. Children often don’t mean to damage something, but they often don’t understand how rambunctious they might be at any given moment. When a historic site has irreplaceable things in it, I get the policy even more. After all, there’s a reason that museums have things behind glass.
Charming Hosts
The phrase “B&B”, or now “bnb”, has gotten muddled in recent years. With the advent of Airbnb, lot’s of folks don’t even know what B&B means anymore. If you do know what B&B means, then you probably have an idea about how they work, which likely brings to mind very involved hosts.
Let’s clear a few things up then. For the younger folks in the audience who may only know “bnb” when following “air”, it means bed and breakfast. This describes the lodging arrangement fairly succinctly. You book a bed and the host provides breakfast with it. Done. It was a very common way to stay in a town, especially small ones, but has become less common over the years.
As for those who have an idea of a B&B in their heads, The Cartier Mansion wants to shift away from the more, shall we say, fuddy duddy aspect of the abbreviation. They do so quite successfully in my experience.
This was our room. Cartier Mansion may be more than 100 years old, but it’s full of modern amenities.
First, you don’t need to check in with the hosts when you arrive. They’ll greet you if you want to meet them, but you can choose to go straight to your room. The whole mansion, both buildings and each individual room, have key coded doors. You will be given a code to use that’s unique to you and it can only open only the doors that you should be able to access. It’s a modern approach and one that most Airbnb users will have encountered.
There’s also Wi-Fi in the rooms, good Wi-Fi at that, and smart TVs to use. Having stayed in a few true bed and breakfasts, the Wi-Fi is not always reliable in them so it’s nice to find it here.
Fortunately, that’s not the only place that Cartier Mansion has updated the old B&B feel – the breakfast is also a step up. Chris, one of the owners, cooks the food himself and is very talented in the kitchen. Each morning every guest is served the same meal (they do ask about food allergies and will adjust as needed) and it was delicious. I particularly loved the pancakes served on our second morning with a lemon ricotta glaze! The breakfast really is next level, but if you don’t want to partake in it, no problem.
Pancake with lemon ricotta glaze.
Jenna (the other owner) and Chris both believe that today’s guests want a little more hands-off experience than the old school bed and breakfast. I think that’s a good bet to make. I watched them with other guests, and they provided a variable amount of attention to each one based on what the guest seemed to prefer. If the guest erred towards more interaction, they would engage with them more. The same was true in the other direction. If you want more independence, they are happy to give it to you.
The pair are simply charming and warm. Chris gives a wonderful busy energy in the mornings; he seemed very happy being host. There was a glee in his eyes when he could see a guest enjoying the food he just prepared. Jenna is calm and collected, able to read a guest’s needs as easily as you would read a post-it note. The way she greets you in the morning makes it feel like home – casual and familiar. Neither stand on ceremony from what I saw, preferring to keep the atmosphere relaxed and welcoming.
While that approach to hosting isn’t unique to them, it’s nonetheless wonderful.
A Different Place To Stay
During our stay, Chris and Jenna made it clear that the history of property was what drew them to it. That history is on display and you get to partake in it. Although they have updated the rooms to be quite modern in ways that matter, you still get to experience things of the past that we don’t have any longer.
The King suite, for example, has the following personal bathing systems. A deep soaking tub, a Jacuzzi tub, the original 1905 rib cage shower, and a dedicated foot bath. Again, that’s all in one bathroom. Warren Cartier really had a thing about cleanliness.
The Cartier Mansion King Suite
Downstairs, the dining room is where breakfast is served and elegant doesn’t begin to describe the space. The floors and walls of each room were designed and decorated with their intended purpose in mind. In the dining room there is a still functioning radiator with a food warming cavity integrated into it. It’s original to the home and I’ve never seen the like in any other building. They still use it today!
Staying here affords you an opportunity to step into history in a way that very few places can. The Cartiers were friends with the Fords, the Firestones, and Thomas Edison – they even vacationed together. They were among the most prominent families in the country and the home that Warren designed and had built reflects that. Staying here is unlike any place I’ve been before and, as a history major, it made it just that much better.
The furnishings and linens are lovely all on their own, and the included toiletries are nice as well. I was happy with the shampoo and conditioner, not something that I usually get to say about hotels. You’ll sleep very comfortably on the beds, which were softer than I personally like, but I still slept soundly. One of the best benefits of staying in a building that old is that they were built just a bit thicker back then. That meant that outside noise was nearly inaudible once you’re tucked in.
Perhaps most fascinating are the many, many, black and white photos in the building. They were all taken by Warren Cartier himself and left in the mansion as it changed hands. He was an avid photographer and because of this, we get to have a glimpse into their lives today. I particularly loved a photo of one of his children dressed up as a cowboy that hangs in the library, right next to where it was taken.
Cartier Mansion Library
Look again at the first photo. See! It’s the same spot!
When you put all this together, the Cartier Mansion is truly unique but also, very reasonably priced. Rates vary based on date, as with everywhere, but rooms are available for $175/night. The room we stayed in books for $250/night, and we found that to be in line with pricing for the area (accounting for amenities) and a bit cheaper than similar properties in other vacation towns.
Worth A Trip
It’d been quite a few years since I last got to spend a few nights in Ludington. When the owners reached out to us, I jumped at the chance. I love the city and I always will. Ludington holds a special place for me. I’m glad that the Cartier Mansion has owners that clearly care for it and appreciate its history.
The Ludington area is among the prettiest places on Earth and this mansion measures up to the scenery. Yes, my stay was complimentary, but to be clear, they never asked for, pressured, or suggested I review the establishment. They also have not had any hand in writing this review. I believe in transparency when reviewing, so I try my best to deliver that to you.
All that being said, I really do like this place a great deal. It’s charming and warm, yet modernized and sleek. The story of the building and its occupants is captivating to hear when told by experts. Without a doubt in my mind, I recommend this place to anyone that is a public radio supporter, a history lover, and anyone that likes something just a bit off the beaten path.
If you are interested in staying at the Cartier Mansion you can contact us and we can book it for you, or you can book with them directly online.
