Kendra Williams, Midwest Living travel editor and contributor to Michigan Travel Ideas, spills the details from her recent enviable spa experience at the Crystal Mountain Resort and Spa.

I’ve been to many spas throughout the Midwest, but none of those prepared me for my experience at Crystal Mountain Resort and Spa in Thompsonville (45 minutes south of Traverse City.)

The pristine outdoor meditation garden where I sipped on cucumber mint water and nibbled on mixed nuts studded with dried cherries.

Opened in 2009 and considered the only LEED-certified spa in the Midwest, the 11,000-square-foot Crystal Spa exudes pampering, tranquility and the serenity of nature. Frosted glass doors have long twigs somehow frozen inside the base of them. Ceramic tiles in shades of taupe, brown, tan, surprising hits of lavender iridescence accent in the huge showers.

Rolled white towels line a shelf and there are curling irons, blow dryers, makeup mirrors, cotton balls, toothbrushes and toothpaste in the women’s locker room. A hostess asks me what size shoe I wear, and based on that, leads me to a locker filled with towels, a fluffy white Sherpa fleece robe and sandals in my shoe size. I choose a four-digit code to lock my locker, then pad out in my robe to the mediation area. It’s a huge sitting room with a long gas fireplace at one end and a crystal-bubble-style chandelier on the other. I step out into a meditation garden with three stone water towers, lounge chairs and a jetted in-ground hot tub.

The bubbly and inviting hot tub in the meditation garden.

I was asked to arrive half an hour early and am so happy I did. I had plenty of time to get into my robe, settle into a lounge chair, sip some cucumber-mint water and nibble on mixed nuts studded with dried cherries. It’s all about getting into the relaxed frame of mind before your treatment. I definitely did.

For my treatment I choose a fresh air facial ($95 plus gratuity). Sherrie, my clinician, compliments my skin (the only time in my life when “pasty white” is a benefit) and leads me downstairs to my dimly lit treatment room. Piano music tinkles through the room as I settle in the heated bed. Sherrie returns and mixes the wasabi mask and carrot puree cream for my facial. After Sherrie applies the wasabi mask, she wraps my face in hot towels and gives me a hand and foot massage while the mask works its magic. At this point, I decide the staff would need a crowbar here to pry me out.

The treatment lasts for 50 magnificent minutes. Afterward, I put on my robe and linger in the meditation garden. I stay out here for nearly an hour, content to listen to the bubbling water fountain a little while longer before returning to my busy day.

Kendra Williams has been a writer and editor for 15 years. She is currently the travel editor at Midwest Living Magazine and oversees the magazine’s annual newsstand-only travel bookazine, Best of the Midwest.

Thanks to Greg Johnson for another fantastic Pure Michigan Golf guest blog post!

I looked down from one of the new Lodge rooms at Arcadia Bluffs Golf Club and couldn’t believe it. 

The view from the clubhouse (the one I thought couldn’t be topped) had just been topped:  the good folks at Arcadia had added a top floor of 14 guest rooms to the existing clubhouse.  It was the one thing missing from this golf jewel in Northern Michigan – a place to stay on property. 

The clubhouse has become “The Lodge”, and the view and room are spectacular. Each room was built with first-class customers in mind:  they all come furnished with a king bed, desk and chair, flat screen television, stand up shower, and private walk-out porch. The Lodge will provide an elegant, comfortable, and private environment for all guests. Each night stay includes breakfast, laundry service, room service and more.  Ten of the rooms face west with breathtaking views of Lake Michigan, while the other four offer sunrise views. The lake view rooms are amazing, and The Lodge stayed true to the original architecture and image of the club.

Lake Michigan never looked so good from on high. The unique golf holes at Arcadia, now aged 10 years like a fine wine, were dressed up and ready to play.  Eighteen Rick Smith and Warren Henderson designed holes on 245 acres along 3,000 feet of Lake Michigan shoreline. 

As a Grand Rapids-based ownership group envisioned upon founding in 1999, Arcadia has become a must-play for golfers, especially those who travel the world for unique and special golf experiences. 

Greg Johnson has been writing about Michigan golf since 1982 primarily as the golf writer for The Grand Rapids Press and Booth Newspapers. He is a native of Three Rivers, grew up in St. Joseph, and a graduate of Lake Michigan College in Benton Harbor and Michigan State University in East Lansing. An award-winning writer, he has lived in Hudsonville for the last 20 years and worked in Grand Rapids for the last 27 years.

Kristin Bienert, Michigan Travel Ideas editor, experiences the timeless classic Grand Hotel on tranquil Mackinac Island (no motorized vehicles allowed) for the first time during the Pure Michigan Governor’s Conference: Driving Tourism 2010.

As waves crash over the bow spraying the ferry windows, I’m glad I opted for a seat below deck. A voice comes over the speaker, but I’m too busy taking in the sights to listen. From here, the imposing five-mile-long Mackinac Bridge looks small against the vast blue water.

To the east, on an uninhabited island, I spot the red-and-white lighthouse seen in the 1980 movie, Somewhere in Time (filmed at Grand Hotel) starring Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour. Mackinac Island comes into view. Summer cottages line the shore; on a bluff, the Grand Hotel stands out among the trees.

In less than 20 minutes, I’m on the island’s main street where horse-drawn carriages await passengers. Rental bicycle stands, gift shops, fudge shops, galleries, restaurants and lodgings fill pastel-colored buildings.

A courier whisks away my luggage. I wonder, how do they know which red suitcase is mine (no barcode tags/hand-held scanners here!)? Within minutes of checking in, my suitcase arrives. I’m beginning to understand why the Grand Hotel, the world’s largest summer place, has wowed vacationers for 124 years.

Each of the 385 guest rooms is individually decorated; I like mine, it matches my personality. Bold shades of emerald green complement the brightly colored flower wallpaper, which adds a subtle feminine touch. Even better, it’s on the third-floor above the main entrance with incredible views that include the Straits of Mackinac. Below, a few evergreen trees partially hide the 220-foot long Esther Williams Swimming Pool (she made her famous swimming movie there). It’s too cool to swim, but ideal weather for a leisurely walk downtown before dinner.

I check my watch and make a mental note to keep track of time; all hotel guests must be properly dressed (coat and tie for men, pant suit or dress for women) after 6:30 p.m. I admire that the third-generation, family-owned hotel maintains this tradition, yet stays modern in other ways (free wi-fi, in-room refrigerators and flat-screen TVs).

Every evening, attentive staff flawlessly serves five-course dinners in the elegant Main Dining Room. The fine china, adorned with red geraniums looks too pretty for everyday use. My dining companion tells the story of how you know it’s time to stop eating when you see the center plate decoration. I heed his advice until the fourth course arrives with almond-crusted Michigan whitefish and scallops. For dessert, I select the hotel’s signature Grand Pecan Ball. I tell myself, just one bite (a taste). I dig my spoon into the baseball-size scoop of vanilla ice cream making sure to catch the pecans that fall into from-scratch fudge sauce. Hmm, the sides are uneven, maybe just one more bite.

After dinner I head outside, where wooden rocking chairs line the world’s longest front porch. For the next hour I listen to the clip clop of hooves, crickets and other sounds of nature, wishing this night could last forever.

Kristin Bienert, Midwest Living’s Custom Media Editor, thoroughly enjoyed her stay on Mackinac Island and plans to return next month for Lilac Festival (June 11–20, 2010).

Thanks to Joy Alekman for this wonderful guest blog post and poem about her favorite Michigan vacation destination.

 My Haven

I am in my haven now
I sit on the beach and listen to the waves crash
and feel the wind caress my back
I am at peace here

My phone is in the car
The computer is at home
Work is far away from here
I am in my haven now

I build sandcastles with my sons
and feel the sand through my hands
I like the wet sand better
I like to make castles and dig holes
I build my haven here

The wind blows and the waves are high
I love to stand right where they crash
and feel their power, the cool splash
and then jump into them
My haven is always here for me.

I wrote this poem last year as my family was vacationing in South Haven, Michigan.  This is an annual trip that we take.  My parents rent a condo and take my family there for a week of summer fun.  We go in August, and we always look forward to this tradition.

I love the things that stay the same in South Haven: the old movie theatre (where you can see a first run movie CHEAP), the clean beaches, and the quaint downtown.  I love discovering new restaurants from year to year, and seeing which shops are still open and which ones are new.

We always eat dinner at Clementines, a family friendly restaurant which gives great service and always good food.  For breakfast, no place is better than the Phoenix Street Café.  For dessert, we love Sherman Dairy Bar.  You just can’t get a bigger scoop of ice cream anywhere!

One thing we always do each year is go blueberry picking.  There are a few different blueberry farms in or near South Haven.  We go to DeGrandchamp Farms.  My kids love eating the blueberries right off the bushes.  I love baking them into pies!

At least one night on our trip we let the kids stay up late to watch the sunset.  There is nothing more beautiful than watching it while sitting on the beach.  You can see the sun slowly melt into the water.  The colors are absolutely beautiful. 

I have such fond memories of our past years vacationing in South Haven, and I know my children do too.  I look forward to this year’s vacation, and more to come.  South Haven is part of my life and part of my heart.  I love it there.

Joy Alekman works full time and takes care of her family while also writing her blog, Intense Auburn.  She enjoys traveling and especially going to the beach.  She loves to make people laugh.

You can leave a comment below to let Joy know what you thought, or contact her via Twitter.

Innkeepers across Michigan are already making their holiday preparations, decorating to the hilt and planning special menus. A B&B can be the perfect place to relax, renew and get in the spirit during the coming season. You’ll also find inspiration for your own hosting and celebrating. Silver Palate Cookbook author Julee Rosso’s warm, relaxed style and her creative approaches to food captivate guests at her Wickwood Inn in Saugatuck. In this series, Julee shares fresh, memorable tips. 

My husband, Bill, and I bought the Wickwood Inn in Saugatuck, a pretty artists’ haven along the Lake Michigan shore in 1991. Since then, the bed and breakfast has welcomed 100,000-plus guests and appeared regularly on lists of top inns. Even after all those visitors, my No. 1 hosting rule remains simple: Show people how much you care. Here’s how to bring inn-style hospitality to your home this season.

Set the stage. I believe decorations, candles, a fire and music combine to create a mood and tell guests how important they are. Aromas matter, too—the right scents can bring back good feelings and memories every time your guests step in the door. During the holidays, food aromas mingle with the fragrances of evergreen boughs placed in vases and strewn across the fireplace mantel in the sitting room.

Greet each guest personally, graciously

Get everyone involved. I make a point to greet each guest personally, graciously. I make the first drink for everyone, introduce them around, and then tell them to help themselves. People want to do something so they don’t feel awkward being waited on. Having access to the bar or coffeepot makes guests relax. People gravitate to the kitchen; let them in. That way, the cook can join in the fun!
  

Create intimate spaces

Create intimate spaces.

Small round tables are better for talking, and smaller rooms bring people together. Sitting on hassocks, on the floor by the fire, on the arms of chairs, guests have no choice but to interact. And they can move from one conversation to another more easily.
 

Surprise everyone with a small, thoughtful gift

Surprise everyone! Give a small, thoughtful gift to each guest. People love to open something. Keep it simple and functional—not just more stuff. Give homemade brandy, tomato sauce from last summer’s garden, recipes on hand-decorated cards, a bag of homemade cookies tied with satin bows. Arrange gifts at place settings … just something special for each person.

Want to try one of Julee’s fabulous recipes?  We’ve got her Pomegranate Spritzer recipe just for you!

From carving the Thanksgiving turkey to baking cookies, food makes any experience more memorable. Check back next week, when Julee shares tips more tips and recipes.

Julee Rosso is the owner of the Wickwood Inn in Saugatuck, author of the Silver Palate Cookbook , and Michigan Travel Ideas contributor.  If you have questions or comments for Julee, please leave a comment below, or contact her via Facebook or on Twitter.