A pair of Michigan bed-and-breakfasts located in stunning early 20th century mansions have been named as the best in the country, according to Newsweek.
In Laurium, Michigan, the Laurium Manor Inn was named the best historical bed and breakfast while Ludington’s Cartier Mansion placed second. The Cartier Mansion was No. 1 in 2024 and Laurium Manor was No. 3.
Eight other bed-and-breakfasts from across the country also were honored.
“Ideal for those with a love of architecture, these charming old homes have been meticulously renovated and restored, bringing new life to buildings that date back to the 1700s,” Newsweek said of the honored bed-and-breakfast locations.
Here’s what to know about the Laurium Manor Inn and the Cartier Mansion in Michigan:
What are the top 10 best historical bed-and-breakfasts?
Here is the full list of sites that placed in Newsweek’s Readers’ Choice Awards:
Laurium, Michigan: Laurium Manor Inn
Ludinton, Michigan: Cartier Mansion
Abilene, Kansas: Abilene’s Victorian Inn
Healdsburg, California: The Ruse
Rehoboth Beach, Delaware: Rehoboth Guest House
Natchez, Mississippi: Linden Historic Bed & Breakfast
Cape May, New Jersey: The Mason Cottage Bed & Breakfast
Savannah, Georgia: Forsyth Park Inn
Carmel-by-the-Sea, California: Lamp Lighter Inn
Cape May, New Jersey: Angel of the Sea
In the Keweenaw Peninsula, what makes the Laurium Manor Inn popular?
Built in 1908 during the copper boom, the Laurium Manor Inn, 320 Tamarack St., is the fully restored one-time home of a copper company executive.
“The 13,000-square-foot Laurium Manor Inn spans four floors and was once the largest and most elegant home in the Western Upper Peninsula,” Newsweek said. “While patrons enjoy a full breakfast buffet, they’ll be surrounded by rare details, such as a silver-leaf domed ceiling and elephant leather wall coverings, emphasizing the opulent nature of this 1900s home, which is now a partner of the Keweenaw National Historical Park.”
Built for Thomas H. & Cornelia Hoatson, owner of Calumet & Arizona Mining Co., no expense was spared building the 45-room mansion, the Inn says on its website. The house was built at a cost of $50,000, and $35,000 of furnishings were added.
The manor is open year-round and offers 10 rooms. An additional bedroom named “Mohawk,” will be available after its renovation is complete.
“Our goal has been to create a welcoming inn that combines the best amenities from hotels with the comforts of a B&B. The library, dining room, parlor, den on the first floor and the ballroom on the third floor is always open to guests,” the Laurium Manor Inn says on its website.
Photo of the Laurium Suite inside the Laurium Manor Inn.
The Laurium suite is the only room with balcony access and has a presidential history. According to the manor’s official website, Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th president, stayed in the suite during his presidential campaign in 1912.
Reservations can be made online. The Manor can also be reserved for special events such as weddings or retreats.
What is special about Ludington’s Cartier Mansion?
The Cartier Mansion, 409 E. Ludington Ave., offers four bedrooms with amenities, multi-course breakfasts and immersion into Ludington’s downtown.
“The namesake of the Cartier family in Ludington is indeed Jacques Cartier, the French explorer,” the bed-and-breakfast says on its website. “Centuries after Jacques Cartier’s explorations, his descendant Antoine Ephrem Cartier and his wife Eliza moved their young family to Ludington into the home now known as The Ludington House.”
Cartier became a businessman, a lumber tycoon, real estate investor, and served two terms as mayor, according to the B&B history.
Warren Cartier, a Notre Dame graduate and athlete whose name graces the university’s Cartier Field, followed in his lumber baron father’s footsteps, established himself as a prominent businessman and politician in Ludington. Together with his wife Kate, they built the Cartier Mansion in 1905.
“Each guestroom at Cartier Mansion promises a unique haven, from intimate and inviting quarters to expansive suites boasting private balconies,” the mansion said. “Stepping outside your room, lose yourself in a novel within the library’s walls, or gather for lively conversation in the elegant parlor and grand dining room.”
The mansion is on the National Register of Historic Places.
“This three-story neoclassical masterpiece boasts Roman pressed brick and Bedford limestone accents. Inside, a symphony of mahogany, oak, cherry, walnut, and maple unfolds, adorned with meticulously preserved period antiques,” the mansion website says.
Guests can check availability online as well as make reservations.
How does Newsweek choose the winners?
The Newsweek Readers’ Choice Awards select nominees from a panel of travel experts. The final list is determined by Newsweek editors, then readers can vote once per category, per day.
Contact Sarah Moore @ smoore@lsj.com
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Laurium Manor, Cartier Mansion top Newsweek list of best in nation. What to know