Today we learn about the Inn at Stonecliffe from resort manager Patrick, who shares the fascinating history of this iconic location and its recent two-year renovation. The Pulte Family has transformed the historic inn, enhancing it with modern amenities like air conditioning and custom-designed mattresses, all while preserving its charm. Guests can now enjoy a diverse range of dining options and activities that elevate the Mackinac Island experience to new heights. Patrick also discusses the inn's commitment to community through the Pulte Family Charitable Foundation, which channels profits into local and global humanitarian efforts. Join us as we explore the unique offerings of Stonecliffe and the magic it brings to visitors on Mackinac Island.

Today we learn a bit more about the Inn at Stonecliffe as shared from resort manager Patrick. From the way it all began to how the most recent 2 year renovations occurred. The Pulte Family has taken this historic Inn and given it a new look to give you the stay on Mackinac you never knew was possible. So many great dining options to the modern amenities of air conditioning to the mattresses designed especially for the inn.

www.theinnatstonecliffe.com

PulteFamilyFoundation.org

www.totallymackinacislandpodcast.com

Located on the crystal blue waters of Lake Huron lies Mackinac island, tucked in between Michigan's upper and lower peninsulas.

Indulge me as I share the ins and outs of the place that stole my heart.

This is totally Mackinac island podcast.

Hello and welcome to Totally Mackinac island podcast.

I am your host, Heather.

I finally got around to making a new intro where you don't hear a fan in the background.

When I first made that a few years ago, I had a fan blowing in my one room, and it always bugged me, and I kept meaning to make a new one, and then I got a new computer, and then things were all thrown around.

So, anyway, I finally did, but I tried to make it as closest to what it used to be as possible.

So, anyway, hope you all got an opportunity to get a listen in of our trip up to the island.

Just.

I still can't believe how magical Stonecliffe was for so many reasons.

First of all, where it's located at is.

Is just iconic for the island.

It's as if you don't already feel in a special place.

Being up there is even more different.

And the one thing that was very evident to me is, you know, I always loved the sound of the horses in the background, and you don't hear that as much.

And I thought, oh, am I gonna like that?

And I did.

It gave you a different feeling that that's what I want to say.

It's just different than if you stayed downtown, if you've, you know, even stayed a little bit further down at Mission point or even up at Grand Hotel.

There was just something that I noticed about it, and I still can't believe that Neil proposed.

I've had people reach out to me to ask if we are getting married on the island, if we're going to have a wedding up there.

I think I said this last week, but I'm still kind of on cloud nine.

But if we did, we would get married up there, but it would not be like a full fledged wedding.

It would be probably almost considered like an elopement and then have a big celebration back here with friends and family.

I would love to have something up there that would be ideal.

That would be my dream.

So unless something crazy happens, I've always said if I won the lottery, I would, um, pay for everyone to come up there so that could happen.

And I would love that, especially for them to be able to experience if they have not.

So, anyway, that is still being decided.

People have asked us if we've chosen a date and I'm still letting this all absorb.

He did not get me a ring.

And so we are gonna go look at rings, which I've been looking online.

And I really do think I'm just gonna go with a band style.

So it's.

It's been fun.

It's just really been the support and the messages, everything.

It's been wonderful.

And I'm just.

I'm very happy.

I feel so blessed, so lucky to have met my person and to have him propose there, you know, it just made it that much more memorable.

So while we were there, though, you know, I wanted to share everything with you guys as I possibly could.

Mackenzie, who has been so fantastic with all of this, arranged for me to do some interviews with some people up there.

And I cannot thank them enough for taking the time out because I know they're busy, they have a lot going on.

And we got that arranged.

And I was very lucky to go in and do the interviews at the sunny Honey cottage.

And let me just tell you, I think I told you guys this before, that this place was like my dream for decor in there, and I didn't even take any pictures.

Totally spaced it.

So I will have to go on their website and share some of those with you.

And it was just.

It was very nice to be able to sit down and talk with them.

So today we're going to be talking with Patrick, who is the resort manager for the inn at Stonecliffe.

And Patrick was.

I couldn't have thanked him enough for making it feel at ease and just welcoming and to hear his entire story.

I'm looking forward for you guys to listening.

So, without further ado, I'm going to let Patrick.

Patrick take it away and share a little bit more about Stonecliffe and about his whole history with Mackinac island.

All right, everyone, today we are going to be joined with Patrick.

And Patrick is right.

We'll get to what Patrick's actual position is.

But first, as I always like to have with people when they come on here, can you share with the listener what your personal Mackinac island origin story is?

Absolutely.

Well, thanks for having me.

My Mackinac island origin story.

I've been coming up north since I was a really small child.

My family has had summer cottages out on Black Lake passed down through the generations.

Okay.

And I got a job with Shepler's Mack and Island ferry.

So when I was in college.

Okay.

And I was doing everything from, you know, decking, boats, hauling luggage, valet parking, cars, you name it.

It was just a great summer job to meet a lot of people, get a lot of fresh air and sunlight, and really be exposed to Mackinac.

Absolutely.

That evolved into a year round position eventually, and I took over as the doc master and the director of human resources.

So in total, I was at Shepler's for about seven years.

Wow.

Later went on to grand hotel.

It was at Grand Hotel for about seven years as well.

And I was a director of human resources there.

My wife and I lived in Harbor Springs for four years and moved back to the island this march when this opportunity presented itself at Stonecliffe to be the resort manager.

Oh, that's great.

I love that.

I love that you started down doing the ferry work, which is very hard work, but I always like to ask the kids what they would do if they had a job, if they could pick a job.

And working on the ferries is a big one that people like to see.

It was great.

I had the best suntan of my life.

I bet it's hard work.

It's hard work.

I always share that with people that you guys work hard.

Okay, so now you just mentioned, let's share with the listener.

You are the resort manager for the inn at Stonecliffe.

What all does this involve?

Good question.

My job is all about the guest experience.

So on any given day, I could be doing a multitude of things, you know, maybe human resources payroll, assisting the housekeeping team, assisting the bellman with luggage, assisting food and beverage handling, billing, invoicing, I mean, you name it.

So basically, just whatever it takes to give the guests the absolute best experience that we can while they're on property.

Okay.

Yeah, no two days are the same, but that's what makes it an exciting, fun job.

I bet that's it is a lot when there's so much more to it, especially being where you are located at.

So because we're talking about the inn at Stonecliffe, let's talk about how many rooms there are, because I don't think a lot of people know about it and the types of rooms you offer for the inn.

So in total, we have 52 guest rooms between the mansion, the summer house, and the cottages.

Right now we're in one of the cottages doing this podcast.

So we're in sunny, honey.

Right now we also have Hilltop cottage, yacht watch cottage, and then we have the rustic love shack, which is a very rustic cabin.

It's just gorgeous.

It's probably the best view anywhere on the island off their front porch.

But in terms of the room types, we have 17 different room types, including those cottages.

And then we have kings, double queens, water view, balconies, one or two bedroom suites.

So a lot of different options for our guests when they're booking.

Oh, for sure.

And, I mean, I just have to say, we are in a king right now, and our view alone is just amazing, as I will share with the listener about that.

But the views, just every time you turn around, you think there's something new.

And honestly, we haven't been able to stay up late enough to see the northern lights because.

The northern.

Were they out last night?

I don't know about last night.

The night before, they were.

Yeah.

And I missed them as well.

I saw the Instagram photos the next morning.

They were supposed to be so beautiful, and I was like, please just try and stay up.

I just.

I couldn't.

I was too tired, and I was bummed I couldn't make it.

I'm sure that they would have been gorgeous.

So this is the first season back from the two year renovation.

Right.

So can you share the purpose behind the renovation and what all was done?

Sure.

Sure.

Well, Stonecliffe has always been a very special place on Mackinac island, but it was starting to show its age, as a lot of the structures on Mackinac island are.

I mean, they're old, but we wanted to create a new luxury experience for our guests, including modern amenities, you know, all the bells and whistles, air conditioning.

Well, preserving the charm and the history of the building and the island.

And so after this renovation, Stonecliffe is now a full resort experience.

We have multiple food and beverage outlets, activities, fire pits, lawn games.

We have two swimming pools, wellness center, which is a workout facility, as well as massage, sauna, you name it.

So Stonecliffe is very different from how it was pre renovation.

I think we've kept the charm, and that's some of the feedback we've heard from our returning guests, is they're just awestruck at how much better it is.

Okay, that was.

Well, and originally, wasn't it supposed to just be one year, correct.

Yep.

And the scope kept changing a little bit as they were getting into things.

Well, and that's.

That's huge for you guys to take that risk of closing down for two years.

Yes.

You know, and especially for a lot of other reasons that it was known for up here, but to be down for that I do have.

Was that.

Was the summer guest house always here?

Was it just the mansion the mansion's the original structure.

Gotcha.

Summer house, I want to say, was built in the early two thousands.

Okay.

But that totally renovated as well?

That was as well, too.

Okay.

Because some of the pictures that I've seen around here, you know, and I came up here one time to go down to Sunset Rock, but I didn't go inside, so I don't.

I don't know what.

I don't remember it well enough to know that.

Okay.

And what are some of the new property features, along with the events and activities that you were kind of talking about?

Sure.

Well, you know, I mentioned the cottages already.

You know, they're fully equipped, you know, with kitchens.

They're ideal for families, groups, things like that.

We've added a barbecue pavilion, which we call the backyard, that has a wood fired pizza oven.

We do phenomenal jamaican jerked chicken, brisket, things like that.

We have our fine dining restaurant, which we call the straits, that's inside the mansion.

So we do breakfast and dinner there.

We have an upscale pub, which we call Horsey's, which is in the mansion.

Prior to the renovation, that was a temporary tent.

That's what was in that footprint prior to the renovation.

Okay.

Now it's a beautiful, permanent structure.

You've seen the chandelier in there.

It's beautiful.

It's spectacular.

And the wellness center, which I'd mentioned already.

And then we have our general store, which we have homemade ice creams, all made on property.

Gourmet coffees, logo to peril, grab and go type of foods, charcuterie, things like that.

So that's been really popular with our guests and with some of the local community up here, that they've got an option to just hop in really quick and get a coffee in the morning.

I bet that's been really nice.

Yes.

And the ice cream is phenomenal.

We have.

So Neil got the vanilla, and he said it's some of the best vanilla he's ever had.

I got that coffee, chocolate chip.

Oh, my gosh.

It was so good.

Yep.

So good.

It is.

And it is.

And I even sampled the strawberry.

And the strawberry.

Yep.

The strawberries, really, you know, so the flavors that they had there were so good.

I was beyond.

We love ice cream.

So we were beyond ecstatic that we could go get ice cream later on in the day with that.

Yeah.

And this cottage right now that we're in, you said sleeps up to ten?

Up to ten, yep.

Up to ten people, yeah.

The decor in here is adorable.

I just love everything about it.

There is a lot of history behind this iconic inn.

Can you go into a little bit about that?

Yeah, absolutely.

So, originally, stone Cliff, Washington.

Private home built by self made millionaire Michael Cudahay.

It was kind of a sad story getting here.

His baby sister passed away on the boat.

His family got here.

He ended up dropping out of school to support the family by working in a slaughterhouse, and that eventually led him to start his own meatpacking company, and that's what he built his success upon.

And it's the same architect who designed the Michigan governor's summer residence on the island as well.

So a little bit of a connection there.

Yeah.

Interesting.

And then, unfortunately, he passed away five years after construction was finished.

And they had made their fortune being in the Creosote business and sold preserved wood to the rapidly expanding railroads throughout the midwest at that time.

I don't know if you were aware of the ski resort.

I feel like I heard something about it becoming something kind of random.

Right.

So the ski hill only lasted about a year and a half, but it was marketed as the only island ski resort.

But despite that, that ski resort didn't really stick.

Okay.

Yeah, that's.

I felt like I was getting confused between mission point being a college.

Yep, yep.

And so.

And then there was this other group that kind of took over mission point, wasn't there?

Correct.

So.

Okay.

I was getting that in my head that there was.

They had something to do with this up here, but they.

They did.

At one point, they did.

Okay.

That's what I was thinking, that I had read that somewhere.

Yep.

What was that group?

The moral rearmament.

What is that exactly?

I can't even go to detail about that.

It was.

Yeah.

They owned a lot of different properties on Mackinac.

Okay.

Yeah.

But you said that the gentleman that first brought had 150 acres on this island.

Yep.

Yep.

That is insane.

One of, if not the largest landowners on island at the time.

Oh, my.

How many acres is this?

I think we're at about 13 acres.

13 acres.

Gosh.

So I can't imagine 150.

Oh, my gosh.

So what's great is that being away from downtown sets you apart from other, you know, other lodging on the island.

So can you share with the listener who is not familiar where you are located?

Yes.

Yes.

So we are located very close to the Mackinac island airport, and that's how some of our guests choose to arrive because it makes it really easy.

We also have a complimentary horse drawn shuttle for our resort guests who choose to come by ferry boat, which is what the majority of our guests do.

So we run that every hour leaving the shepler dock and every hour on the hour leaving Stonecliffe.

So we have two carriages running back and forth, basically at the same time.

So it's about 2 miles to get up here from downtown.

So it's roughly 35 to 40 minutes on the carriage.

But we have a totally different feel from the hustle and bustle of downtown, and that may be hard for people to kind of understand if you've never visited the island, but it's a lot more tranquil up here.

You're a lot more in the midst of nature.

You can still, you know, we rent bicycles.

People can go downtown if they do want to do that kind of thing or ride our carriage, but being up here, it's just a totally different vibe, and I think you've experienced that during your season.

Yes, it has been.

It was funny because you're used to hearing the horses and the fairies, and so to not hear that has been weird.

But I know I'm here in Mackinac, but I don't feel like I am, and I love everything about it.

I can't explain how much we've had beautiful weather.

We've been beyond blessed.

But the sun that has been up here with these fall colors I knew was going to be gorgeous.

I just can't even.

I'm so excited to share with the listener all these videos.

I've been trying to post them all.

It's just incredible.

It really has exceeded any of my expectations.

That's great.

Yes.

Because I think as somebody that didn't ever want to leave downtown, as I've gotten older, I'm like, I would like to.

I would like to.

And now this is just a whole unique experience, for sure.

And one of the experiences that we did do when we came here was the pizza making.

Okay, perfect.

Yep.

Fantastic.

Pizza.

We loved it.

We make pizza at home, so that was super fun to do that.

And it just has been everything.

The food, everything.

I just.

I can't say enough about it at all.

We rode our bikes here.

So you were saying?

We brought our bikes, and there are a few hills when you're coming up, but once you kind of get over about two of them, it's really not bad.

It's not the worst one, actually, is if you're coming from downtown, is up the Grand Hotel cadat one, once you.

Make it up that your home, you're pretty much.

There's maybe another one, but it's not awful at all.

And it's such a pretty ride.

It really is.

Yep.

And there's bunches along there for people to get on if they want to.

So, I mean, this up here is a whole other experience with that.

And I loved.

I loved writing up here.

You burn off everything that you eat.

That I can say.

Definitely.

Definitely.

I love that.

So the property is now owned, and I hope I.

The Pulte family.

Pulte.

Pulte family.

This is a humanitarian hotel.

Yes.

What exactly is that?

Good question.

So, the inn at Stonecliffe is an extension of the Pulte family charitable foundation.

And basically, 100% of the net profits from the inn at Stone Cliff go back to serving those most in need in the local community and in the world, through everything from grants, foster programs, mental health resources, homeless shelters, affordable housing, things like that.

So it has a very broad reach around the world, from the Pulte Family Charitable foundation, who owns Stonecliffe.

And there's two other humanitarian hotels that the foundation owns, including St.

John's Resort in Plymouth, Michigan, and the Hilton Garden Inn in Laramie, Wyoming.

So, Stonecliffe is the third humanitarian hotel in their portfolio.

But some of the things locally that we've been able to support.

The William J.

Pulte Scholarship program awards two students from the Mackinac Island School $10,000 a year for up to four years to support their college career, as well as a $1,500 stipend for academic testing, college application fees, travel, things like that.

Scholarships are awarded to 11th graders so that they know they have access to money when they're making decisions about where they should go to college and what they might be able to afford.

In addition to that, the foundation gives $10,000 a year to the Mackinac Island School for College prep for the student body as a whole.

So there's a lot that's being given, you know, worldwide, but especially in the local area.

That just sounds incredible.

I'm going to have a link for people to check out the foundation because this really did.

There's some great information that was in our room that I was able to scan over about it, and they really do a lot of incredible things that, I mean, I didn't know about a humanitarian hotel.

I mean, is that something that you.

Were super familiar with before I started here?

No.

Never even heard of that kind of thing.

Okay.

Very different from every other hotel in Mackinac island.

Very different.

Extremely different.

Yes.

It just is beyond moving that they have such a beautiful facility here and that they do, that they just donate it all.

That is incredible.

And then when you go into our summer house, we have a whole wall and it's constantly being, you know, updated, but we have different pictures and different plaques as to what the guests money is being donated to and, you know, from them staying here, what they're helping to support.

So that's kind of always being updated just so they can kind of see.

Oh, great.

What all they've contributed to just by being a guest of our hotel.

Yeah.

And especially for the kids that are on the island here, that is massive.

People are very fascinated about the school on the island.

A lot of questions about that.

Is there a school?

Yes, school.

Like, a very nice school.

It is.

When I did the Lilac five k one time, I had to pick up a shirt in there and it was such a nice school.

I mean, not that it was going to be bad, but, you know, it just is fascinating to think about that school being there.

They had nine, I think they had nine graduating seniors this year.

And I went down to the graduation and the governor spoke.

Wow.

For the nine graduating seniors, that's wonderful.

Yeah, she really loves to come.

I don't blame her.

Yeah.

If I had a summer place, too, I'd be like, yes, I do.

I need to go get away for that.

Right.

And then is.

Can you share?

Is there anything more about the foundation that you would like to share from them?

You know, I think that pretty much, you know, covers it.

Yeah, yeah, that's fine.

So after the opening and have you seen what some other added events or activities that you think you would like to throw on now that you've seen everything.

Yeah.

This has been a building year for sure.

Figuring out what works, what doesn't work.

What are we lacking?

We want to do more larger concerts out on the back lawn area.

So that's something we'd like to add in in the future.

We had one for our opening party, and that went very well.

That was very well received.

You know, we've decided we can do that, and it's a great venue for it, especially with the Mackinac bridge as the backdrop.

Stunning.

Yeah.

So that's something we want to start doing in the future.

We also.

I don't think I mentioned it earlier.

We have our apple orchard on property.

We have, I think, 18 chickens down there.

So we collect all the fresh eggs from the chickens.

We use those in our restaurant.

We have our vegetable gardens down there that our chef uses.

But we'd like to start doing some more, like farm to table dinners down in that area, some chef's dinners, things like that.

So I think that's something that guests can probably look forward to in the future, is taking advantage of that setting down there, because it's gorgeous.

Yes, it is.

And like you were saying, we've had the food here.

We've been eating here.

We actually just had breakfast.

The pancakes were phenomenal.

The french fries from the bar might be the best french fries I've ever had.

I'm not kidding.

They are.

So we've gotten them to the last two dice.

Good.

The aioli sauce.

Yes.

I kind of want a huge bottle of that.

It is so good.

And then we did get the jerk chicken last night.

We got jerk chicken and fries and we.

We got, I think this spicy sweet sauce or whatever.

I don't.

I don't know what it was.

I could have dumped it all over.

It was so good.

Yep.

The sauce is phenomenal.

It is so good.

Yeah.

And the pizza after we made it was so good.

The food has been incredible here.

That's great.

Yes.

Yeah.

And.

But the food that you really hit the nail on the head with all of it, truly, it's been.

It's been worth that.

Now, now that we've talked about this, is there anything else that you think you would like to add for the listeners to know?

Just that we look forward to seeing them in the future and welcoming them as guests or dining guests, if they only come up to sample our food.

Yeah.

No, we look forward to welcoming everyone here.

Yes, it's.

It is.

And I'm serious.

It is completely welcoming, 100%.

It's just beautiful.

I've been trying to get all the videos to show you guys, so thank you so much for coming on here and sharing all about this wonderful pleasure.

Thanks for having me.

Yes, thanks for staying with us.

No problem.

Thank you once again.

I cannot thank Patrick enough for coming on here and sharing so much great information about the inn at Stonecliffe.

I wanted to share.

There was some great information about the Pulte family in our room, and I just want to share a little bit about him.

And Marguerite Pulte welcomed their first of six children, William J.

Pulte II.

Bill Sr.

And Marguerite were of german and irish descent, devout Catholics and hard workers.

While Marguerite remained home to raise the family, Bill Sr.

Held two jobs, AAAA insurance adjuster as and as well as weather permitted a greens keeper at the public golf course.

They never owned a home until young Bill built one when he was 19.

Bill Pulte junior grew up to be an american success story.

A kid who started as a carpenter at age 18, never went to college, then went on to be the founder and chairman of the board of the largest home building company in the United States.

At the height of Pulte home success, they made the american dream come true and sold over 45,000 homes in one year across America.

Only God knew that this young man would grow into an incredible ambassador of Christ, and leaving leave a legacy of giving that would impact hundreds of thousands, if not millions of people around the globe over his lifetime and beyond.

Bill Junior s philanthropy was born in his earliest years as a builder.

The second home he built was for his parents, and of course they were delighted, but it would be a special gift within that home that would affect him for the rest of his life.

The 19 year old Bill quietly installed a dishwasher to surprise his mother, Marguerite, whom he adored.

Gone would be the days of her washing the dishes by hand for a family of eight.

On Christmas morning, when Bill's mother woke up and saw the dishwasher.

She started to cry tears of joy.

Seeing his mother's reaction made Bill feel tremendous joy himself.

He often would recall the story and share.

That was the first time I understood that there was more joy in giving than receiving.

That made me tear up a little bit.

This information was a pamphlet that was in the room that I got to look over.

And one of the things that on the table of contents, they have the genesis of Bill's giving.

Mission and vision.

I found this extremely interesting, not only for the humanitarian hotels, this is something that they do for the inn at Stone Cliff.

So employee housing that they have.

Each of our humanitarian hotels provides high quality employee housing.

At the inn at Stonecliffe, extensive renovations and new construction will ensure that employees live in comfortable, modern housing once the hotel opened, setting a new standard for employee housing on Mackinac island.

Studio apartments at St.

John's Resort in Plymouth, Michigan, and the Hilton Garden Inn in Laramie, Wyoming, will provide better housing options for employees while also allowing the hotels to employ.

And I house refugees.

I thought that was great that they offered that for their employees.

The other thing that the scholarships that they were talking about at Notre Dame, I mean, we're like half hour away from Notre Dame.

I had no idea that this was something that was part of it.

So going to what they offer for that.

The Fighting Irish Initiative provides financial aid to Notre Dame students in need and funds for the office of Student Enrichment.

So Notre Dame, if you're, you know, I mean, it's.

It's a remarkable school.

It's growing up around here.

I had no idea.

You know, I grew up around here.

You hear Notre Dame, I didn't realize the history behind everything with it.

And it is.

It is pricey.

It is a pricey school, but you're getting a top notch education.

So to see that that was part of this, I thought that, that, you know, what a small world.

It just added even more magic to Stonecliff, if I can say, with that, with seeing about this family and everything that they did.

So I'm going to have the link down in the show notes for you guys to click on that to see everything about them.

I think they're fantastic.

This just makes the stay at the inn at Stonecliffe that much more memorable, knowing what it's going for.

And then you can get on there and see as well what else they do.

I could read the whole book but that would take an entire episode.

So I highly encourage you to check it out, look into that, and then come stay at the end at Stonecliffe because it is totally worth it.

Patrick, thank you again for coming on here.

I loved hearing your story about how everything came to be and then to see.

I would see him around after I had interviewed him.

And I think the one thing is that the staff, because it's a smaller place.

Everybody, again, as I mentioned before, it's just.

It's very pleasant.

Not that I've not ever had that experience before on the island.

I don't want to say that it was just a very, very pleasant experience and I feel very, very fortunate to have stayed there.

And I hope that so many of you will check this out and go up there and do the same too.

I keep sharing on my socials.

I took so many photos and videos and I've just been loving going back through and doing that too.

Also, be sure if you even just go up there to eat.

Get those french fries, guys.

I.

I told Caleb about it and he was a little bit bitter that we went to Mackinac without him.

And he said, hmm, well, I hope they were good.

And I kind of looked at him, I said, well, they were.

So that was kind of mean to me, but whatever.

Anyway, so thank you again and again.

All the information will be down in the show notes.

I will have pictures on the website about this.

Www.tolimackinaislandpodcast.com.