Payments made by partners impact the order of prices displayed. Room types may vary.
The listings of booking offers for each property take into account the compensation paid to us by our partners. Prices shown may be for varying room types. Prices displayed are the lowest available, corresponding to the least expensive room type available, as provided from our partners as of the time of the user’s search.
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Located 1.5 miles from downtown Mackinaw City and the ferry docks, you can easily access Mackinac Island or explore northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula. Our Property features 300 feet of sand beach with gas grills, picnic tables, lounge chairs with beach umbrellas, and six well-stocked fire pits for evening camp fires. We offer kayaks and paddle boards for use exclusively by our adult guests. Our indoor heated pool and hot tub are available from 8am-10pm. (8am-11pm Friday and Saturday, Memorial weekend through Labor Day.) All rooms have comfortable beds, a mini-fridge, microwave and coffee-maker. lakefront rooms have private balconies and Mackinaw Bridge views. A complimentary continental breakfast is available from 7-10am. Choose from make-your-own waffles, old-fashioned oatmeal, fruit, yogurt, granola, bagels and cream cheese, muffins, breads, and cereal. We also offer gluten-free options and almond milk. Come see why so many of our guests return year after year.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
This summary was created by AI, based on recent reviews.
Powered by AI
Nestled in a picturesque setting, the Clearwater Lakeshore Motel is lauded for its scenic charm, featuring inviting outdoor spaces and spotless rooms, though some guests suggest updates could enhance the experience. The breathtaking lake views from the rooms are a highlight, despite occasional size and maintenance comments. A commitment to cleanliness is evident throughout, including a pristine beach area.
While the amenities, such as bonfires, breakfast, and water activities, are often praised, concerns over Wi-Fi and pool temperatures persist. Despite debates over value, the warm service and enjoyable amenities like evening campfires contribute to a memorable stay.
Atmosphere
Scenic
Rooms
Comfortable
Value
Reasonable
Cleanliness
Meticulous
Service
Friendly
Amenities
Satisfactory
Was this helpful?
Tripadvisor is not responsible for this summary or the opinions in it. For more information, please read the traveller reviews and learn more about how the site works.
Our room was neat and clean. The staff was friendly and accommodating. We arrived early and our room wasn't ready but they called my cellphone when it was. The room is a very nice size! And updated. It looks just like the picture! Bathroom very clean. Sheets very clean. Mattress very clean (i check for those things. Even before the pandemic). The view from the room and balcony was amazing! Their pandemic practices were orderly and in place. They supplied us with a paper bag breakfast to sub for continental breakfast and limit contact. They have hand sanitizer throughout the property and sign with directions and safety practice reminders. Also a text concierge to limit contact. We really enjoyed ourselves. We stayed in the room mostly except for quick walks on the beach but I saw people on the paddle boards and out at the bonfires and grills. Very peaceful property with great features and updates. We'll be back!
Read more
Date of stay: August 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We spent two nights at Clearwater Lakeshore Motel during the week of Labor Day. The property was sold out both nights we were here so they are definitely doing something right!!
Since we were out and about during most of our stay, when we were in our room we spent our time on the balcony that overlooked the water. It was a beautiful view with the Mackinac Bridge not too far off. In the evening, customers can use the chairs and fire pits on the beach, and motel staff comes by and delivers firewood and all the fixins for smores!! What a great touch! The Friday night of our stay we were even treated to a wonderful fireworks display from the City of Mackinaw City. A hot breakfast is offered, too, featuring eggs, biscuits and gravy, make your own waffles, and pastries, cereals, and juices.
There are no elevators in any of the buildings, so if you have issues with stairs or lots of luggage, I would suggest requesting a ground floor room. This location is probably just a bit too far to walk into Mackinaw City, but it is an easy 1.5 mile drive into town.
Read more
Date of stay: September 2021
Value
Rooms
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
A lot to digest? Read an AI-generated summary of recent traveller reviews.
My husband and I came up for our 2nd wedding anniversary and were blown away with how friendly the staff were. The room was very clean and comfortable as well. We never asked for our room to be cleaned, but the staff came in everyday to clean and resupply us towles/wash clothes which was wonderful! The hotel has a very strict no smoking policy and someone decided to break that to smoke Marijuana in their room while we were there. My husband went back to the room while we were enjoying campfires and s'mores that the staff provides and noticed the smell. The staff was graciously on point with finding out who it was and provided us a different room in another building to get away from the smell as I am 21 weeks pregnant. Not only did they move us, but they upgraded our room to a King Jacuzzi free of charge. This was above and beyond for the staff to help us out. We are very grateful and thankful for the staff's quick response on handling the situation. This is the best hotel we have ever stayed in for as much traveling as we do. We will recommend the place to everyone we know and will definitely be back here!
Read more
Date of stay: May 2021Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
A quaint beachside hotel that offers nightly bonfires and a view of Mackinaw Bridge.
On the positive side: the hotel is right on the beach, and while you can't exactly walk from your room to the beach, the patio door has a nice view of the lake and Mackinaw Bridge. There are three beachside houses, and five rooms per house, and each house has its own fire can, BBQ grill, and chairs on the beach; the staff lights a bonfire for you every night and they provide free s'more supplies at the office.
On the negative side: the smoke from the bonfire seeps into the hotel rooms, even with the patio door completely shut. It's not thick but it's noticeable. The bathroom is a little old. The water smells a little rusty so even though they have a coffee maker in the room, I didn't risk drinking the water. The toilet was a little crooked. Their bathrooms would really benefit from a minor renovation.
It seems like the bonfire is the big draw for this hotel, compensating for the oldness of the room, so the price is fair. As of this review (10/6/2021), we paid $150 for a room with a king size bed and a twin bed. My brother and I came here for a family trip and, since I lost the coin toss, I got the twin. At best, it's built for a child because I slept with my knees bent the entire night. It's rickety and the metal squeaks all night long.
The hotel staff is nice and they offer a complimentary breakfast. Breakfast items include a waffle maker, coffee, tea, dark chocolate packets, yogurt, a tray of scrambled eggs, and another tray of biscuits and gravy. The breakfast room isn't very large so you might want to just take your breakfast to your room or, if it's warm enough, enjoy it on the beach.
Read more
Date of stay: September 2021
Rooms
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nice motel with a beautiful lake side balcony views. Price is right for the accomodations with include comfortable and clean rooms, pool, breakfast, and nightly bonfires and smores on the private beach. Ralston is very friendly and attentive. Location is close to downtown but not congested (less than 5 min drive). Look no further, this is the perfect place to stay when traveling to Mackinaw City/Mackinac Island!
Read more
Date of stay: June 2021Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This was our 2nd time staying here! The staff is so friendly and helpful, not to mention awesome for putting on bonfires with smores!! I love that each room has a balcony, it’s like a little slice of paradise away from the hustle and bustle of Mackinaw City. The rooms are updated and extremely clean! There are plenty of towels and the bed is actually really comfortable! We LOVE staying here! My favorite part of this motel is that they use actual keys and not the basic white cards. It adds a sense of safety for me. I made my reservation in February for our trip in May. Glad I did because it seemed like this was the only place that had their “no vacancy” sign on. We will continue to stay at the Clearwater Lakeshore Motel anytime we are in town!
Read more
Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: May 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
It was lovely! It's located right (3/4 mile-ish0outside Mackinac City ON THE WATER. It's the nicest of the ones you'll see in that area - by far! Lovely!! Very friendly staff. It's a different set up with individual buildings with several units in each building so it was clean, quiet and comfortable. You'll have to pay for the breakfast (we bring ours so I didn't), but I would do that vs. fighting a crowd. I delayed this trip to the UP and Mackinac b/c it's pricey, but this place is well worth it! Fire pits at night on the sand, gorgeous view of Mackinac bridge. Sheplers shuttle will pick you up and take you to the ferry if you want that part of the trip.
Read more
Date of stay: July 2021
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip:Ask for a water view so you get lake front - you're just a few feet from the water.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
As we arrived on site we immediately noticed how well maintained the property was with the beautiful full mature hydrangeas Lining the gardens it was very welcoming. The room was very clean and overlooked the lake, bridge and island. The cherry on top was the awesome beachfront with camp fires and s’mores. Rausten, the maintenance gentleman was incredible friendly and accommodating. It is very evident he has a lot pride with his involvement and contributions to the property. We would defiantly recommend to stay here and will be back.
Read more
Date of stay: August 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I am 50 y/o and retired from the USAF. I traveled from Texas to MI to visit my cousin so we could see Mackinaw island. We checked in on Tuesday 8 Sep and checked out Saturday 12 Sep. The property is nice on the outside and lake view is spectacular. There are also fire pits at night with free s’mores (although the marshmallows were super flat so bring your own supplies). Shout out to the guy starting/tending the fire each night (he’s on his game). All the employees were friendly.
The hotel is fairly old but the room was clean and large. The key to get into the door was a pain in the butt every time we had to open the door. Two things that I think are very important in a hotel - the shower and the beds. We had hot water one night of 4 nights. The shower head is tiny without much pressure (then add lukewarm water with that). The night that we actually had hot water was due to calling the front desk and having it “fixed” but the fix lasted one night. Clearwater gave me a 34.00 credit for the inconvenience. The beds are absolutely horrendous (uncomfortable). We went to Walmart and purchased egg crates to put on the beds and that only helped a little bit.
If this is the standard in Mackinaw city then next time I will try St Ignace or just pay a higher price to stay on the island.
Read more
Date of stay: September 2020
Value
Location
Service
Room Tip:Get a room that has a lake view or don’t bother booking at all
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Quaint place to stay, all a bit aging. Appears that there are updates started tho, lots of boxes in lobby. Our room was clean, hallways in the building we stayed in could use wall cleaning. It is on a sand area but large rocks before water so not the best for little ones to enjoy swimming. Loved the staff, especially Ralston! He fixed our tv reception late at night with a smile. We didn’t use the pool nor hot tub, but it looked very clean. Our room ceiling lighting didn’t all work & the patio door was a bit broken/difficult to open. Location is the farthest edge of the bay before the campground, not really within a short walking distance of downtown “tourist zone” so be prepared to drive in. They did had a hot breakfast, eggs w/cheese mixed in and sausages, biscuits, cold cereals, & breads- but be on time! The door to even get coffee is locked at 9:55.
Read more
Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: July 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello! We do not have washers and dryers here available for guests' use. There is a laundromat here in Mackinaw City called Tip of Da Mitt. It's about 2.5 miles from our location.
There are more places to choose from in the Mackinaw City area.
PRICE RANGE
AU$174 - AU$348 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
clearwater lakeshore hotel mackinaw city
LOCATION
United StatesMichiganCheboygan CountyMackinaw City
NUMBER OF ROOMS
40
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect total costs of the stay, including all taxes and fees known to our partners. Please see our partners for more details.
Is This Your Tripadvisor Listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
