Local owners are often more enthused and informative about their lodging location and, in a case like Munising in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, you can save a lot of money staying in a locally owned motel versus a chain hotel.
We originally stayed at the Timber Ridge Motel and Lodge more than a decade ago at the suggestion of friends who stayed there in the past.
The nine-room motel sits in the Hiawatha National Forest about 10 miles from downtown Munising, which is also nice because you're staying off of a busy highway like M-28 and the price is literally 40 to 50 percent less than the prices I saw quoted for chain motels in town ($69 for a two-room suite at Timber Ridge versus as much as $140 for a room at a chain in town during June of 2013).
Not much had changed at the Timber Ridge since we last stayed there during the late 1990s. The small motel retains its 1950s-style cottage feeling, meaning that it isn't fancy, but it's very clean and comfortable.
The small motel and lodge hosts several photography workshops, and its location along a major snowmobile trail makes it ideal for winter sports enthusiasts. The motel is also located only a few miles away from Wagner Falls, which is one of my favorite waterfalls.
One of the best features of the Timber Ridge in our minds was the beautiful view of Hovey Lake we could enjoy from the balcony of our room. One of my friends said it looked like a painting when she saw a photo I took from our balcony, and I think that it's an apt description.
Besides the great view, amenities we especially appreciated included a strong free Wi-Fi signal and the kitchenette with a fridge, microwave, coffee maker and dining table.
We had breakfast at the room several mornings of our most recent stay, but the Buckhorn Restaurant is only a quarter mile away from the Timber Ridge, and there are lots of choices for meals available by making the short drive into Munising.
The owners (the Nolan family) were readily available by phone (they live a few minutes off-site) and quickly solved problems like replacing a burned-out light bulb.
The two-room suite could easily accommodate four people with a queen-sized bed and a queen-sized sofa bed.
There is also a small game room with a pool table and a sauna available to Timber Ridge guests.
Visiting during the summer? Bug repellent is a must as mosquitoes always seem plentiful when we visit Munising at this time of the year. This time around, the bugs didn't seem too interested in us after we applied a little bug spray, so we were able to spend a little time during "happy hours" to enjoy the view from our balcony.
© Dominique King 2013 All rights reserved
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