For both of us, this was our first bed & breakfast stay and we had no idea what to expect. We had seen the King of Queens episode of when they stayed in a bed & breakfast and it made us a bit hesitant on selecting to stay in one! Boy were we wrong though. This place was fantastic to stay in. I was unsure what room to book and where any of them were located, so I chose the Cedar Room. Pulling up to this place, you can already tell that it's going to have that "homey" like setup to it. We checked in a little bit later than expected (you have a 3pm to 6pm window). We walked in through the guest entrance and were greeted and toured around the common area. You get complimentary coffee, pop, cookies and other snacks in the common room kitchen area. The Cedar Room, where we were staying, was right next to the entrance where guests were coming and going every so often. I wasn't aware of that and might not select that room in the future because of the feeling that everyone can hear you that are nearby. Sleeping through the night was a little bit tough too in this room depending on the type of people above you. When people walk above you or use their bathroom, you can clearly hear it. The bed was so comfy though and the privacy shades made it so dark in the room, that we were able to fall back asleep pretty quickly. The breakfast part of this adventure, was absolutely amazing. Phil and Marci really know how to cook and prepare a mean breakfast! The two mornings that we were able to have breakfast, we had some great spreads! Day 1: -Mini blueberry, strawberry, granola, vanilla yogurt parfait -Quiche (egg, green pepper, onion, potato) -Bacon -Very soft bread with herb butter -Orange Juice Day 2: -Watermelon and kiwi fruit cup -Croissant with cherry jam -Quiche (egg, spinach) -Scalloped potatoes -Cherries -Sausage -Orange Juice Talk about a great way to start your day huh? They also had a great brew of coffee going and other k-cups available. It was hard to check out, that was for sure. It was a nice home away from home. Thank you Phil, Marci and team for the hospitality and comfort for a great weekend where we celebrated a friend's wedding! read more

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We loved our stay!! Can't wait to come back! Breakfast was delicious! Room was very clean and cozy!

Perfect for a girls weekend out! Marcie's huge, gourmet breakfast served on the porch overlooking the lake was delicious. Plenty to do for guests with available kayaks, hiking, communal spaces and quick access to Charlevoix. I definitely recommend. read more

The House on the Hill - Lake access with kayaks for guests - Hotels Near Me - Ellsworth, Michigan

Our stay was so nice and peaceful! The room did not disappoint, it was charming, well appointed and immaculate. The fresh baked chocolate chip cookies and pitcher of ice water on the coffee table was a lovely, and delicious, touch. The bed was soft and fluffy with plenty of extra pillows available. A good nights sleep in that bed is pretty much guaranteed. The first morning, the 3 course breakfast consisted of coffee or tea, orange juice, fresh cut fruit, cranberry orange bran muffin (don't let that bran fool you, this was so moist and delicious you would never guess there was bran in it) and blueberry French toast. The next morning breakfast was coffee or tea, orange juice, a fruit and yogurt parfait, a croissant that can't be topped by the best in France, and your choice of egg bites with sausage patties, a savory egg tart with sausage patties, or a Belgian waffle with sausage patties. I chose the waffle and it was perfection! My husband had the egg bites which he loved, since he's a vegetarian I took his sausage. Sitting outside on the porch was beautiful both mornings. The property is lovely and outdoor activities are available. Marci and Phillip were the epitome of gracious hosts. I highly recommend this B & B to anyone traveling in northern MI. It's a quick drive to Charlevoix, Bellaire and Mackinac is less than 2 hours. Thank you Marci and Phil for a memorable stay, we will be back! read more

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Pros & cons... Beautifully situated home on 50+ acres with 7 clean & well appointed rooms. Rooms in the rear may be quieter as the road stays fairly busy, but if windows are shut you wouldn't notice anyhow. Access to canoes or kayaks at the lakefront across the road. Water is almost crystal clear. Breakfasts were tasty & portions were nice. Probably stunning in winter snow. 15-20 min from Charlevoix, an hour from Harbor Springs. Don't miss the beach at Petosky State Park. You won't be disappointed if that's what you enjoy; for that I could rate it 4 stars. Why 3 stars then? Some b&b owners or keepers have a true gift for hospitality & exude enjoyment of their work. It shows in the details, like small details, joyful interactions with guests, & beautiful landscaping. There's just a feeling... This couple felt a bit distant to me. Maybe it was a hard day, who knows. No bottled water in the room or small kitchen -- in the room a pitcher of water that smelled like lake water. (Other beverages were available though.) Little attention to cleaning or decorating outdoor seating areas. The place could be spectacular if they wanted it to be more. But that's a matter of taste I suppose. Also, the next property over is Dollar General. There was some nonsense over there one night. read more

This is such a cute B&B that is tucked away in Ellsworth. My fiance and I stayed here a few weeks ago and had the pleasure of being a guest here. We were only able to stay for one night (which a lot of B&B's don't offer-when we were looking), due to being busy looking for wedding locations/vendors. But the time that we actually spent here was well worth the 6 hour drive and all the running around. The house sits on a hill, with an amazing view of the lake, in front of the house and in back, the woods and some trails. My fiance also had the opportunity to canoe (1st time!) on the lake and soak in the true beauty that Michigan is. The house provided the canoe and paddleboards, in addition to a full fridge full of drinks (alcohol, water, pop, etc) and some snacks. We stayed in the Cherry Room, which reminded me of what a grandmother's room would look like. And we had our own private bathroom. Breakfast was served 9 AM sharp and we were served a three course meal. The house had about 8 different rooms, I believe it was 5 in the house and three in the back of the house. The house had a beautiful front wrap around porch, with plenty of side tables/chairs that overlook the lake. The only bad thing about the porch was the bees...but the house is surrounded by beautiful flowers...so where there's flowers, there are bees. We can't wait to go back up north and stay at HH! read more

My boyfriend took me here for my birthday and it was wonderful!! They even gave me a birthday card and little chocolates :) We stayed in the carriage house - which was perfect because we were the only people staying here - total privacy! We even had our own fireplace. Everything you need is here - house is always open for hot tea and coffee. Games and books are here for entertainment. I cannot wait to come back! read more

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found this late in the evening, by accident. Took a chance of the vehicles navigation, drove a little out of our way and was pleasantly surprised. The rooms amenities, decorations, a/c, views from the rear were spectacular. The breakfast was top notch. The only reason a room was available was due to a previous occupant left unexpediately. The owners were very courteous and hospitable. Would definitely stay at again. read more

The House on the Hill was a wonderful B&B for a romantic get-away. The owners were absolutely amazing and gave our stay a very personal touch. Marci even met us outside when we arrived and welcomed us into their home. The breakfast was delicious and served very professionally. The grounds and walking trails were beautiful and the use of kayaks, canoes, and paddle boards, that were included as part of the stay were a much appreciated bonus. The firepit next to the lake and the S'mores package were a big hit, even without the kids!!! :) We will definitely have to plan a return trip. Thank you! read more

Not sure what Susan J was looking for but this was one of the best B&B's I have stayed in over the past 10 years. Inn Keepers have a fine attention to detail for the guests - from wine glasses to a small kitchen area with a stocked frig. of sodas and water - complementary!! Not to mention the warm cookies when we arrived. Nice tiles bathroom with plenty of room. I loved our room - the Maple in the carriage house-with a fireplace. Marci was able to connect us with a great restaurant - The Rowe, for dinner and they also sold us wine at retail - we enjoyed the vast front porch with a nice bottle of Rose before a fantastic dinner at The Rowe. Breakfast was in my book a gourmet meal, croissants with home made jam, fruit with sorbet, poached eggs over wonderful potatoes - very satisfying. When Marci asked about coffee the morning I mentioned that I prefer espresso - which she kindly offered to make for me - that my friends is what staying at a B&B is all about. We are planing to go back soon and stay longer as we were on our way to another location - wish we new earlier about how wonderful this place was - we would have stayed here. If you ever find yourself in this area - stay hereA this is the best of Michigan! And eat at The Rowe!!! read more

This was the first bed and breakfast my husband and I have stayed at. The innkeepers are amazing! We will be back for sure!! We loved the kayaks and paddles boards available, Bon fire and breakfast is incredible. The innkeepers were great suggesting places for us to visit. I would definitely recommend the house on the hill to anyone looking for a relaxing stay! read more

The house was beautiful and hosts were accommodating and our room was nice but for the price we were expecting so much more. The bed was very uncomfortable and thought there'd be more meals than breakfast, rather inconvenient going out for every meal and no activities other than lake or hiking so we were left rather bored. read more

Beautiful, peaceful setting. Large porch with a great view of the lake. The Aspen Room was very comfortable and nicely decorated. We enjoyed kayaking and the proximity to Charlevoix. Breakfast each morning was unique and delicious. Marcie was very hospitable. My wife and I had a great experience here and would definitely come again for another weekend getaway. read more

The house on the hill was by far one of our highlights on our visit to northern Michigan this summer, from the hills and beautiful landscapes while driving from the west coast to Ellsworth to when you arrive and see a beautiful bed and breakfast facing a small but beautiful lake surrounded by hills - it makes you feel like you've left Michigan, especially if you're from the southeast Detroit area. The owners are great people, very friendly and hospitable. We stayed in the carriage house that had windows viewing a beautiful babbling brook and bridge. The breakfast was wonderful, please be sure not to leave prior to it if you can. This is not only a place to rest your body and mind but honestly is great rest for the soul, you will leave there happier and more at peace. Charlevoix is also only a short beautiful 12 min drive from there. If you're around the area you must stay there for the night! read more

It depends what you are looking for in a B&B. There is nothing wrong with this B&B, however, it was not what we expected from a $200/night establishment that advertises gourmet breakfasts and tasteful, elegant rooms. The grounds are lovely with pretty gardens, orioles, hummingbirds, and a bubbling brook as well as a small lake and kayaks. The rooms are color-coordinated but they are decorated with re-sale shop, outdated, or garage-sale accessories. The house itself is a bit run-down and again, decorated with a hodgepodge mix-up of furniture. There is a coffee machine available. A coffee connoisseur would be quite disappointed with the K-Cup Cuisinart and the off-brand coffee. Since everyone has a different idea about how the food should be, I will state the facts since there was nothing wrong with the food. I just had expectations that the breakfast would be a three course gourmet breakfast as mentioned on the website. Last time I checked, the serving size for bananas was a medium banana, not six paper-thin slices. A half-cup serving of strawberries is what the Weight Watchers diet plan suggests but a few pieces of strawberries not even filling a tablespoon measure is a bit under measure. The "second course" ranges from whole wheat banana bread without butter to sourdough bread. The main course is also a disappointment. I don't know what butcher shop can slice bacon as thin as a sheet of paper, but she managed to find one. The egg casseroles, sometimes with green chilli peppers in it or sometimes with chunks of zucchini squash were cut into small squares. No "second helpings" were offered. Being a gourmet cook myself, I did not feel that this was truly "gourmet". In fact, it was just made-up recipes that sounded gourmet that tasted rather bland. Some of the combinations of foods were unappetizing. I don't think that coffee needs to be a part of a breakfast food. The effort spent on coffee/pumpkin/chocolate loaf or coffee-peanut butter could have been put into buying a bag of good coffee and making it in a French press (but again, not that type of place). Three days of tiny breakfasts were kind of surprising. Although the food was ok, the scrambled eggs with boursin cheese and chives did not taste very good, mostly because they were served almost cold. If you want to stay on your diet and have a Weight-Watcher approved meal, you could eat two of the breakfasts and still have lots of points left!! :-) If you are looking for fluffy waffles and syrup, homemade French toast, a big cheesy breakfast casserole, pecan rolls, or good old-fashioned pancakes, you will have to go elsewhere!! Overall, for what we spent, we were not thrilled with this place, especially since I didn't figure on needing lunch, but we did for the three mornings. We were never offered a second helping of anything but honestly, I probably would have said "no" anyway, since nothing was very good except for a butter made with garlic scapes. It had a fresh flavor without the bite of regular garlic bulbs. read more

Some of our guest stayed here during our fall wedding because they could walk to the B and B from A Matter of Taste @Tapawingo! They did not realize that they were going to have a gourmet 3 course breakfast by Chef Marci, beautiful property with trails for walking, use of the paddle boards, dock, beach, etc! Highly recommend The House on The Hill! read more