The Harbor Grand Hotel

When lighting struck the roof of a beloved Lake Michigan retreat, our design team moved quickly to support our long standing clients and bring their family’s lakeside property back to life.

This 50-room hotel, with low-key charm and Prairie Style roots, has been a cherished destination for Chicagoans and loyal guests across the Midwest for nearly two decades. Our focus was to preserve the location’s charm and emotional connection with the community, while re-envisioning the entire hotel in a fresh, modern way.

Intentionally not thematic, our inspiration pulls upon diverse sources, from Frank Lloyd Wright’s prairie and Japanese influences to Scandinavian and Midwestern lake life simplicity. Every moment is infused with a casual luxury and is considered with the year-round comfort of the hotel team and guests in mind. The design reflects and respects this intimate place – a hotel on a bluff – overlooking the harbor.

We worked from the outside in and transformed the building with a bold new facade. Embracing the tenets of Prairie Style architecture, we elevated the welcome with a wide, wood clad front porch anchored by flickering gas lanterns. The inviting flicker of fire plays a major role throughout the property, from the very first moment of arrival to an evening of s’mores on the restaurant’s terrace or an intimate nightcap in the privacy of your room. Each guest room is warm and enveloping, providing a respite on long days at the beach or a cozy escape on a snowy weekend.

Over 12-months, through an unprecedented pandemic and a time of personal crisis for our clients, this hotel was not simply rebuilt, but re-envisioned. When this property welcomed back its team and guests in January 2021, it did so as the lakeside-luxury gem our clients always dreamed of.

Design: Curioso
Architect: Chipman Design Architecture
Contractor: Rockford Construction
Photography: Daniel Kelleghan