Ludington House Bed and Breakfast is a Queen Anne Victorian house in Ludington, Michigan. Eight distinctly-themed guestrooms with queen beds are available for travelers, including two premium suites with fireplaces, jetted tubs, and walk-in showers. All rooms are located on the second and third floors of the house, while the first floor is designated for the common spaces, namely the parlor and the breakfast room. The home also has a front porch and a back patio with a fire table and room for six guests. Guests mostly book a romantic getaway or a relaxing vacation, but the owners are also open to renting the spaces for events such as business meetings, retreats or seminars, and even elopements. There is "natural beauty" to enjoy; Lake Michigan and its beaches, Hamlin Lake, the State Park’s woodlands, and dunes. The town offers shops, galleries, restaurants of quite a variety, frequent live music venues, historical museums and architecture, and farmer’s markets. Just outside of town, there are golf courses, wineries, and orchards.
Ludington House Bed and Breakfast is a Queen Anne Victorian house in an urban part of Ludington, Michigan, with eight guestrooms on its second and third floors. Innkeeper Ellen Alderink explains that each room has a distinct style and personality. For instance, the Wicker Room has a beach theme with softer greens and blues; the Blue Room is decorated with light blue walls and bedspreads; and the Rose Room has a custom-painted, triple canvas of roses over the
mahogany-stained sleigh bed. Ellen also says that the most popular rooms are the Master Suite and the Nautical Suite, the bed and breakfast's two premium suites. These are outfitted with fireplaces, jetted tubs, and walk-in showers. All accommodations come with queen-size beds. Wicker Room has two beds for a maximum occupancy of four people. While the rooms differ slightly in the specific themes they display and their features, they all offer air conditioning, desktop fans, Wi-Fi, hair dryers, personal grooming amenities, bathrobes, and coffee makers with supplies and chocolates.
The first floor of Ludington House Bed and Breakfast is for shared spaces: the parlor and the breakfast room. Within the breakfast room is a small boutique that sells items such as bow ties, mugs, locally-sourced syrups and maple sugar, locally-made bar soap, and Christmas ornaments. Ellen says the home's interior is furnished with mostly vintage-style but [not] original furniture from "back in the day," although some antiques are spread throughout the house. Some rooms, such as the Wicker Room
and Nautical Suite, aren’t Victorian at all; the furniture is from today’s
era. The front porch has a seating area for two people, and a patio in the back offers a fire table with enough room for six visitors. Guests can play board games and read indoors or at the fire table, which Ellen describes as being "like a bonfire, but a little more intimate."
A two-course breakfast is served with three seating
options: 7:15 a.m. for ferry passengers, 8:30 a.m., and 9:30 a.m. Visitors can choose which time they would like to eat. Breakfast at Ludington House Bed and Breakfast begins with a fruit dish, then the main dish, which may include options such as french toast, a quiche, or souffle, with bacon or sausage on the side. Options for special diets are also available.
Ellen says Ludington is a city "abundant" with artists and musicians. As such, visitors are
likely to experience several artistic or musical events and sites if they
are looking for them. Ludington State Park is also a common attraction that offers people an alternative outdoor experience. Ellen mentions two lighthouses in the area: Ludington North Breakwater Light and Big Stable Point Lighthouse. She continues, saying people can visit the beach at Lake Michigan, utilize the 20 miles of walking trails, and go shopping downtown. Ludington is also a place where people can fish, play golf or disc golf, and visit historically significant areas throughout the city. In her opinion, many restaurants in the area are recommendable; three of these are Table 14, The Blu Moon Bistro, and Ludington Bay Brewing Company. Ellen adds that she recommends other options to visitors depending on their personal tastes or cravings.
Ellen, a Ludington House Bed and Breakfast innkeeper, wishes for her visitors to feel relaxed and rejuvenated during their stay. She explains that her bed and breakfast is a "place for a getaway" that receives, among other people, many newlyweds and young parents needing a little “just us” time. Typically, guests book a romantic
getaway or a relaxing vacation, but Ellen and her husband, Bob, allow guests to book their property for events such as business meetings, retreats, seminars, and occasional elopements on a "call us and let's work it out" basis.
Ellen ventures that Ludington House Bed and Breakfast's most unique aspects are its breakfast, cookies, and the atmosphere that offers a quiet getaway. She also mentions Bob's truffles, which he makes each February. Visitor reviews seem to reflect these same aspects, with one guest saying, "There were fluffy towels, a curl-up toss, cookies, and tea in the room.…oh, and a robe. We were able to sit in the parlor in the evening for wine and cheese. A late breakfast of mango gratin, quiche, and blueberry muffins was very special. The owners are very attentive." Another former occupant said, "Our hosts, Bob and Ellen, were welcoming and accommodating. We were on the third floor in the Wicker Room, and our room was clean and very comfortable. The location is great, and many attractions are within walking distance. Our breakfast was made from scratch and was a gourmet delight!"
Children over the age of 10 are welcome at Ludington House Bed and Breakfast. However, no animals are allowed, and quiet time after 11:00 p.m. is encouraged each night, although Ellen recalls that most guests naturally respect the house's silent atmosphere. While smoking indoors is not allowed, there is a bench outside for smokers to use for cigarette smoking.
Ludington House Bed and Breakfast is open year-round. Its busiest season is usually during the summer months, though Ellen says the fall also brings many visitors because of the colors. Most of her visitors consist of couples from their 30s to 70s, and many of them have visited repeatedly.
The house that currently operates as Ludington House Bed and Breakfast was originally built in 1878, shortly after the city of Ludington was established. The home was built by Antoine and Eliza Cartier, who were part of Ludington’s lumber business for many years. Ellen, a current co-owner, says that the Cartiers were "heavily involved" in Ludington; Eliza was a school teacher and had eight children to tend to. Antoine
owned several lumber mills over time and was involved in many
other entities related to the operations of the mills, such as the car
ferries, trains, banks, real estate, general stores, and local politics. The Cartiers owned the house for about two generations until one of their sons sold it to another family following Antoine and Eliza's passing. The house's subsequent owners were in possession from the 1930s to the 1970s. A few
others owned the house for short periods. Then it stood empty for a few years before being converted into a bed and breakfast. Bill and Patti Cunningham were the first people to operate the bed and breakfast, and Ellen says that they began renovating the property in 1987.
Ellen and her husband Bob purchased Ludington House Bed and Breakfast in August 2014 and are its fourth owners as it has operated as a bed and breakfast. They were graphic designers for about 30 years before purchasing the property, and Ellen states they were "ready to use [their] hospitality gifts" as they looked for a way to enter the hospitality industry.
Most of the house's changes were made by Bill and Patti Cunningham, such as adding bathrooms to the rooms, restoring
floors, and adding all the necessary furniture. Other innkeepers
worked on the exterior and landscaping. Ellen and Bob have mostly worked on home repair and improvement.
Ellen's favorite part of operating Ludington House Bed and Breakfast is chatting with her guests during breakfast. She says that she is interested in hearing people's stories and knowing what their plans are for the day, although she affirms that she and Bob strive to maintain visitors' privacy and distance whenever preferred to avoid invading their space.
501 East Ludington Avenue
Ludington, Michigan 49431
United States
Victorian
Ellen & Bob Alderink
Bill and Patti Cunningham
