The Sherwood Forest Bed and Breakfast is located in Saugatuck, Michigan, right next to Lake Michigan. The property has many mentionable attributes that have helped provide memorable experiences for guests. Perhaps the most unique feature of the bed and breakfast is the six rooms that the guests of the property are able to rent out. All six of them are themed according to a different country or culture, containing authentic decorations and antiques pertinent to the place or theme that the room is meant to portray. The staff, led by the co-owner Noelene, strive to keep the property clean and up to date and try their best to make every visitor's stay as unique and memorable as it can be.
The Sherwood Forest Bed and Breakfast consists of seven different guest accommodations. Six of these are rooms inside of the main house, and the seventh is a separate cottage located just outside; all of these are available for guests to rent out and stay in. Additionally, each of the six rooms inside the main house is themed in a distinct way, providing a unique feature to the bed and breakfast in general. These themes are based on different countries and cultures that the owner Noelene has been to. The names of the six units and their attached country or culture it tries to emulate are the Safari Suite, the Log Cabin Suite, the Moroccan Suite, the Parisian Room, the Tree Tops Room, and the Rose Room.
Each guest accommodation can fit up to two people and includes a private bathroom and a queen-size bed. Because each room is based on a different country or culture, they have distinct decorations that are geared towards the specific area that the room claims to be a part of. The most popular suite in the past has been the Safari Suite, though the Moroccan Suite is relatively new, and many guests have enjoyed that room since it has been available. The Safari Suite is also the favorite unit of one of the owners, Noelene. She loves this room more than any other because she is originally from South Africa.
For those who want to stay at the property but who have more than just two people in their group, the cottage is recommended for their stay. This larger guest accommodation is designed for intimate groups or families who are looking for a place to stay. The cottage consists of 1400 square feet, boasting two bedrooms and several other living spaces. Two bathrooms are also inside, one being a half bath. Some of the building's amenities include a TV monitor and DVD player, air conditioning that guests can control, a full kitchen, and a washer and dryer. There is a deck with a gas barbecue and a gas fireplace inside. The cottage can sleep up to 5 people and is a pet-friendly guest accommodation.
Breakfast is provided for all of those who stay inside the main house, but not for those staying in the cottage. The breakfast can be described as a full English breakfast, usually consisting of granola with fresh fruit and baked goods, followed by a hot entre afterward. This main dish typically flips from something savory and egg-based like an omelet to something sweet, such as French toast. Noelene is a French-trained chef by trade, so she prides herself in making a satisfactory breakfast. The breakfast also accommodates any dietary needs, including gluten-free, lactose intolerant, vegan, and many others.
There is a wraparound porch on the main house that many guests have chosen to relax on as they observe the trees surrounding the property or as they read a book. There is also a pool that guests are free to use and relax at if they choose. Besides the pool, the general area surrounding the bed and breakfast is forested. The property is tucked relatively in the center of a forest, giving it and the guests staying there a somewhat secluded feel. Half of a block away is the nearby lake, Lake Michigan. There are eight parking spots for the guests to use and a small garden in front of the property. Bicycles are available for guests to use so that they can take in the various sights as they make their way to the lake or to the city that is close by.
Noelene, one of the Sherwood Forest Bed and Breakfast owners, describes the hopes of the staff at the property as wanting every guest to "come and travel with us." The management hopes that every guest who chooses to stay at their property is able to escape from the business and stress of everyday life. They want them to instead have a journey with them by experiencing the area around the bed and breakfast and by relaxing on the property. Every room is decorated to fit the theme and country that it is trying to portray. Each room's decorations are authentic, actually having come from the location that the room is emulating. Many guests have appreciated the authenticity and uniqueness of these rooms, and the staff hopes that as the guests stay in their rooms, they will be able to experience a real piece of that country.
Those who work at Sherwood Forest Bed and Breakfast desire to have their guests feel relaxed and be able to "switch off" from everyday busy work. Upon arrival, visitors are given a welcome drink and sit down with the owners, who show them a map of places to eat and visit that they would recommend. Guests are also given a travel guide with stores, activities, and restaurants, and more. The staff hopes to take off as much responsibility from the visitor's shoulders as possible, so they do what they can to help them plan their trip.
In order to help their visitors to take a break from social media and the world, Sherwood Forest Bed and Breakfast has no televisions inside of the units or the main house. The staff has chosen to do this with hopes that their guests will instead be able to reconnect with each other. Noelene tells how she tries to lead by example in this effort as she very much enjoys meeting new people, especially her guests. She strives to show them good customer service and describes serving her guests as her favorite part of her job. Furthermore, Noelene says that she wants her guests to feel "relaxed, rejuvenated, and revived." She lives on-site, so she is able to interact with guests frequently and help them with any of their needs or concerns if they have any.
It should be noted that pets are not allowed in the main house so as to keep those with allergies from having a more difficult experience. Pets are, however, allowed inside of the cottage. So any guests who desire to bring a four-legged friend are able to do so if they rent out that specific guest accommodation.
Guests who visit this bed and breakfast vary from all ages, but the typical demographic of those who visit is now younger. Many couples have come in the past with hopes to find a place to relax and reconnect with each other and with their appreciation for the world. Many of these patrons and the other guests who visit the Sherwood Forest Bed and Breakfast have left reviews about the quality of the food they were given, the friendliness of the owners and the staff members they interacted with, and the atmosphere of cleanliness of the property. One guest wrote that "The food was really great. Each breakfast was different yet equally impressive. You can tell they take pride in what they make. The innkeepers were amazing hosts. They have excellent recommendations and really made the stay." Another guest who stayed at the property mentioned in a review, "we stayed in the Log Cabin Suite. The room was spacious, cozy, and very clean. The bathroom was very roomy as well, and the jacuzzi was perfect. Breakfast was delicious, and the hosts were kind and welcoming."
The Sherwood Forest Bed and Breakfast has been in the lodging industry for nearly thirty years now. Noelene, the current owner of the property, has owned the property for just over eight years now and talks about how much she has enjoyed the experience. Noelene initially visited the area for a celebration with a friend but quickly fell in love with the town. She tells how she loved the feelings she felt being there and that she enjoyed how personable the town folk were. Because of these feelings, Noelene thought it would be really nice to own a bed and breakfast in the area, and soon afterward purchased the property she currently runs.
The building was first built sometime between 1904 and 1911 and has had a few different purposes. Before it served as a bed and breakfast, the property was a pharmacist home in the city, and then it was a dentist building. Some of the original woodwork of the building is still inside, and there are two rather large windows that overlook the surrounding forest that have been in the building for just as long.
No structural changes have been made to the building, but the owners have made a variety of cosmetic changes, especially to their unique rooms. Their most recent plan to change up the property is to finish their Moroccan room. They feel that the guests will enjoy that room even more once everything has been completed. After they finish that room, they plan to update their cottage a bit, making it a bit more modernized with some more advanced conveniences. They will later update their Rose Room, possibly changing it to another theme.
938 Center Street
Saugatuck, Michigan 49453
United States
Bed and Breakfast
David, Jim, & Noelene
