ALLEGAN COUNTY, MI – Visitors looking for the cozier side of a beach vacation can find solace at a newly renovated bed and breakfast in the woods.
The Forest Inn is nestled among the trees, yet just a three-minute walk from Douglas Beach Park on Lake Michigan.
“What makes us special is that we’re a little off the beaten path,” said owner Tracy Lanning.
Located at 938 Center St., Douglas, the bed and breakfast is in a quieter area of the popular lakeside town.
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The main house features six suites and several common areas, including a wraparound porch, large kitchen, fireplace and swimming pool.
The main house requires guests to be 18 years or older while the private cottage is open to families with children. The cottage is a private two-bedroom, one-bathroom getaway.
Each room at the Forest Inn has been completely renovated and is inspired by the forest history of the original owner who built the house in 1904.
Tracy and her husband Eric have renovated more than 20 historic homes, mostly in the Grand Rapids area. The couple moved to the Saugatuck-Douglas area a few years ago and kept their eyes open for another renovation opportunity.
The Lannings were invited to the ancient Sherwood Forest 15 years ago and were immediately intrigued by the story.
The home’s historic features, right up to its construction date, were similar to the couple’s favorite renovation at Heritage Hill in Grand Rapid.
“All the work that had been preserved or needed to be preserved was immediately resonant with us,” Lanning said. “We felt like we had to take on this challenge and that it was something we were capable of doing.”
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The house was originally the private residence of builder George Kurtz. After researching Kurtz at the Saugatuck-Douglas History Center, Eric Lanning discovered that Kurtz used the residence as a model home to showcase his craftsmanship to wealthy clients looking for lake homes.
To match Kurtz’s style, the Lannings sourced custom millwork to match the original work and purchased specific flooring to fill in patches, extensions and repairs during the renovation to honor a home “built with a lot of love.”
The Lannings also brought expertise and resources from other renovations.
In the main living room, they created a fireplace from bricks salvaged from another property. They kept the bay window that once stood on the fireplace wall and used it in another room of the house.
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After nine months of demolition and renovation, the house was reopened as the Forest Inn at the end of May.
This historic home has been a bed and breakfast since 1990, run by former owners Keith and Sue Charak.
Continuing their tradition of hospitality while restoring the home for future generations has been an honor, said Tracy Lanning.
During its first month of operation, the Forest Inn welcomed guests from Detroit and Chicago as well as international travelers from Germany and Korea.
Every morning, Eric Lanning prepares breakfast and guests are invited to sit at the 10-foot kitchen island to chat and eat together.
Every Friday and Saturday night, the couple lights a bonfire in the backyard and encourages guests to mingle.
Recently, guests from Korea were treated to a campfire s’mores tutorial, with Lannings and other guests telling them they’d only seen s’mores in movies and were excited to have an American campfire experience.
“Seeing people from all over the world connect and have experiences like this is so awesome,” Eric Lanning said.
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Looking for other things to do along Michigan’s Great Lakes? Check out MLive’s Lakeshore Travel Series.
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