Our History
Lake View Hotel, in the heart of the historic village, is the oldest continuously operated hotel on Mackinac Island. Built by Reuben Chapman in 1858, the hotel was originally known as Lake View House and for more than a century was operated by Chapman family members. In 1880, Chapman's daughter, Jeannie, and son-in-law, Claude C. Cable, purchased the structure and later changed the name to Lake View Hotel. In the 1890's, as Mackinac Island became a midwestern tourist mecca, the hotel was enlarged and the two large towers were added.
In 1964, Harry Ryba, who made the island famous for its fabulous fudge, purchased the hotel from Chapman's grandson. The restaurant and bar were built in 1969 and expanded in 1975. In 1983, Ryba embarked on the Lake View's largest reconstruction project yet with a complete renovation and expansion of the building. The three year project resulted in 38 new guest rooms for a total of 85, banquet and conference facilities, two restaurants, and an impressive four-story atrium featuring the island's only indoor heated swimming pool. Additional renovations and redecoration projects were recently completed to keep pace with the needs of today's guests.
Since cars are not permitted on the island, visitors here enjoy a peaceful, relaxing step back in time. The Lake View Hotel captures much of the past with its Victorian-style atmosphere and nineteenth-century vernacular resort architecture, including a modified hipped roof accenting an open, wood-columned porch and a raised basement. Three specialty shops are located on site, including Mackinac Island Bike Shop, Sanders and Mackinac Outfitters. From banquets to business meetings, Lake View Hotel accommodates a variety of social and corporate events, and several grades of guest rooms are available in both Modified American and European plans.