Birchmont Motel

This place has a lot going for it. A lake view, nice-​sized rooms, comfy beds, porch/​balcony overlooking the lake… but it needs a lot of work to live up to its potential. The furnishings are very dated, which itself isn’t a huge problem, since they don’t seem overworn, but some features of the room just don’t work. One burner on the stove was taken completely out, and the other barely gets warm – took me 15 minutes to scramble eggs. They do supply a hot plate, but it’s hard to find a convenient place to set it up. The shower runs out of hot water quickly. The switch for an overhead lamp sparks when you click it. I don’t know if other rooms have these problems, but it’s hard to believe no other room would have some similar issues. Not a terrible place, but not one I’ll return to unless I hear some major renovations have occurred.

This is my first time in the central UP — I chose Marquette on a whim, really. I also began looking for hotels a few days before my arrival. Birchmont got good reviews on Trip Advisor (⁴⁄₅), so I went for it.
When I called to make a reservation I was told they had ONE single/​full bed room left for the dates of my trip. Unfortunately the smaller rooms don’t seem to have a fridge or microwave. I decided that the $ 30/​day difference between the single room and the double room (which had the fridge/​microwave) was definitely something I could live with!
The motel is REALLY outdated (very ‘60s/​70s) and the walls are extremely thin. You’ll hear road noise (US-​41) all through the night and whatever sounds your neighbors make (entire conversations, flatulence, lol…) Light sleepers beware.
Little did I know what a TEENY tiny room the single is! It really is fit for only one person, but you could probably hack it with two people if you don’t bring a lot of «stuff.» There’s a little more than 1′ of space to walk around the full-​sized bed, and about 3′ of space at the end of the bed. There’s a desk with a non-​functioning drawer and a small TV screen. Much of the closet is taken up by a water heater. The bathroom is also small, and the very small shower head comes to about my chin (I’m 5’9″). If you’re taller than 5′, you’ll have to do some Limbo to get your head wet! They provide you with a few plastic cups, 3 little hand soaps, 3 large-​sized towels, 3 washcloths, and a towel for the floor. So, bring your toiletries and necessities: soap, shampoo, a hair dryer.
Depending on the rooms, you will either have a balcony or a porch area, both with furniture. (My window had several dead bugs in the crevices, as did the bathroom lamp… ehhh.) The rooms have heat and AC units. The internet goes in and out, but is free. The cable sometimes scrambles, but is also free. They have both a trash and recycling bin in the rooms. They have a heated pool (open until 9), a few kiddie playthings, some grills, a Coke machine on premises, and free breakfast in the morning. The staff is really friendly and seem resourceful.
Despite US-​41 between the hotel and the lake, it’s a nice view. You can easily run across US-​41 and take advantage of the bike trail. It’s also a convenient way to get into downtown Marquette. There are some nice beaches and parks that way!
You get what you pay for, y’know?

This place is not swanky or posh but don’t forget, it does say «motel» in the name. Having said that, you can’t argue with a beautiful view of the lake from your room window for about $ 65 (which is what we paid for the room with a queen-​sized bed). And that includes a kitchenette, mini-​fridge, microwave, a/​c/​, and wi-​fi (am writing from the motel room right now!). The Econolodge next door wanted to charge me for at least $ 91 for the same view but they only had wi-​fi in their lobby… huh??? Needless to say, so glad we came here!