Empire Lakeshore Inn - Empire,
Empire Lakeshore Inn – Gateway for Dog Owners Visiting Empire, MI
While not a traditional dog park, Empire Lakeshore Inn offers pet owners a convenient place to stay near the heart of Empire, MI, just minutes from local dog-friendly hiking trails and pet-friendly spots such as the Empire Bluff Trail and Sleeping Bear Dunes. The inn’s clean, air-conditioned rooms, and free WiFi make it an ideal home base for exploring the outdoors with your furry companion. As a pet-friendly accommodation close to the beach and several park offices, it’s easy to access dog-friendly adventures right from your doorstep.
Empire Lakeshore Inn stands out for its walkable access to local restaurants, beaches, and scenic trails perfect for active dog owners. With free parking and a quiet setting, it provides a restful retreat after a day exploring Empire’s pet-friendly outdoors. Be sure to check local leash laws and trail rules, as this location does not have a dedicated onsite dog park but is surrounded by great options for dog owners visiting northern Michigan.
Frequently Asked Questions:
- Where is the best place to park? Free parking is available onsite at Empire Lakeshore Inn, making it easy for guests with dogs to come and go.
- Are there walking or hiking trails connected to the park? While there is not a dedicated dog park onsite, the Empire Bluff Trail and other dog-friendly trails are just minutes away, perfect for pet-friendly hiking adventures.
- Are there pet-friendly cafes or stores close to the park? Yes, the inn is within walking distance to restaurants, bars, and local businesses in Empire, many of which are pet-friendly.
Reviews
Very nice and clean. Good coffee and easy check in. It’s nice to have a key instead of a card to lock the door. No elevator. Walking distance to restaurants and 🍸 bars.
Great spot to stay when visiting the area. It’s only a few minutes away from the beautiful empire bluff trail. The rooms were clean and the service good – my phone call was promptly answered at 6 PM ahead of a late check-in. Other things worth noting are that the beds are very firm and water pressure in the bathrooms is high (both of which are pluses in my book).
This is the first time I’ve ever left a negative review, but the way we were treated here is simply unacceptable. What’s even more surprising is how this place has so many positive reviews — something I genuinely don’t understand after our experience.
My mother and I arrived on Saturday evening. A lady kindly welcomed us and informed us that our room was in a separate building. She gave us directions, and I asked if I needed to take my car to get there. Once we arrived at the room, we just dropped off our luggage and went out for dinner without paying too much attention to the space.
Later that evening, we noticed the floor was not clean, there were used shampoo and shower gel bottles left in the shower, and when we went to get into bed, one of the beds was clearly not changed — it was wrinkled and had hair in it.
I called to report the issue and explained that I doubted the room had been properly cleaned. The woman on the phone told me I was lying and insisted the room had been checked three times. When I asked how that was possible given what we found, she responded by accusing me of not being happy just because we were in the other building — and then she hung up on me. I tried to call back but couldn’t get through.
I truly don’t understand how our experience was so negative at a place with such high ratings. I felt it was important to share this because the way the situation was handled — especially refusing to even come and look at the room — was completely unacceptable. Why would we make this up if this wasn’t genuinely what we experienced?
Nice rooms within walking distance to the beach. Some of the rooms could use a little work, in our room the bathroom door would stick a little. Great spot if you’re looking for a quiet, relaxing weekend.
We stayed at the inn two weeks ago and had a very positive experience. The desk clerk (who we came to realize was the owner) was very friendly and welcoming. He gave us quite a bit of helpful information about the area, including a recommendation for a really wonderful breakfast spot in a nearby town. We stayed in the newer section of the inn which is conveniently located next to the Sleeping Bear Dunes park office. Our room was very clean, the beds were comfortable and the room was quiet. We were happy with our stay there and will stay there again if we are in the area.