The Vault Hotel

Beautiful hotel. We love it! Everything is custom made. Sara was so kind and welcoming. She explained where to go and what to do. The exclusive cocktail bar is also very nice and the cocktails are very good. We hope to go back soon.

This is a very unique hotel. We found it on a blog someone wrote about a trip to the UP of Michigan and decided to give it a try. Our room was extremely nice - very large with a comfortable bed and really nice bathroom. It is very non-traditional in that there is no "front desk' in the lobby. When checking in, you hit a buzzer which alerts the staff to meet you at the secured front entrance. The staff are out of sight which makes the lobby area a very welcoming place where you can gather with others or sit at a large table and have a cup of coffee or a soda - on the house,

We loved this hotel and would be happy to return. We had the ADA room and the walk-in shower's grab bars were so attractive (matte black on white tile). you hardly realized that they were safety features. Our room was large and comfortable. I would say that like most hotels, The Vault is short staffed but there always seemed to be someone incredibly helpful closeby. We had requested a bench for the shower and they went out of their way to make sure we had that. Parking is across the street and free. Snacks and drinks are available gratis all day, and the breakfast included quiche as well as tasty cold items. For us, The Vault just felt good.

Several of our friends have stayed here and had good reviews so we decided to try it out ourselves. Entire hotel is VERY clean and the room layout was good. Bed/pillows were super-comfy, both my wife and I initially thought the bed was going to be on the soft side but in the morning my wife said it was the most comfortable bed she's ever slept in. I agreed. Front desk layout is a little odd, when you initially check in you're in a vestibule with a couple of locked doors. Eventually I figured I had to pick up the phone to call the front desk to let me in, but by that time they heard me rattling the door and were on their way anyway. Rest of the check-in process was fine, and the front desk even called the Police department to verify our parking situation (vehicle with a JetSki trailer that was too long for a parking space) was okay. The real highlight of the stay, though, was their private bar downstairs, The Counting Room. We walked in and it was curious, a few small seating areas and not too many people as it's not open to the public. The bartender, Grant, handed us some menus and that's when the real fun began: lots of variations on classic drinks but with really innovative twists. Like, how about a Manhattan but instead of sweet vermouth, substitute a combination of dry vermouth and an amaro? Drinks featuring Lillet Blanc, Genepy, all types of fun ingredients. Drink presentation was excellent and even the drink presentation was well-rehearsed, not flashy but sublime entertainment. Good stuff!

I really want to inform people before wasting their money and booking this less than mediocre hotel. I travel for work all the time, I always try to research and find nice hotels to make my time away from home more comfortable. I thought this hotel will be comfortable and clean based on some of the reviews, but it was a big disappointment and waste of money. Do not expect much for the rate that you pay at this hotel because the service is at 3 stars the best. The rooms are dirty and they do not get cleaned between guests. I found tons of hair on the ground as soon as I walked in. There were pieces of breakfast cereal on the ground and around the bed. The toilet had stool stains on it, which was absolutely disgusting. There was dust everywhere, the shower was gross, and I spent three days with my shampoo bottle being empty. They had placed bed sheets on the bed before fully dry, so the bed was wet. I escalate the situation, specially after I walked in and saw the dirty toilet, the front desk staff told me that the manger will call you, but I never received any calls, they simply don’t care. You’re better off staying at one of the chain hotels that are at 3-4 stars in Houghton, at least you know exactly what you’re getting for your money, and they will be a lot cleaner.

May be the only Hotel I would stay at in Houghton. It was more than a stay more like an experience. We stayed in the Vault room which was very unique. Greeted nicely when we entered the hotel by the very friendly staff and checked right in. The room was very clean and the bathroom was well appointed. Do not miss the private speak easy in the basement. The bartender was very engaging and keep us entertained. Located right on the towns main street so walking distance to the local restaurants and bars.