When I got the opportunity to do a travel story at Dexter Hotel, a recently constructed boutique in downtown Elk Rapids, I was intrigued. In fact, I was curious when I saw it being constructed.
My family has made an annual weeklong pilgrimage to a rental cottage in Elk Rapids for nearly every summer of my life. I think many Michiganders who live downstate have a relationship with a specific place Up North. For me, this has always been Elk Rapids, and it always will be.
So, here’s my perspective on the town’s newest hotel, which was completed in 2024 and reopened as a reimagined concept this past May under Kinship Hospitality.
A Room with a View
My travel companion and I check in on a Wednesday afternoon. We’ve just returned from a long hike at the dunes in Arcadia, about an hour-and-a-half south of Elk Rapids. I collapse onto the bed, and it’s so comfy that it knocks me out, almost on impact.
Our room is a Foundry King. It may not be suite-sized, but it’s plenty spacious. The window offers lots of natural light, a view of the bay on the horizon, and a Juliet balcony; which we will later use for people watching during the Sunday farmers market.
Everything about the room says “craftsmanship,” from the wicker ice bucket to the woodgrain bedframe. At the bedside, there’s an adorable Kikkerland-brand green analog alarm clock. The do-not-disturb sign is a red square magnet with a cheeky “NOT TODAY PLEASE” message written in a pleasing typeface.
The walls are decorated with tasteful paintings and prints from Michigan-based artists, including Martyna Alexander, Pier Wrigh, and Jesse Hickman. I appreciate the way this room celebrates small details, and things that are handcrafted.
If you’re reminded at all of a visit to a Shinola store, or a stay at the Shinola Hotel, that’s no accident. Kinship Hospitality co-owners Daniel Caudill and Kamron Bijeh-Apple are both veterans of Detroit’s world-renowned watch and lifestyle brand. Caudill helped launch the brand as its first creative director, while Bijeh-Apple worked on the brand experience side.
When designing the Dexter Hotel, Bijeh-Apple says, “We tried to stay as local as possible and really kind of celebrate kind of Michigan artistry.”
An Afternoon in the Noble Lounge
The first thing that hits me in the hotel lobby is the scent. It’s herbaceous, but also warm and musky. I later find out that it’s a custom fragrance, tailored for the hotel by a company called Aroma360. The oils are dispersed through a vapor infuser near a vent and piped throughout the hotel’s first floor.
There’s a bar and a lounge area lined with midcentury modern furniture from Grand Rapids-based Wolf Studio: dark wood tables, leather couches, upholstered chairs. A small slew of vacationers, mostly middle aged, sit in the shade on the porch.
This area is called the Noble Lounge. My companion orders the Dam Dirty. The drink is the creation of beverage director Tony DiMaria, who later tells me it’s the hottest order at his bar this summer.
“The inspiration [for the drinks program was] how do I take things that people expect to get at a bar, and show them that they can do it differently, that they can do it more elegantly,” says DiMaria.
The cold and savory beverage is elegant indeed on a summer’s day: it combines feta-washed gin, dry vermouth, brine from olives and pickles, saline, and a curly toothpick stuck with stuffed olives and crunchy pickle chips.
DiMaria says he’s learned to enjoy a dirty martini. But if you were to ask him what to order, he’d recommend the Mel Fashioned. This drink is inspired by a miel — AKA a latte with honey and cinnamon. It features a honey spirit, house-made honey cinnamon syrup, a couple dashes of coffee bitters, and a lemon twist.
Horsin’ Around
I have a family connection to the equine business. My younger sister works professionally at a horse barn and is a very talented competitor. I’ve never been a big horse guy. But I get it. I think we owe a lot to horses.
And this year, at Dexter Hotel’s invite, I had the chance to go to my first Traverse City Horse Show. The grounds were less than 20 minutes away at Flintfields Horse Park.
The 12-week, annual competition is a big deal in the equestrian community, with major competitions for hunters and jumpers at both the youth and professional level. Competitors travel from all over the world to compete for over $7 million of prize money.
This year’s contestants included top athletes like Erynn Ballard, a show jumper who made her Olympic debut at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics for Team Canada.
My companion and I go for a golf cart tour of the grounds. Behind the wheel is Jenny Harris, VP of Marketing and Partnerships for the horse show.
“We try to be the fun horse show and a family-friendly horse show, because families, lots of times they’re in places like Ocala, Florida, where if you’re not into horses, there’s nothing to do,” Harris explains. “But you’ve been to Traverse City, right?”
“Yes!” I reply. “There’s so much to do!”
But the grounds on their own are pretty impressive. For instance, there’s a vendor row filled with shops. “I’m proud to say we have the best shopping of any horse show,” Ballard says.
After the tour, my companion and I settle into the VIP area for lunch. A youth jumping event is happening. The first horse doesn’t seem to be feeling very competitive. After a few leaps, he suddenly skids to a halt in front of a jump, and saunters away sluggishly. Poor guy!
The Call of the North
Whenever I’m Up North, I often yearn to move here. I’d love to live in a cabin in the woods; write a novel on an old typewriter; swim often in a Great Lake; hunt and fish for sustenance; and walk into town occasionally to buy logs for my woodfire stove.
DiMaria isn’t doing all that, but he did move here from downstate. Formerly a Detroiter, he began his mixology journey in 2018 at Sugar House in Corktown — one of the city’s first craft cocktail bars to really explode.
Then, in 2024 he and his wife relocated to the Alpena area. Soon after, he joined the Kinship Hospitality team to open Otis in Harbor Springs; now his efforts are focused on Dexter, which is Kinship’s second hotel concept. In addition to the region’s natural beauty, he says he’s really enjoyed getting to know the hospitality professionals in the area.
“There’s a lot of really talented people,” DiMaria says. “I look forward to seeing how it grows.”
Elk Rapids’ Living Room
A phrase I keep hearing from staff about the Noble Lounge is something to the effect of, “We want to be Elk Rapids’ living room.” Huh, I think. If that descriptor applies to any place around here, it might have to be the Town Club, the no-frills bar and grill on Main Street that’s been in town for over 70 years. I ask Bijeh-Apple about the meaning behind it.
“It’s been our same philosophy everywhere,” says Bijeh-Apple. “When we built our first Shinola store, the idea was to make it a hangout spot for the community.”
The way he sees it, Dexter Hotel is here to be part of the destination, not to be the destination. For instance, the bar deliberately doesn’t carry beers, ciders, or wines from nearby Petoskey Brew, Pond Hill, and Short’s. Instead, they encourage guests to visit.
“The point isn’t for us to create a one-stop shop of Northern Michigan in these four walls,” he says. “We promote businesses that do what they do best in their respective fields, and we want our guests to go experience those.”
In addition to the bar, The Noble Lounge is set to debut its food program on Oct. 23 under Executive Chef John Koryck. Its offerings will include house-smoked kielbasa, lobster roll sliders, and lemon mascarpone tortelli — plus seasonal vegetables from local farms.
While I didn’t have the chance to have a meal there this summer, I look forward to returning — as I’m sure it will be every bit as thoughtful as the rest of the experience.
Simple Pleasures in Elk Rapids
Plenty of fun awaits in the surrounding area: Traverse City, Sutton’s Bay, Glen Arbor, Old Mission, and the Leelanau Peninsula. But there’s so much to do that’s walking or biking distance from the hotel. Here are a few of my favorites:
A cherry turnover with a cup of joe from Michigander Coffee Co.
Ultimately yes, I’m another tourist who likes cherry products. But I have to say, this is the perfect combination to start your day. This location has been a bakery for over 50 years (previously under two different names) and still uses many of the same recipes.
A matinee at the Elk Rapids Cinema.
This gorgeous single-screen movie house was first built in 1940. I’ve seen countless films here over the years. I remember sitting on the edge of my seat next to my grandparents when Jack Sparrow produces a beating heart from a jar of dirt in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. In 2023, a nonprofit called The Chalfonte Foundation bought the theater. Chalfonte is also very active in Detroit; it is behind the reopening of Midtown’s iconic Cass Café and runs other programs in the city like Puppet Art and Detroit Contemporary.
A slice of Chef Chuck’s pizza.
Chef Chuck’s (formerly Chef Charles) has pizza that I crave all year. Rustic, yet hearty, with the perfect fluffy crust. The humble pizzeria is the last culinary labor of love from Charles “Chuck” Egler. When I was a kid, I remember he often wore a bandana. We’d see him strolling around town or picking out ingredients at the farmers market. Egler founded the restaurant in 1993 with his brother David, after a storied career as a fine dining executive chef. His unexpected death in 2021 was a shock, but his legacy lives on under the new ownership, who have continued to use his original recipes and kept the place essentially unchanged.
A good antique store find.
If you’re into antiquing, Northern Michigan is a treasure trove. And Elk Rapids has some of my favorite places to dig. The Harbor Antique Mall, located right next door to the movie theater, has a wide variety to browse — furniture, glassware, art, old magazines, and various trinkets. Just a block away, Blue Owl Antiques has a smaller, more curated collection.
A visit to the beach.
Sailing ships bob along the crystal blue waters along Elk Rapids’ shoreline, which looks out onto the distant Old Mission Peninsula. The Elk Rapids Public Access Beach has plenty to do besides swim: there’s tennis, basketball, and a huge playground for kids. The nearby Dam Beach has a special place in the hearts of many locals, who organized the “Save the Dam Beach” movement; which has opposed various attempts to develop along the waterfront.
Admiring the Island House.
On the other side of the stream that runs into the bay near the public access beach is a small island with a beautiful house at the top of a hill — the current location of the Elk Rapids Public Library (which is in the process of moving to a larger location). Known as the Island House, it was built in 1865 by Edwin Noble, the older brother of Henry, who was a partner in the Dexter-Noble company. The Dexter and Noble families have streets named after them — they cross paths near The Dexter Hotel. See where the hotel and lounge got their names from?
A scenic round at the Elk Rapids Golf Club.
When my dad was a kid, my grandpa used to take him and my uncle here nearly every other day during vacation. It’s a tight 9 holes with stunning views of Elk Lake. Completed in 1924, the course was designed by the famed Scottish architect and professional golfer Donald Ross.
A pint at Short’s.
Short’s, one of Michigan’s most beloved brewers, has a beer garden and year-round bar at its production campus off of M-31. Known as the Elk Rapids Pull Barn, the location has food trucks during the summer and offers plenty of events throughout the year, including bingo nights and food competitions.
A leisurely bike ride down North Lakeshore Drive.
This 2.3-mile (4.6 there and back) stretch begins on Dexter Street and takes you past stunning views of the bay and towering pine trees. Along the way, there’s a couple public beaches to stop and cool off (during the summer) or simply close your eyes and listen to the waves.
An evening at Pearl’s.
Everything here is exceptional: the complimentary bread and butter (cornbread and French); the incredible service; the dazzling décor; and the menu’s vast offerings that capture the one-of-a-kind cuisine found in New Orleans. A few of my favorite dishes are blackened alligator bites with Remoulade sauce, fried green tomatoes, crawfish etouffee, and of course, Jambalaya. The restaurant is also well-known for its dirty martinis.
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