This Michigan Hotel Is Like an English Manor House 30 Minutes From Detroit

The couple I spoke to knew the hotel. They knew that it frequently backdrops events (including weddings like the one I was serving that night) and that it has plenty of holiday spirit come winter. I learned that Rochester goes all in on the season when December rolls around: Main Street gets strung with lights, storefronts get fully decked out for Christmas, and the Royal Park runs its own holiday pop-up bar starting in early November, complete with a seasonal menu.

I visited months before any of that in the middle of a summer heatwave. But after a few days at the hotel, it felt like an ideal place to stay when visiting the area and a pleasant home base for exploring Detroit, which is about 30 minutes south. And it’s pet-friendly to boot.

Rooms designed to feel more like home than a hotel

Every space in the hotel feels bright and warm, from the lobby with its centerpiece chandelier right up to my top-floor suite four stories up. At over 700 square feet, my suite was bigger than many hotel rooms you’ll find in big cities (and studio apartments, for that matter).

One half of the suite had a couch and chair surrounding a coffee table and facing a wall-mounted TV. A small desk looked out the window. There was also a dining room table that could accommodate four people, as well as a kitchenette with a mini-fridge, a sink, and plenty of dishware and cutlery.

Glass double doors led me into the second room with a California king bed, a closet, a large dresser, and a full-length mirror. Off the bedroom was a bathroom with a pair of sinks, a jacuzzi tub, a shower with a three-way rainfall system, and a variety of lighting options.

Nearly every piece of furniture had rounded edges and soft corners, a contrast to the more angular art and fixtures on the walls. The walls were bare and beige, letting the darker abstract floral pattern in the carpet and the accent piece above the bed stand out, which I preferred to anything more literal.

I traveled alone, but I could see two people doing their own thing in the suite without tripping over each other. There was enough separation for working, getting ready, or winding down independently. The suite wasn’t short on modern touches, either. There were plenty of USB ports and outlets within reach, and the TVs had Netflix if you forget to bring a streaming stick, as I did. The design was a perfect middle ground, neither cold and utilitarian like a lot of modern hotels nor so busy that it was overwhelming.

The Royal Park has over a dozen distinct rooms, including some with outdoor exposure, some with more space inside, and several accessible options. My group took a tour of the Brookside Suite, an even larger offering at 1,350 square feet, which has a kitchen, parlor area, dining table, fireplace, and a large wraparound couch that I now want for my home.

The big appeal here, I think, is the two sizable bathrooms that easily allow people to get ready separately, an obvious draw for the wedding parties the hotel hosts. The same balance between design and functionality carried through the Brookside Suite. An open shelf stacked with books, plants, and a globe had clean-edged lines set against furniture that stayed soft and rounded, down to the chair backs.

Gathering spaces for quiet moments and big events

Of all the hotel’s spaces, the Belgian Glass Conservatory stood out. It was hand-assembled in Brussels, with a hand-blown Murano chandelier hanging over a view of an Italian limestone fountain. You enter from a hallway on one side; the other three walls are all glass, looking out to tree-lined paths and the hotel’s own red-brick exterior. Across the way, a door opens onto a small garden with a view of the fountain.

My group started with snacks and a cocktail-making session in the conservatory before sitting down to dinner at a table directly under the chandelier. The space holds up to 150 and is often booked for weddings; I could imagine it full of people dancing, but I also enjoyed dining there with a handful of people.

The 601 Room has a private bar and floor-to-ceiling windows, functioning as a special event space for private engagements and seasonal activities, including pop-ups during the fall and holiday season. There’s also a library for lounging throughout the day; my group used it as a more relaxing meeting spot than the lobby where people come and go. I also gravitated there in the morning for coffee and contemplation.

The Royal Grand Ballroom is a vast and versatile space that could hold a business meeting as easily as a wedding or be divided into smaller rooms for simultaneous programs. A summer outdoor concert series was set to take place by the creek when I was there, with visitors able to enjoy it from the lawn, raised patio, or room balconies all the way up to the fourth floor. The event moved indoors due to weather, but the change of scenery allowed the hotel to showcase the ballroom’s full potential.

A band played on an elevated stage, guests sat at dinner tables or stood at high tops, and a brand activation booth on the side poured specialty bourbon drinks. At 10 AM, hotel staff said they were still deciding what to do about the concert. By 7 PM, guests were in their seats, and the band was playing. The staff even brought a game of cornhole inside.

The grounds outside are relaxing, too, when the weather is right. The hotel is situated by the Paint Creek River, and guests can sit beside the water, take photos on a nearby bridge, or enjoy a scenic trail.

It’s worth mentioning that there’s no pool or hot tub available (although the rooms have sizable tubs). There’s also no spa on site, but there are options in town. There is a fire pit, a bike rental service, and a few outdoor games available for guests (though come the colder months, I can see how some visitors may be seeking a bit more comfort indoors).

Meals that accommodate everyone at the table

Park 600, the hotel’s restaurant, serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner across three distinct spaces. The central bar area is livelier, with tables, booths, and TVs. Even on a Tuesday and Wednesday evening, it felt like a destination for the neighborhood, not just hotel guests. The adjacent gallery has a brighter feel with windows overlooking the creek, and a large patio covers outdoor dining. I appreciated that variety. My mornings with coffee by the window were decidedly different from sitting at the bar with a drink later that night.

That, of course, was aided by the diversity and quality of the menu curated by Executive Chef Eric Avila. I was particularly pleased with the plant-based options, which were far more creative than the usual dressed-up salad or hodgepodge bowl. My colleagues and I enjoyed a feast one night that included pizza, pasta primavera, baked brie, and scallops, all of which were made plant-based for me (with king oyster mushrooms as scallops).

The drink program was equally inclusive. Park 600 has an extensive wine and cocktail list, beers on tap, and a sizable zero-proof mocktail selection. I had a spicy non-garita that tasted as good as any margarita I’ve had. Ritual’s zero-proof spirits, including agave and gin options, kept the mocktails from feeling like they were just fancy juices.

My group also got to enjoy an afternoon tea service, featuring organic loose-leaf tea and ornate cups and saucers decorated with flowers. Our meal was both savory and sweet, complete with pastries, fruits, and chocolates. The desserts I tried throughout my stay also stood out: oat milk ice cream meant I could enjoy a delicious apple crumble and a Faygo Red Pop float, a popular local drink of choice.

Getting to the Royal Park Hotel and beyond

The Royal Park is minutes away from downtown Rochester on foot. My visit coincided with the city’s annual sidewalk sales. We walked the streets and watched as merchants moved items outside and greeted people as they walked by. I also stopped by the Downtown Tarot Company and Novel, a bookstore and sandwich bar that helped me add some titles to my TBR list. The area isn’t particularly large, but there’s enough to occupy a half day from browsing to dining.

The hotel is also close enough to Detroit for a day trip. It’s located about an hour from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW), maybe more depending on traffic. Windsor International Airport (YQG) across the Canadian border into Ontario is actually a bit closer and may be more convenient for Canadian visitors looking to drive across the border.

Getting to and from the hotel will require a car. There’s parking on site at the hotel. There are plenty of shops, restaurants, and sights within walking distance in Rochester, but you’ll have to hop in a vehicle if you’re looking to explore Detroit.

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