I indulged in incredible meals, from decadent steak dinners to over-the-top chocolate cake, wandered the stunning halls of a restored seminary filled with art, and surprised myself by sinking a putt during a golf lesson at St. John’s Resort in Michigan.
Between yoga, cozy cocktails in a romantic wine grotto, and exploring the charming town of Plymouth, there was plenty to do. Best of all, every stay helps support charitable causes, so I could enjoy every bite, stroll, and adventure knowing it was part of something meaningful. One hundred percent of net profits of St. John’s Resort goes to charity.
Here are five reasons we love St. John’s Resort.
1. The humanitarian mission of St. John’s Resort
“This hotel is like a giving machine,” Chris Green, president of Humanitarian Hotels told us. “The things we do daily are things we should do for the world. We provide food, shelter and a warm shower. We are proud of where our money goes.”
The hotel group is owned by the Pulte Family Charitable Foundation, founded by the late Bill Pulte who started Pulte Homes (now PulteGroup). He was a devout Catholic and wished to serve others by supporting housing programs, churches, hunger initiatives and healthcare efforts. In addition to St. John’s Resort, Humanitarian Hotels includes the Inn at Stonecliffe on Mackinac Island and the Hilton Garden Inn in Laramie, Wyoming.
These three hotels work closely with local charities. For example, St. John’s Resort works with Food Rescue Detroit to donate leftover restaurant and banquet food to serve people in the community.
I saw a new initiative being implemented during my stay. Adults with intellectual disabilities were learning to run a coffee cart in the lobby.
The hotels also sponsor several events that are open to the community with proceeds benefiting local charities. These include Cardinal Putting Parties and Signature Weeks with dining, storytelling and volunteer opportunities.
2. The incredible food at St. John’s Resort
From the convivial atmosphere of Doyles Irish Pub to the romantic intimacy of The Wine Grotto and fabulously prepared food at Five Steakhouse, I enjoyed every meal at St. John’s Resort.
I loved my power bowl at breakfast at Five Steakhouse, brimming with quinoa, mushrooms, spinach, tomato, sweet potato and boiled eggs. Just a big bowl of healthy. Other breakfast items include smoothies, lox bagel board, banana crunch oatmeal, omelets and biscuits with gravy. For lunch, you can enjoy soups, salads, sandwiches, chicken sliders and flatbreads.
Dinner at Five Steakhouse our last night was a highlight of my visit. Our server, John, was so attentive and personable, and served us a fantastic, decadent dinner of a seafood tower, lobster mac and cheese, roasted chicken and The Cardinal, the restaurant’s signature steak, a 40-ounce porterhouse steak.
But we weren’t done yet. Desserts included a pistachio crème brûlée and blueberry cheesecake. My favorite was the Five Mile High Chocolate Cake, the best I’d ever had.
Doyles Irish Pub has everything you’d expect – Irish stew, Irish salmon Caesar salad, Reuben, brisket, pot roast, Shepherd’s Pie and fish and chips. And Guinness on tap, of course. For starters, we had Doyles chip and dip, a caramelized onion dip that brought back memories of the sour cream and Lipton’s onion soup dip that was a staple in my house growing up.
The most visually stunning restaurant was The Wine Grotto, a wine cave underneath the chapel that was once a place for seminary students to pray. Now an intimate, romantic space, The Wine Grotto serves charcuterie, flatbreads and tapas.
Seated in an area where the archbishop of Detroit from 1937 until his death in 1958, Cardinal Mooney, was buried, our group enjoyed mussels, shrimp, wagyu meatballs, and a chocolate “charcuterie” featuring pretzels, strawberries and wafers with melted Valrhona chocolate for dipping.
You’re sure to find an adult beverage you love from the Wine Spectator Award-winning selection of fine wines and spirits. I don’t drink many cocktails as I find many of them are too sweet for me, but I had to try the gorgeously presented pear cocktail.
All restaurants are open to the public, so even if you don’t stay at St. John’s, you can visit for an amazing meal.
3. Accommodations, architecture and art
St. John’s Resort has 124 hotel rooms including six executive suites. My room featured crisp white linens with Molton Brown toiletries, coffee maker and Dyson hairdryer.
The Romanesque-style resort was previously a seminary that opened in 1944 to serve the Catholic dioceses in Michigan but closed in 1989. Its 200 acres could have been sold for commercial development, but the Pulte Family Charitable Foundation bought it and undertook a $40 million renovation. Evidence of its history remains – the bell tower, stone walls, arches and porticos.
The beautiful chapel with mosaics, wooden beams and marble floors is now known as the Saints Mary and Joseph Chapel and is a popular site for Catholic weddings.
One of my favorite things to do was to wander the halls, peeking out the windows at charming courtyards and viewing the hundreds of pieces of art in the resort’s extensive collection, from paintings to sculptures to statues.
The resort recently added stunning event spaces. It’s worth taking a walk through the entire property to check out more art and one of the prettiest bathrooms I’ve seen.
4. Wellness opportunities
I always pack my yoga pants, but they rarely see the inside of a fitness center when I travel. My stay at St. John’s Resort was an exception. With a few hours of free time one afternoon, I headed to the fitness center, put in some mileage on the treadmill and lifted a few weights.
Another day I took an afternoon yoga class with White Buffalo, a local yoga studio, in a gorgeous room surrounded by glass.
While I’m not a golfer, the golf cart is my favorite mode of transportation. I got to putter around the driving range and play a few holes while getting a lesson from golf pro Nick, who patiently instructed a group of mostly novice women. I was thrilled to get my putt in on one hole, possibly the best shot of my limited golf career.
St. John’s has three golf courses: the 18-hole Cardinal Course, seven-hole Little Cardinal and the 18-hole Cardinal Putting Course.
Like its restaurants, the golf courses are open to the public with memberships and packages available.
There is no outdoor pool, but an indoor pool is available, worth taking a look for the whimsical art even if you don’t take a dip.
5. A prime location near the attractions of Detroit, the airport and Plymouth
St. John’s Resort is about 30 minutes from attractions in Detroit including the Motown Museum, the Detroit Riverfront, the Detroit Institute of Arts and the Henry Ford Museum. The airport is about 25 minutes away.
For cute shops and restaurants in a walkable area, visit Plymouth, about 10 minutes away. We headed there one day for a delicious Mexican lunch at Barrio Cocina y Tequileria.
– Jan Schroder, Editor-in-chief