Mid-Century Meets Modern Luxury

The Otis Harbor Springs blends history, comfort, and high-end touches

By Anna Faller | Jan. 11, 2025

We’ve heard history repeats itself, but when it comes to the Otis Harbor Springs, a boutique hotel whose 10-acre grounds have been occupied for more than a century, everything from ambiance to on-site amenities are brand spanking new.

“We love to delight and inspire people, because [The Otis] is very different,” co-owner and founder Ty Humpert says. “You can’t really compare us to any other property in Michigan, and we’re trying to embrace the authentic brand we’re developing.”

Opened in May 2024, The Otis is tucked along scenic M-119 in the building that once housed the Birchwood Inn. With its proximity to seasonal hot spots like Little Traverse Bay and the Tunnel of Trees and a refined-meets-restful ambiance, the hotel’s become a destination for overnight travelers and locals alike.

And it all started with a fireplace.

A Space to Linger

Or rather, three fireplaces, which is how many the hotel complex contains.

It was while huddled around one of these at a pre-construction brainstorming retreat that The Otis design team—including co-founders Humpert and Israel Hernandez; former Shinola Detroit creative director and Olean’s dispensary owner, Daniel Caudill; and Texas-based architectural experts David Hocker (landscape) and Michael Hsu—locked in their vision for the property.

“One of the words that came about [during that conversation] was ‘lingering.’ We wanted to center attention on the fireplace and for the space to be welcoming and cozy,” says Humpert.

They also locked in a finish line of summer 2024, which Humpert stresses was a make-or-break factor in determining the hotel’s success.

What followed was a breakneck year of studs-to-ceiling renovation, wherein the crew purged the building’s interior (with a few notable exceptions, like the solid red pine beam ceiling details and the vaulted guest room architecture) and redesigned the layout from scratch, with a focus on melding Up North charm with elements of high-class comfort.

This included a host of structural updates from roof and plumbing replacements, to up-to-date wiring and modern climate control, as well as a few functional tweaks, like leveling several lobby walls to open the space and highlight its construction.

A Property with History

That framework also came with some great “bones,” says Humpert—in particular, well-built features like steel framing and a subterranean basement—as well as a uniquely mid-century aesthetic that the Otis team fought to preserve. In fact, the reconstructed footprint is almost unchanged from the original.

As the story goes, the property, which has been up and running for nearly a century, got its start as a farm when Chicago banker Joseph E. Otis, also the hotel’s namesake, purchased about a thousand acres of land in the first half of the 20th century. That farm saw a few iterations, including both livestock and potatoes, and in the late 1950s, it was bought by the New Era snack company (now part of Frito-Lay) as a corporate retreat location.

As part of that purchase, the group built a conference center, which was eventually sold to a hotelier. From there, it was converted into a lodge, which, per Humpert, changed hands multiple times, eventually opening as the Birchwood Inn, which served northern Michigan travelers for years. Humpert even stayed there a few times in his youth.

“Even then, I remember envisioning what it could be, because it had been loved and celebrated by so many,” he says.

A Top-to-Bottom Renovation

So, when the opportunity arose to renovate the place, he and Hernandez immediately got to work. Here’s the layout:

Inside, the hotel houses 31 guest rooms (down from the original 43), which range in size and configuration from studios for solo travelers to classic queen rooms and a few family suites. Most are also “pass-through” style, meaning guests enter from the outside and can access a central courtyard out back.

Other room amenities include custom beds and nightstands, courtesy of Britten, Inc. in Traverse City, as well as a smattering of little luxe touches, like Frette’s sumptuous Italian sheets and top-of-the line toiletries from Flamingo Estate.

“I think of it as a high-low balance,” says Humpert. “We’re still a mid-century motel buildout, but it’s that attention to details like the fabrics and furnishings and that wonderful Americana structure that really do make the experience.”

Authenticity was also a focus, he says, which the team managed through a “painter’s approach” of layering restoration with era-appropriate décor curated from all over the country.

Notable pieces here include a series of Frederic Weinberg barstool bases (acquired in “onesies and twosies,” says Humpert), complete with custom swivel seats; as well as a selection of Milo Baughman seating options, a custom 14-foot credenza designed by Kenneth Blasingame (Fort Worth, Texas), and even a vintage tuxedo sofa refurbished from the hotel’s basement.

A purely mid-century aesthetic, however, often features harsher lines and materials than the Otis team had imagined. To up the indulgence factor a bit, the finished space also incorporates nods to more contemporary colors and textures, headlined by plush velvet upholstery, nickel gap siding, and a collection of modern art.

“[The goal] was to be timeless, not time-bound,” notes Humpert. “We wanted it to feel like a collected extension of a living room; so, while we were mindful of mid-century, we also elevated it to bring it to relevance today.”

A Community Gem

That uniting “living room” concept, one of gathering and collaboration, also extends to The Otis’s public spaces, which are open to both guests and community members.

For starters, there’s the retail area, which is accessible through the lodge’s main lobby. Here, guests and community members can read or work at the Otis Café, while sipping a La Colombe coffee or espresso alongside a local pastry. At the opposite end of the entrance, the Birchwood General store features everything from curated souvenirs, headlined by vintage barware, to take-away snacks and drinks, select books, and outdoor gadgetry.

Beyond the lobby, there’s the Fireplace Lounge, where the vibes are den-meets-swanky-hangout. Inside, the leather-touch marble bar offers an array of craft cocktails—don’t miss the signature Otis Fashioned—and a menu of small plates and other nibbles. “It’s just a restful and inviting space right when you walk in,” Humpert adds.

Outside, communal spaces include a landscaped courtyard, complete with seating and fire pits, and wrapped around the hotel’s entry, a 2,500-square-foot ash deck, where guests can sip cocktails and nosh on appetizers while lounging in mid-century Russell Woodard furniture.

Per Humpert, there was barely an empty seat on the patio during their inaugural summer, a pleasant surprise for the Otis crew, who had no precedent for how a front-facing addition like a deck might go over. In fact, many of the hotel’s services—notably, in-house eats and a liquor license—posed a challenge at first, as they came with no historical blueprint as to the options that might be most successful.

“We opened with an entirely new offering beyond just hotel rooms,” Humpert explains, “so it [feels] like we’re in the middle of rewriting a new history for the property!”

A Busy Future

As for the next six months of that history? The Otis team is just getting started.

Learning curve aside, Humpert highlights local collaboration, which the hotel plans to emphasize with Nub’s Nob Ski Resort packages this winter alongside on-site offerings like wine tasting, guides to regional landmarks, and other Mitten-centric provisions.

Beyond that, says Humpert, the goal is expansion, with a focus on adding amenities in response to community demand. Plans here include a refurbished pool and developing a fully-fledged kitchen for meal services and prix fixe functions. A small gym and steam room are also on the docket (and maybe even an accompanying membership), as is an additional space for hosting parties and other private events.

“We’re really doing our best to be mindful of our community and support other people who love northern Michigan,” Humpert concludes. “We’re leaning into that curation of offerings to help guide our guests and ensure that they’re mindful of everything this area has to offer.”

Find the Otis Harbor Springs at 7291 S. Lakeshore Dr. in Harbor Springs. (231) 270-6090. otisharborsprings.com