OUR LATEST COVID-19 UPDATE

Updated:
September 20, 2021

With conditions constantly evolving during the COVID-19 pandemic, we are working hard to have the proper sanitation protocols and policies in place to keep our staff and guests safe. Based on the CDC’s current guidelines, our employees have returned to wearing masks for their protection and that of our guests, fellow co-workers, and community. Please show them the kindness they deserve as they work to serve you and help slow the spread of COVID-19.

Guests that have been fully vaccinated are no longer required to wear a mask during their visit. Join us in our effort to remain healthy so we can all continue to work, play, and relax confidently in our corner of Michigan.

We will update this information as plans change. For additional questions, please call our Reservations team at 231-534-6000.

OUTLET HOURS OF OPERATION: CLICK TO VIEW OUTLET HOURS (PDF)

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In the interest of team member and guest safety, we will not offer daily housekeeping services to guests during their stay. Guests may request trash pickup and linen replacements at any time. We're happy to deliver any additional in-room amenities as needed. Please call extension 6400.

Housekeeping and cleanliness are always among our top priorities at Grand Traverse Resort and Spa. While we are dealing with COVID-19 we have stepped up our already high cleaning standards to better protect our guests and staff. Our additional cleaning measures include:

Providing extra hand sanitizer stations throughout the Resort
Clorox 360 electrostatic sprayer is being used to regularly in public areas
Increased the frequency of cleaning and disinfecting in public spaces, Hotel and Condos with a focus on high-touch areas
Daily training and updates to staff regarding housekeeping procedures and hygiene protocols.
In an effort to respect your space, and to keep you and our team safe, we will not be providing housekeeping service for the duration of your stay. Should you need additional towels or other amenities, please call the front desk and we will be happy to deliver the items and place them outside your door.

Spa Grand Traverse Safety Information:

We are excited and ready to welcome you to Spa Grand Traverse. To provide a safe environment for both staff and guests, we ask that our guests to adhere to the following:

Each guest will be required to fill out our online Guest Health Form prior to every spa and salon visit. Click on “Complete Form” in your confirmation email to fill out the form
If you feel unwell or have been exposed to COVID-19, please call the spa and cancel your appointment(s), and we will waive the cancellation fee.
Guests will not be able to bring anyone not receiving a treatment with them
Pools, hot tubs, saunas, and the fitness center are available to guests receiving spa services
Relaxation areas are open to spa guests only

Due to the intimate nature of our business, we are strongly recommending that our guests wear a mask during their visit regardless of their vaccination status.
We are requiring our staff to continue to comply with our current safety protocols, which includes mask wearing. Please be respectful and kind to our team members, as they are working extremely hard to provide everyone with an outstanding customer experience.
Thank you for your cooperation and understanding. If you have questions or concerns, please reach out to us at 231-534-6750.

Health Club: OPEn

Health Club hours are Monday-Thursday 6:00am-9:00pm, Friday-Saturday 6:00am-10:00pm, and Sunday 7:00am-8:00pm.

POOLS

For the safety of our guests and employees, we will be closing the indoor pools and hot tubs on weekdays from 1:00-4:00 pm beginning Monday, September 13. We hope this change is short as we continue to focus on hiring additional staff. We are lucky to have a certified lifeguard instructor on staff and will certify anyone interested in becoming a lifeguard. For more details, click here.

Below is a list of our new indoor pool and hot tub hours beginning September 13.

Monday – Friday
6:00-10:00 am – Lap swim. Rec pool will be open for guests to enjoy during this time
10:00 am – 1:00 pm – Open swim. Guests may enjoy the waterslide and water playground during this time
1:00-4:00 pm – Indoor pools and hot tubs closed (no lifeguard)
4:00-9:00 pm – Open swim (open swim on Friday until 10:00 pm)

Saturday
6:00-9:00 am – Lap swim
9:00 am – 10:00 pm – Open swim. Guests may enjoy the waterslide and water playground during this time

Sunday
7:00-9:00 am – Lap swim
9:00 am – 8:00 pm – Open swim. Guests may enjoy the waterslide and water playground during this time

Tennis COVID Update
All Health Club Members, Club Member Guests and Resort Guests must check in at the Health Club Desk ahead of time to confirm all players in attendance for the court. All member and guest names must be given to Health Club desk when booking the court AND when checking in on the day of your court rental for contact tracing purposes.

Chairs and benches will be set up to allow proper distancing. Please keep chairs and benches where they are.
Players will replace the handshake with a match ending racket touch.
Hand sanitizer dispensers are on court. Players are encouraged to sanitize hands frequently.
Please plan to arrive 5-10 minutes before your scheduled court time in case there is a short wait at the Health Club desk check in.

Questions? Please contact George Lowe, Tennis Director at 231-534-6770 or [email protected].

Private Beach

The Private Beach and Blue Sky Rentals are closed for the season.

upcoming events

Fall Elite Wedding Expo

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Fall Elite Wedding Expo

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Membership Trial Offer

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Spa Summer Specials

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Locals Appreciation Month at Spa Grand Traverse

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Tuff Enuff Golf Tournament

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Big Hole Golf Tournament

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Updates & COVID-19 Info

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barefoot magazine

Mind, Body, and Spirit

Spa, Health Club services support well being

Aristotle once said that humans, by nature, are social animals. So when public health concerns dictated a need to distance ourselves from each other, it was easy to feel lonely and isolated.

What better time, then, to practice self-care — defined as anything you do deliberately to enhance your physical and emotional well-being?

There are many types of self-care, from getting enough sleep to eating better. It can also include a trip to the spa or joining an exercise class. You’ll find any number of options to meet your self-care needs at Spa Grand Traverse or at the Resort’s Health Club.

Self-Care at the Spa

The way you look can affirm your sense of self. A trip to Spa Grand Traverse is a safe and simple way to achieve that goal.

“Taking care of yourself is more important than ever,” says Dawn Olsen, director of Spa and Recreation Operations at the Resort. “When you feel even a little bit better, it just makes everything better.”

In 2020, the Spa established additional safety protocols for the well-being of guests and staff.

“It’s so important that someone can come in and be put at ease right away,” Olsen says. “The Spa can be a place where you can relax and destress, and that’s the importance of any of our beauty services — to provide that self-care and a sense of well-being. It really can be immediately beneficial and make you feel better about the world and yourself.”

Olsen says that guests were delighted to finally get back to the spa last year and that facials have been especially popular. Choices are designed to repair, restore, and/or refresh.

“It’s a simple way to ease back into spa services, and our skin can certainly use them,” she adds. “Taking care of your skin is huge from a self-care aspect.”

A pedicure is another way to put a spring in your step. An express manicure-pedicure

combo includes a quick nail cleanup and a fresh coat of polish to leave you feeling relaxed and refreshed. “You can even do a lot with a mini pedicure,”

Olsen says. “You spend a half-hour and leave feeling 10 times better than when you came in.”

Other services include massage, hair artistry, waxing, HydraFacial skin treatment, and NovaLash eyelash extensions.

Health Club

Another way to nurture mind, body, and spirit is to focus on physical well-being. When you feel good physically, the world seems a little brighter, and exercise can keep the mind and body in harmony.

“It’s important to do whatever it is that gives you that sense of well-being,” Olsen says. “Self-care just naturally parlays into fitness and that connection of taking care of yourself physically and mentally.”

Spiritual needs can also be met when you’re fully immersed in your favorite activity, whether that’s on a yoga mat or on a tennis court. The Resort currently offers an array of fitness classes and activities.

“You can work out at home,” Olsen says, “but it’s not the same as being in a room with other people.”

One of the most popular classes last summer was yoga and meditation on the beach. And indoors, there are plenty of large meeting rooms to allow people to spread out.

Aqua aerobics have also continued at the indoor pool and remain as popular as ever.

“We are so fortunate,” Olsen says, “to have all the space that we have.”

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Facetime

Meeting in person has never been safer

Before 197 attendees of the North American Space Summit gathered in person at Grand Traverse Resort and Spa in late summer 2020, there was one overarching concern: if protocols were in place to keep them safe.

“The answer was, ‘Absolutely, yes,’” says Gavin Brown, executive director of the Michigan Aerospace Manufacturers Association, which hosted the three-day conference last August and September. “Indeed, we surpassed their expectations.”

In tandem with the Resort’s events, banquets, and facilities team, Brown spent weeks meticulously planning the hybrid meeting, a blend of virtual and in-person formats that included keynote speakers, panel discussions, group meals, and networking.

In addition to social distancing and the Resort’s temperature scans at all entrances, Brown’s team brought in a second thermal scan device that every attendee used upon entering the event space to “ensure that we got it right,” he says.

“Our concerns were how would we ensure the health and well-being of every person who attended,” says Brown, whose association promotes Michigan’s aerospace manufacturing industry. “Through detailed protocols seamlessly executed by the Resort staff, we demonstrated a stewardship and respect for COVID-19.”

WIDE-OPEN SPACES

With its 86,500 square feet of meeting and event space, the Resort can safely welcome hundreds on its property, where recent renovations included fiber-optic cable throughout the building, a top-to-bottom décor refresh, and touchless restroom amenities.

Beyond the visible changes, the Resort’s events, banquets, and facilities team spent hundreds of hours behind the scenes forging protocols that would ensure the safest events possible.

“We tweaked things every day,” says Mickey Cannon, director of food and beverage. “Every day there were changes and improvements to our safety protocols.”

In addition to medical-grade Clorox Total 360 System Electrostatic Sprayers, which can be used on any surface, the Resort’s investments included touchless temperature stations at all entrances, plexiglass protectors for food and beverage stations, linenless banquet setups, and multiple hours of training for all staff on cleaning procedures and the use of chemicals.

The Resort’s ability to pivot so well was due to leadership, says Gaye O’Neal, director of conference & food services.

“When this all first started happening, our general manager and management team got ahead of it and created every scenario — we’ve been able to anticipate quickly as things have been opening up,” she says. “We had our game plan, and when we had to change at the last minute, the team was trained and ready to go.”

Creating a safe space for people to meet has become more important than ever, says Katie Leonard, director of sales.

“People crave it,” says Leonard, who has been receiving calls from banking, insurance, finance, technology, and real estate event planners. “A lot of these associations that I talk to, their attendees want to gather, network, and meet in person.”

Meetings and events are trending away from in-person to a hybrid style, which utilizes the Resort’s in-house A/V team, high-end technological capabilities, and state-of-the-art sound system, all upgraded this past year.

“A lot of groups have moved to hybrid,” Leonard says. “Hybrid is really going to be the story in 2021.”

2021: FULL SPEED AHEAD

Brown says the hybrid approach worked so well at the North American Space Summit that he began registering attendees for the 2021 conference.

“We’ve gotten 30 percent asking if they can re-register,” says Brown, whose fourth conference with the Resort is scheduled for early fall again. “We expect 400 to 500 next year.”

He believes that the high demand for next year is because his organization made the conscious decision to engage business in 2020.

“What we are doing is building a space ecosystem in Michigan, and the only way to do that is by bringing individual companies together to build interpersonal relationships,” says Brown, whose association launched in 2007. “It was so important to hold this in person, because business decisions were predicated on the interactions that happened in this conference.”

The reaction from the summit’s attendees was “outstanding,” Brown says.

“The summit was the first time they were able to engage clients face-to-face (since the COVID-19 shutdown),” he says. “The level of trust they couldn’t get virtually was nurtured and established at our conference because the Resort was extremely good at implementing the protocols that we needed to have to ensure the safety of each and every one of our guests.”

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Carrying on the Work of Ancestors

Grand Traverse Band supports is people

The Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians is looking to the future with confidence and commitment.

“Our people are optimistic and pleased about the future,” says Tribal Chairman David Arroyo. “They want to continue what past leaders started, to continue to grow. We are carrying on the work of those who came before us.”

And that growth continues as the tribe supports a variety of projects across the Grand Traverse region.

For example, Turtle Creek Hotel & Casino sponsors the Traverse City Spring Horse Show at Flintfields Horse Park in Williamsburg. The multiweek event kicks off the season at the horse park and draws hundreds. Riders compete for both prestige and prize money. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, spectators were not allowed to attend in 2020.

The 2021 edition is scheduled for June 9-27.

In December 2019, officials from the casino announced they had purchased naming rights for the 4,660-seat baseball park of the Traverse City Pit Spitters of the collegiate Northwoods League. The ballpark is now known as Turtle Creek Stadium and is a must-see venue for baseball fans who visit northern Michigan.

The park sits about three miles south of Traverse City and has evolved into an entertainment facility that hosts movie nights, concerts, meetings, and more.

The city of Traverse City and the tribe worked together on an eye-catching mural in the Clinch Park tunnel downtown.

“It combines elements of style and calligraphy,” explains Colorado artist Bobby MaGee Lopez, who has Apache ancestry and created the panels that line the walls of the tunnel. “Its imagery features bold colors, draws awareness to the area, and pays homage to Native American culture.”

The work also credits the previous tribal wall art created by artist Lois Beardslee. Time and the environment had degraded her creation over the years. The new mural weaves in themes and images that include plants and animals, tribal symbolism, body markings, and tattoos.

Since 1994, the Grand Traverse Band has awarded more than $41 million in gaming revenue to local units of government to support emergency services, social services, and school projects in the region.

Tribal government continues work on placing lands into trust; negotiating fishing and gaming contracts; and providing for the health, education, safety, and wellbeing of 4,000-plus tribal members.

Vital to those efforts is the tribe’s Grand Traverse Economic Development (GTED) and its two subsidiaries, Grand Traverse Engineering and Construction (GTEC) and Bay Shore Steel Works. The tribe purchased GTEC in 2014 to provide construction management, civil engineering, water resources planning, and transportation engineering services to federal, state, commercial, and tribal entities.

In 2019, the tribe bought Bay Shore Steel Works, a full-service component manufacturer and finisher that supplies the Department of Defense with armor plate components for assault vehicles and tanks.

Tribal officials are aware of the progress their people have made and are dedicated to continuing improvements.

“Every day we are making history,” says Arroyo, who has served on the tribal council since 2004. “We are going to get there. When our children look back, what will they see? Remember, what we do today matters.”

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The Den

This is how we play

THE DEN, a new 3,000-square-foot entertainment center, combines a classic arcade vibe with high-tech and group activities to deliver family-friendly fun with an up north flair. Featured attractions include virtual reality and arcade games, northern Michigan’s first axe-throwing range, miniature bowling, an escape room, and a bar.

“IT WAS AN OPPORTUNITYto bring more entertainment into the building,” says Matthew Bryant, the Resort’s general manager. He designed The Den in partnership with Illinois-based Family Entertainment Group. “It is something that really just enhanced the amenities that we had.”

WHILE THE INDOOR GAMES COMPLEMENT the Resort’s outdoor activities, The Den’s bar — which serves housemade pizza, fried wonton pickles, cocktails, and more — diversifies the Resort’s dining options.

“What we’re trying to do with the food and beverage here is to have outlets that are distinct so the experiences are different,” Bryant says, contrasting The Den’s upscale pub fare with Aerie’s fine dining, and its high-energy atmosphere with Jack’s laidback vibe. “The Den is that action room; that’s where you get that energy back together.”

AND THERE IS ACTION APLENTY. Two lanes of axe-throwing foster friendly adult competition, while the Egyptian-themed escape room encourages teamwork and problem-solving. The VR experiences, which are open to users 10 and older, include a roller coaster simulation and the Beat Saber rhythm game. The arcade, where players pay with reloadable, reusable swipe cards, features both the latest video games and old favorites.

Even though many of The Den’s attractions are geared toward adults and older kids, families with little ones can still enjoy the games and mini bowling. The Den’s four lanes are shorter than traditional ones, and the pins and bowling balls are smaller. Players wear their own shoes the entire time.

WHEN ALLENDALE LIFESTYLE BLOGGER Kristin Jones visited the Resort last summer with her husband and son, she was impressed by The Den’s activity selection. Even her toddler enjoyed knocking down pins.

“It was really fun,” Jones says. “You can tell they didn’t just throw a few arcade games in there. It was super well-thought-out, and there was always something different. You could spend hours in there.”

That thoughtfulness goes back to Bryant, who combined northern Michigan imagery “lumber, bear, and buffalo plaid” — with his own interests to create a trendy space with retro touches. For example, Flint-style Coney dogs, which he grew up eating in his hometown, are on the menu, while the color scheme pays homage to Star Wars.

THE RESULT IS A HIP, FUN HANGOUT for guests of all ages. “It’s a place where a group of adults can come and have a great time,” says Scott Brown, director of marketing at Family Entertainment Group. “Or a family with kids can come and have a great time, or a business meeting can come and have some team building.”

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It's Great Outdoors

Resort is surrounded by opportunities to explore.

Most hotel properties only extend as far as the edge of the parking lot.

That’s not the case at Grand Traverse Resort and Spa, where guests have near-endless opportunities to explore the great outdoors. The property encompasses 900 beautiful acres that change character effortlessly from one season to the next.

Rolling green summertime fairways transition to displays of northern Michigan fall color, which in turn fade to snowy wintertime expanses suited to escapades on snowshoes or cross-country skis.

At Grand Traverse Resort, you’re never cooped up indoors — no matter the season. Here are a few outdoor adventures to try during your visit.

Golf: With 54 holes of championship golf, Grand Traverse Resort is one of northern Michigan’s largest, most expansive, and most revered destinations for golfers from all around the world. Collectively, the Resort’s three golf courses — Spruce Run (its first, opened in 1979), The Wolverine (designed by Gary Player), and The Bear (designed by Jack Nicklaus) — have earned a slew of awards and accolades from the likes of Golf Digest, Golf Magazine, and Links Magazine. If you’ve got golf on the brain, just be sure to book your tee time early: Summer 2020 was the busiest season on record for the golf courses at Grand Traverse Resort and Spa.

Beach Club: Traverse City is one of the most popular summertime destinations in the entire Midwest, known for its gorgeous weather, beautiful beaches, and wealth of festivals and events. A drawback of this popularity? Finding even a few square feet of space to call your own at a local beach isn’t always an easy feat during the warmest months. Luckily, as a guest or member of Grand Traverse Resort and Spa, you can enjoy private beach access at our Beach Club, situated right on East Grand Traverse Bay. Relax on the beach and work on your tan, jump into the water for a refreshing swim on a hot day, or take in a splendid sunset on a warm summer evening. Through a contract with Blue Sky Rentals, we’re also able to offer a variety of watersport opportunities at the Beach Club — whether that takes the form of a sunrise paddleboard or a Jet Ski race across the gleaming surface of the bay.

On-property adventures: With 900 acres of property right outside the door, guests find that there are plenty of ways to fit in their customary morning jog or afternoon walk while visiting. These opportunities don’t disappear with seasonal shifts, either. With plenty of trees on the property, guests will find ample spots to snap stunning fall color photos in September and October. As for winter, don’t forget to pack snowshoes or cross-country skis for a trek across Resort property.

Off-property adventures: Grand Traverse Resort and Spa is located in proximity to some of the best hiking, biking, running, and cross-country skiing that northern Michigan has to offer. Popular draws like the TART (Traverse Area Recreational Trail), the Vasa Pathway, and the Maple Bay Natural Area are just minutes away. Guests can catch the

TART trail nearby and bike all the way to downtown Traverse city — and beyond to Suttons Bay in Leelanau County if they want to. Guests also regularly plan day trips to other parks throughout the region, including Mission Point Lighthouse on Old Mission Peninsula and the world-famous Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. And opportunities for kayaking, canoeing, boating, and tubing are plentiful. No matter the type of outdoor experience you’re looking for, northern Michigan has something to suit.

Full Article

COVID-19 UPDATES & ANNOUNCEMENTS

OUR LATEST COVID-19 UPDATE

OUTLET HOURS OF OPERATION: CLICK TO VIEW OUTLET HOURS (PDF)

Housekeeping Safety

Spa Grand Traverse Safety Information:

Health Club: OPEn

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