Crystal Mountain

I need to praise Christin for being so amazing! Christin works at the front desk at the lobby and answered a million +1 questions that we had for our wedding this fall regarding rooms and reservations. She went above and beyond and deserves so much recognition. Thank you Christin you made our stay incredible!!

I understand this is a ski resort, but I went just to relax, enjoy the scenery do a few outdoor winter activities with my daughter etc not ski. We had a room at the inn at the mountain which was pretty decent. My biggest complaint is the food and food choices. There’s only 3 restaurants which are all in the same building. Out of the 3 restaurants some are only open on the weekend . There’s no room service for food unless you order from the pizza place. If you’re not skiing there’s really not much to do. I would’ve stayed the full time I booked the room for if I had good food and drink choices. I was bored and hungry. The food is very overpriced at the cafe and not good quality. I don’t think you get your money worth. Spending $1500 for a room and can’t even get good quality food is ridiculous. I left 2 days early and will never go back

Depending on your perspective – or favorite season – Crystal Mountain is either a ski resort with 59 well-groomed downhill runs or a golf resort with 36 holes of championship golf. Yet, regardless of the season, it’s one of Northern Michigan’s best resorts. Crystal Mountain has the most unique history of any resort I have ever written about. It began as a school project when a geography teacher at Benzonia High School tasked his students to find the best place in Benzie County, MI to start a ski area. After much research and debate the class determined the Buck Hills Range offered the best combination of terrain and snowfall. The Buck Hills Ski Area became a reality in 1956 with a rope tow powered by an old pick-up truck engine and a warming hut built with donated lumber. In 1960, Buck Hills became Crystal Mountain Resort when it was purchased by 96 shareholders, many of whom had homes nearby. The new owners made many substantial upgrades including a new lodge with dining and 21 rooms for overnight guests. By 1966, ownership had dwindled to a small handful of owners who realized that the best way for the resort to be profitable was to make it a year-round destination. Fast forward to 1981 and sole ownership of Crystal Mountain came down to the flip of a coin between George Petritz and Robert Meyer. Crystal Mountain has been owned by the Petritz family ever since. Golf entered the equation at Crystal Mountain in 1977 with the opening of the Betsie Valley golf course. Mountain Ridge followed in 1995. Both Betsie Valley and Mountain Ridge have received the prestigious 4-star rating from Golf Digest Magazine and are members of America’s Summer Golf Capital, a collection of resort properties that feature 26 golf courses across northern Michigan. Both courses play out of the same clubhouse, which features a well-stocked pro shop, The Thistle restaurant and bar, and an outdoor patio complete with a bar, grill, and oftentimes live music. Before your round, be sure to visit Crystal Mountain’s 10-acre learning center and practice facility. You’ll find a targeted grass range, along with a short game area featuring chipping and putting greens complete with sand bunkers for practicing. Everything you need for a quick tune-up before heading to the first tee! The Learning Center is also home to Crystal Mountain Golf School, which has been recognized as one of the best golf schools by Golf Digest. They feature a variety of single or multi-day lesson options including private, group, women-only, and juniors. Since opening in 1977, the Betsie Valley course has received many upgrades, most recently from the summer of 2021 to the spring of 2022. Renovations included widening the fairways, building new tee boxes, a forestry management project to clear out brush, redesigned cart paths, and more. Even with all of these changes, the course still retains its original character and is now more playable than ever before. Betsie Valley is spread across the rollin

Seems like a great place except. Make sure you understand the cancelation/transfer policy. Didn’t get to go bc it’s 50 degrees and no snow. Trouble is there re-schedule policy states you must cancel 14 days before your stay. I read into this with the understanding that if you transferred your stay to a different time you would be charged a holiday fee but your deposit would transfer to your new stay dates. Why would I drive 6 hours to a destination trip for skiing and snowboarding when there’s no snow? I work with people that have been here and they loved it but I wont go after this. I realize the weather isn’t their fault but you have to find common ground to KEEP people coming in or back. Sorry Crystal you failed, I’ll find another place to bring the family.

We stayed in Chalet Wintergreen 536. Absolutely wonderful next to a stream and water feature. A small wooden bridge took you to a walkway then to a dock with a Chris**as tree. 2 bedroom 2 bath. Fishing themed chalet. Comfortable beds. Full kitchen. Microwave, stove, oven, dishwasher, refrigerator with ice maker in freezer. Nice outdoor deck, facing golf course. Hot tub/shower in main bathroom. Shower with dual heads in master. Fireplace with logs. Will stay here again. Indoor and outdoor pools, jacuzzi outdoor. Bike rentals. They were making snow during our visit. This rental allowed our Aussiedoodle

The resort grounds are very pictureque. We had a great time here on our Fall getaway. I just wish more was available on a Sunday. We rushed to get to get to the chairlift ride because it closed at 2pm. It was definitely so worth it! The views were stunning and the Fall colors rich. We stayed at the Crystal Colony building which was cozy. I loved the decor especially of the bathroom. The pool was a big hit! The water was not too cold.

This place was beautiful! It was a great place to visit in summer as riding the chair lift was just as much fun without snow. The Crystal Colony room was great with a full kitchen and a bathroom that has a spa like feel. The front desk staff told me that the rooms were renovated less than a year ago. The king size bed was incredibly comfortable with 4 wonderful pillows. The air-conditioner blasted wonderfully cool air if it was hot during the day and the gas fireplace was wonderful at heating the 43 degree nights. The grounds are gorgeous! There are staff around constantly working on watering plants and completing upkeep. You truly do not need to leave the grounds at all, but you will want to see Sleeping Bear Dunes, located only about 35 mins away. Truly breathtaking sights of Lake Michigan. Also, there some great breweries and wineries located pretty close as well (8-10 miles)

Beautiful resort. Stayed in great townhome that had 5 bedrooms and four baths with pool table and was on golf course. Resort store was well stocked so you could easily get items for meals. Their Thistle restaurant was excellent Very pleasant stay. Highly recommend.

This year round resort is perfect because it has many amenities such as a pool, golf, restaurants, zip lining, ski lift, etc. it is a short drive to Sleeping Bear Dunes and rivers. We rented a condo which overlooked the golf course. It is perfect for families or a romantic getaway for couples.