Lake Land Getaway, a 13-room motel on Colby Road in Whitehall, has reopened after a renovation that added hot tubs, pickleball courts and a retro-inspired redesign. The property, a 1950s motel formerly known as the Lake Land Inn, is now accepting reservations for Fall 2026; owner Jeremy Garcia has said the work took longer than expected.
Garcia is associated with Muskegon-based Dreamstay Properties, which, according to MLive, specializes in distinctive properties designed around personalized guest experiences. The Whitehall project redesigned all guest rooms at 1002 Colby Road.
Garcia told MLive that rough plumbing and electrical problems complicated the renovation. The project also waited seven months for electrical work.
What's Open Now, What's Still Coming
As of the latest reporting, Lake Land Getaway has completed its guest rooms and hot tubs, while a planned sauna, coffee bar and game room remain unfinished. The property's website promotes hot tubs, and a game room is planned. The motel is accepting reservations for Fall 2026 and is marketed to couples and White Lake weekend visitors.
Lake Land Getaway has a hot-tub garden, a pickleball court and a bonfire area.
An '80s and '90s Game Room in a Teal Barn
The renovation plan also includes an 1980s and 1990s themed game room inside a teal barn behind the motel, with decor nodding to the Spice Girls, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Star Wars. Garcia told MLive that Dreamstay aims to make the full stay distinctive, with nostalgia for younger generations.
The property is intended to appeal to millennials and a younger generation.
A $510,000 Overhaul
When renovation plans were first reported, the project was expected to cost $510,000 and to touch all 13 rooms with new interiors, bathrooms and furnishings.
Not Michigan's Only Retro Motel Revival
Whitehall's project isn't the only Michigan roadside motel getting a second life. In Traverse City, Barrett and Andrea Corrigan transformed the 1957-established Sierra Motel into a retro-themed destination, according to 9&10 News. The Corrigans ran that motel as-is for a year before launching their own major renovation, which ultimately included roughly 120 pieces of custom-crafted furniture and art, with a design blending a Palm Springs Route 66 vibe, tiki culture and Michigan-themed touches.
Regional Tourism and Motel Renovations
According to MLive, a Travel Michigan and Tourism Economics study found tourism and hospitality generated $409.4 million in economic impact in Muskegon County in 2024, with visitor spending up 5.4% from 2023. Those countywide figures provide regional context, but do not establish demand for Lake Land Getaway; the reported figures do not specify overnight travel.
Another documented conversion was underway in Bridgman in March 2026. WSJM reported that the former Bridgman Inn was being renovated as the 24-room Warren Hotel, a larger Southwest Michigan shoreline lodging project than Whitehall’s 13-room motel.
For now, Lake Land Getaway stands as Whitehall's own entry in that wave of roadside nostalgia, with its finished rooms and hot tubs already welcoming guests while the sauna, coffee bar and themed game room take shape behind it.
