Cairn House Bed and Breakfast

We were very happy with our stay at Cairn House and Helen was great!!!! Would definitely recommend to others.

Had a lovely two night stay with Helen. Felt like coming back and visiting with family.

We had an enjoyable time touring NW Michigan from this Elk Rapids B&B. From the humming birds and wonderful breakfasts to the travel, it was enjoyable. Marvelous recommendations for restaurants in the area and things to see. Very quiet location and an easy drive to all the things we wanted to see.

We spent three nights here and absolutely loved it! Helen is a wonderful person, a fantastic cook (the breakfasts were delicious!), and a gracious hostess. The home is immaculate and very inviting. The location is great, very close to downtown Elk Rapids and the chain of lakes so there's alot to do. We would definitely return!

We chose this venue because it seemed like it would be quiet place for us to rest between wedding weekend festivities. We stayed in the quarters behing the main house and this was perfect. Our teen boys can be rowdy sometimes and i felt at ease knowing any noise they made would not affect other quests. Breakfast was cheery in the sun room and we enjoyed chatting with the guests and owner before heading off for the day. I thought the room was clean and adequately appointed. Cleanliness is important to me over everything else and I was very happy that it so. Very nice experience.

We thoroughly enjoyed are stay. Helen, the inn owner, was warm, engaging, helpful, and kind. She also accommodated us with leaving a trailer with a vintage car on the property for a car show we were attending in the area. A delicious breakfast was served on an enclosed porch and deck off the back. The porch had large windows on 3 sides making it very bright and cheery. We enjoyed an evening on the back deck with wine purchased at local wineries and chatting with another couple also staying at the B&B. Felt very much like home on our front porch. Will definitely be repeat customers when attending this car show in the future.

We had a fabulous stay, truley will remember our stay for a long time. The only disappointment was the bathroom towels were thin and didn't smell great.

A truly delightful experience. Helen was very welcoming and made us feel right at home. She provided us with lots of info on the area which made our days easy to plan. The oriental room was spacious and beautifully decorated. Breakfasts were freshly made and not the usual fare - delicious. Thanks - we really enjoyed our stay. Chris & Janet

We traveled to the Elk Rapids area to visit our son who recently moved there. We stumbled upon the Cairn House Bed and Breakfast while searching for accommodations online, and I am so glad we did. Our days were busy, filled with fun activities, and our evenings were comfortable and relaxing. Thank you, Helen, for the interesting conversations and warm hospitality. The breakfasts were delicious. The rooms were clean and welcoming. We enjoyed our time here very much. Our hope is to return, and we will recommend your bed and breakfast to friends and family.

Helen was an incredible host and her home is immaculate! She was extremely accommodating in doing her best to fulfill our every wish. She certainly made us feel as though we were family while in her home and spent a good deal of her time suggesting areas for us to explore, even handing us maps of interesting spots within driving distance. Her recommendation for lunch at one of her favorite spots was tremendous! The breakfasts were good and healthy featuring plenty of fruit.

We had a great time staying at the Crain House. I was looking for a place last minute and something affordable, and was lucky enough to find this place. Everything else around this price was in the middle of a farm or didn't look like a great property, but this B&B had it all - beautiful location, across from a lake and just minutes away from the cute town of Elk Rapids, great restaurants nearby and 30 minutes from Traverse City and 60 minutes from Sleeping Bear Dunes. Helen was great too, a very respectful and lively woman who makes great breakfasts - make sure to ask about her travels overseas!

My husband and I recently stayed at Cairn House and we had a great time. The rooms were clean and nicely decorated and breakfast was really good each morning. The common areas of the house were nice also. My husband and I took advantage of the beautiful weather and enjoyed a glass of wine together on the deck. Our hostess was available if we needed anything and was a wealth of knowledge for things to do in the area. I would highly recommend Cairn House - a great place for a weekend away.

This is the second time we have stayed at Cairn House and would go back every weekend if possible. Helen is GREAT - fascinating, interesting, professional,. and a very good cook!!

Cairn House B & B is a beautiful home in a beautiful location. We came for the fall color tour and was our second stay with host Helen. We have booke our fall stay for 2012 since we so enjoy they location and hospitality. Breakfasts were of a nice variety, tasty and well-prepared. Helen makes the best grape juice from her own grapes grown on the property! Rooms are spotless, well decorated and private. We were never aware of other guests on the premesis once in our room. We have recommended Cairn House to family and friends and hope to return often.

Spent a delightful two nights with Helen and another couple on a golf vacation to the Traverse City area. Excellent location, cleanliness, quality of food and especially our many discussions on her many worldwide travels. We would certainly return to Cairn House and highly recommend it to anyone considering the area. Richard & Susan Carnell, Chatham, Ontario, Canada.

The owner is very delightful! We felt like we were at home yet on vacation. I would stay there again!

We and another couple spent 3 wonderful mid-week nights at the Cairn House. The accomodations were very clean and comfortable, and we were surrounded by beautiful bits of memorabilia that our hostess, Helen, had collected on her world travels. Each mornings breakfasts were dellicious, varied and well presented in the lovely sun room. Helen was always available and willing to share day trip tips with us, from wineries, scenic drives, local interest places as well as suggestions for dining in the area. Her ideas were right on and helped us have a terrific experience. The grounds surrounding this B&B are very pretty, as are the bedrooms. The rooms were quite comfortable and nicely air conditioned in a week of exceptionally hot weather in northern Michigan. We are planning on making a return visit.

A hidden jewel! Helen is very friendly and truly wants to make your stay as pleasant as possible. Her Inn is very clean and it has everything you need! Her stories and adventures are as memorable as her delicious breakfasts! We hope to return next summer!

We had a wonderful time and stay at the Cairn House B&B. The room was large and comfortable and the bathroom large and spotless. Helen, our host, was warm, helpful and fun to visit with. I would highly recommend staying here as it is minutes away from many great restaurants in Elk Rapids. The house is niceley decorated, spotless, and very comfortable. We couldn't have been happier with our stay. Thanks Helen!

This is our second time staying at Cairn B&B. This time we brought all the children and their spouses. As usual, we were delighted with our clean, beautiful rooms. The breakfast was delious. Helen is an accomdating hostess who went out her way to supply a birthday cake for one of my children. We will be back.

Stayed at the B&B for a family wedding held during Cherry Festival so value of stay was outstanding. Pleasant rooms with air-conditioning and in-suite bathroom. Delicious breakfasts with home made juice from the grapes on property. Ample parking. Great location for discovering the Chain of Lakes area and quick trips into Traverse City.

This is a magnificent old home just north of Elk Rapids. Great location if you like to be "in the country" while still a short drive from shopping, dining, etc. Elk Rapids is a beautiful area and the town is cute, with a great park right on Grand Traverse Bay, shops, restaurants and a little movie theater. And you're about half an hour from downtown Traverse. The rooms in this B&B are fun -- cozy and unique with trinkets and treasures Helen has collected. Helen is warm and chatty, and makes a mouthwatering breakfast every morning with home baked muffins and breads, fresh fruit and other treats. Ask for the orange croissant french toast! You will be comfortable and well cared for at Helen's place.

Stay was great! Breakfast was delicious and accommodating to our diets. Would stay there again.

Teh rooms were great and the owner is very nice and has lots of knowledge about the area.

Friendly and welcoming host - thank you.

Beautiful house. View of Elk Lake. We liked the Oriental Room. Helen leads and interesting life.

A very relaxing and quiet location away from the main tourist areas yet close enough for convenient access. Nestled between 2 beautiful lakes and near a host of others. Good restaurants close by. Nice clean accommodations, lovely grounds. Helen, the innkeeper, is the best feature of this inn. She is warm and welcoming, offers a tasty breakfast, and spins her tales of her world travels and experiences during her off-season as she volunteers in remote places. It's an extra "bonus" to know that your room charges will be helping her be able to go on another volunteer trip in the winter when the inn is closed for the season. Thank you...

First time in a B&B and could not be more please. The house and rooms were super clean and Helen was a great host. We had a great time.

We have been coming to the Cairn House for many years. Helen is a great hostess. The rooms are lovely and very clean. The breakfasts are wonderful. We have sent many friends her way. There is a lot to do and see in Northern Michigan. You will not be disappointed.

great place with a great host! many things to do around the area and Helen knows the area very well. We're looking forward to returning next summer!

This was our second visit at the Cairn House Bed and Breakfast. I was so excited to see Helen again. We were welcomed with open arms as if we were family. We stayed in the same room and was as comfortable and inviting as the first time we stayed. I actuallly said the first night while falling asleep "this feels like home." The breakfasts Helen serves are very good and such a treat for me to be served. The sun porch is very relaxing and such an enjoyable place to eat breakfast and hang out to read or relax. Helen goes out of her way to make your stay enjoyable and has a wealth of knowledge of restaurants and events in the area. This bed and breakfast is conveniently located outside of Traverse City, which was an easy drive back and forth for the film festival. Helen is a master story teller and I was so eager to hear of her latest adventures. Thank you Helen for a wonderful stay again and was sad to leave.

Helen exceeded our expectations in every way, the home is beautifully maintained and very well kept, the food was EXCELLENT and there was always plenty. I would recommend a stay here to anyone wanting to get away and enjoy some peace and quiet, although a short distance from plenty to do. Helen is very well traveled and a joy to talk to about her experiences. I highly recommend a stay here you will not be disappointed.

We had the opportunity to stay at Cairn House in July 2010 for three nights in a weekend. We felt very comfortable and welcome. A pleasant place to stay. We had an outstanding breakfast every morning which was nice to meet also other guests and talk about their experiences. As visitors from abroad (from the Netherlands) it was no problem to watch the final of the World Cup Soccer on Helen's big screen in her living room. Helen was vey helpful with information and maps and directing us to various destinations and wonderful places. Elk Rapids is a small lovely town and has some wonderful places to see sunset around the harbour. On Sunday we visited the local Presbyterian Church The location of the guesthouse is good for going all the way to Harbor Springs, the Sandy Dunes, Torch and Elk Lakes. Thank you Helen for this wonderful stay.

Neat clean rooms with great hostess.

In '09 we stayed at Cairn House the last week of June. This year we stayed the second weekend of July. We returned because a). We loved the size of the rooms-each time we had a most comfortable king size bed. The rooms are very quiet. Great acoustics. b). We felt so comfortable coming and going and parking is great. c)We liked the breakfast menu and the time of day the breakfast was served (8:30-9:30). The owner's own grape juice each morning is very very good! d) There is a cute gift shop that has items the owner has acquired on her trips around the world. e).We enjoy being able to socialize with the owner. and finally, we just love Elk Lake, Torch Lake, Elk Rapids and can keep some of our fruit purchases in a separate refrigerator. (Fruit season in Michigan: a wonderful experience). There is a great selection of maps and brochures at the B&B for those new to the area.

Would recommend this bed and breakfast to any who enjoy the bed and breakfast experience. Helen is a gracious host and wonderful cook. Had two very delicious breakfasts on the sun porch each morning. Bedrooms very comfortable and clean. The rest of the house was available for our use to visit with the other guests in the living room and sunroom as we liked. Helen had good recommendations for places to eat and things to do during our weekend in Elk Rapids. You'll have a great time if you stay at the Cairn House.

We stayed for two nights at the Cairn House. The room was clean and comfortable. The grounds are very nice, it is a relaxing environment. The breakfasts were delicious! The only thing I didn't like was the well water. Our host was very friendly and provided interesting and entertaining conversation. I would visit again.

I had the opportunity to stay at Cairn House for three nights. I felt very comfortable and welcome. We had a delicious breakfast outside on the deck every morning which was nice because when I'm in Michigan in the summer I want to be outside as much as possible. Helen was vey helpful in organizing our day and directing us to various destinations and wonderful restaurants. Elk Rapids is a small intimate town and has some wonderful art galleries and shopping. The location is good for going all the way to Harbor Springs or Leland. Torch and Elk Lakes are beautiful so if you are up in the area be sure to find a way to get out on one of those lake. We will do it next time we are there.

Cairn House was a beautiful place to stay. Very clean, good breakfast and wonderful hospitality. I would go back again. -- Nancy Jansons - Plainwell, MI

Cairn House B & B is very clean and well kept. Breakfast was excellent and plenty to eat. It was easy to find. Helen friendly and very helpful.

My fiance and I had a wonderful stay at Cairn House in early June. Helen was so accommodating and made an excellent breakfast! I would definitely stay with her again!

Cairn House is a quiet, 'homey' B & B conveniently located to enjoy northern Michigan's Fall colors, wineries, river trails, shorelines of Grand Traverse Bay area. Hostess Helen greets guests warmly, providing comfortable, clean and private rooms. She served a delicious variety of home-made breakfasts and was ready with suggestions for daily activities. (Memorable - secluded Grass River Nature trail, a rousing tour in The Music House Museum!) At end of day, Cairn House was as welcoming as a country home for refreshing slumber.

We were in the area leaf peeping for the weekend. I had booked on-line and took pot luck with Cairn House. Helen the owner communicated efficiently prior to arrival and was very accommodating when we got there. The Room was comfortable with an en suite bathroom and breakfast on our parting day was excellent and very social. We will stay again and maybe longer to get to know our interesting hostess better.

We were very pleased with our stay at the Cairn House. Helen was a gracious host, our room was great, and the breakfast was delicious. The cost was much more affordable than a motel in Traverse City. We stayed here 2 nights for about the same price as one night in Traverse. The TV in our room could have been bigger.

We were a little disappointed by the size of our room but it was very clean and Helen is a wonderful hostess and made you feel at home. The sun room was a wonderful place to sit and enjoy the beautiful yard. We would definitely stay again if we are in the area

My husband and I enjoyed our stay at Cairn House Bed and Breakfast so much that we are planning another visit next year. Our room was decorated nicely, clean, large and comfortable. We had our own bathroom connected to the room. The hostess, Helen Perez, was charming and cooked delicious breakfasts. She added special touches such as greeting us with fresh baked cookies when we arrived. Helen helped us locate the outdoor entertainment that we enjoyed. The house is convenently located near Elk Rapids and Traverse City. So there is entertainment close by.

We had a very pleasant stay, It was our 1st exp in B&B , we really enjoyed it I loved Helen's Hot breakfast Helen is a very warm person She has a unquie collection of things around the world She has set the room with themes My 3 Yrs old boy , loved her company and looks forward to visiting her again Its a very simple house for simple people like us