Every eating adventure we take across Michigan bears the question — where should we stay? While we don’t typically talk about our experiences at hotels as we travel across Michigan, we need to talk about The Kingsley Bloomfield Hills. The hotel and event space holds a special place in our hearts: we were married there. When we received an invitation to experience the newly renovated property, we jumped at the chance.
If you’ve followed us for a while, you know that we rarely get personal. Providing non-biased recommendations has always been our cornerstone, so having our names and faces plastered all over social media just isn’t our thing. This is one blog post where we’ll make an exception, at least a little bit!
Back in 2013, the Michigan Chews & Brews crew threw one heck of a party at The Kingsley. As with most weddings, it was a memorable time in our lives. We raise a glass of MAWBY at the same time each year. Though some things have changed at The Kingsley from a decade ago, the overall vibe remains the same — and that’s a good thing.
The Kingsley relaunch event found us perusing the rejuvenated property with great delight. Roaming the grounds while snacking on lavish appetizers and sipping glasses of bubbly really brought things full circle for us. When we say lavish appetizers, we’re not kidding. The seafood station was generously appointed with sushi, oysters, shrimp cocktail, and lobster and crab salads. It was a divine spread fitting of the hotel.
The banquet space on the terrace level of the property was the perfect spot for our “Fall in Motown” wedding theme. Leaf garland decked the railings while centerpieces featuring MAWBY bottles with custom labels set the tone for our special day. A traditional guestbook was replaced by vinyl records we thrifted. We are firmly “team savory,” so we decided against a fancy wedding cake. Instead, we had a tower of donuts from Franklin Cider Mill served with Ray’s apple cinnamon ice cream. Sorry, not sorry!
Although the renovated space looks a little different now — it’s modernized with a lighter, neutral color palate — we felt all the positive vibes from nearly a decade ago.
The beautifully appointed rooms and suites brought back lots of memories, as did a stroll through the courtyard. The restaurant changed hands some time ago from Northern Lakes Seafood to the current Joe Muer Seafood. The new Duke Lounge is a swanky spot to kick back with a craft cocktail and forget about your worries. We’ll happily come back to relax after a long day.
If you’re staying overnight at The Kinglsey, there’s no reason to leave for a bangin’ breakfast or lavish lunch. Zalman’s offers a menu chock-full of carefully crafted dishes like shakshuka alongside health-conscious items like a quinoa bowl and salads. For those of you with a sweet tooth, their to-go dessert display will have you drooling. The generous touch of retro appeal is an exciting leap above the former interior.
We thank you for taking a walk down memory lane with us.
