TRAVERSE CITY, MI – If you’ve window-shopped your way through Traverse City’s bustling downtown, you’ve certainly passed the historic Masonic building. This impressive corner spot has been prompting passers-by to crane their necks at the expanse constructed by the Freemasons since 1890.

But walk through those double doors now, and you’ve entered an utterly sleek and stylish new century. It’s a vacation space with a decidedly Nordic vibe, where practical layouts meet plush details. Think high ceilings and exposed brick walls. There’s even one suite that has an eyebrow-raising spiral staircase into a loft bedroom that offers views of Grand Traverse Bay. How perfect is that?

The Flats at Front + Union is downtown Traverse City’s newest boutique hotel. It offers six flats of varying sizes and layouts. They range from one-bedroom to three-bedroom spaces.

The Flats at Front + Union is downtown Traverse City’s newest boutique hotel. In this photo, a third-floor suite offers a spiral staircase to a loft bedroom and views of Grand Traverse Bay.Photo provided by The Flats at Front + Union

And while this popular Up North vacation town already has a strong mix of high-end hotels, mom-and-pop motels and resort-style properties, a recent walk-through left us feeling that The Flats was a unique property that didn’t fit neatly into any one of those categories.

Part of it is the large-scale renovation of such an historic building. But also, it’s the feel of the new flats that really stand apart. The vibe is more upscale apartment than hotel, which explains why guests have been booking here for several-day stretches instead of just a quick overnight. There‘s luxury bedding and towels, locally roasted beans waiting at the in-flat coffee bars, and bikes at the ready for the adventurous.

It’s designed so people can roll into town and get right down to enjoying their vacation – a happy simplicity that owner Jen Vander Roest has valued in her own family’s vacations. She has been adamant about duplicating this at The Flats.

The Flats at Front + Union is downtown Traverse City’s newest boutique hotel.Photo provided by The Flats at Front + Union

“When we landed on this, we had a plan for what we enjoyed as a couple, and as a family,” said Vander Roest, who opened the business nearly two years ago with her husband, Steve, and their friend, Roche Featherstone.

“We renovated it to be very clean and simple and very Scandinavian. We reclaimed all the wood we could in the walls and exposed as much brick as possible. We did everything we could to restore all the history.”

”It’s so hard to find a historic place that is also fun for a family to stay in.”

The Flats’ location just blocks from the bay puts guests in a prime spot for enjoying Traverse City. The whole of downtown is literally at their feet, with shops, restaurants and beaches just steps away.

But if you would have told the Vander Roests a few years ago that they’d be shifting into high-end hospitality, it would have earned you a quizzical look. This venture didn’t start out as a quest to uncover the inner beauty of a century-old building. It began as a real estate hunt that turned into a huge leap of faith.

The Flats at Front + Union is downtown Traverse City’s newest boutique hotel.Photo provided by The Flats at Front + Union

A heartfelt letter leads to … ‘We’re buying a building.’

In 2022, Jen Vander Roest had been looking to move her longtime textile business into a new spot downtown. But as she roamed Front Street she realized she was having a Goldilocks problem: The spaces up for sale were too big or too small. None were just right.

The couple and their three boys were prepping for a 10-day off-grid backpacking adventure when she saw it: the town’s landmark Masonic building was on the market. The street-level retail space was perfect for her eelo textile shop. But what were they going to do with all those other floors?

Before they left on vacation, the couple sent a letter to the Masonic building’s longtime owners. “We just wrote them a heartfelt note,” Vander Roest said. “We told them that we raised our kids here, we loved this area, and we wanted to preserve the building. We went into the backcountry, and 10 days later when we came out, they had accepted our offer.”

That was in July 2022. By that December, the investor trio had closed on the building. Then the real work began. They wanted the huge building’s interior to pay homage to the brick and reclaimed wood they uncovered. And while all the structural pieces were in place and the former owners had repaired damage from a 1980s-era fire, the upstairs floors were still a warren of rooms with their raw beauty waiting to be revealed.

The Flats at Front + Union is downtown Traverse City’s newest boutique hotel.Photo provided by The Flats at Front + Union

“We had to figure out how to make all these spaces into a little retreat for our guests,” she said. That’s where the genius of Ray Kendra of Environment Architects came into play. The owners credit him for teasing out the best plan possible for the space.

The project was also a palette for Jen Vander Roest’s inner design maven. The suites are set off by inviting color and tile pairings. Each is different, yet linked by warm wood tones and beautiful downtown views.

“I just wanted it to feel like home,” she said.

And if you stay there and love the bedding, towels and homeware pieces that set the suites apart from other spots, you can likely find your favorites in the colorful eelo retail shop downstairs.

The Flats at Front + Union is downtown Traverse City’s newest boutique hotel.Photo provided by The Flats at Front + Union

The Flats opened in mid-July 2023 and since then has drawn a wide clientele. This includes solo travelers, couples using the space to work remotely, lots of friend groups, and notably the multi-generational guests who rent out more than one flat. Combined, the suites can sleep 28 people, so they can accommodate bridal parties and large groups.

“We have had groups and weddings that book out the entire building. We’ve seen multi-generational travel, with a family booking one unit with the grandparents right down the hall. That’s been big the last year or so.”

Efficiency is valued here. All guest notifications are automated via email and text. Check-in by a special code is designed to be seamless and quick.

“Our system and the 5-star reviews speak for themselves,” Vander Roest said. “We don’t slow down your visit with check-ins or lines, when you pull into your parking space your flat is ready for you to unwind in. When you offer a high level of service that meets expectations when guests walk through the door, people don’t have a lot of needs. That has always been our goal and how we like to travel.”

For more details on The Flats, their amenities and how to make a reservation, see the website here.