HOTELS

It’s one thing Michigan’s third largest city doesn’t have -- a downtown district.

The pandemic has made us extra cautious about cleanliness, and hotel rooms were a breeding ground for germ concerns even before it hit. So how clean are they now?

Of course, it depends on when you book and how savvy you are at tracking airfare deals, but scoring a great deal on a flight these days certainly isn’t impossible.

The directors of the three fairs that comprise Ann Arbor Art Fair announced the event is on for July.

The Ann Arbor State Street Art Fair is back on the calendar for 2021.

Some hotels and restaurants continue to limit capacity because they don't have the staff to serve customers.

Some hotels and restaurants continue to limit capacity because they don't have the staff to serve customers.

Many hotels and rental properties lost thousands when forced to close last spring.

An uptick in crime in and around downtown hotels during the coronavirus pandemic has city officials concerned, saying several people have taken advantage of low room rates to throw large parties in rooms. Now, one Near North hotel faces a public nuisance charge.

For those with a vision, Ann Arbor's Southside is bursting with opportunity for reinvention.

For those with a vision, Ann Arbor's Southside is bursting with opportunity for reinvention.

Ann Arbor Restaurant Week will take place between Feb. 21-26. Take a break from the everyday routine by having a staycation during the inaugural Ann Arbor Hotel Week. Destination Ann Arbor has partnered with Washtenaw County Hotel Association to celebrate Tree Town’s hotel and hospitality industry with a week of exclusive rates and specials at local hotels. This year, the first-ever Ann Arbor Hotel Week coincides with the annual Ann Arbor Restaurant Week. Participating hotels include Graduate Ann Arbor, The Kensington, Weber’s Boutique Hotel and Residence Inn Ann Arbor Downtown, among others.

The Michigan Restaurant and Lodging Association (MRLA) is sounding the alarm on the coming struggle of cold weather business during the coronavirus pandemic. “The hospitality industry in Michigan finds itself in a precarious position this fall as dropping temperatures and mandatory capacity restrictions indoors threaten its very existence,” said Justin Winslow, president & CEO of the MRLA. Despite leading the statewide employment gains this summer, restaurants in Michigan are operating with 1/3 fewer employees than they otherwise at this time of the year. Michigan hotel occupancy rates are down 23.5 percent compared to last year, according to MRLA. In response, MRLA has launched the “Don’t Leave Michigan’s Hospitality Industry Out in the Cold” campaign, including a list of common-sense public policy solutions to help Michigan’s restaurants and hotels survive the transition to a colder, less predictable fall season.

DETROIT Industry-wide, hotels have lost about $17 billion. In Detroit, many up-scale and boutique hotels have been trying to stay in business while staying safe. See what they are doing in the video above.

DETROIT – Health officials have ordered public swimming pools in Southeast Michigan to close to mitigate the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). The Detroit Health Department Wayne County Public Health Division, Oakland County Health Division and the Macomb County Health Department all issued orders requiring public swimming pools to close indefinitely. The aim of the closures is to reduce the potential spread of coronavirus. Pools pose a low risk of transmitting COVID-19, but health officials are concerned about people not being able to maintain social distancing. MORE: Inflatable pools boom in popularity as Metro Detroit public pools remain closedRead the full press release below: