Yelton Manor Bed and Breakfast

Fabulous location, walking distance to anything in South Haven. Perfect place to reconnect with a loved one.

We are about to leave Yelton Manor after a fantastic two nights. What is there to say that hasn’t already been said. The inn keepers are wonderful, attentive and most importantly love their life. Offering organic and healthy treats morning and afternoon. Unfortunately the brownies are available 24/​7, which is a problem since they are amazing. Don’t miss Yelton Manor when you visit South Haven.

Such an amazing B&B! Loved everything about it!
Friendly owners. Brownies and treats. Great deck. Movies to rent! Overall great.
Two photos of bedrooms above!

Last weekend we took a weekend away from the city to simply break for a few days. We knew we were close to the beach, but a cold and rainy weekend altered our plans to other activities. We got in late, but one of the owners was there to welcome us anyway. He gave us a tour of the house, recommended dining options, gave us activity ideas for the following few days, it was great. We stayed in a second floor room– it was perfectly clean, the bed comfy, the place was silent. Perfect for resting up and taking advantage of some time away!
The following morning we were greeted by others in the house, had our fresh coffee and breakfast. Elaine was a terrific host and insisted we do nothing other than relax. We chatted about their ‘locally grown’ and cooked initiatives and really enjoyed the morning. Off on adventures… Great afternoon, great evening, good company, another good breakfast and back to life.
To sum it up, South Haven is a terrific little community. There is a lot to offer in the nearby area. There must be hundreds of choices for lodging, but I would look no further than Yelton Manor. We had a terrific experience all around.
And for those who noted the breakfast did not have enough offerings. I say you’re nuts. Eggs, fresh greens, home-​made jams, nutella, bagels… Its perfect if you want a healthy start to your day and don’t expect truck-​stop fare.

Seven years ago (March 2008) we looked everywhere for a B&B to host our informal marriage ceremony for four and had no luck until we found the Yelton Manor. We were married here by Elaine and had the most amazing experience. We stayed in the guest house and our friends in the main house. You performed our ceremony in the main house and used some words from your own vows. You made our day one we will never forget. Our rooms were wonderful and of course those chocolate chip cookies! You were able to get us reservations at a place in Douglas that does not make reservations on our wedding night as well. This is an amazing place and I recommend it to everyone.

my wife and I stayed here for our 1^st anniversary our first b. b. and we loved it.
we stayed on the 3^rd floor orchard room witch was very nice, quiet and cozy and had plenty of room for us.
Elaine and her staff were very gracious and really just seamed to care about making sure everything was perfect.
breakfast the 1^st morn was excellent, very very good coffee.
but the 2^nd morn its was very similar and not quite as good I was hoping for something a little different but all and all food was delish, they always had snacks floating around from homemade hummus and jams to the killer homemade brownies and even popcorn.
its litteraly a 2min walk across the street to a beautiful beach with soft sandy beach, a 5min quick walk into town wich is very nice lots of scenery even a really cool maritime museum and a very nice river cruise, plenty to see and do, lots of nice restaurants.
all and all we had a very relaxing trip definitely would the yelton manor to any one looking for a quiet beautiful place for a weekend getaway.

We stayed in the Shamrock Room in the Guest House for the weekend of Aug 8 – 10. We spent much of the weekend at Gingerman Raceway, but we found plenty of opportunities to explore the town.
The photos on Yelton Manor’s website don’t do it justice. There are 2 Victorian homes on the grounds and both are surrounded by wildflowers. There is a cozy patio amongst the flowers. We arrived during the evening reception and homemade goodies were left out… hummus, salsa, pita chips, jams & jellies, brownies. They also have a large video library if you want to borrow movies to watch in your room.
Each room of each house is perfectly appointed and the small touches were excellent… down to actual Kleenex tissues in the room. The bed was super comfy. Our room was on the first floor corner near the street and we never heard cars or outside noise which is incredible because a blueberry festival was taking place in the town so there were a lot of people on the streets.
There is a common area on each floor with a refrigerator for everyone to share. We used it the whole weekend and didn’t have any issues. They also made sure the ice bucket was kept full.
Since we were leaving early each morning to go to Gingerman, we received room service. It consisted of fresh pastries, coffee, tea & orange juice. It was delicious!
The owner, Robert, was very accommodating of my friend changing his tires more than once (street — racing — street) and made sure space was available. He also stored the tires in his shed.
I highly recommend Yelton Manor and can’t wait to go back!

Yet another wonderful stay at the Yelton Manor.
Pros: Great room. Elaine is wonderful. Tasty food. Perfect location.
Cons: Pricy (kind of a stretch here), ground floor can get a little noisy
We’ve stayed in both the guest house and the main house several times over the last couple years and each time was wonderful. Amenities are flawless, breakfast is always delicious and we always make friends there every time we stay.
Sorry for the short review, but if you’re in South Haven for a weekend and need a place to stay, give Elaine a call… she’s a wonderful character who knows how to operate a B&B properly… and make sure you take some time to enjoy the beautiful garden (s)!!!

My partner and I just celebrated 20 years together… We live in Chicago, and are always looking for quick getaway weekends where we can just relax without being gone too long. We thought to look up places on the Michigan shore of Lake Michigan. It’s close, its pretty. and… well… close… We had heard of Yelton Manor from a client of ours… And we made a reservation. Everything was seamless. We arrived about 7:00 and Robert — one of the hosts — greeted us personally at the door. He gave us a tour of the whole property, which is a main house and then a guest house which sits on the street corner. The main house was very inviting, but we weren’t there at full season, so we were given a room in the «Guest» house… Guest house my word… It was full out fantastic. Our room had more nooks and crannies than a Kentucky cavern.
We awoke every morning to the most amazing home-​baked goods. apparently compliments of Elaine, our hostess… Delivered to our door… apparently the muffins, fudge, and the like were all home baked .And just there at our door when we awoke… Juice, muffins… butter… coffee…
I f forgot, there was a carafe of coffee as well. And NOW I crave those damned blueberry muffins…
Not to mention everything was relaxing. the bed, the furnishings… the sauna/​shower/​tub/​whatever bathroom thingy. The room… just totally wrapped in warmth and comeliness.
I am a bird watcher who forgot his binoculars. They actually even had a spare pair. Didn’t see many birds but the offer of the artifact was really a surprising touch.
I am an avid reader… The whole of the place was peppered with countless books, more interesting to peruse than a common local library.
A fireplace…
And I especially appreciated that while technology was present, it wasn’t overt. It was seamless.
I can’t wait to visit again. My Partner doesn’t know it, but I’m booking for August.
this was so much better than Saugatuck… We love that little town, but it’s. too. well… too… over rated… South Haven and Robert and Elaine… well. I think we have new friends… If not the warmth of the whole experience makes me want to make them just that. Friends that you visit because you were friends even before you arrived.
Oh, almost forgot… and their restaurant recommendations were spot on, and Robert and Elaine called ahead for our local choices, and we were given carte blanche upon arrival. Again.Seamless. Wow… Five stars is too few.
Thanks for a perfectly relaxing and romantic getaway that was needed oh so much more than you know.
Doug and Jimmy of Chicago

I just cant praise the staff and owners of the Yelton Manor enough. The last time I visited they were all booked up in the main house so I was able to get their last room in the Guest House. Both houses are right next to each other with only a small parking lost separating the two. You never really notice that however, due to the amazing gardens engulfing the property. It is heavenly! Our room in the Guest House was just as cozy as the Main House. It was spacious, filled with sunlight from windows looking onto Lake Michigan and a therapeutic jacuzzi bathtub that I was sure to use as many times as possible to start my mornings! Their complimentary bath oil lured me! I recommended bringing some easy slip on and off shoes so that you can simply run between the two houses for breakfast or snagging movies at night. The Guest House has just as many cute sitting areas/​nooks but the kitchen and dining areas are in the Main House.
The Yelton Manor isn’t the only reason why I love our trips here so much. It is also due to the simply quiet and quaint town of South Haven. The YM has their own beach on the lake shore that you simply have to walk across the street and down a sandy path to get to. It’s the perfect place to relax under the sun reading a book with the rippling of the water to sooth you. The town it self is small with cozy boutique shops and all different styles of restaurants and bars. Our two favorites are the local wine bar and the Mexican restaurant. We also love the different biking/​running paths all over town. Our favorite is tree lined and runs through the farming areas north of town. Ask the owners (Elaine or Robert) and they will set you in the right direction.
Stay at the Yelton Manon; I promise it will be a great getaway!

My husband booked us a night here for a small weekend getaway, and we were both really pleased. There are actually 2 houses — the main house and the guest house. We stayed in the guest house, which is 3 floors, and the main floor has a lovely shared sitting room and kitchen area, complete with a mini-​fridge (which is really helpful when you have wine to chill and/​or open).
We stayed in the Mendelssohn room, which was just beautiful (as everything was), including a fireplace and jacuzzi. My only complaint was that the jacuzzi was definitely for 1 person, so I guess maybe they thought the other person would just stand and watch haha. We both squeezed in though and once the jets came on (it took a few minutes) we were totally fine.
Everything was comfortable, homey, and spotlessly clean, and quaint as a Victorian dollhouse to boot! It really is the definition of a good bed and breakfast. Also, if you’re just coming to relax, they do have plenty of books and a huge selection of dvds to borrow from the office. However the tv in our room was so small we ended up just using our laptop to watch a movie in bed.
At the guest house they deliver a breakfast tray to each door in the morning, and leave it there without knocking (they tell you that beforehand). In our basket there was coffee, juice, muffins, and some kind of coffeecake. Both of the pastries were deelish, but of course if you’re looking for something heavier you might have to go out for breakfast.
All in all, we had a wonderful time on our little getaway and would definitely recommend it to all of our friends!

Thank You! Thank You! Thank you! for an amazing weekend in your warm, cozy & loving palace. I am so glad we choose to come to your B&B for some R&R. Seriously its very difficult to find the perfect blend of love and character in one spot. Elaine you are an amazing host, funny, caring and such of an inspiration to any woman. Robert I wish I had a chance to see you more, but Thank You for the warm welcome. Quaint, relaxing and an excellent location is what you can expect at the Yelton Manor. Life is like a box of chocolates…

I booked a room as a surprise weekend getaway for my husband and I to relax and decompress after completing two months’ of home renovations. I could not have selected a better place to stay for our needs. We loved having access to books-​books-​books in every nook and corner, as well as charming little nooks for two people to read and relax.
And yes… the brownies are beyond description. I don’t think I was able to walk past them once without grabbing one of the delicious little treats. And the little jars and bowls of candies in every public room — I know I saw peppermint patties, jelly beans, Hershey’s miniatures, Tootsie Roll midgees (my husband’s favorite) and I’ll bet there some I missed, too!
We also enjoy the evening hors d’oeurves and the hot breakfast served in the kitchen. Part of the charm is having the opportunity to chat with Robert and Elaine when they are hosting these meals, especially teasing my husband about being in the «clean plate club»!
We will most definitely return to the Yelton Manor — I don’t know when, but it’s certainly a place I could never forget!

The location and charm of this Inn are the highlights. Unfortunately, the customer service is an afterthought.
When making reservations, we said we would be up earlier in 2 cars and we were told we could park at the inn for the day. But, we were not allowed to come in or check in until 3. So, when we did this, the police were called on us. My sister in-​law was forced into the side of her car with two kids by the owner. When she said she would just move her car, the owner began yelling at her and would not allow her to move away from the car. Then, as she panic-​ed he pulled out his phone to record her trying to get him to move and being worried he would me more agresive. After he recorded her yelling at him in a response to her actions to protect the kids, he laughed and walked away.
We were told we had to stay or we would be charged the entire amount of the stay. We stayed, unfortunately, things did not get better.
Breakfast is served AT 9. If you want it before or after that, they might have some cold cereal. The hot food was always an egg casserole and a stuffed French toast casserole. You had to physically go into the kitchen to get the food. We did not go to breakfast one day and got a guilt trip from the breakfast person. The last day we did not go to breakfast and the morning manager literally slammed the door in my face as we left.
The room was literally 96 degrees one night. I told the manager in the morning and she said it was because it was hot outside and the A/​C could not keep up. She came up to the room and said, «oh, it is not that hot in here.» she went out to the thermostat and it was 89 in the hallway. Again, she said it was not that bad. It turns out that the compressor was bad. They got us a couple of fans to help deal with the heat that night.
The Internet signal in our room was too low for me to use any of my Apple devices.
Love South Haven and will go back to the area, but will not stay in or recommend Yelton or there sister property next door.

Going to the Yelton was my husband and I’s first B&B experience. Here are the details:
— Beautiful and quaint. All the rooms are unique and have its own personality. (they are all named after a flower, which I think is super cute!) Every room in the house has something to see/​do — tons of books and décor.
— less than 3 min. walk to the beach and about 7 min. to downtown South Haven. Great location.
— The inn keepers are very helpful and friendly. We got there a bit early and were able to check in. Flexible.
— We didn’t like the breakfast so much… a lot of heavy food in the morning, but this is just a personal preference.
I give it 4 ½ stars because of the breakfast (wished for more variety) and our room was very hot. (Don’t get a room on the 3^rd floor in the middle of summer) Other than that, it’s a wonderful stay.

We have loved every visit to the Manor. International Inn of the Year! !!!

We have stayed at Yelton Manor over the Labor Day weekend. The house is lovely, very neat, with lots of nooks and crannies and many personal touches. We have travelled allover the world and have stayed in different hotels and BBs. For the price of $ 300.00/night, our expectations were rather high. To our surprise, our room was very small and dark. Breakfast was average, but the snacks were delicious (Thank you Robert). Very annoying part of the stay was too many restrictions posted by the innkeeper who made us feel very uncomfortable and not very welcome (it’s difficult to relax when someone is always watching over your shoulder). However, I have to give a credit to the innkeeper for solving an unruly neighbors issue very quickly.
Advise to the innkeeper:
«All successful bed and breakfasts have one thing in common: owners who like people! Anyone seriously thinking about opening a bed and breakfast must like people and be able to deal with all types of people. This is a people business! You must also be willing to sacrifice a big part of your personal life since guests will be living with you»

If you are gonna stay in South Haven at a B&B, then you might as well stay at the best one in the region…

The only reason I did not rate this B&B 5 stars is because the room prices are very high… not only that but the Michigan hotel tax on top of that! That being said, this place is great. Exceptionally clean, incredibly clean! Perfect location… steps to the beach and a short walk to town! Inn owners and keepers are friendly and will help when asked. Breakfast is good, but they may want to consider serving a little more food. When I stayed, the B&B was near capacity and there was JUST ENOUGH food. I will go back again, but I have to save my money first.