Detroit Journals

Detroit - The Unexpected Outlet Mecca

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A November 2001 trip to Detroit by tiltedhalo

Quote: I often fly to Detroit on business and previous to now thought it to be the most boring place on earth....BUT the Detroit area is an increddable shopping mecca!

Detroit - The Unexpected Outlet Mecca

Overview

Quote:
Outlet malls in Saginaw, Howell and Pontiac topped my list. Another not to be missed is the Somerset Collection in Troy; a VERY upscale mall. Somerset is the equivalent of Chicago's Michigan Avenue with many specialty stores including one store that sells nothng but Cream colored itemsQuick Tips: To save on costs and travel try staying in a suburb that is on the thoroughfares. I stayed at the Marriott in Livonia which had access to all the major arteries into Canada, northern Michigan and all of the suburbs. This hotel is actually attached to an upscale mall - Laural Park which houses the states largest Jacobsons and the ONLY Parisian.Best Way To Get Around: The ONLY way to get aroun...Read More

Ann Arbor Marriott Ypsilanti at Eagle Crest

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Hotel | "Ypsilanti Marriott at Eagle Crest"

Quote:
This out of the way hotel is one of only two full service hotels in the Ypsilanti/Ann Arbor area. Since I''''m an avid Marriott Rewards collector I chose to stay here during one of my longer business trips. Reserving a room here is not the easiest unless you book early. I booked a month before my trip and was unable to get a room for the entire trip so had to stay in another hotel for the first part and moved here for the last 4 days. The hotel boats a beautiful 18 hole golf course and you can request a room with a view of it and Ford Lake for an additional $10 a night. Around the hotel, you can also find walking trails around the lake area. The hotel has beautiful ammentities but I experienced ...Read More

Member Rating 2 out of 5 on December 8, 2001

Ann Arbor Marriott Ypsilanti at Eagle Crest
1275 S. Huron Street
Ypsilanti, Michigan 48197
(734) 487-2000

Detroit Marriott Livonia

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Hotel

Quote:
Service with a smile is apparently the rule at this engaging hotel. I have stayed there twice now and even though the room accommodations are somewhat old and need reburishing (the hotel is slated for major renovations this winter!) I thoroughly enjoyed my stay thanks to the attitude of the entire staff from check-in to checkout. I could easily make this hotel a long term home on extended business trips and in fact stayed for close to 2 weeks on my last visit. The rooms are smallish but the ammenities are just fine being the standard "Marriot - room that works". The concierge lounge is excellent and well worth paying extra money for if you aren''t offered the upgrade. I spent most of m...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on December 8, 2001

Detroit Marriott Livonia
17100 Laurel Park Drive North
Detroit, Michigan 48152
(734) 462-3100

Quote:
As I mentioned in the overview, shopping in the Detroit area is excellent. Besides the outlet malls there is also an abundance of malls to visit anytime you have an hour or so. The first destination on my trips was Ann Arbor. The main shopping mall is Briarwood just off of the States street exit on I94. Here you'll find several major retailers including Marshall Fields, Jacobsons and Sears. In this large complex you'll also find many other clothing stops such as Learner, Express, Lane Bryant, Wilsons and a host of others. You can lose yourself in this mall every night on a long business trip and come home much poorer than you left. Also in Ann Arbor are a few strip malls which sometimes contai...Read More

Member Rating 3 out of 5 on December 8, 2001

Shopping In Detroit Suburbs
Along all the major arteries
Detroit, Michigan

Finding the Outlets

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Story/Tip

Quote:
The largest outlet mall in this area is Birch Run located on I75 at exit 136. Bircch Run is run by Prime Outlets and boasts being one of the largest outlet malls in the US with over 147 outlet shops. I spent 2 full days at the mall and STILL didn't see everything I wanted to see. All of the standard outlets are here (Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, Maidenform, etc) as well as a host of outlets that are hard to find elsewhere such as Spiegel, Bed Bath and Beyond and even Bose. I didn't come home as rich as I left but my suitcases were bulging with new clothes. Spiegel typically runs a 50% off the last marked price on all the clothing. Be prepared to spend time digging through piles and racks to locate you...Read More

About the Writer

tiltedhalo

tiltedhalo
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma