Cranbrook Inn

Was Cranbrook Inn always a place of respite? No. The Cranbrook Inn, nestled within the greater Cranbrook Educational Community, possesses a rich history. It wasn’t originally built as an inn. The story begins in 1904 when George Gough Booth and his wife, Ellen Scripps Booth, purchased land in Bloomfield Hills. This land, named Cranbrook after George’s ancestral home in England, wasn’t intended for a hotel. Instead, it was to become their summer retreat. The heart of this retreat, Cranbrook House, designed by Albert Kahn, became their permanent residence in 1908. As the Booths’ vision expanded, the estate blossomed. It transformed into a hub of education, art, and science. Institutions like Cranbrook Schools, Cranbrook Academy of Art, and Cranbrook Institute of Science began to take root. The Booths gifted Cranbrook House and its surrounding land to the Cranbrook Foundation in 1944. For a time, the house’s future was uncertain. The Foundation even considered demolishing it. However, Henry Scripps Booth, the Booths’ youngest son, intervened. He moved his office into the house in 1966. Other Foundation personnel followed. Gradually, Cranbrook House transformed into the administrative center of the Cranbrook Educational Community. The Cranbrook Inn as we know it today emerged later, offering hospitality to visitors of this unique community. It provides a comfortable and convenient stay for those exploring the educational, artistic, and scientific wonders of the Cranbrook legacy. So, while the Cranbrook Inn itself might not hold centuries of stories within its walls, it rests upon a foundation of dreams, philanthropy, and a remarkable family’s vision. The inn continues to serve as a gateway to the vibrant cultural landscape the Booths created.