1365 S Main St, Frankenmuth, Michigan, United States | (888) 708-2081
Fun water park with splash areas, multiple slides, pool sculptures, and more
Easy walking distance away from many shops, including the popular Christmas store, Bronner’s
About a one-and-a-half hour drive from Detroit, making for an easy day trip from the city
Several dining options on-site, including a café and a snack bar and grill
Hotel runs a free shuttle to downtown Frankenmuth, which is about a mile away
Fitness center and golf course on-site
Free Wi-Fi (though connection can be spotty)
Some find the mattresses on the hard side and the bathrooms to be small
Prices spike on holidays and weekends, which tend to get crowded
Accompanying adults are expected to pay for entry to the water park even if only supervising
The 178-room Zehnder's Splash Village Hotel & Waterpark -- part of the Zehnder suite of hotels that constitute a large number of the options in Frankenmuth -- incorporates a large water park into its grounds. The pools, which are incredibly popular with families (especially those with younger children), include body slides, tube slides, large “river” slides, water features, and sculptural additions. Some guests complain that all guests entering the park must pay, even if merely supervising, that the free Wi-Fi is spotty, and that the property is slightly removed from the main village area of Frankenmuth. Rooms feature chain-like decor and bathrooms are on the small side.
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Scene
Family-friendly hotel with water park on-site
Like the other Zehnder properties, this hotel embraces a thematic aesthetic; the overall vibe includes oversize forest-floor mushrooms, wildflowers, and dragonflies, both in the lobby and in the play areas. An enormous plastic tree set in the corner of the front entrance houses a working fireplace at its base. The pools, restaurant, and lobby adjoin -- the separate spaces are linked by picture windows. The rooms are laid out in plain, separate low rise buildings nearby.
Location
About a mile away from the main Frankenmuth village square
Situated on a suburban road in an office-park type area, the hotel sits directly next to another large attraction, Bronner’s, which claims to be the largest Christmas store in the country. Besides this, and the restaurants on-site in the hotel, guests wanting other food and shopping options will need to go about a mile north into town to the more pedestrian-friendly main square of Frankenmuth; guests can also hop the free shuttle that runs to the other Zehnder properties, including the Bavarian Inn Restaurant downtown. The hotel is about a half hour from the Flint airport, and about an hour and a half from Detroit.
Rooms
Modern but plain chain-like rooms, some with fireplaces and balconies
The rooms here feature sage-colored industrial carpeting, a few framed illustrations continuing the woodland theme, and floral bedspreads. Apart from these touches, they hew to standard chain hotel aesthetic, with lacquered wood nightstands and plain granite vanities. A number of room configurations are available for families of various sizes; adjoining rooms linked by French doors, for example, or queen rooms with the addition of a sleeper sofa. A number of the rooms with multiple sleeping areas are not fully divided, but rather separated by a half-wall or a staircase and loft alone. Each room has at least one flat-screen TV with cable and HBO, a coffeemaker, hairdryer, mini-fridge, iron and board, and a shower/tub combo. Some rooms also include a microwave, a balcony, and a working fireplace.
Features
Two water park areas, one for larger and one for smaller children
The main draw here is the water park, which is divided into two areas. The one for larger children is covered by a retractable glass atrium, which is removed in the summer months; it makes for a more airy feel in the section for older children. The area for younger kids has a number of sculptural features in the pool, including plastic mushrooms, water lily pads, and mini water fountains. There are life jackets and inflatable mats available for use in both. There are several dining options on-site, including a grill and snack bar, as well as a cafe; the hotel runs a shuttle to their downtown restaurant, which is famous for their all-you-can-eat chicken dinners, and offers options for vegetarians and those with other dietary needs.
