Lodge & Dine has awarded The Vanguard a 5-star rating after a multi-day visit evaluating the full guest experience.
Within walking distance of the University of Michigan’s Central Campus, The Vanguard sits close to the center of Ann Arbor without leaning too heavily on collegiate cues. While many campus-adjacent hotels lean into traditional, wood-paneled aesthetics, this property takes a different tack. The building feels bright and architectural, using large windows and high ceilings that give the building a sense of openness that many boutique hotels lack.
The lobby functions more as a social hub than just a check-in point, featuring terrazzo flooring, leather seating, and an abundance of greenery that softens the industrial edges. The open layout allows the room to shift easily over the course of the day, from a quieter spot in the morning to a more active evening environment as guests gather near the bar.
Guest rooms are spacious by downtown standards, with enough square footage to move around comfortably. The furniture and fixtures are clearly new, using deep blues, warm woods, and matte black hardware. In the bathrooms, wide mirrors and large walk-in showers make the strongest impression, and water pressure holds steady.
Dining centers on La Serre, the hotel’s French-inspired bistro that leans into its name—The Greenhouse—with a bright, airy atmosphere. The menu stays close to familiar, well-executed classics rather than pushing for complexity. Dinner service was well paced, with staff present when needed without crowding the table.
The gym is larger and better equipped than what most hotels offer, with cardio machines, Pelotons, free weights, and enough strength equipment for several guests to use the space at once.
Service remained consistent throughout the stay. Front desk interactions were direct and efficient, housekeeping was reliable, and requests for local recommendations or extra amenities were handled promptly.
The Vanguard stays close to campus without giving in to the usual campus-hotel formula. Modern in design and unusually spacious for the area, it offers something Ann Arbor does not always have in abundance.
Ann Arbor, MI Series: La Serre Anchors French Technique in a Greenhouse Setting