The Wickwood Inn in Saugatuck, Michigan, offers Gilmore Girls

From gorgeous decor to first-class amenities, Domino’s “Wish you were hereThe series is your first-class ticket to the most design-focused getaways around the world. Whether you’re looking to steal away for a few days or just pick up some ideas to take home (we encourage both, by the way), see where we check in.

I was born and raised in the Midwest (outside of Chicago, to be precise), which meant that in the summers I explored the shores of Lake Michigan for family vacations. So when I arrived in front of the newly renovated Wickwood Inn in Saugatuck, Michigan, why did I suddenly feel like I was an extra in an episode of Gilmore Girls?

That magic is thanks in part to the charming town, but also to Martin Horner and Shea Soucie of Soucie Horner, their Chicago-based design firm, who bought the 1937 house two years ago and transformed it into a modern inn befitting Stars Hollow.

Before the couple could make cosmetic changes, they first had to consider the building’s history: Since the 1990s, the colonial building had already been a popular inn run by revered chef Julee Rosso, author of The Silver Palate Cookbook. “When we bought the inn, we were very conscious of Rosso’s popularity and repeat guests, but we also needed to make it our own,” says Horner. So instead of tearing down walls and turning the 11-room property into a chic Scandinavian hotel, they paid tribute to the legendary former owner by incorporating pre-existing details like artwork and furniture that they reupholstered or repurposed. (But the bathrooms? Those were gutted and replaced with new tile and marble.)

The rest of the inn’s “jewels,” as Horner calls them—like the bamboo bed frame in the room I stayed in—come from epic vintage shopping trips, Facebook Marketplace purchases, and even Horner and Soucie’s own homes. In fact, no two guest rooms are exactly the same, aside from the lighting, linens, and Waterworks faucets. To maintain even more uniformity, they opted for a calming, neutral color palette from Benjamin Moore. (In most areas, they went with fan-favorite White Dove.) There are also new Vispring mattresses in each guest room.

In the lobby and dining room, a fireplace and wood-paneled walls adorned with one of Rosso’s original tapestries create cozy spaces to gather before a day exploring the area’s wineries and art galleries (trust me, Ox-Bow is the top choice). Plus, the backyard and screened-in gazebo are the perfect spots to sip cocktails or enjoy the lobby’s complimentary chocolate chip cookies.

The result feels almost delightfully non-Midwestern, and certainly not beachy, even though the inn is steps from the Kalamazoo River, where you can rent a candy-colored retro boat for an afternoon (highly recommended). Instead, the quiet luxury atmosphere, coupled with the sophisticated menu from former Oprah Winfrey chef Rose Duong and the warm welcome from general manager Susan Michele, make the whole experience decidedly Midwestern. The only thing missing is Luke’s Diner.