4411 Inn & Suites
4411 US-12
Michigan City, IN
The Golden Sands Motel renovated right: drive-up rooms, a courtyard built around two fire pits, and fourteen acres of protected forest at the back fence.
About 4411 Inn & Suites
The 4411 Inn & Suites started as the Golden Sands Motel, a US-12 roadside property in Michigan City, Indiana that had operated for decades before closing. In 2017, Nazar Kryvko and Andriy Mykolyshyn of NADR Group purchased the building and invested more than $1.5 million in a complete renovation, retaining the single-story exterior-access footprint and U-shaped layout while rebuilding every room from scratch. Interior design came from Nadia Gordon Designs. The renovation sourced in-room coffee from local roaster Maple City Roasters and converted the former pool area into a central courtyard. Indiana Dunes National Park is twelve miles west. A fourteen-acre protected forest sits directly adjacent to the back of the property.
What 4411 Inn & Suites Is Known For
The 4411 earns its ranking not through premium design choices alone but through consistent operational execution. General Manager Mike S. responds personally to every guest review. Rooms are maintained at a standard that guests consistently describe as immaculate. The renovation philosophy respected rather than erased the building's mid-century roadside bones. The hardwood floors, the fire pits, the local coffee sourcing, and the food truck are not amenity upgrades borrowed from a hotel trend deck. They are the product of owners who renovated a building they had studied, in a town where those choices made sense.
Amenities
- Pets Welcome
- EV Charging
- WiFi
- Two propane fire pits with Adirondack chairs
- S'mores supplies from front office
- Cook Street Cafe food truck on-site (breakfast and lunch)
- Shirley Heinze Land Trust forest directly adjacent
- Outdoor grills
- Yard games (cornhole, giant Jenga)
- Private exterior patio per room
- Pack 'n Play available for infants
- Complimentary fresh fruit and coffee in front office
What Guests Love
- The central courtyard fire pits with Adirondack chairs and s'mores supplies from the front office are the detail guests most often cite that they did not expect from a US-12 roadside motel.
- Cook Street Cafe parks a food truck on-site for breakfast and lunch. The breakfast burritos are named across multiple independent reviews as a reason to return.
- Rooms on the back of the U-shape face the Shirley Heinze Land Trust, a fourteen-acre protected forest directly adjacent to the property. Guests in those rooms look into old-growth tree canopy from the private patio.
- Maple City Roasters, a local Michigan City coffee roaster, supplies the pods in every in-room in-room coffee maker. It is the kind of sourcing decision that signals how the whole renovation was thought through.
Worth Knowing
- The King Studio is the smallest room configuration and has a more compact shower. The Premium rooms and suite options are a step up in space and worth the difference for a longer stay.
- Guests may hear road noise. Rooms on the back side of the property face the forest and tend to be quieter.
- The minimum guest age at the 4411 is 22. This applies to the primary booking guest.
- Pets are welcome. A pet fee applies; contact the property directly to confirm current amounts and any restrictions before booking.
The Room
Rooms were rebuilt from the original Golden Sands footprint with hardwood-style floors throughout and no carpet. Every room has an in-room coffee maker stocked with Maple City Roasters pods, a microwave, refrigerator, TV, and organic toiletries. Baths are private en-suite throughout. A Pack 'n Play is available for families with infants. Room formats range from compact King Studios and Double Studios to Premium rooms and larger multi-room configurations, including a Two-Bedroom Suite and a Three-Bedroom Suite with a dedicated bunk bed room for families and groups. Every room has a private exterior entrance and patio. Rooms on the back side of the property face the Shirley Heinze Land Trust forest rather than US-12 and are worth requesting at booking.
The Grounds
The property's U-shaped layout centers on a converted courtyard that was once the pool area of the Golden Sands Motel. Two large propane fire pits with Adirondack chairs and fairy lights anchor the space, with picnic tables, outdoor grills, and yard games including cornhole and giant Jenga distributed around the perimeter. S'mores supplies are available from the front office. The Cook Street Cafe food truck parks on-site for breakfast and lunch, with breakfast burritos that multiple guests independently call out in reviews. The back of the property borders the Shirley Heinze Land Trust, a fourteen-acre protected natural forest managed by a regional conservation organization. The treeline is immediately adjacent: guests in back-facing rooms look into old-growth canopy from the patio. EV charging stations and free parking are on-site throughout the lot.
The Experience
The 4411 operates like a well-run roadside motel: drive up to the room door, keyless entry, no lobby ritual. Check-in is staffed each evening. In the evenings, the central courtyard becomes the social layer of the property: the fire pits stay lit and guests who have never met each other end up sharing s'mores and chairs. It is a dynamic that multiple guests describe as a surprise, especially at a roadside motel on US-12 that does not market itself as a social destination. Michigan City is a year-round base. Lake Michigan beach season runs May through September, with Washington Park Beach three miles north offering shoreline access, a lighthouse, and a marina. Fall brings foliage through the Shirley Heinze forest and uncrowded hiking in Indiana Dunes. Winter is the slowest season: the property stays open and the fire pits remain the main draw. In every season, Indiana Dunes National Park is twelve miles west and New Buffalo, Michigan is ten miles east.
Details
Michigan City, IN 46360
The Boutel designation is earned, not purchased. Boutels is editorially independent and has no financial relationship with any listed property.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does 4411 Inn & Suites have EV charging?
Yes, 4411 Inn & Suites has EV charging on site.
Does 4411 Inn & Suites have WiFi?
Yes, 4411 Inn & Suites has WiFi.
What is there to do near 4411 Inn & Suites?
Washington Park Beach: 3 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can bike there. Indiana Dunes National Park: 12 miles, about a 25 minute drive. New Buffalo, Michigan: 10 miles, about a 20 minute drive.
How far is 4411 Inn & Suites from Washington Park Beach?
3 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can bike there.
How far is 4411 Inn & Suites from Indiana Dunes National Park?
12 miles, about a 25 minute drive.
How far is 4411 Inn & Suites from New Buffalo, Michigan?
10 miles, about a 20 minute drive.
What is the minimum age to stay at the 4411 Inn & Suites?
The minimum guest age is 22. This applies to the primary booking guest.
Is there a food truck at the 4411 Inn & Suites?
Cook Street Cafe parks a food truck on-site for breakfast and lunch. The breakfast burritos are a guest favorite and are available most mornings.
How far is the 4411 Inn & Suites from Indiana Dunes National Park?
Indiana Dunes National Park is approximately 12 miles west of the inn on US-12.
Does the 4411 Inn & Suites have a pool?
There is no pool on the property. The central courtyard has two propane fire pits, outdoor grills, and yard games. Washington Park Beach on Lake Michigan is approximately 3 miles north.
Is 4411 Inn & Suites pet friendly?
Yes. 4411 Inn & Suites welcomes pets. A pet fee applies; contact the property directly to confirm current amounts and any restrictions before booking.
Is parking available at 4411 Inn & Suites?
Yes. Free on-site parking is available at 4411 Inn & Suites. If arriving with a large vehicle, contact the property in advance to confirm space availability.
Does 4411 Inn & Suites include breakfast?
No. Breakfast is not included at 4411 Inn & Suites.
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Things to Do Near the Indiana Dunes
Washington Park Beach
3 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can bike there.
Michigan City's main public beach on Lake Michigan, Washington Park Beach anchors a park that also includes a lighthouse, a marina, and the Michigan City Zoo. It is the closest swimming and Lake Michigan shore access for guests at the inn.
Indiana Dunes National Park
12 miles, about a 25 minute drive.
Indiana Dunes National Park spans 15,000 acres of Lake Michigan shoreline, dunes, wetlands, and restored prairie twelve miles west of Michigan City on US-12. The park protects more than 50 miles of trails and is the geographic anchor of the entire Indiana lake shore.
New Buffalo, Michigan
10 miles, about a 20 minute drive.
A small lakeside Michigan town ten miles east on US-12, New Buffalo has a harbor, a commercial dining strip, and beach access along Lake Michigan. It is a frequent day add-on for guests staying in Michigan City.