Hotels in Wixom Packed Up as Local Residents Seek Shelter Following Storm-induced Power Outages
The storm that hit Wixom, Michigan on Tuesday caused power outages, resulting in thousands of people in the area finding shelter in nearby hotels. Due to power loss, many residents faced uncomfortable living conditions and sought solace in local accommodations.
A majority of the hotels in Wixom got booked within no time. From sustaining a quieter pace on a typical day, they were suddenly dealing with an influx of residents frantically trying to secure a room. As a result, many hotel staff spent hours checking people in and managing phone calls from locals.
Among the storm-hit residents was Tonya Etter, who cited her 5-month-old pitbull Sasha’s health as a primary reason for vacating their home. Etter explained, “If she gets too hot, it could kill her. It just seems like every time we get a bad storm, we always lose power, and they want to up the rates.”
But it wasn’t just Etter’s home that suffered a power cut. More than 300,000 Michigan residents lost power due to the turbulent thunderstorms that swept across the region.
By Wednesday afternoon, over 150,000 Southeast Michigan people were still without power. The recurring power cuts led to locals booking hotel rooms for the second day consecutively. Most people were dealing with lack of power and air-conditioning in their homes.
And finding a hotel room wasn’t an easy task for residents, according to Etter. With most places booked up, she finally found a place at the My Place Hotel in Wixom. The hotel mentioned that all 64 of their rooms got filled Tuesday night.
Other hotels like the Springhill Suites and Woodspring Suites also reported having all their rooms filled up. As the hotels became overbooked, many managers expressed concern over turning away people who were in need.
Elizabeth Wister, another local who lost power due to the storm, was lucky enough to secure a room at Woodspring Suites. “We got a room under $100, and it’s a nice room too,” she added. “It’s real nice having A.C. You know, TV’s working, you can charge all your tablets, your phone.”
As forecasts predict more unpredictable weather, residents currently staying in hotels plan to extend their stay. Etter says, “I’m very grateful. I’m very grateful. If not, we would’ve gone out of town to get a place, just to get Sasha into a comfortable room.”
For people in similar circumstances, it’s advisable to make a room reservation as soon as possible. Power restoration efforts are currently underway, and it’s estimated that at least 90% of affected residents will regain power by Thursday night.
Author: STAFF HERE NORTHVILLE WRITER
The NORTHVILLE STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at HERENorthville.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in Northville, Wayne County, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as the Summer Concert Series, Tunes on Tuesday, and the Northville Farmers Market. Our coverage extends to key organizations like the Northville Chamber of Commerce and Northville Community Foundation, plus leading businesses in automotive, software, and retail that power the local economy such as Gentherm, Reliable Software, and Attendance on Demand. As part of the broader HERE network, including HEREDetroitMI.com, HEREGrandRapids.com, HERENovi.com, and HEREPlymouth.com, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into Michigan's dynamic landscape.
