Columbus’ Own – The Joseph

InnLovers – I have to admit, I have been dying to tell you about one of my favorite Columbus hotels, Le Meridien Columbus, The Joseph.  Located in the Short North Arts District, the Joseph has become a visual staple in the SN since it opened its doors in 2015.  If you aren’t super familiar with the SN, most of the buildings max at 2-3 stories. The Joseph was one of the first tall buildings to grace High Street and it started quite a trend. Come with me as we step inside this SN trendsetter…

The Joseph is owned by the Pizzuti family, also known in Columbus for their art collection.  Even if you aren’t staying at The Joseph, you can easily enjoy the space.  When you walk into the lobby, art is

Le Meridien, The Joseph - Columbus, OH

incorporated at nearly every turn.  Over the main sitting area hangs a giant wall sculpture (probably not the right term, but I didn’t do so well in Art History class).  As I sat in a meeting just last week underneath this piece, I kept thinking it looked like a bunch of small, inverted soccer balls all stuck together, and somehow it was perfect.

After you’ve entered the lobby, if you haven’t already gravitated to SOUL, the small bar tucked around the corner, then head upstairs to check out the public art collection.  BUT WAIT! Don’t move too quickly up the stairs, or you might miss one of my favorite things at The Joseph.  There is a motion-censored art/light fixture in the stairwell. It spins! Super cool.

Upstairs you will find a wide variety of art, from paintings to photographs.  Along the back wall near the meeting space, you’ll find some super cool photos of a child, Lydie, in various Halloween costumes throughout her life as well as other pieces that were curates specifically for the hotel by 15 different artists. If you fall madly in love with any of these pieces, you can actually purchase them at the Joseph Collection.

There are so many ways to enjoy The Joseph.  Hopefully, you have the opportunity to stay overnight.  The rooms and the views of the Short North and Downtown Columbus are stunning. I was given the opportunity to sneak into a suite and the best part was definitely the bathroom. Look at that tub!  (I’ve actually stayed at The Joseph, a little more than a year ago on our wedding night.  The level of service and accommodation for special occasions is unmatched.)

Another cool feature is the introduction of the Spa Suites. No, no.  This isn’t an overnight room, this is a unique type of spa experience, where guests can relax in the Spa Suite and schedule typical spa services.  The spa suites available include a stone tiled rain shower, a heated mosaic tile bed among body sprayers and a large relaxation lounge. Services include massages, facials, body scrubs and specific services for men!

Still looking for ways to enjoy The Joseph? Of course, there is food.  Adjacent to The Joseph is The Guild House.  Like other fabulous hotel restaurants around Columbus, such as the Gallerie at the Hilton Columbus Downtown just up the street, The Guild House is not your average dining experience.  Operated by Columbus Restaurateur, Cameron Mitchell, hotel guests and locals alike can enjoy a fabulous brunch on a Saturday morning or a fine dining, special occasion dinner at night. In addition to SOUL inside the lobby of the hotel, The Guild House also has a great bar that everyone should sip some bourbon in.

If you want the whole experience, I highly recommend checking in early, spending some time in a Spa Suite before a fabulous dinner and the Short North’s Gallery Hop before tucking into a wonderful night’s rest, followed by Eggs Benedict and fresh squeezed OJ. If you do, you might just see me there.

“People don’t take trips, trips take people.” – John Steinbeck

 

V-Day Getaway: Part II

I’ve got a treat for you, this Valentine’s Day season!  Ok, I can’t take full credit, but I’ll take some for pointing you in the right direction.  Conveniently sandwiching Vday 2018 is a holiday weekend. Completely caught up in work and life and missed that this weekend is President’s Day weekend? Don’t worry! There is still time to take advantage and to spend some time sharing the love this weekend.  Last week was a great Part I of some fun places to spend the weekend. This week we will seek out a couple of other fun places in Ohio to spend the weekend. Let’s go! <3

Share the love of: GRANVILLE!

Unique accommodations in central Ohio, Columbus area

So there is this little town to the East of Columbus that is SO CUTE.  It’s quaint, it’s walkable and it’s romantic.  Even better, there are tons of great places to stay there.  TJ and I went to Granville for a Saturday and picked up a fabulous cup of joe from The Village Coffee Company, strolled the famous Granville Farmer’s Market (they have a winter version!) and took a long winding stroll up to the beautiful Denison University campus.  Beer fan?  You can knock off multiple stops on the Columbus Ale Trail within downtown Granville and a short drive’s radius. Obviously, with so many things to do, you’ll need a place to stay.  Luckily, there are TONS of options.

Share the love of: SMALL TOWN CHARM

If you’ve followed me for a while, you know I’m from a small town.  If I didn’t take the opportunity to showcase my neck of the woods for this V-Day season, I’d be crazy!  If you’re looking for a getaway to a high-end hotel, in a small town, I’ve got you covered.  Go check out the St. Paul Hotel in the heart of Wooster. Within walking distance is fantastic food at City Square Steakhouse or grab a glass of vino around the corner next door at H2 Wine Merchants .  Great news – at the St. Paul Hotel, they serve you breakfast in bed.  There is literally no reason to leave your room, specially if you book the Grand Suite, complete with a private hot tub. If I could convince you to leave the hotel in the morning, it might be to grab a delicious Harney & Sons tea and pastry from Tulipan Pastry & Coffee Shop before strolling the independent shops all down Market Street.

Share the love of: THE CITY

Not into the small town vibes?  How about you check out some of the cool places Ohio’s major metros have to offer?

Cincinnati Lodging couldn't get much more unique!CINCINNATI: Cincinnati seems to be a city of historic hotels, let’s embrace it!  Greater Cincinnati is home to not 1, not 2, not 3, but 4 historic hotels. Visit the Queen City for fantastic food (still one of my favorite fine dining, foodie towns!) and check out the historic Cincinnatian Hotel or Hilton Netherland Plaza downtown, or the Golden Lamb Inn in Lebanon or the Mariemont Inn in Mariemont.

CLEVELAND: Catch a show at Hilarities, dinner at Lola and stay at the award winning Kimpton Schofield Hotel or historic Renaissance Hotel Cleveland.

COLUMBUS: See the Columbus Symphony at the historic Ohio Theater, have after-show drinks at Denmark on High in the Short North and cozy up under the stars at the all new Hotel LeVeque in the historic LeVeque tower.

DAYTON: I gave you my “must do” in Greater Dayton in last week’s post. For sure you need to check out the Blue Note Jazz Club.  And have you spent time in downtown Yellow Springs yet?  Get with it! It’s super hip.

TOLEDO: What do you get when you pair an historic building and a chic brand known for incorporating local flavor into major renovations?  The Renaissance Toledo Downtown Hotel.  Chilly up on the banks of the Maumee River in February? You can stay inside  – grab a cocktail at R Lounge and enjoy checking out all of the art and design elements inspired by “The Glass City” or stroll along the Pedway to the Imagination Station Science Museum.

Share the love of: BACKYARD RESORTS

Great spot for indoor fun, year round for couples or families!

What?  I know we’re in Ohio, but we do have resorts here people!  Maybe you can’t get to Florida this weekend, but you can certainly get to one of these super cool locations that provide year-round activities and great food.

Kalahari Resort – Sandusky

Zip down a slide or two (because you know you want to!) and then settle in around the bar in the adults-only hot tub.  Grab a bite of dinner at one of its many onsite restaurants, or head into downtown Sandusky for a romantic dinner on the lake.

Avalon Inn & Resort – Warren

Upscale lodging, resort in Eastern Ohio

Wowing members for decades, the Avalon Inn & Resort now welcomes the public with open arms to enjoy the extensive amenities, beautifully upgraded rooms and fantastic cuisine at this year-round resort on the Eastern side of Ohio. It might be a little chilly to golf, but the Avalon Inn has an indoor pool, a golf simulator, a rec room with games, indoor tennis courts and a slew of onsite restaurants.

 

“People don’t take trips, trips take people.” – John Steinbeck

 

V-Day Getaway Part I

Ahhh, the month of love! Did you forget that sandwiched right in between this weekend and next is Valentine’s Day? Don’t fret, my friend, I’ve got you covered!  With two weekends for a chance to have a mini getaway with someone you love, here are some quick ideas (and places to stay from throughout 2017’s posts!) to sweep your loved one off his or her feet this year! Whether it’s with your Sig O, a best friend or just you, here are some ways to Share the Love… <3

Share the love of: DONUTS!

Enjoy Butler County’s Donut Trail! With 12 delicious places to pick up a donut along this fun trail in SW Ohio, you’ll definitely need a place to stay to break up the trip.  Check out the newly renovated Cincinnati Marriott North! Looking for something else to make it a weekend trip and work off some of those donut calories?  Take a swing at Ohio’s first TopGolf, just across the street! But whatever you do, don’t forget your passport!

 

Share the love of: MUSIC

Discovering Ohio - Miamisburg

When was the last time you had a full Jazz experience?  Last February, we celebrated Valentine’s Day with a trip to Miamisburg (where?? Yes!).  The Blue Note Bistro & Lounge is about as authentic as you can find, specially in Ohio.  The music, the food, and the atmosphere all equal love at first site.  Obviously, after a late night out, you’ll need a comfortable place to stay. Check out the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Dayton Mall I-675, just down the road, or make a weekend out of it! Just a little farther away in quaint Yellow Springs, you’ll find the Mills Park Hotel.

Share the love of: WINE!

Did you know the country’s Best Wine Country Hotel is in OHIO?  Yep! That’s right, according to USA Today’s 10Best Reader’s Choice Awards.  So if you love wine, share the weekend with your loved one at the Villas at Gervasi Vineyard.

Thinking you want to mix wine and water…as in the lake?  Consider grabbing a cottage in Ohio’s actual wine country in the far NE corner of the state, near Geneva-on-the-Lake.  Vineyard Woods is a new cabin property, nestled among Ohio’s vineyards.

Share the love of: MUSEUMS

Excellent lodging in Cincinnati

Why not just stay in one?  Did you know Ohio has a Museum Hotel? That’s right! You can enjoy it all in one. The 21C Museum Hotel in downtown Cincinnati is the best place to experience contemporary art and a beautiful overnight stay. Don’t miss dinner at one of the fantastic restaurants near by, like Jeff Ruby’s or Boca. (My personal favorites – you WILL need reservations!)

Share the love of: PAMPERING

Unique Ohio Lodging @ Sebring Mansion & Spa

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if you could escape to somewhere secluded where you could just unwind, relax and just *be*.  There is.  Enter the Sebring Mansion & Spa, in Sebring, OH. The Sebring Mansion is one of the most romantic places I have ever visited in our great state.  The guest rooms are immaculate and custom, each with their own whirlpool tub.  There is a full service spa, including indoor/outdoor therapy pools.  Sebring Manion is an adults-only facility.

 

“People don’t take trips, trips take people.” – John Steinbeck

 

Northern Ohio Treasures

The Victorian Tudor Inn - Bellevue, OH

Last weekend I set out for my day trip to Port Clinton (a story for later) and thought, what better opportunity to visit a member property to break up my long drive? I searched the OHLA database for stops along my route from Columbus and landed on the Victorian Tudor Inn. As a Cincinnati girl, I’ll admit that I sadly have not seen much of Northern Ohio, but now I have many reasons to return! Join me (Halle’s guest blogger Mackenzie) as I tour the Victorian Tudor Inn.

The Victorian Tudor Inn - Bellevue, OHI’ll start with a disclaimer, the picture above was *not* from my trip last week. As soon as I walked in the door, Richard (the Innkeeper) and I agreed we had to use a picture from his website to show the exterior given the dreary, rainy day Ohio so kindly blesses us with weekly from December to April. Anyway…I surprisingly did enjoy my drive through the rain that day. I was able to avoid the highway for the majority of my trip and explore the back roads, which always reminds me of driving home. As soon as I pulled up, I knew I would love this house. Richard told me it was considered the “prettiest in the city” and I couldn’t agree more.

Like any great Innkeeper, Richard welcomed me into his home and invited me to sit in a big comfortable chair in front of his prized limestone fireplace to ask what brought me there, and for a (condensed) version of my life story. As we talked, we realized we had a connection in that my career has mostly been focused around politics, as much of Richard’s life has in some way as well.

This leads me to our first stop in his home, but I have to mention first for those that aren’t familiar, that Richard’s house is filled with amazing antiques. He made a comment that some people may think it looks cluttered, but it felt more like a museum to me. The antiques are carefully placed around his home, and I swear he has a story for every single one. I made the mistake of only planning an hour stop; I could have stayed all day listening to Richard and the fascinating stories behind his collectibles.The Victorian Tudor Inn - Bellevue, OH

Back to the first stop, Richard’s office. We were still talking politics as Richard pointed to a tattered sign sitting on the back corner of his desk, a McGovern Shriver poster from the 1972 presidential election. Richard told me that he had done some research on the candidates as a young boy (completely on his own by the way) and decided he wanted to go door-to-door for McGovern. His mom eventually agreed, and there we have the start of Richard’s passion for politics! He told me he had taken the sign off a pole after the election was over and has had it ever since, this might have been the most amazing part of that story to me, as I can barely keep track of a pair of sunglasses for more than a year.
The Victorian Tudor Inn - Bellevue, OHNext, we entered the kitchen, which unlike some B&Bs, is open to his guests, making them feel completely at home. He stocks his fridge with beverages and sets out fresh pastries in the mornings. In addition, Richard provides a hot, made-to-order breakfast for all of his guests. And I have to mention this adorable cat lamp near the breakfast table with gems for eyes (as I blog more, you’ll pick up on my irrational obsession with cats). I’m still trying to devise a way to ask Richard if I might purchase the lamp from him some day 😊

We continued through to the dining room (where John D. Rockefeller once sat negotiating a business deal) and Richard explained more history of the home and its four owners. That’s right, only four in over a century. How cool is that?

The Victorian Tudor Inn - Bellevue, OHThe neighboring formal sitting room is where Richard will often host weddings (and what an elegant wedding it would be). The bright paint reminded me of touring George Washington’s Mount Vernon, where bright paint on the wall during that time meant you had a lot of extra cash. But seriously…how beautiful?

Then we were on to the upstairs to see some of the guest suites, all unique and special in their own right. The first was a nautical themed room, blue of course, a tribute to most of Richard’s life spent living near the sea. The room contained art from across the world, a hand carved bed frame from Bermuda, and a bathroom the size of my bedroom (I later learned that Richard had converted many smaller rooms and closets into bathrooms so guests wouldn’t have to share this space – how considerate!)

The Victorian Tudor Inn - Bellevue, OH

It’s hard to pick a favorite room, but if I were forced, I’d have to pick the room with a bold design and intended for friends traveling together who might not want to share a bed (something I can appreciate). All I could do was stare at that wall when I walked in. There was just something about the contrast between the elegant blush couch and every hunter’s dream wallpaper that I really loved (and may recreate in a future home of mine).

We skipped another suite on the top floor, as it was occupied by guests, and headed downstairs via the secret back stairwell for the conclusion of my tour. As I was rushing out the door for my next appointment, Richard pointed out one last antique hanging on the wall, mourning jewelry. This tiny wreath made from hand-blown glass was a Victorian-era tradition of creating jewelry that contained pieces of your loved ones who had passed (think bones and hair). Creepy…but endearing?The Victorian Tudor Inn - Bellevue, OH

If you’re ever passing through Northern Ohio or making your way up to Cedar Point this summer, be sure you stop at The Victorian Tudor Inn, I know I will definitely be back. Thanks for everything, Richard!

 

The Victorian Tudor Inn - Bellevue, OH