A Little History While Treated Like Royalty in the Queen City

The Cincinnatian Hotel is an historic, boutique hotel in the heart of Cincinnati
The Iconic Cricket Lounge @ The Cincinnatian Hotel

If you didn’t know already, I lived in Cincinnati for 7 years.  It has a number of names – the Queen City, Porkopolis, the Nati — if you’re in school there.  For me, it was home. I fell in love with the culture and oh, THE FOOD.  I left Cincinnati in 2013 to join my now hubby in Columbus. Needless to say, a lot of my favorite people are still in Cincinnati and we make multiple trips there every year.  The cool thing about living outside of Cincinnati is that now I get to stay in all of it’s great lodging spots when I visit! So we’re going to kick off our Cincinnati post with one of my all-time favorite hotels, The Cincinnatian Hotel.

The Cincinnatian is historic.  It is one of the oldest hotels in Ohio, built in 1882.  It originally opened its doors as The Palace Hotel and was the tallest building in the city at a whopping 8 stories. It had 300 guest rooms and a shared bathrooms and it’s biggest claim to fame in those days was the addition of the elevator an incandescent lighting. In the mid-1900s, the hotel took a bit of a dive.  People lived there and it got pretty bad.  The plan was to tear it down and replace it with a parking garage.  The good news is, someone remembered what it was and knew what it could be and in 1987 after a $25 Million renovation, it reopened its doors in all the grandeur of its day.

The Cincinnatian Hotel is an historic, boutique hotel in the heart of Cincinnati
Fancy Footing @ The Cincinnatian Hotel

Now, the hotel has about half of the rooms the original hotel had and, yes, fortunately each room has it’s own bathroom (or two!). The hotel still has bits of its history sprinkled throughout – the grand staircase, which has been featured in countless Cincinnati wedding photo shoots, is the original!  If you look closely, you can see the dip in the marble of over 100 years of foot traffic. If you’re into following the footsteps of those that came before you and find yourself climbing the stairs, you might discover there is a mistake in my story.  I told you there were 8 stories, but this staircase only covers 7.  Good catch!  The 8th floor used to serve as servant’s quarters in the original hotel, so the guest staircase would never have served the top floor.  Now, the 8th floor holds a number of suites and additional guestrooms and can be accessed by the elevators and emergency staircase.

You could spend all day at The Cincinnatian, checking out the art that lines the hallways or feasting on the delicious creations that Chef Nathan Sheatzley serves up in the award winning Palace Restaurant.  On the weekends, you would be smart to enjoy a cocktail and the sounds of the Phillip Paul Trio in the Cricket Lounge. But, we were here for a wedding, so our weekend was well laid out for us.

After 7 years in Cincinnati and many return trips, you’d think I’ve seen it all.  I’ve definitely been to the Cincinnati Art Museum, watched a lot of football at Paul Brown Stadium and a lot of baseball at Great American Ballpark. I’ve crossed the Ohio River on the Purple People Bridge and I’ve sampled all of the favorites – Skyline Chili and Graeter’s Ice Cream — but it took leaving for me to discover one of the coolest things in downtown Cincinnati – the American Sign Museum.

If you're looking for things to do in Cincinnati - the American Sign Museum is an off the beaten path place to stop!
American Sign Museum

This place is SO COOL. If you’re planning a trip to Cincinnati, it’s definitely worth a visit. You take a step back in time as you pull into the parking lot. The signs they have on display are all kinds of different wonders from the past – restaurant signs, billboards, descriptions of different typeface and so much more.  One of the employees found us staring up in amazement and started giving us some fun facts.  In the middle of the main showroom, there is an enormous spinning globe.  In the opposite direction, little neon cars spin around it.  You probably could have guessed, but this used to be at an auto dealer.

If you're looking for things to do in Cincinnati - the American Sign Museum is an off the beaten path place to stop!
American Sign Museum

The employee said the piece came from Compton and while it was still there in had a bit of a run in.  It turns out if you look closely, you can see where a bullet hole entered one side and exited the other.  No reason to repair it! A little authenticity adds to the character of the place. If you have a chance to stop next time you’re in Cincinnati, I highly recommend it. They’re open Wednesday – Saturday 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. and Sunday 12:00 noon – 4:00 p.m. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for Seniors, Students, Kids and Military.

After a great night on the town, we headed back to our fabulous room at The Cincinnatian. We woke up the next morning craving a new breakfast experience before hitting the highway.  A quick google search told me of a place I’d never seen before – Cheapside Cafe.  Strange name, I thought to myself.  But, I’m a sucker for artsy pictures of baristas, so I was sold.  Within easy walking distances of The Cincinnatian and other downtown hotels, Cheapside Cafe sits on the corner of 8th St. and, of course, Cheapside St.!  Consider yourself warned, if you blink, you just might miss it. The building itself can’t be bigger than a guestroom at The Cincinnatian and the menu was just as small.  I’m

Looking for a Hidden Gem in Cincinnati? Check out this off the beaten path breakfast find!
In breakfast heaven @ Cheapside Cafe

one of those people though, that believes that great things come in small packages and boy was I right.  TJ ordered the Chorizo Egg Sandwich which was perfect and just a touch spicy. It was strangely chilly outside for summer, so I went with what was sure to be a palate pleaser – the Oatmeal Brulee. It was a fancy twist on such a simple breakfast item, but it was a little bowl of heaven.  Everything about Cheapside Cafe was great and I’d definitely go back.

We had a great trip to Cincinnati, but if I “had” to go back, which you know I will, I’d visit some of my favorite dinner establishments.  So if you make it there before me, I want to be sure you get a chance to try them too.  In no particular order –

Boca

Mita’s

Salazar

Orchids at Palm Court

Enjoy!

If you're looking for things to do in Cincinnati - the American Sign Museum is an off the beaten path place to stop!
American Sign Museum

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

Pit Stops – Eastern Ohio

You know those song lyrics, “take me hoooome, country roads?”

That’s what I often find I’m singing to myself when I get to discover Ohio’s wild side. You know, the side that isn’t accessed by I-71, I-75 or I-70.  It’s so refreshing. If you didn’t know, I’m a good ole’ farm town girl. I didn’t grow up with rush hour, commutes or I-anything.  I have a special fondness for discovering these hidden getaways throughout rural Ohio and I want to share them with you.

This is the first of what will be deemed “Pit Stop” posts.  These are properties I had the chance to visit and learn the story behind, but haven’t had the chance to stay.  I’ll usually show you a handful of truly marvelous places that I hope inspire you to discover something new – take a girls’ getaway or a last minute romantic weekend away. If you’ve had a chance to stay at one of these places, please share your experience with us!

Orchard House Bed & Breakfast – Granville, OH

Our first pit stop is at the Orchard House Bed & Breakfast in Granville, OH.  Granville is the home of Denison University and famed OSU Football coach, Woody Hayes.  It is just shy of 40 minutes East of Columbus. Granville has many great places to stay including the Granville Inn and the Buxton Inn, both located in downtown Granville.  But, there is something fairytale like about the Orchard House B&B, which is just 5 minutes from downtown.

Ohio B&Bs are a great place for a weekend getaway!
Entrance to the Orchard House @ Orchard House B&B

The original part of Orchard House B&B was built in 1850. Since the original construction, the home has seen many owners and uses, but the property first opened as a B&B in the 1990s and here it

Great unique B&Bs in your backyard!
Bonne Nuit @ Orchard House B&B

stands today.  The property has 4 rooms, each named after prominent figures in the B&B’s history.  After a restful night’s sleep, you can grab a cup of Columbus’ own One Line Coffee, brewed in house on a specially maintained coffee system and your handcrafted breakfast all sourced from local farmers and purveyors, and head out to the pond.   You can stretch your legs by strolling across the 12 acres of land that Orchard House rests on.

Ever dreamed of a fairytale wedding? Check out this off the beaten path Ohio wedding venue!
Fairytale Wedding Space @ Orchard House B&B

If you like magic, I’d suggest venturing into the pine forest that runs along the northwest corner of the property. It is in that pocket of trees, where one of my favorite places of Orchard House can be found – a magical, fairylike alcove of pine perfect for reflection and peace.  It has also recently caught the attention of some brides.  You can in fact host a wedding ceremony among these tall pines and innkeeper, Dean, knows just how to make it perfect.

Landoll’s Mohican Castle – Loudonville, OH

An Ohio castle getaway - perfect for a staycation or romantic weekend away!
Feeling Like Royalty @ Landoll’s Mohican Castle

Speaking of fairytales – who hasn’t wanted to stay in a castle?  Our next Pit Stop is Landoll’s Mohican Castle. Built in the heart of the Mohican country and far removed from the hustle and bustle, it is a unique twist on a traditional castle. To access the castle, we traveled on many back country roads, soaking in the sun, sounds and vegetation. The castle’s towers appear out of nowhere and you instantly feel like Dorothy, “Toto, I have a feeling we’re not in [Ohio] anymore!”

An Ohio castle getaway - perfect for a staycation or romantic weekend away!
Unique Ohio Guestrooms @ Landoll’s Mohican Castle
An Ohio castle getaway - perfect for a staycation or romantic weekend away!
In-SPIRE-ing @ Landoll’s Mohican Castle

The great news about Landoll’s Castle is that you get to stay IN THE CASTLE. Sometimes a castle-style property isn’t what you think.  The castle itself is just for looks, or the inside isn’t as grand as the outside – but not here. Those towers? Some of them have rooms!  The tallest is an awesome observation deck where you can see trees and birds for miles. The property has 17 rooms, many of which are inside the castle. There are a few cottages across the grounds as well. You may be thinking – I think I’ve heard of this place before.  You probably have! Landoll’s has been featured on two different TV shows.  It made it’s television debut in 2008 on MTV’s My Super Sweet 16 where it played host to an incredible Sweet 16 Party, complete with tigers, a Ferris Wheel and an entrance on the back of an elephant. More recently, Landoll’s event space was transformed in 2015 as the season 3 finale property of Gordon Ramsey’s Hotel Hell.  The production team redesigned the event space, back of the house and the menu.

An Ohio castle getaway - perfect for a staycation or romantic weekend away!
Gordon Ramsey’s Reimagined The Copper Mug Bar & Grille @ Landoll’s Mohican Castle

They also continue to provide consultation as Landoll’s Castle continues to grow its services. Now you can also check out the re-conceptualized restaurant – The Copper Mug Bar & Grille where Executive Chef Kyle Elsasser has dished up a brand new menu.

St. Paul Hotel – Wooster, OH

Great urban Ohio getaways lead us to the St. Paul Hotel in downtown Wooster!
Urban Sanctuary in Rural Ohio @ The St. Paul Hotel

For our final Pit Stop, we find ourselves in one of Ohio’s biggest tourist destinations – Ohio Amish Country – a region roughly defined by Holmes and Wayne counties and sections of Stark and Tuscarawas counties. When I think of Amish Country, I think of horses, quilts and baked goods; I think of home-baked comfort, cozy fireplaces and gingham. What I don’t think of is sleek, modern and urban, but that is exactly what the St. Paul Hotel in Wooster has to offer.

The original building was built in the 1800s and has operated as a hotel many times throughout its history, but not always as a valued downtown gem.  In the 1920s it became the Hotel St. Paul where it’s reputation for basement betting and card games led to it’s inevitable sale.  As with many former hotels, it was reopened as an apartment building in the late 1970s that eventually closed in 2008.  With a prime location, one block south of Downtown Wooster‘s square, there was a glimmer of hope. The hotel reopened in 2011 as the beautiful boutique property it is today.  A step inside the lobby will transport you to a big, bustling urban city center.  The great news?  There are numerous restaurants and shops, all within walking distance. Public transportation is your feet. You won’t find endless wait lists and long lines for dining, like a big city brings.

Great urban Ohio getaways lead us to the St. Paul Hotel in downtown Wooster!
The old and the new @ The St. Paul Hotel

So let’s take a step inside – the lobby at the St. Paul Hotel is one of my favorites.  I could sit here all day with a book and people watch.  They have

found a way to incorporate some antique pieces like the St. Paul stain glass window with contemporary furnishings and decor. The property has 12 rooms with plans to

Great urban Ohio getaways lead us to the St. Paul Hotel in downtown Wooster!
#Local #Handcrafted @ The St. Paul Hotel

build more.  Each room is smartly appointed and the woodwork is handcrafted by

local craftsman.  The hallways are lined with black and white photography of the local landscape – which you’ll almost forget is in the middle of Ohio’s heartland! I’m also told the property offers a personalized, complimentary breakfast which is hand delivered to your room – because let’s be honest, you’d have a hard time leaving the elegance of your guest room!

If you’re looking for a great getaway in a small town, with big city amenities, check out the St. Paul Hotel – I guarantee you’ll be blown away.

Great urban Ohio getaways lead us to the St. Paul Hotel in downtown Wooster!
Missing the Country @ The St. Paul Hotel

And with that – I share with you three cool places to discover in Ohio.  When you get a chance, make a pit stop. Maybe it’s to stay over night and maybe it’s not, but do report back and let me know what you think!

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

Business as Usual?

 

Great Cleveland Hotel with an Indoor Pool!
Swim Time!

One of the best parts of my job is that I get to see a lot of our beautiful state.  I travel about once a week for work – visiting both prospective, new and longtime member properties.  What I’ve come to realize in my short time at OHLA, is that in Ohio, we have a lot of great places to lay our heads.

Cleveland Hotels support Rainbow Babies
Cleveland Hotels support Rainbow Babies

Many business and leisure travelers alike have stayed at their fair share of chain hotels and some of you might have your favorite brand.  I recently stayed at the Fairfield Inn & Suites Cleveland Beachwood.  The team here took care of 3 staff members as we traveled between the west and east side of Cleveland training hotel staff.  When you’re traveling for work or even just having a quick stop over at a property, it’s nice to have some extra amenities. I went to check out the gym and stumbled across this gorgeous pool!  I wish I had the foresight to bring my bathing suit! Look at those windows – I felt like I was in Florida.  In route to the pool I discovered a unique touch at this particular property.  This property decorated the entire path to the pool with children’s painting supporting the Children’s Miracle Network and Cleveland’s Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital – how cool is that?

B Spot in the "spot" to be on the Cleveland Restaurant scene.
B Spot in the “spot” to be on the Cleveland Restaurant scene.

Since I wasn’t prepared to swim the evening away, my coworker, Cindy and I headed out for dinner.  If you haven’t visited the Orange Place area of Cleveland yet – yowza! It is booming!  Not only is there an entire development (Pinecrest Village) happening around the corner, but there’s a ton of great, local places to eat and shop nearly within walking distance.  We hit ETON Chagrin Boulevard for dinner. This indoor/outdoor mall is packed with high end retail and trendy restaurants. In my last post I mentioned Michael Symon and he found his way into my life 2 weeks in a row.  We snagged a table at B Spot – which has won Best Burgers in America 4 years in a row. We have a B Spot in Columbus, so I knew what I was getting myself into.  I sank my teeth into the Fun Guy Burger and some of their awesome rosemary shoestring fries. The mall area was packed with families out enjoying the beautiful weather, but we were beat after a day of travel and headed back to the hotel.

Sometimes after long days like this, it’s hard to get settled in, but I curled up in bed and dutifully followed this little card lying on my pillow. If you need some recommendations on how to catch some Zzzs while on the road – Arianna Huffington recommends:

  • Set a cool room temperature.
  • No electronic devices starting 30 minutes before bedtime.20160602_211857
  • No caffeine after 2 p.m.
  • Pajamas, nightdresses and even special t-shirts send a sleep-friendly message to your body. If you wear it to the gym, don’t wear it to bed.
  • Do some light stretching, deep breathing, yoga or meditation to help your body and your mind transition to sleep.
  • When reading a book, make it a physical book or an e-reader that does not emit blue light.
  • Ease yourself into sleep mode by drinking some caffeine-free tea.
  • Before you turn off the lights, write a list of what you are grateful for.

I was able to round out my visit to the Fairfield Inn & Suites Cleveland Beachwood by enjoying the great weather the following morning.  Not often do you find yourself at a hotel that has 2 miles of sidewalk to stretch your legs. And on that note, my friends, I leave you with a great place to rest your head in Beachwood, OH.

20160603_065816

 

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

 

Rockin’ Weekend In Cleveland

 

Cleveland Hotels

Each year, TJ and I use his birthday as an excuse to travel.  Since we recently returned from our Costa Rican honeymoon, we decided it might be best to keep our mini getaway close to home.  We looked at the calendar and like many of you, we didn’t have any free weekends! It is wedding and baby season, after all. Squeezed on our calendar was a baby shower in Twinsburg, so we decided, what the heck, Cleveland it is.

I wanted to make this birthday trip just as exciting as our trip to NYC a couple of years back – how do I top that in Cleveland?!

Book Nook by the Fireside
The Schoefield Hotel – Book Nook by the Fireside

I’ll tell you how! We stay at one of the newest, historically renovated masterpieces on E. 9th St. of course – The Kimpton Schofield Hotel. The original, c. 1902 Schofield Building was transformed into a modern, urban oasis and just opened this year. I’m a YP and like everyone says my generation is supposed to, I love the community space they incorporated into the lobby.  Each morning they put out a fabulous selection of teas and coffee and little baby muffins and fruit.  The best part was, I could take it back to my room or enjoy one of these cute reading nooks.  Notice all that green stuff? It’s alive!  The new “it” thing to bring into your lobby are these living walls – perfect, particularly when you’re at an urban property. Their restaurant, Parker’s Downtown, just opened – check it out!

Cleveland Night Life
High life Night Life at Azure Rooftop Lounge at the Metropolitan at the 9

We kicked off the weekend at one of Cleveland’s best restaurants, Michael Symon’s Lola. Lola is located in the East 4th Street entertainment district, just a stone’s throw from The Schofield Hotel. TJ loves pierogis, so you can bet we tried the Beef Cheek Pierogi with mushrooms and horseradish crème fraiche. The waiter said it’s been on the menu since the restaurant opened, which I can certainly believe because it was phenomenal. We wrapped up our first night by visiting another great property in downtown Cleveland – the Azure Rooftop Lounge at the Metropolitan at the 9. The hotel itself is the definition of trendy. Staff looked professional in anything but a uniform (jeans, vests, fedoras, you name it!) and the bartenders were bustling on one of Ohio’s first beautiful summer nights. From this rooftop on the 12th floor, you can see the entire city.

We love breakfast in our family and when we’re traveling,20160529_101228 that’s no different!  The following morning, we skipped over to Ohio City (5-minute car ride or 15 minutes on the Red

Dog Friendly Cleveland
Ohio City – TownHall

Line that picks up at 9th & Euclid).  We visited TownHall Ohio City on a recommendation from a local and we fell in love. I had the Flaxberry Smoothie and the Wakey Wakey – that bacon is to. Die. For. We also noticed there were a number of pups on the patio and, was that one of them eating out of a dog bowl?? Yep – this is a very pet friendly joint! Check out their dog menu!

We spent the rest of the day discovering Cleveland. While in Ohio City, we visited Cleveland’s oldest continuously operating, municipally owned market, West Side Market (now open Sundays!). We checked out the new Hilton Downtown Cleveland. Speaking of markets (did I mention we love food?), we also paid a visit to Heinen’s Grocery Store located on the corner of 9th & Euclid.  Heinen’s began as a butcher shop on the east side of Cleveland in 1931 and now operates twenty-two stores throughout Ohio and Indiana.  You can do all of your grocery shopping or visit the historic Rotunda for a grab-and-go selection of fresh salads, sushi, sandwiches, etc. We finished our evening with dinner at another hometown favorite – Pickwick & Frolic, followed by a show at Hilarities 4th Street Theatre, which recently celebrated its 30th birthday!

Before heading home, we swung through Adega, another of the spectacular dining options at Metropolitan at the 9. Settling in with a mug of tea in hand, after a weekend full of discovery, food and sunshine – all in our own backyard, the idea of Inn Love was born.

Cleveland Breakfast Hot Spot

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

 

Setting Sail

This is my first time venturing into the blogging world.  I want to set some expectations on what you’ll find here:

What I can promise:

  • We’re going to have fun.
  • We’re going to learn about an area we’ve never been.
  • We’ll learn about a place we didn’t know existed in our own backyard.
  • We’re going to find experiences.
  • We’ll learn some tools of the trade.

I’m not a writer, I’m a reader.  But – I like to try something new and want others to try it with me.  I take risks and I like discovery.  I would jump out of a plane, dive off a cliff, or try to pet a tiger before I’d volunteer to speak in front of a crowd.  I hope that I learn something about myself in this process and you learn something too.

Together, I hope we can Discover Ohio and the US  – one room at a time.

Saddle Up, Hop On, Jump In – this is going to be a hell of a ride.

This is a Room with a Viewpoint.

This is Inn Love.