Hey there InnLovers! I’m back! A quick thank you to Megan for helping fill in. The OHLA staff has been busy, busy working hard to honor and recognize all of the fantastic industry employees that make your visit (and others’!) to Ohio the best it can be. I was excited to round out our tour of Ohio at a newly renovated Marriott – the Marriott at the University of Dayton. You’ve heard me talk about this before – for a while there, all Marriotts seemed to look the same. There has been a resurgence of renovations among the Marriott brand and now you can find the uniqueness and individuality of each location. I recently visited the Marriott Cincinnati North and if you compare the photos – these properties are completely different. Not what you’re used to, eh?
We arrived at the Marriott at the University of Dayton and were completely shocked at the transformation. Our team was there somewhat recently, during their renovation, so this was a site for sore eyes! I snuck a few minutes to scope out the public space and this is what I found:
Pool
A beautiful indoor/outdoor pool. As a child (OK, maybe as an adult too), I loved swimming under the glass wall separating indoor/outdoor pools. Every time I see one, I want to jump in! The indoor area has a small hot tub as well!
Outdoor Space
It’s not very often you find expansive grounds at an urban hotel. I was pleasantly surprised to find a large outdoor patio area which included fire pits, tables/chairs and even comfortable patio seating. I immediately fell InnLove with the large seating area set among the pine trees, away from the hotel. It made me want to grab some friends and a bag of marshmallows. Who said every visit to an urban hotel needs to be for business?!
If you were there for business, you could grab your laptop and work alfresco!
Individuality
As I said, gone are the days of “copy and paste” for hotels, even brands. If you have no sense of anything Dayton, you might pass by the nods to aviation (Wright Patterson Air Force Base and of course, the hometown of the Wright Brothers! **Disclaimer: Christi wants me to point out that Wilbur Wright was not born in Dayton, but the family did move back to Dayton when Wilbur was 17. For that reason, I’m still going to say hometown!**). I loved these pieces of art that mixed print and paper mediums.
Improved Food Options (Or so I suspect!)
The hotel’s restaurant, Dewberry 1850, features New American Cuisine that uses locally sourced ingredients. The restaurant also boasts an extensive regional craft beer list and handmade cocktails. The name of the restaurant is actually quite interesting and unless a Dayton historian, it might be missed. What is now the University of Dayton was once St. Mary’s School for Boys in 1850. Before it’s time as a school, it was once a farm building on the 125 acres that made up the Dewberry Farm. The story of John Stuart and Father Leo Meyer and the exchange of Dewberry Farm can be found here.
The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner and by the looks of it, has very creative baristas!
So much you can learn on a quick in and out trip. Imagine how much you could enjoy this property if you stayed overnight? Next time you’re in Dayton, whether doing a college tour, checking out the National Museum of the US Air Force or catching some “waves” on the awesome Mad River Run through Eastwood MetroPark, check out the new Marriott at the University of Dayton!
“People don’t take trips, trips take people.” – John Steinbeck