Lock In a Unique Stay!

It’s Linda again and I’m back as a guest blogger, as my husband and I are known for seeking out cool places to stay across the state. And as of 2021, now I can’t say that I have never spent a night in jail!

Vermilion Jailhouse B&B

Although the Old Vermilion Jailhouse Bed & Breakfast is in fact a former jail, the amenities were quite an upgrade since its days as a jailhouse. The Jailhouse is a small B&B for 4 friends or family, sharing a unique space that was in fact the former Vermilion jail, and before that, the library!  Owners Markos and Marla didn’t miss a single detail during the building’s renovation into the quaint B&B that it is today, converting former cells into three guestrooms and a bathroom. Guests are provided with shampoo and luxurious towels, breakfast and other goodies like cheeses and chocolates are tucked away in the provided refrigerator.

While the Jailhouse provides guests with all of the luxury amenities of a great B&B, the owners didn’t miss an opportunity to play homage to the comforts a prisoner would have enjoyed such as the play handcuffs (which brought out gales of laughter) and the prison pajamas. All jokes aside, with a great stereo system and large flat screen TV, many prisoners would be happy.

Vermilion Jailhouse B&B

The Old Vermilion Jailhouse B&B is located in the Historic Harbour Town District, home to shopping, dining and beaches. If you’re looking to make a trip out or a visit to Vermilion, check out our favorite restaurant, Chez François, located just a few steps away from the B&B, making it the perfect location to be thrown into and locked up safe and sound for the night!

We are always on the lookout for what makes Ohio unique, and this is definitely one of the more unique places we’ve ever stayed. The four of us were very satisfied with their overnight stay and can’t wait to return!

Vermilion Jailhouse B&B

Hospitality Inn the Hills

Labor Day weekend is always a special time of year for me; not only because it is the official turning point into Fall (in my mind) but it is also the weekend I got married back in 2015. For our 5th wedding anniversary we wanted to do something special, however, being in the midst of a pandemic and having a new baby at home didn’t exactly make planning easy.

Welsh Hills Inn

We found ourselves wanting a safe getaway for just us two where we could relax and enjoy the weather and each other’s company and we found the PERFECT place to do just that at the Welsh Hills Inn. Located just 40 minutes east of Columbus in Granville.

Not only was this our first venture during the pandemic, but it was also our first time away from our baby boy, Leo, who was born in February. We jam packed our weekend with food, wine and outdoor enjoyment.

We headed to Granville on Saturday morning, a lovely little town if you’ve never been, and we enjoyed lunch at The Pub on Broadway, walked to see the historic Granville Inn and grabbed a cold brew for the road from Village Coffee Company. Next stop: Welsh Hills Inn.

Welsh Hills Inn

We traveled a short distance through rolling hills of green and sunshine and pulled into the driveway to our oasis atop the hill. The minute our tires hit the parking area we were warmly greeted by a fluffy little character named Wrigley. Wrigley is one of four gracious hosts at the inn; Ellie the Golden Retriever and the sweet and welcoming owners, Jeff & Bobbi Noe. Wrigley & Ellie would soon become a staple of our weekend; we just did not know that yet.

Welsh Hills Inn

Wrigley quickly urged us along to the entrance, stopping along the path to ensure we were following. Jeff welcomed us and showed us to our suite, the Brynmor Luxe Suite (& Wrigley’s favorite spot in the inn). The suite is complete with a living area and bar top. The entire inn is decorated with a certain New England charm and curated artwork and artifacts throughout. One of my favorite activities was to wander and see what book I could snag or new artwork I could learn about.

While visiting, we took advantage of their bocce courts under string lights; enjoyed a private fire pit while sipping our favorite wine; indulged in massages; relaxed in the hot tub & poolside and attempted to lay in the hammocks. There are also trails, bike rentals, arranged picnics, yoga classes, a stocked fishing pond and more for guests to schedule to enhance their stay. (Click here for picturesque drone footage of Welsh Hills Inn.)

In the evenings, while the sun was setting, we would sit on the wrap around porch in rocking chairs and enjoy Jeff & Bobbi’s curated wine & cheese “happy hour”, an opportunity for guests to mingle in a non-pandemic world. By morning, we’d dive in to the most scrumptious breakfast offerings comprised of locally sourced ingredients and cooked to perfection both mornings.

Welsh Hills Inn

In celebration of our anniversary, we opted to have a candlelight dinner on their beautiful veranda. It was a perfect end to a magical and much needed stay. We were again treated to a delicious multi-course meal that left us wishing Jeff was a permanent fixture in our kitchen.

Welsh Hills Inn is a special place- it’s warm, inviting, charming… but, what really makes it so special is the hospitality and genuine care of Jeff & Bobbi and their sidekicks Wrigley & Ellie.

I am ready to hit “go” on travel again and hope to be sharing with you many ventures in 2021.

Until Next Time,

Lauren

Meet Wrigley – Pictured here on the couch within our suite and I wouldn’t have had it any other way.

Welsh Hills Inn

Planning your summer trips & holiday weekends? Check out www.uniquelodgingofohio.com.

A Dome to Call Home

Hi, I’m Jackie, Halle’s sister. Like most brides, I always envisioned jetting off to some across-the-sea adventure honeymoon after my wedding, be it to white sand beaches or some picturesque European city. Fast forward to the highly stressful act of wedding planning in a pandemic, and that reality was put on hold.

Inn & Spa at Cedar Falls

Lucky for me and my husband, Chase, we don’t even have to leave the state of Ohio to get that picturesque, romantic Mini Moon while we await the days when international travel becomes truly realistic again.

Following our March wedding weekend, we took the barely one-hour drive down to Hocking Hills from Columbus for a weekend stay inside one of the Inn and Spa at Cedar Falls’ new Geodomes. The inn’s website describes these newly built forest igloos as “the best of glamping.”

Inn & Spa at Cedar Falls

These domes tower to 14 feet at the highest point, much bigger than what you’d expect from the little green dome you see from the outside. And I’m both impressed and amused that at more than 706 square feet, these cute “little” domes provide more space than my first two Columbus apartments.

A cozy king-size bed faces an expansive viewing window that looks out into the thickly forested section of Hocking Hills. The room boasts a small kitchenette with retro appliances, a dining area, and a seating area. Around the corner, a gorgeous bathroom with black pebble shower floors – a massage for your feet, my husband accurately declared – gave us everything we needed for our stay. Soft, warm robes included.

Inn & Spa at Cedar Falls

Apparently, these are the first geodomes in the U.S. with indoor plumbing, HVAC, and electricity. I’m not an overly outdoorsy girl, despite my love for Hocking Hills. So for that, I am that much more grateful.

If for any reason, we had to be trapped in that sweet and cozy half-sphere for the weekend, we probably would have been delighted. We had leftover wedding cake and champagne, after all.

But the grouping of domes is just a short walk away from the inn’s Kindred Spirits restaurant. We walked to breakfast there each morning as well as dinner, which was delicious each time. And right behind that is the spa building where we both had Swedish massages. And of course, being at the inn also means we have easy access to the best hiking spots.

While life slowly creeps back toward normal, I assume out-of-state and international travel will continue to pick up. But looking back on it, I’m not entirely sure I would have chosen differently had the options for travel not been restricted. Knowing we’ll still be able to head overseas when it’s safer to do so, the geodome experience provided us an incredibly relaxing and beautiful getaway after a busy wedding planning experience.

Visit www.uniquelodgingofohio.com for your next Ohio experience!

St. Paul Hotel & Wooster Explored

From a travel perspective, the past year has been devastating to the industry as a whole, and for those that feel fulfilled by traveling (ME!), the pandemic added another layer of disappointment to stay “holed up” for so long. Needless to say, after welcoming our second child amidst the pandemic in December, we were happy for an opportunity to safely get away on a one-night birthday trip to one of Ohio’s unique lodging establishments. We decided to spend the weekend shopping and eating our way around the quaint town of Wooster, OH located in the heart of Wayne County.

St. Paul Hotel
St. Paul Hotel

The St. Paul Hotel began as the CC Hotel in or around 1900, with 36 rooms on two floors and one shared bathroom on each floor. The hotel that welcomes guests today is very different than the hotel of the 1900s, known for card games and betting. The beautiful, boutique property that is downtown Wooster’s only boutique hotel was opened in 2011 after months of labor and love by local craftsmen. Visitors will notice local artwork throughout the building and each room has hand crafted and locally sourced furniture and fixtures.  

We arrived in Wooster with the hopes of catching the end of some regular season college basketball, so we stopped by a local market and lunch spot Spoon Market to get a to-go lunch to carry-in to a local brewery, JAFB. After that, we arrived a little early for check in to get settled before heading out to enjoy the unseasonably warm spring weather. Downtown Wooster has worked hard to gain more independent retailers in its downtown shopping district. We took a step back in time and found a fun souvenir for our oldest at Operation Fandom, a fun toy, collectible & memorabilia type store. We found neat kitchen gadgets and foodie favorites at Graham & Burns.  I hope next time we return to catch one of their cooking demonstrations!  Finally, we found some awesome gifts and new threads at Blue Spruce Boutique.

Downtown Wooster

After a whirlwind of shopping, we headed back to the hotel to get ready for dinner. We caught a quick workout in the gym which was perfectly outfitted, even for two gym snobs. Back in the room, we were greeted by homemade welcome cookies, heated bathroom floors and a beautiful waterfall shower. Dinner was just across the street at The City Square Steakhouse.

We rounded off the weekend by visiting a new restaurant to downtown Wooster, The Leaf. Born and raised in Wayne County and a resident of downtown Cincinnati and then Columbus for the past 15 years, I admit I have very high breakfast standards. We are a family that loves to brunch and The Leaf had high standards to meet. I was absolutely blown away by the new restaurant that took the place of a long-time neighborhood diner, The Parlor.  Most shockingly to me were menu items that I had never heard of or seen on a brunch menu. I happily ordered the Bana Crunch Yogurt Bowl and the … wait for it…Avocado Naan. What?! Two of my favorite things combined with eggs? Hands down one of the best brunch items I’ve ever had. Served up right there in Wooster, OH.  TJ enjoyed the Wet Burrito, which was also amazing.

We can’t wait to return! -Halle

A Unique Experience in Dublin

Oh, have I’ve missed you! It’s me, Halle! I’m back! Just for a brief bit though to share about a super cool experience I had recently in my very own backyard.  One of my favorite parts of working for OHLA is discovering the coolest lodging facilities we have right here in Ohio.  Even better when it’s here in Columbus.  I want to introduce you to The Timbrook Guesthouse located in Dublin, just across from Antrim Park.Timbrook Guesthouse - Dublin, OH

The Timbrook Guesthouse is owned by innkeepers Jill & Peter Dole.  Parents to 6 kids and several grandkids, these two fell in lovebirds (pun intended – read on) with what was formerly known as the “Old Jack Antrim Farmhouse” – a mansion built in 1875 and nestled on 83 acres.  The Doles bought the property and its remaining 4 acres from the Timmons family in 1988 and raised their family there.  Now, the Doles operate a guesthouse where they welcome visitors into their tropical paradise tucked neatly away off of Olentangy River Road in the heart of Columbus – I promise you; you didn’t even know it was there. And that, my friends, is the best part.  They have marvelously created a hidden escape for me, for you and all of their guests. Let’s take a look!Timbrook Guesthouse - Dublin, OH

I was visiting Timbrook on a drizzly Saturday in September for work on a weekend – something many of our readers can appreciate.  The difference here is, I was transported to an island getaway despite the wet, the cool and the Ohio gray.  While at most inns one can expect an immaculate experience inside, the coolest part of Timbrook is what is on the outside.  The Doles have added hidden nooks and crannies outside to be discovered by guests, including Puna’s Pond (the pool), Leilani’s Lagoon (the hot tub sanctuary) and my favorite, the Tropical Aviary (see what I did there – these two love birds!).Timbrook Guesthouse - Dublin, OH

Even on a day like that Saturday, the beauty of the meticulously manicured gardens was all anyone could need.  Give me a blanket and wipe off my seat and I could have easily sat in one of the benches or chairs throughout the property and just watched the world slow down and let my senses take over.  Sadly, I wasn’t there to relax, but I was eager to indulge in Jill’s fabulous breakfast spread.  If you remember, I love food, so when I booked this location for a board retreat, I made sure it included brunch.  The Doles were dealing with a full house (big OSU game that weekend) + our 8 guests, so it was all hands-on deck.  We were seated in a beautiful family dining room – the wooden table was hand made in Costa Rica, as were the super cool chairs (guys, they had pineapples carved into them!) and we were surrounded by windows – it was the perfect setting to dig into Jill’s AMAZING pumpkin pancakes.  I put amazing in all caps, because they were hands down, the best pumpkin pancakes I’ve ever had.

Timbrook Guesthouse - Dublin, OHAnd, the best part about breakfast at Timbrook?  There is a TEA STATION! Raise your hand if you work at a property that puts an emphasis on tea for its guests? (Right, not a lot of hands in the air) So imagine my joy when I was directed to an entire tea station that included honey made right there at Timbrook. (Shameless Plug: Curious about tea service?  Make sure you check out ‘Service to a Tea’ at the OHLA Annual Conference this year!)

Set a little goal for yourself, right here, right now.  Find one day – come on, you have 365 to choose from – and book a stay at The Timbrook Guesthouse.  The Doles will graciously open their beautiful paradise to you and transport you to somewhere truly special. Aloha!

Something Special at Sebring Mansion

Hello! My name is Lorada and I am Lauren’s mom. I’m a little nervous as this is my first EVER blog entry. Coming from a nursing background, this is a little out of my element but here we are. My husband (Joe) & I celebrated our 32nd wedding anniversary last week at the beautiful Sebring Mansion in the small town of Sebring, Ohio (30 minutes NE of Canton).

Sebring Mansion - Sebring, OH

When we arrived, we were warmly greeted by Dick who got us settled then led us on a tour of the entire mansion including each room. Each room is completely different that the other and are all decorated to the tee. Building began in 1900 with original woodwork and accents shipped directly from Italy to Sebring. The owner, Lynne Biery, has carried these beginnings through her keen eye for detail and has not left a stone unturned. She has carefully curated every piece within the mansion to reflect the rich history of the                                                                            property.

Sebring Mansion - Sebring, OH

We were so lucky to have the opportunity to stay within the Sebring Suite. This stunning suite boasted a comfortable king bed, dark red décor and accents, a large jetted tub and fireplace. I was speechless when we walked in. Every item in the room was an intentional thought-through detail. We were welcomed with a cheese spread with chocolates and fruit, it was delicious! The cheeses provided were from Biery Cheese Company which Lynne’s family has owned since 1929.Sebring Mansion - Sebring, OH

The small but mighty team was so, so kind and pleasant. I shared with Lauren that I felt that this is what it must be like for Meghan Markle at Frogmore! Dick was a hoot and was with us much of the day and introduced us to Murphy’s Pub named after the contractor of the pub addition. For dinner, we were treated to a beautiful sweetheart table set-up and enjoyed an amazing meal prepared by Chef Randy and our sweet server, Lisa, made our celebratory dinner so memorable. That evening we enjoyed their huge outdoor hot tub all to ourselves.Sebring Mansion - Sebring, OH

It was a short overnight stay and our departure was just as memorable as the arrival with an outstanding breakfast and a genuine farewell from Robin. We plan to come back over the holidays as I was told it is a sight to see with decorated trees in every room.

I cannot say enough about our experience at Sebring Mansion. It has certainly set the bar high for next year’s anniversary celebration!

 

Thank you for reading!

Lorada & Joe

Sebring Mansion - Sebring, OH

Sebring Mansion - Sebring, OH

V-Day Getaway

I <3 YOU, INNLOVERS! Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and I am here to help. Trying to surprise your significant other? Or just trying to get away with your buddies to completely avoid the holiday? Allow me to introduce you to a few of our excellent Unique Lodging of Ohio (ULO) properties that will surely make the holiday special.

GlenLauren - Hocking HillsGlenlaurel Inn (Logan, Ohio) – Do you want to take in the Scottish Highlands? Well, you are in luck and you do not have to jump on an 8-hour flight. Visit Glenlaurel located in the Hocking Hills region to be swept off your feet by charm and seclusion. This peaceful retreat sits on a 140-acre estate featuring hiking, Scottish Links Golf and a Spa. Their dining room is also exceptional with traditional Scottish flair to please the pickiest of critics.

Sebring Mansion - Sebring, OHSebring Mansion Inn & Spa (Sebring, Ohio) – Built in 1900, Sebring Mansion, exhibits refined detail and craftsmanship that is hard to come by in the small town of Sebring. The architectural design and all building materials from brick to woodwork were purchased in Italy and directly shipped to Sebring. Can you imagine the timeline of construction in the 1900’s?

 

White Oak Inn - Danville, OhioWhite Oak Inn (Danville, Ohio) – From a cozy room inside main inn, a private guest or a luxury log cabin, White Oak Inn has something for you! Being nestled in Ohio’s Amish Country certainly has its perks with one being the enjoyment of handcrafted soaps, jellies and jams to farm-fresh produce and eggs. Savory and sweet dishes are prepared fresh and from scratch daily. I’d love to wake up to the smell of lemon pancakes, wouldn’t you?

Cedar Grove Lodging - Hocking HillsCedar Grove Lodging (Logan, Ohio) – Featuring six cabins and two lodges in the heart of Hocking Hills, this getaway will leave you wanting to throw your cell phone in the drawer and sink into the serenity and beauty of the region. Here you will enjoy amenities such as hot tubs, fire pits, gas grills and obviously breathtaking views of the scenic Hocking Valley! Go on… cozy up and enjoy!

 

Until Next Time,

Lauren

Glenlaurel - Hocking Hills
Glenlaurel

Cedar Grove Lodging - Hocking Hills
Cedar Grove Lodging