Visit Ohio – Page 8

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!”

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.
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.

“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.