First Look: Hotel Versailles
Rust belt chic.
Roadtripping into the heart of Ohio leads travellers to the stylish doors of Hotel Versailles, newly built on a spot that has welcomed travellers for over 150 years. At the intersection of Center and Main streets in the Village of Versailles, this 30-room boutique property, designed by Ohio’s DK Architects and Kimberly O Design, opened in May 2022.
The first hotel at this location, Golden Eagle House, was built around 1865. There have been numerous subsequent incarnations, including a hotel that burned to the ground and was immediately rebuilt in 1902. The most recent, the Inn at Versailles, opened in 1993 and was also destroyed by fire, in 2019. A two-year rebuild resulted in the current Hotel Versailles, whose corridors display historical images sourced from the Versailles museum, such as photos of the previous hotels and the fire that destroyed much of the village in 1901.
The three-storey red-brick hotel, with its restaurant Silas Creative Kitchen + Cocktails and 1819 Room event space, features furnishings and art sourced from the state’s extensive creative community. Contemporary works on display are original pieces by Columbus artist Teda Theis and Mike Elsass of Dayton.
In addition to floor-to-ceiling wine storage, a long marble bar, a variety of seating, and grey velvet dividers creating private nooks, Silas Creative Kitchen also has a private dining room with a table for 12 crafted by Hayrake Furniture Company in Minster, Ohio. Custom chandeliers in the 1819 Room were designed by glass artist Christopher Crimaldi of the Glass Asylum in Chagrin Falls.
Spacious guest rooms are highlighted with welcoming jewel tones: green-velvet upholsterey, navy-velvet blackout curtains, and gold-and-milk-glass lighting. White oak headboards crown pillow-top beds draped in white linens, and walls are adorned with abstract art by Ohio artists. Bathrooms feature brass fixtures, blue-green wall tiles, circular mirrors, hexagonal marble floor tiles, and walk-in showers. For those who like to indulge in an end-of-day soak, request a spa suite with a soaker tub.
Each room includes an iPad loaded with fitness classes for those who prefer to work out ensuite, but there’s also a fitness centre with all the necessities, including Peloton bike. The hotel also has more than 100 publications for bedtime reading
When weather permits, outdoor options include a covered patio, and a courtyard with a fireside lounge.
