MOUNT VERNON, Ohio – You have to solve a puzzle just to get into your room.
And once you’re inside, the adventures keep coming -- some of which involve body paint and massage chairs, a karaoke room and a flying bed.
Out of desperation comes creativity, says Columbus entrepreneur Marty Parker, who saw many of his businesses – from escape rooms to axe throwing venues – shut down during the COVID pandemic.
So he got creative, combining his escape room skills with the need for private accommodations.
In 2022, he opened Romantic Adventure Getaways in Mount Vernon, about two hours south of Cleveland, which features three elaborately themed suites with secret passageways and puzzles, along with what may be the state’s largest bed.
“It’s larger than an Alaskan king,” said Cassandra Colgan, property manager of the inn. “We have custom-made sheets for it.”
The massive bed is located in the King Louis XIV suite, which also features a secret slide and salt cave, massage chairs and Salvador Dali paint experience.
Each of the experiences is accessed via a puzzle or riddle that the occupants solve together – putting a dozen royals in alphabetical order, for example, knocking on a cabinet door or typing a special code into a golden telephone.
“It’s a whole adventure couples get to go through together,” said Colgan.
And if you get stuck? Point your phone at a nearby QR code for helpful clues.
Each suite has a total of 1,500 to 2,000 square feet, with five or six rooms to explore, including giant whirlpool tubs and kitchens.
Parker said he got the idea after hearing about the success of Belamere Suites, a Toledo-area hotel geared to couples, with elaborate rooms that feature private, individual swimming pools. The hotel is frequently included on lists of the nation’s most-romantic inns and is often sold out on weekends months in advance.
Parker scouted out a location for a concept that combines individualized entertainment and private accommodations and found a 1840s-era home on N. Main Street in Mount Vernon, 50 miles north of Columbus, that fit the bill.
The Louis XIV suite was first to open, in July 2022, followed by Genie Romance (with the flying bed) in February 2023 and Paradise Lost in June 2023.
Then, late last year, Parker opened a second location, in Hillsboro, about 60 miles east of Cincinnati, with two themed suites – Night in Paris and Treasure Island.
Guests seem to love the concept, if evidenced by the number of repeat visitors and sold-out nights.
“This has become a yearly getaway for my husband’s birthday,” wrote one guest after a recent stay. “What a creative, relaxing, playful experience.”
“I don’t think I’ll ever stop talking about this place and we can’t wait to go back and do all the rooms!” wrote another.
And Parker’s not done yet.
A third suite, a Wizard Romance with a Harry Potter theme, is set to open this fall in Hillsboro.
And additional Romantic Adventure Getaways locations may in the works, including possibly one near Cleveland.
Parker recommends that guests arrive promptly at 5 p.m., or they risk not having enough time to complete all the tasks.
About two hours into the adventure, guests typically leave for dinner – the Alcove in downtown Mount Vernon is a favorite choice – and then return to finish the fun.
It’s not an inexpensive overnight. A one-night stay runs more than $500, including taxes and fees.
(The website points out what else it is not: “This place is NOT a place of whips, chains or of images conjured by that little voice in your head asking if you should go here or not.”)
Colgan points out that maintaining the rooms is a labor-intensive process, with staff having to clean, reset and replace all the parts and pieces of the puzzles and activities. She called it an immersive art experience.
“This is truly one of a kind,” Colgan said. “There’s nothing else like this anywhere.”
For information: romanticadventuregetaways.com
Read more:
Browsing and biking through Mount Vernon, one of Ohio’s best small towns (plus, bonus Gambier)
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