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Urban Luxury
By Wendy Pramik
Downtown Columbus’ newest hotel is part Donald Trump, part Julia
Roberts. Thanks to a $15 million renovation by the Marriott family
trust, The Columbus, a Renaissance Hotel, manages to combine
convenience for the business traveler with romantic touches for
couples seeking a getaway.
The Renaissance is just a couple of blocks from the Ohio Statehouse
and offers plush, pillow-top mattresses; an intimate restaurant; and
a living-room-like lobby with cozy seating and a fireplace.
The hotel’s 408 renovated rooms are relaxing yet ritzy. There are 32
suites that would be right at home in a well furnished house – with
mixed-and-matched table lamps, couches with throw pillows and a
flat-screen TV. The furniture was custom-designed, and the color
palette has a Midwestern flair, which Marriott calls “tomato and
wheat.” The lavish State and Capitol suites provide phenomenal views
of downtown from their 21st-floor perches.
Other room highlights include a small refrigerator, perfect for
stashing wine and cheese, and Marriott’s signature bedding. In
warmer months the fourth-floor pool is the hotel’s shining star.
Located on the ballroom roof, it’s surrounded by red market
umbrellas and teakwood recliners with bright-red cushions. Cocktails
are served from a nearby cabana-style bar. The pool deck – which
measures a whopping 11,000 square feet – appears small against the
backdrop of towering skyscrapers.
Locals and visitors alike are lured to Latitude 41, the hotel’s
refurbished restaurant. On a recent Friday evening, executive chef
Tony Miller prepared American fare in the open kitchen. One
specialty is Hawaiian tuna, which arrives fresh four times a week.
‘It’s phenomenal”, Miller says. “I can look at my watch and tell you
how long that tuna has been out of the water.” Dishes like Georges
Bank haddock are artfully presented with Peruvian purple potatoes
and wilted baby greens.
Couples can reserve the chef’s table where Miller will introduce the
dishes and suggest the appropriate wines while the guests watch
their meals being prepared. “It’s a great romantic dinner,” Miller
says. “Guests who sit at the chef’s table get the royal treatment.
Across the hall is Bar 41, an ultraswank setting combining rich
fabrics with Chihuly-like glass sculptures. Signature drinks include
the Blackberry Mojito served with fresh blackberries and the Passion
Fruit martini made with a fruit puree and habanero pepper. The
hotel’s location is ideal for couples. It’s within easy walking
distance of the Ohio Theatre and Palace Theatre, as well as the
trendy Arena District. The Columbus Museum of Arts, German Village
and the Short North are just a short cab ride away.
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