Introduction
The Judge’s Mansion Guest House, located in the historic Olde Towne East neighborhood in Columbus has a rich history dating back to the late 19th century. Originally built in 1890, the mansion served as the private residence of Honorable Edmond Bothwell Dillon (1869-1919), a prominent attorney and judge in Columbus. The mansion was designed in the Queen Anne Victorian Style, characterized by its grand arches, stone façade, and intricate detailing. Over the years, the mansion has undergone various renovations and restorations to preserve its historic charm while incorporating modern amenities. In the early 2000s, it was converted into a guest house, offering luxurious accommodations for visitors to Columbus. Today, the Judge’s Mansion Guest House continues to attract guests seeking a unique and elegant lodging experience in the heart of the city, while also serving as a reminder of Columbus’ rich architectural heritage.
Queen Anne Victorian Style
Queen Anne Victorian style is a distinctive architectural and design style that was prominent during the latter part of the 19th century, particularly in the United States and Britain. It’s characterized by asymmetrical facades, steeply pitched roofs, turrets, bay windows, decorative shingles, and a variety of ornamental details such as spindle work, brackets, and gingerbread trim. The interior often features intricate woodwork, stained glass windows, and elaborate decorative elements. Overall, it’s known for its eclectic and picturesque appearance.
Olde Towne East
Olde Towne East is a historic neighborhood in Columbus, Ohio, known for its beautiful Victorian-era homes, tree-lined streets, and vibrant community atmosphere. Originally developed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the neighborhood features a mix of architectural styles, including Queen Anne, Italianate, and Gothic Revival. In recent years, Olde Towne East has undergone revitalization efforts, with many historic homes being restored and renovated. The neighborhood is home to a diverse population and boasts a lively arts and culture scene, with art galleries, theaters, and community events regularly taking place. Olde Towne East also offers a variety of dining options, including cozy cafes, trendy restaurants, and local pubs. Its proximity to downTowne Columbus makes it a desirable location for both residents and visitors alike, offering easy access to the city’s amenities and attractions. Olde Towne East is Columbus’ oldest neighborhood. How cool is that?!
History of Olde Towne East
Olde Towne East in Columbus, Ohio, has a rich history that dates back to the late 19th century. Originally developed as an affluent suburb, the neighborhood attracted wealthy residents who built elegant Victorian-era homes along its tree-lined streets. Many of these homes were designed by prominent architects of the time, contributing to the neighborhood’s architectural diversity and charm. During the early to mid-20th century, Olde Towne East experienced changes in demographics and economic conditions, leading to a period of decline. Some of the grand homes fell into disrepair, and the neighborhood faced challenges related to urbanization and suburban sprawl. However, in recent decades, Olde Towne East has undergone revitalization efforts led by community members, preservationists, and local organizations. Many historic homes have been restored to their former glory, attracting new residents and businesses to the area. The neighborhood’s architectural heritage, combined with its proximity to downTowne Columbus, has made it a desirable place to live and visit. Today, Olde Towne East is known for its vibrant community spirit, diverse population, and thriving arts and culture scene. It continues to evolve while preserving its historic character, serving as a testament to the resilience and vitality of Columbus’ neighborhoods. Boasting over 1,000 homes, some date all the way back to the 1830s.
Reasons to Book Your Stay at The Judge’s Mansion
Staying at a historic guest house, like The Judge’s Mansion, can offer a unique experience steeped in charm, culture, and tradition. Lodging at The Judge’s Mansion during your visit to Columbus not only provides you with elegant lodging and one with such a vibrant history; but also allows you to stay in a central location nestled in the oldest neighborhood of Columbus. For example, when I took a stroll down to the Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, I had the unique pleasure of being able to admire so many beautiful historic buildings with exquisite, and unique architecture along the way. As aforementioned, the Olde Towne East neighborhood features a mix of architectural styles, including Queen Anne, Italianate, and Gothic Revival, among others.
To put it succinctly, here are 5 reasons why you should opt to stay at the Judge’s Mansion:
- Rich Heritage: The Judge’s Mansion historic guest house has a fascinating story behind it, adding depth and character to your stay.
- Unique Architecture: The Judge’s Mansion boasts beautiful, unique architecture that reflects the style of the era it was built in, providing a visually captivating experience.
- Cultural Immersion: By staying at the historic guest house, you can immerse yourself in the local culture and traditions, as the location is deeply connected to its surroundings.
- Personalized Service: The Judge’s Mansion offered more personalized service than one would receive at a hotel, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere that can make your stay feel extra special. From the fresh bouquet of flowers in my suite upon arrival, to the luxurious towel warmer, the staff at The Judge’s Mansion went above and beyond in providing the experience I so desired.
- Memorable Atmosphere: The cozy interior, antique furnishings, and picturesque surroundings at The Judge’s Mansion created lasting memories that I wouldn’t have found at a standard hotel.
History Meets Modernity at The Judge’s Mansion
While The Judge’s Mansion is committed to preserving the historic Victorian elements and architecture of the property, careful consideration has been given to contemporizing the facilities in order to enhance guests’ stays with modern-day comforts.
Some ways in which The Judge’s Mansion has modernized for guest comfort include updated bathrooms, kitchens, fixtures, high-quality mattresses, comfortable furniture, and a harmonious blend of vintage-inspired decor and original features, such as the original hardwood floors.
Some additional features and amenities include:
- Complimentary high speed wifi
- Free private parking
- In-unit kitchenette or kitchen (dependent on suite)
- Easy access to the property with electronic locks and a unique code for entrance that allows access to the building and your specific suite
- High-quality mattresses
- Comfortable furniture
- Smart TV with access to Netflix, Hulu, and more!
- Plush towels and a wonderfully luxurious/easy to operate towel warmer
- Large, spacious closets with drawers
- Carbon monoxide detectors and smoke detectors
- Iron and ironing boards
- Hair dryer
- AC/Heating
- Centralized location with many attractions within walking distance or just minutes driving distance
The Judge’s Mansion: Suites
The Judge’s Mansion has a total of 8 guest suites. Each suite has its own distinctive name and theme, interwoven with the history of the house
The Library: Overview
I had the pleasure of residing in ‘The Library’ suite during my stay at The Judge’s Mansion. Some of the features I was privy to include:
- Spacious suite (525 sq feet) located on the 1st floor of the mansion
- 10 foot ceilings with full-height windows
- A delightfully comfortable queen bed
- Large and comfy sofa
- Kitchenette with a microwave, mini fridge, coffee machine (including coffee, a variety of sweeteners, creamer, and tea), dishes, silverware, ice bucket, and a bottle opener
- Two plush towels, washcloths, and a towel warmer
- An extra comforter in the bedroom, as well as a cozy blanket in the living room…which was positively delightful to snuggle into when winding down on the sofa in the evening
- Private bathroom with a standard tub
- Large walk-in closet off of the bedroom
- Large ‘linen’ closet/cabinet in the bathroom which was so helpful for organizing my various hair styling tools, skincare products, and makeup
- Large living room separate from the bedroom
- Black-out curtains in the bedroom
- A roll-away bed is available at request (max guests for suite: 3)
The Library: In Photos
The Bedroom
The Living Room
In addition to The Library, the other seven suites available at The Judge’s Mansion guest house are The District, The Marian Dillon Retreat, The Gallery, The Chamber, Judge Dillon’s Study, The Parlor, and The Bench. Also, it is possible to book the entire mansion with room for 18 people.
The Judge’s Mansion: Shared Spaces & Aesthetic Accents
The Judge’s Mansion: An Ideal Location
With its close proximity to downtown, the mansion is near large hospital networks, and within walking distance of both The Columbus Museum of Art and The Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. Other appealing landmarks close by include the Ohio Theatre and German Village Society. Several parks are minutes away including Scioto Mile, Kelton House Museum, and Topiary Park. There are three shopping centers and many restaurants in the neighborhood. Additionally, the Mansion is less than a mile from the newly developed East Market in the Trolley District.
My Nearby Recommendations
Here are a few of the places I visited (and LOVED) during my 5 day stay in Columbus. All are under 10 minutes away!
- Franklin Park Conservatory & Botanical Gardens: 2 minute drive/9 minute walk
- Columbus Museum of Art: 4 minute drive/ 30 minute walk
- Nationwide Area: 8 minute drive – catch a concert or a Columbus Blue Jackets Game!
- Nada (upscale Mexican restaurant): 9 minute drive
- Danja Yoga Studio: 2 minute drive/ 8 minute drive
- Ohio Statehouse: 6 minute drive
- Ohio Theatre: 6 minute drive
How The Judge’s Mansion Came to Be
Meet The Owners
When was The Judge’s Mansion founded?
- Our ownership of The Judge’s Mansion started in Spring of 2021
Where did you get the idea for The Judge’s Mansion?
- We assumed the real estate and business operations of The Judge’s Mansion in 2021. It had previously been established with the name, and we created our own branding and marketing around it.
What is your background, professionally or personally, that led you to creating the guest house?
- Alita (Christopher and I) have extensive experience in multi-family renovations and apartment owner-operations. We feel that there are significant synergies between an experience based living in modern apartments and hospitality short term locations. We would like to focus on the continual synergies to scale a brand that offers both short term and long term living opportunities with highly amenitized and unique experiences. We purchased The Judge’s Mansion as a small offering to help establish our brand and to create an operating platform that we can scale.
What has your journey been like to get to where you are today?
- We have both grown through large corporate organizations. In 2020, we both decided to take the leap into entreprenuership and to focus on our our ventures. Leaving our executive roles has been both challenging and rewarding to get to where we currently are.
What sets you apart from other local guest houses as well as guest houses in general?
- The history of our house, offering many original building features is the immediate differentiator. Partnering the history with modernized amenities and attention to detail further enables us to create our own unique brand.
What has been your key driving source?
- We get a ton of traffic through AirBNB, and have recently found success in our own website and direct traffic.
How do you generate new ideas?
- Through our previous corporate roles and current consulting ventures, we have incredible travel experience. We continue to draw from those experiences to make this environment as unique and welcoming as possible.
How do you define success?
- Happy customers. This Guest House to us is a labor of love. We enjoy sharing it at a reasonable price-point so that others can see the unique, comfortable, safe space.
Do you believe there is some sort of pattern or formula to becoming a successful entrepreneur?
- We both believe that success is more than business success, but finding joy in our operations and what we do. Our tag line Alita – Live Joyfully, represents our hopes to maintain our hard work ethic with integrity, while also being proud of our success and day-to-day.
What is your favorite aspect of being an entrepreneur?
- The Fluidity of the day-to-day. Problem solving.
What has been your most satisfying moment in business?
- Seeing an apartment acquisition full cycle from purchase>Management>Sale and returning higher than expected returns to our investors. All of this was done with management efficiencies and leveraging our experience vs just naturally raising rents on the apartments to market pricing. We were able to offer well managed apartments at an affordable rate and still make a financial return.
About The Author
Isabel is a single mother and avid traveler based out of Cleveland, Ohio. Just over one year ago, she established this travel blog as a passion project. Letting her ‘creative juices’ flow, she was able to combine to of her hobbies: writing and photography.
Isabel’s goal for this pursuit is to highlight a growing collection of destinations that cater to a wide variety of lifestyle and budgets. Isabel has undertaken a variety of projects including: general travel guides, guides to museums and other attractions, restaurant reviews, reviews on unique lodging and even commissioned work allowing her to work with in conjunction with tourism boards to promote a certain destination.
In addition to dedicating near-full-time hours to her job as a travel blogger and micro-influencer, Isabel is a full-time emergency room paramedic and part-time firefighter. Above all, Isabel is a devoted mother to her 7-year-old daughter, Lily.
Explore Isabel’s Other Work
- Explore by destination
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