Summer Staycation – Columbus Marriott Northwest Hotel

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This post was sponsored by Marriott Columbus Northwest Hotel, but all opinions expressed are my own.

With my summer travel behind me, I was starting to get a bit restless. In a couple weeks, my little one starts kindergarten. I can’t decide if that makes me heartbroken or ecstatic. The thing is, whether I’m celebrating or consoling myself, the way I cope is by going on a trip. But with school starting in less than two weeks, I didn’t have any time to travel. So when our friends at the Columbus Marriott Northwest Hotel asked if I’d be interested in spending a night to check out their newly renovated hotel, I was delighted. Staycation, here I come!

 

Columbus Marriott Northwest

 

The great thing about a staycation is that requires very little effort but gives you all the joy of trip a few states over. There’s something so relaxing and fun about staying in a hotel. No beds to make. Crisp, clean sheets. Being able to dial up some delicious room service, or just walk downstairs and enjoy an incredible meal. And we certainly don’t have a pool to splash around in at home!

So we packed up a change of clothes, hopped in our car and drove right over. As soon as I walked in, I was impressed. This hotel just went through a recent renovation. The new look is clean, modern, and sophisticated. 

While my husband checked us in, I wandered through the lobby. The first thing that caught my eye was the Starbucks.  The rest of the lobby was bright and airy, with lots of comfortable seating and tables. I also spotted their new restaurant, Two Brothers. I was intrigued by the claim of locally and regionally sourced ingredients and made a note to check out the menu further.

By this time, he had gotten our room keys. On the way to the elevator, we found the pool. It was a good size and knew it would be a ton of fun for our little one to splash around in.

In our room, I was delighted by the design. The room was large and decorated in a fresh contemporary style. I loved that the room was equipped with a SMART TV – complete with Roku and the ability to log into your personal Netflix/Hulu/Youtube accounts. I don’t know about your family, but mine loves to lounge around in the evenings and relax while watching shows on vacation. It’s something we don’t usually devote a ton of time to in our regular lives, and so it’s extra special during a staycation.

 

Marriott Northwest ColumbusI’m also kind of obsessed with travel-sized toiletries, so the next thing I did was peek at the stash in the bathroom.  I was excited to find Thann bath products. I’m a huge fan of this line of all natural, luxury, aromatherapy products. The shampoo and shower gel had an awesome orange and tangerine scent. Call me a nerd, but I get so giddy over this stuff!

 

 

I also appreciated the mini fridge in the room. We had brought along a few treats and drinks that we don’t normally indulge in, and loved being able to keep them chilled without having to rely on filling up an ice bucket.

When I picked up the room service menu, I couldn’t believe it. So many awesome choices – like locally sourced grass-fed beef burgers or organic quinoa & ancient grains salad? And house-cured bacon? The room service menu featured local, sustainable, artisanal items? Seriously!? Wow. Don’t worry, mom and dad, there are also kid-friendly options.

 

When talking about what to do, there were a ton of options for us to choose from. Taking a staycation means you get to see your city through the eyes of a visitor. The Columbus Marriott Northwest hotel is located right in front of Tuttle Mall. This is a great area – close to several golf courses and some of the best spas in Columbus. For the kids, the Columbus Zoo is a great option! In fact, the hotel has partnered with the zoo to offer a great package to families. 

The Columbus ‘Zoolax’ Package includes your accommodations, a breakfast buffet in the restaurant for two adults and two children under 12, one large pizza & soft drinks, two adult and two children tickets to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium AND two Marriott Tumblers. What a fun package!

We decided on a relaxing first night – some pool time, a great dinner, and then some family snuggles while watching a movie on the SMART TV…and maybe some room service treats to finish off the night. We were in full staycation mode.

While there are tons of restaurant options nearby, many of them walking distance from the hotel, I remembered my interest in their new Two Brothers restaurant. I’m a sucker for locally sourced ingredients and I love trying a new spot, so that’s where we decided to go. To be honest – after more than a decade in restaurant and hospitality management, I have some pretty high standards. I’m not easily impressed. But I was BLOWN AWAY by the restaurant. 

The first thing I noticed was their cocktail list. Every single drink featured local ingredients. Then my husband pointed out this:

 

My heart warmed. They featured Watershed spirits – a local Columbus distillery. Have I already mentioned my love for locally sourced food (and drink) options? The menu at Two Brothers is fantastic. It’s eclectic and fun, and there’s something for everyone. We decided to split a few things and loved everything we tried. 

Two Brothers
Charcuterie plate – with HOUSE CURED meats!

 

two brothers
A local favorite

 

 

Staycation food
All natural turkey BLT with house cured bacon!

 

Staycation food
Kimichi and pork belly flatbread – delicious!

     

Don’t worry, they also feature a GREAT kids menu. I loved all the healthy side options for the littles ones.

staycation kids menu

 

Fun fact, the night that we dined there, the mayor from Dublin, Ireland had come in for a drink. He’s on a mission to visit all the cities named “Dublin” and was in town for the Irish festival. 

We had so much fun on our staycation. A huge thanks to the Columbus Marriott Northwest hotel for letting us check out their awesome space. If you’re looking for a family staycation – be sure to check out all the great things this hotel offers!

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Malini
Malini was born and raised in Worthington, OH. While it’s true that she has a raging case of wanderlust and takes every opportunity to travel far and wide, she and her husband can’t think of a better place to raise their 4 year old daughter and 10 year old Basenji dog, Sparky (aka - Sparks, Sparkles, Spark-a-licious, Sparkle-Pants). She works full time and spends her weekends tinkering around on a passion project that she and her husband have turned into a business. Malini’s favorite thing about Columbus is the amazing food scene - from food trucks to fine dining, Columbus has it all. Basically, she is obsessed with all things food + travel, and you can follow along with her family adventures on her blog Lakes and Lattes. She fell in love with her husband on a dance floor, and their daughter has certainly inherited daddy’s dancing genes! You can find them dancing around the kitchen, the living room, and the lawn. While it's painfully true that she has zero fashion sense, she can usually find her way around a kitchen. Her life goals include connecting with others and inspiring them to travel and eat good food!

3 COMMENTS

  1. Hi Malini,

    Great post. It’s really interesting how you felt before going away considering kindergarden. I can only go away when my own cubs are on holiday also.

    I can relate.

    Great post.

    Shahin

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