Situation: Your child is a freshman at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. You receive the info about Fall semester's Family Weekend in early summer. You think. You talk. You decide to go. With all the activities and because your schedule opens up to allow you to take advantage of some time with your special student, you decide to stay over at least Saturday night. Maybe tack on Friday night as well. That way you can shop on High St or run down to Kenwood Mall, maybe shoot out to Hueston Woods, go to the football game, make that quintessential stop at Walmart, eat at Paesanos or Stella 12 Beech or Mac and Joe's or BW3's or Patterson's AND buy tickets to the headliner billed to appear at Millet. Wonderful plans! Sounds perfect! It's only June and you think you've got a leg up on booking a room. Right?
I, too, thought it was a simple deal to reserve a room. Heck I felt AHEAD of the game by jumping right on that reservation task. Oh, my. What a humbling experience for this first-timer. Not to mention frustrating and depressing. So let me set ya straight, people, with some advice since you're now the newbies at this gig. With just so many rooms available in this little town to hold the hordes of locusts about to descend upon it's brick streets and limited restaurant seating, it ain't gonna be easy. TIP 1: eat early and get a snack later. TIP 2: It's even squeezey when the ice hockey team plays at home.
So listen up. Or read up. Whatever. I made out a large index card of places which I kept (keep) in my desk drawer. These should help you get started. BE ADVISED: Some places (ic The Elms, Best Western, Miami Inn, Maplevale B&B) give preference to those who stay more often at that property for big weekends like this and graduation. Yes, this is one of those times in your life where you'll have to deal with the concept that other people are more special than you. Accept. Move on. OR get feisty and start building up your own history at a place. *Also find out the times and dates when they start accepting reservations. Veterans know which establishments begin at midnight on their appointed dates. Be prepared to dial fast and furious because the competition is fierce with multiple family members using their cells to accomplish this goal. (I told you this was crazy. NOT KIDDING.)
Welcome to MY LIST. Copy. Share. Print flyers and leave on car windows in parking lost. Oops. No, you may not want to advertise this secret fabulous list. Instead stash it under lock-and-key and quietly slip it out under the light of a full moon so no one can steal this invaluable data.
Our favs: Holiday Inn/The Elms 2 restaurants, perfect location for everything Miami 513-524-2002
Miami Inn on Patterson betw the business school & baseball field 513-513-529-2104
Philip W Smith B&B Richmond, IN (The Nelsons are great hosts) 800-966-8972
Martha E Parry B&B Richmond, IN (sister house to above) same
Courtyard by Marriott Hamilton, OH 1-800-MARRIOTT
Others in vicinity: Marcum Center (across the street from Miami Inn) 513-529-6911
Baymont Inn College Corner Pike 513-523-2722
Comfort Inn College Corner Pike 513-524-0114
Maplevale B&B Oxford-Millville Rd (Patterson becomes this) 513-523-8909
White Garden B&B Brown Rd 513-524-5827
In Monroe: Howard Johnson's New Garver Rd 513-539-9221
Best Western Monroe Inn New Garver Rd 855-238-1589
Comfort Inn Senate Drive 513-539-2660
In Camden: Sugar Valley Farm B&B Sugar Valley Rd 937-452-3983
In Eaton: Whispering Oaks B&B Rte 127 North 937-456-1121
In Hamilton: Rossville Inn B Street 513-590-4181
Gregory Creek Inn Lesourdsville-West Chester Rd 513-887-0725
In Lebanon: The Kirkwood Inn Us 42 513-398-7277
The (historic) Golden Lamb Inn South Broadway St 513-932-5062
Hatfield Inn Hatfield Rd 513-932-3193
In Brookville, IN (~20 minutes away) The Hermitage B&B E 8th Street 765-590-5182
**For a fun experience: Rent a camper or RV from Tom Raper in Richmond, IN. They will tow/drive your choice over and park it in the football stadium parking lot! 800-727-3778
** Check out www.bbonline.com for more.
