I found this historical, boutique-style beauty while searching for a new place to stay near Athens, Ohio where my daughter goes to college. As parents know, when one child visits the other, its time for a parent getaway. Parkersburg, West Virginia, just 45 minutes from Athens was a doable jaunt, and the Blennerhasset Hotel a wondrous find. First opened in , the Blennerhasset Hotel is a registered National Historic Landmark hotel that remains a downtown centerpiece. These days, the elegance and service remains a calling card, as well as its affordable luxury.
Spats Loungeβ for libations and lighter fare. In between our sightseeing, our King room was a lovely respite of brocade fabric and polished wood details. The bathroom, with its granite vanity and Italian tiles added to the upscale ambiance. The rest of Blennerhasset evoked the same European style charm. Spats Restaurant and Lounge offers both casual and upscale dining.
After we checked in, we made reservations for Sunday brunch, a sumptuous buffet bounty of everything from freshly made salads to oysters on the half shell to eggs Benedict and gourmet omelets made to order. I did manage to leave enough room for berry cobbler and a sliver of cheese cake, but just barely.
During Sunday brunch, served from 11 am to 2 pm, a pianist plays the grand piano shared by the lounge and restaurant. As a warning, Starbucks and the gift shop closes at 3 pm on Sunday. We found this out when we went to claim our two coffees with plans to take them with us on our trip back to Ohio.
Starbucks had just closed. Instead, we were given coffee to go from the restaurant. This suited us just fine. Happily, Belks, a department store similar to Macys or Dillards, was having a terrific sale. In case you want or need to shop, the mall is about a 10 minute drive from downtown. Rhein has traveled to 35 countries lived in five of them and has been to every state but Alaska.
