Sioux Falls company plans big year of improvements at Ohio state park lodges
March 6, 2023
This paid piece is sponsored by The Ramkota Companies.
From a Tudor-style manor to a brand-new resort surrounded by nature, the lodges of Ohio’s state parks each offer a unique – and improving – visitor experience.
They’re also managed by Regency Hotel Management on behalf of Sioux Falls-based The Ramkota Companies, which has built a strong relationship in the Buckeye state and continues to help upgrade its lodging options.
“We love partnering to provide outstanding service at state park lodges and resorts,” said Josh Schmaltz, Ramkota president. “Our opportunities in Ohio have grown substantially in the last several years, and we hope visitors from across the country get to experience these memorable properties.”
Great Ohio Lodges encompasses nine properties across the state.
“Working with The Ramkota and Regency teams is wonderful,” said Brenynn Mowery, regional marketing and sales coordinator for Great Ohio Lodges. “The thought and dedication they put into making the experience better for the guest is amazing, and the relationship with the state that allows projects to move forward is really cool to see.”
In recent years, the Ohio lodges saw a large increase in visitors, she added.
“Our governor really encouraged outdoor recreation, and we have seen that continue,” she said. “I think people got a taste of it and saw there are locations like this that put you right in the middle of the outdoors. Our lodges are in the middle of state parks, so you come to stay and have immediate access to the outdoors.”
The coming season will build on recent years of improvements. Here’s a closer look at each of the Great Ohio Lodges.
Burr Oak
This smaller lodge in southeast Ohio offers a cozy getaway with 38 guest rooms and 30 cabins.
“It’s a relaxing setting on a beautiful lake,” Mowery said. “The lodge really creates a comfortable ambience with a wood-burning fireplace.”
Guest rooms were renovated a few years ago, and the resort also includes an indoor pool and putt-putt golf.
“The state park has a marina for renting pontoons or kayaks, and we have a courtesy dock, so park visitors can easily walk up a little trail to the dining room or check out the lodge,” Mowery said.
Deer Creek
A new guest entrance is almost done at this popular resort in south-central Ohio. Offering 110 guest rooms and 26 cabins, “it’s a totally new greeting for guests,” Mowery said. “We went from a sliding door to something more grand with a water feature and sculpture, a grassy area out front and a new entrance covering.”
In the coming months, the lodge will begin renovating guest rooms, and its cabins recently were updated with new flooring, furniture and fixtures.
Located an hour south of Columbus, guests are close to the activities of the state’s capital but in a “peaceful setting,” Mowery said. “It’s near a lot of bigger cities, so it’s a nice little retreat.”
The lodge also offers indoor and outdoor pools, a marina and a 350-acre, 18-hole golf course that offers a challenging course, including 10 ponds and 46 sand traps.
Hocking Hills
The newest of the nine lodges, Hocking Hills, is a beautiful way to experience nature. Located in south-central Ohio, this 81-room lodge opened last year and includes 40 cabins.
“The trails here feature waterfalls and different sandstone variations and caves and cliffs,” Mowery said. “We have cabins and trails that are pet-friendly, and we saw a really great response to the first season with hundreds of visitors enjoying the lobby space and restaurant. We saw many sold-out weekends.”
Amenities include an indoor pool and hot tub, outdoor pool and all-season hot tub, plus an on-site pub and cafe.
“We were able to incorporate lots of elements of Ohio, from custom-designed headboards and little fossils from when they excavated the area that are in the fireplaces, as well as custom carvings and locally sourced wood,” Mowery said. “We’re working with a naturalist there for programming inside the lodge, and our restaurant has stayed very busy.”
Hueston Woods
This rustic retreat in southwest Ohio offers a 92-room lodge that has “some cool renovations coming this year and next to improve the behind-the-scenes guest experience,” Mowery said.
“We are seeing a refresh there, and this is the first full summer for renting pontoons and kayaks.”
The lodge includes indoor and outdoor pools and a marina. The championship golf course spans 260 acres of rolling terrain with terrific views and challenging play for golfers at every skill level.
“There are beautiful views, and the lodge is an A-frame, so you see that architecture throughout the main lobby, with windows overlooking the lake,” Mowery said.
Maumee Bay
This family-friendly lodge in northwest Ohio sits close to Lake Erie and is extra family-friendly, with 120 guest rooms and 24 cabins.
“Maumee includes loft-style rooms that are great for families, plus an indoor and outdoor pool, hot tub and splash pad,” Mowery said. “Plus, there are bike rentals and paddleboats, so you’ll have plenty to do without even leaving the lodge.”
Maumee Bay also features a unique 18-hole Scottish links-style golf course with low and rolling mounds, bentgrass fairways, greens and tees, numerous sand bunkers and ponds.
Mohican
There are lots of improvements coming this season to the popular resort in central Ohio. The 96-room lodge will see a floor-to-ceiling renovation starting this spring that will build on recently remodeled king rooms.
“This is a beautiful area,” Mowery said. “Hiking is a huge draw, but we also have a wonderful restaurant with great views overlooking the lake that includes outdoor seating.”
There’s also indoor and outdoor pools, popular summer campfires and a Friday night birds of prey demonstration during the warmer weather.
Punderson Manor
Take a true getaway into Tudor-style manor in northeast Ohio at Punderson Manor. Dating back to the 1800s, some of its 31 guest rooms still deliver a true historic experience.
“They are definitely an experience to remember,” Mowery said. “And we also just completed a room refresh on this property, so there’s new flooring, wallcoverings, paint, bedding and fixtures. It feels like a completely different room.”
Punderson Manor also offers 26 cabins, indoor and outdoor pools, plus a 72-par golf course that stretches over 6,800 yards and features some especially long 3- and 5-par holes on the back side.
Enjoy dining at the elegant Cherry Dining Room, which offers family-style cooking for breakfast, lunch and dinner daily.
Salt Fork
Ohio’s largest state park, located in the east-central part of the state, offers a lodge with 148 guest rooms and 53 cabins.
“There’s great lake recreation here on Salt Fork Lake,” Mowery said. “We have kayaks, pontoons and fishing boats to rent, and there are complimentary marina slips if you bring your boat.”
There’s also indoor and outdoor pools, and the lodge is undergoing renovations this year.
“The renovations will start in 2023 and include new glass in the windows throughout the lodge and guest room balcony work,” Mowery said.
Perched atop rugged terrain, Salt Fork’s golf course is a challenging 18-hole championship course spanning 250 acres of forested hills, open meadows and misty valleys.
Shawnee
This resort sits the farthest south in Ohio in an area called the Little Smokies. The lodge includes 50 guest rooms, and there are 25 cabins.
“Shawnee is a hiker’s dream, with many trails in the state park and neighboring state forest,” Mowery said. “Along with improvements to the lodge, which includes guest room renovations, the state park has recently added a children’s area.”
All guest rooms are being renovated this year and next, plus there are indoor and outdoor pools.
Stay and save
Don’t miss year-round specials offered at the Great Ohio Lodges. Some blackout dates apply.
- Savvy Seniors: Rates start at $99, offered Sunday through Thursday.
- Ohio Fish & Wildlife: Get 10 percent off your lodge room or cabin stay when you present a valid hunting, trapping or fishing license.
