Friday, January 27th, 2017

All Toledo Everything // Exploring the new Renaissance Toledo Downtown Hotel

FILED IN: Uncategorized

Sample view of completed Lobby inside the Renaissance Toledo

Nothing says comeback like a venue dedicated to your town! The past few years since we have made the move from Utah back to Ohio, we have seen much needed growth & prosperity in our “Little Detroit”. I say this because although Detroit is great, it feels big and intimidating when visiting while Toledo feels more manageable and welcoming. We have been excited for more shops, more restaurants & more things to do making their home in our downtown area.

Recently there has been lots of buzz about the new upscale Marriot hotel that is taking the place of the Grand Plaza which closed it’s doors in 2015. All of the 160 Renaissance brand hotels are themed after the cities that they reside in – and this new hotel will incorporate some of the most well known things that our city has to offer: local glass blowing artist have been commissioned to create custom lighting structures in the lobby area, industrial Jeep decor will be present on the walls as well as a space dedicated to one of the highest rated television shows of all time: M*A*S*H.

Current construction inside the hotel lobby

 

This is what the gathering place inside lobby will look like when completed!

“This hotel is going to be a place to see – and a place to be seen” says Angie Dixon, the Director of Catering & Events. Angie has been involved with weddings and events for over 11 years. She has recently made the transition from managing events at another popular Toledo venue: Hensville.

Angie Dixon (left) & Mary Beth sporting super cute pink hard hats!

Angie is excited about the hotel’s opening in May, 2017 and already has weddings and events booked for 2017 and 2018! The Renaissance will be keeping the bones of the previous hotel’s ballroom but currently there is lots of work underway to transform this space into a more modern, functional wedding & event venue. Going for a more neutral palette & keeping with the “rustbelt” industrial theme, guests that will be hosting events at the hotel will already be working with a gorgeous new space. These ballrooms can comfortably hold 300-500 guests – allowing for larger parties or multiple smaller gatherings. Outside of the ballrooms will have plenty of space for cocktails and socializing for wedding guests with built in seating artfully decorating the perimeter. This area will also have an interactive custom Light Board (remember Lite Brites???)  sprawling welcoming messages to hotel patrons.

Current view of Ballroom & Restaurant Construction

The Renaissance Toledo is opening two all-new restaurants as well: one at the main lobby level that will be open to the public and if Toledo’s main restaurant is anything like the amazingness we encountered at the Toasted Oak Grill & Market (which is inside the Baronette Renaissance Hotel in Novi, Michgan)  where we enjoyed the most delicious dinner we have had in months, we will be some of it’s first patrons! The second restaurant will feature small plates and drinks where guests can enjoy the view from the top of the building from the indoor/outdoor terrace. A great space for meeting & after parties.

A view of the Toledo skyline

We think the best part of the new hotel plans are the 4 star rooms! Each room will have Toledo themed decor and amenities such as a mini fridge & plush bath robes. The bathrooms have been updated with walk in showers and vanities that greet you with a: “Hello Gorgeous!” These rooms seem calm & comfortable spaces fit for business travelers and adventurers. There will also be 6 suites and 1 presidential suite that is sure to be no less than incredible.

Detailed view of hotel rooms and what the hotel bar will look like when completed

This hotel is going to be such a great addition to our city and we can’t wait for it to open in May, 2017. This will bring more jobs to the city as well with positions that will soon need to be filled before it’s grand opening.

Angie will be out at the Super Bowl of Bridal Shows THIS weekend (Jan. 28th & 29th) and can share more details of reserving your dates at the Renaissance. If you can’t make it down to the show, please contact Angie Dixon by phone: 419-870-1649 or email: adixon@fhginc.com

Of course we needed to sneak a selfie in here somewhere!

 

 


A huge thank you to Angie Dixon for welcoming us to the hotel and answering all of our questions! We appreciated your time & help with this post!

 

Click here to visit the Renaissance Toledo Hotel web site