<p>I have the "Where to Stay" page from the OWU website but was wondering about personal experiences especially since I don't have a good feel for where the motels are in relation to OWU. Tripadvisor and Yelp aren't much help, probably because Delaware is not a large tourist attraction! Free breakfast and a pool are nice (my husband likes to soak after driving) but not required. Clean, quiet, pleasant and close to campus are. Thanks!</p>
<p>We live near Delaware, OH and there aren’t many hotels. If you want to stay as close to campus as possible I would suggest the Best Western or Comfort Inn listed on on the OWU website. Quite a few years ago we had family stay at the Best Western and it was ok. Not sure how it is now. There is a Starbucks, Chipotle and Bob Evans near both of these hotels. I would hesitate to stay at Pacer Inn and know nothing about the Bed and Breakfast options.</p>
<p>Hampton Inn in Sunbury - about 15 minutes from campus - is nicer. There is a Panera, Cracker Barrel, Starbucks and several fast food restaurants nearby. </p>
<p>If you want to explore Columbus while you are visiting, any of the Polaris hotels on the OWU website are good suggestions. The Polaris area has a large, very nice mall and a many, many restaurants. </p>
<p>While Delaware itself is lacking in hotel options, there are many good restaurants. Let me know if you need suggestions.</p>
<p>Thanks for the info! Since my daughter will be staying over on campus the one night, my husband will be alone (I can’t miss work) but would love a dinner recommendation if you have one.</p>
<p>@MomofM - As an OWU graduate, I do miss The Hamburger Inn at 16 N Sandusky St. in Delaware just a short walk down the street from campus. If your husband likes excellent diner food, this is one of the best. Read more here - <a href=“http://www.yelp.com/biz/hamburger-inn-delaware”>http://www.yelp.com/biz/hamburger-inn-delaware</a></p>
<p>Looks delicious, thanks!</p>
I would recommend -
Amatos Woodfired Pizza - great pizzas and sandwiches
Son of Thurman - famous for big burgers
1808 Bistro - more upscale
Mi Cerrito - Mexican
12 West - Mexican/American (temporarily closed due to a fire - hopefully open when you visit)
Veritas - very trendy - creative small plates
Buns - nice patio
Chelley Bellys - closes pretty early
Haven’t been to the following, but they are supposed to be good for drinks -
Barley Hopsters - craft beers
Staas Brewing Company - craft beers
Vito’s Wine Bar - wine and mixed drinks
For motel/hotel, it depends how close to campus you want to be. I live in Delaware (about 2 miles from OWU) and generally do not recommend any local lodgings. The Best Western is decent, but in no way special. There is a very nice Sheraton about 15 minutes to the south of town, near Interstate 270 and Highway 23. Personally, that is where I would stay.
As far as restaurants, Delaware has an outstanding Chinese take out joint; Dragon House. Don’t eat there, just order take out. It is very small and plain. They serve outstanding Phad Thai (not Chinese, obviously) but everything is excellent. Dirt cheap too. I have ordered dozens of meals from DH over the years, and all have been excellent. Dragon House is in the same shopping center as the Best Western. Their phone number is 740-363-1988. Treat yourself.
I can second Son of Thurman for casual dining. Similarly, Old Bag of Nails provides solid quality, but is pub fare. For truly excellent restaurant dining you will need to leave Delaware itself. I can no longer recommend Buns, despite its storied past. Recently their quality has taken a dive, and the menu has been shortened.
1808 Bistro is wonderful but pricey. Amatos is good, as is Son of Thurman.
There are a few motels at I-71 and Rt. 37, about 10 miles or so from Delaware, including a Holiday Inn Express. There is also a B&B right at the edge of campus, The Winter Street Inn.
I stayed at the Best Western last March when we visited. Ditto NROTCgrad that it is nice but not special…but it’s conveniently close…just a few minutes drive to campus. Hard to see the property from the road (it’s located sort of behind the Starbucks). Also, there is no elevator, so be prepared to carry luggage up a flight of stairs or ask for a room on the first floor.
Thanks for the info, which I passed on to my husband, who’ll be the one driving my daughter tomorrow to admitted students day! He is going to stay at the BW while she sleeps over with a student, and we appreciate the info re the Starbucks. If my daughter attends OWU, we’ll have 4 years to try out some nicer places if we’d like!
In case it’s useful for someone – we just stayed at the Pacer Inn for convenience because it’s about 30 seconds from campus. It was also very inexpensive. From the outside, it looks like a cheap motel, not particularly nice at all. Our rooms, though, were updated and had new furniture, a sitting area, and a fridge & microwave. Very small but clean bathrooms. The beds were very comfortable. I don’t know if all of the rooms are like this but we got two rooms for 3 days and both of ours were surprisingly good.
We had the same experience with the Pacer Inn. Looks like a roadside motel from the 1960’s on the outside, but all the rooms we’ve stayed in (3x now) have been recently renovated and scrupulously clean. It is reasonably priced and very, very conveniently located walking distance from campus. Not at all luxurious, but clean and pleasant inside.