After a year-long renovation, the South Wind Motel at 919 S. High St. is open for guests. The 22-room motel features lots of mid-century touches, like vintage furniture and turntables, as well as modern upgrades, like electric vehicle charging stations and new, energy-efficient windows.
The plan to give the 60-year-old motel a retro remodel was first proposed last spring, after the building was purchased by the Kelley Companies.
“The response of everyone that’s stayed here has been really, really good, we’ve been very happy about that,” said Michael Kelley, who has been heading up the project for the Kelley Companies.
Guests visiting the motel in its first few weeks have run the gamut, he added, from Californians making their way cross-country, to Clevelanders visiting friends in German Village.
“We’re really excited about this corridor,” Kelley said. “You’ve got longstanding, legendary establishments like Planks Bier Garten, family-owned and operated, but then you’ve got newer stuff like Antiques on High and the Law Bird…and we thought there was really a need for a locally-owned and operated hotel option.”
The fact that the motel is not affiliated with a national chain, though, means that it can be a challenge to get the word out to travelers, he said; “so we’re just trying to really build slowly and deliberately, and then hopefully kind of [rely on] word of mouth and repeat customers.”
Although Kelley had researched the history of the motel, the renovation process helped to fill in some gaps. Original tiles, for instance, were discovered after removing many layers of siding on the bathrooms walls, and the new tiles that now line the walls in the bathrooms were picked to match the color of the originals.
Solar panels were installed on the roof, and over the last three months have supplied more energy than the building has used, Kelley said.
General Manager Doug Hovelson lives nearby and has been excited to recommend places for guests to visit in the neighborhood, although some need less advice than others; they’ve had several locals book rooms for staycations, and he expects to see more in the coming months.
“We have some German Village moms that want to get away for the weekend,” he said. “Leave the kids with dad, and the girls are going to have a night out.”
Scroll down for more pictures and information from a recent tour – all photos by Brent Warren.
For more information, visit southwindstay.com, and for a chance to tour the inside of the motel while supporting local preservation efforts, check out this Columbus Landmarks fundraising event.