Meet Your Neighbor: Island House now a condo hotel

PORT CLINTON - Since it was first constructed in 1886, The Island House Hotel on Madison Street has attracted the famous, the powerful, and the everyday tourist wanting to enjoy one of the most beautiful hotels on Lake Erie. Today, The Island House is attracting a little confusion as locals and visitors have questioned its current operating status.

Bart Erwin has the answer.

“We’re open all winter long,” Erwin said.

Erwin is president of The Island House Condominium Association, which owns the hotel. As a hotel owned by a condominium association, The Island House is a condo hotel.

“The condo hotel is owned by the association. All unit owners are part of the association,” Erwin said.

The hotel is operated as any upscale hotel would be

Although the hotel is owned by multiple owners, the association’s management company runs the hotel and provides customers with the same comfortable and elegant lodging experience they would expect in any upscale hotel. Rooms are reserved the same way, and the overnight stay is the same.

“From the customer’s standpoint, it’s like a normal hotel,” said Mayor Mike Snider.

That means modern customers can book a stay in the historic hotel just like some of its famous clients, including Marilyn Monroe, Bob Dylan, the Ringling Brothers and President James Garfield.

“It has a host of famous people,” Erwin said.

The depth of history encompassing the hotel is felt as soon as a customer approaches the building, which was built in 1886 by former Ottawa County Sheriff Conrad Gernhard. It was built in Italianate style and was originally intended to house men only because there was only one common bathroom in the building.

Inside, a grand lobby of polished wood and graceful chandeliers greet modern customers who walk along the same floors once trodden by Julie Andrews, Al Capone, and Humphrey Bogart, who checked into his room with Lauren Bacall at his side.

The local hotel is open year round

The Island House, one of the few local hotels open all year, has a few rooms still available for New Year’s Eve, where Walleye Drop celebrations take place just steps from the hotel.

“You have a bird’s eye view of the Walleye Fest. You’re right there,” Erwin said.

The Walleye Drop is one of Port Clinton’s most popular and exciting events of the year. Thousands of people join the downtown festivities which include a kids’ Minnow Drop, live entertainment at area bars, a DJ on the downtown Stage, fireworks, and, of course, the chance to see Wylie Walleye, the 20-foot, 600-pound fish, drop to mark the start of the new year.

The Island House may boast a restaurant or two later this year. Successful restaurateur Jason Liu, who owns modern fusion-style restaurants in the Columbus area, purchased The Island House’s two retail spaces and hopes to open a restaurant in the spring or summer, if possible.

“But I’m not sure yet,” Liu said. “Right now, I’m not physically committed to opening the restaurant myself. Logistically, it’s hard to keep a staff.”

But reopening the hotel’s restaurant is definitely on his radar.

“I love the history and the building itself. The mayor and the city staff have been very welcoming,” Liu said. “We’ll work with local people to try to open a restaurant and bring life back to the hotel.”

In the meantime, the hotel itself is full of life and ready to accommodate customers in its 39 rooms. Options include queen, double queen and king rooms, as well as suites which are furnished with small kitchenettes. Rooms include in-room coffee, free wi-fi, and satellite TV.

The most convenient method of booking a room at The Island House is by calling the front desk directly at 419-734-0100. The Island House Hotel is at 102 Madison St. in Port Clinton.

Port Clinton Area Chamber of Commerce President Nicole Kochensparger is glad The Island House will remain open all year long.

“The more we can offer in downtown Port Clinton, the better it is for everyone,” Kochensparger said. “And The Island House is the cornerstone of downtown.”

Contact correspondent Sheri Trusty at sheritrusty4@gmail.com.

This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Meet Your Neighbor: Island House Hotel now a condo hotel