What The Hotel at Oberlin does

The Hotel at Oberlin is a 70-room LEED Platinum-certified boutique hotel located at 10 East College Street in downtown Oberlin, Ohio, owned by Oberlin College and managed by The Olympia Companies. Developed by SMART Hotels as the anchor of the 100,000-square-foot Peter B. Lewis Gateway Center, the property opened in September 2016 and is notable as the first hotel in the US to combine solar power, geothermal heating and cooling, and radiant ceiling/floor systems, alongside rainwater harvesting and a 10-acre photovoltaic array. Guestroom inventory includes standard king rooms, double queen rooms, accessible rooms, and five premium king suites.

The hotel operates a four-stream revenue model: nightly room rentals (booked direct via the Synxis engine on its website, by phone, or through OTAs), food and beverage through the on-site 1833 Restaurant and bar (led by Executive Chef Jim Barnhart with seasonally sourced, locally rooted menus), event and wedding catering across 6,500 sq ft of meeting space (headlined by the 3,800 sq ft Peter B. Lewis Ballroom and the 850 sq ft Lucy Stone room), and prepaid gift cards valid at both the hotel and restaurant. Pricing is dynamic with published 2016 starting rates of $119–$129/night, a Best Rate Guarantee program, and a portfolio of themed packages (Obie-Nights College Tour, Stars Stripes & Stays, Rest & Recharge, Earth Day Every Day, Green Romance, Local Brew, Wine Lover's, Give Back–Give Love).

Go-to-market targets three core segments: leisure travelers drawn to Oberlin's cultural and natural attractions, Oberlin College visitors (prospective students, families, alumni, faculty) routed through the college's admissions and alumni channels, and corporate/event clients (meeting planners, wedding parties) using the on-site event spaces. The hotel leverages earned media (Condé Nast Traveler Top 20 Midwest 2021, TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence 2018, Town & Country, NYT), direct digital channels (website, email, Facebook/Instagram/X), and nonprofit partnerships (Big Brothers Big Sisters of Lorain County, Common Ground's Earth Camp) for demand generation. All profits are directed to Oberlin College scholarships, making the hotel a philanthropic enterprise aligned with the college's educational mission.

Name

The Hotel at Oberlin

Legal name

College Properties of Northern Ohio D/B/A The Hotel at Oberlin

Website

https://thehotelatoberlin.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Hotel at Oberlin is a 70-room LEED Platinum boutique hotel in Oberlin, Ohio, owned by Oberlin College, offering guestrooms, farm-to-table dining at 1833 Restaurant, and 6,500 sq ft of event space for leisure travelers, college visitors, and corporate and wedding clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Boutique Hotel & Hospitality Services

NAICS

Hotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels (72111), Full-Service Restaurants (722511)

SIC

Hotels & Motels (7011), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Business & Corporate Full-Service Hotels (THAGAAAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Hotel & Resort Restaurants (THAFACAH)

Keywords

• Boutique hotel accommodations
• LEED platinum hospitality
• Sustainable hotel lodging
• Wedding and event venue
• Farm-to-table restaurant

Headquarters

HQ city

Oberlin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Guest Room Rentals: The Hotel at Oberlin generates primary revenue through nightly room rentals across 70 guestrooms including standard king rooms, double queen rooms, accessible rooms, and king suites. Rooms are booked directly via the hotel's website booking engine (Synxis) and through OTAs. Rates vary by season, package, and day of week.
2. Food & Beverage – 1833 Restaurant & Bar: 1833 Restaurant, located at 7 N. Main St. inside the hotel, serves breakfast, dinner, and bar fare to hotel guests and the public year-round. The restaurant features locally sourced, seasonal menus. The bar offers 10 draft beers on tap (Ohio craft beers), over 20 bottled varieties, cocktails, and an extensive wine list. Room service is also available.
3. Event & Wedding Catering: The hotel generates revenue from catering events held in its 6,500 sq ft of meeting and event space, including the 3,800 sq ft Peter B. Lewis Ballroom and multiple breakout rooms. Catering is provided by 1833 Restaurant and includes plated dinners, buffets, cocktail receptions, and late-night snack options for weddings, corporate meetings, and social events.
4. Gift Cards: Gift cards valid at both The Hotel at Oberlin and 1833 Restaurant are sold by phone at Guest Services, representing a prepaid revenue stream.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Hotel at Oberlin operates a 70-room LEED Platinum-certified boutique hotel in downtown Oberlin, Ohio offering guest accommodations (king rooms, double queen rooms, accessible rooms, and five premium king suites), the on-site 1833 Restaurant serving farm-to-table cuisine with locally sourced ingredients, and over 6,500 square feet of flexible event space including the Peter B. Lewis Ballroom and Lucy Stone meeting room for weddings, corporate meetings, and social events. All profits support Oberlin College scholarships, and the property is the first US hotel to integrate geothermal, radiant heating/cooling, and solar power.

Product overview

The Hotel at Oberlin is a 70-room LEED Platinum-certified boutique hotel in downtown Oberlin, Ohio, owned by Oberlin College. The hotel offers a unified hospitality experience combining guest accommodations (Double Queen Rooms, Standard King Rooms, Accessible Rooms, and King Suites), the on-site 1833 Restaurant serving farm-to-table cuisine, and over 6,500 square feet of flexible event space including the Peter B. Lewis Ballroom and Lucy Stone Event Space. The hotel also offers various packages including the Obie-Nights College Tour Package, Stars Stripes and Stays Package, Rest & Recharge, Bed & Breakfast, Staycation, Earth Day Every Day, Green Romance, Local Brew, and Wine Lover's Packages. All profits support Oberlin College Scholarships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• 1833 Restaurant: On-site restaurant at The Hotel at Oberlin named after the year both Oberlin College and the town were founded (1833). Features seasonally inspired menus with locally sourced ingredients.

Products and services

• Standard King Room Standard guest room featuring one king-sized bed, HD flat panel television, tiled bathroom with standing glass shower, work desk, complimentary Wi-Fi, coffee maker, organic bath products, and geothermal climate control.
• Double Queen Room Standard guest room featuring two queen-sized beds accommodating up to 4 guests, HD flat panel television, tiled bathroom with standing shower, work desk, complimentary Wi-Fi, and standard hotel amenities.
• Accessible Standard King Room ADA-accessible guest room with one king bed, HD television, and accessible bathroom features including grab bars and wheelchair accessibility.
• Accessible Double Queen Room ADA-accessible guest room with two queen beds, HD television, and accessible bathroom features including grab bars and wheelchair accessibility.
• King Suite Premium accommodation featuring a private king bedroom, separate living area with seating and media wall with HD television, and expanded tiled bathroom with double vanity and standing glass shower.
• 1833 Restaurant On-site farm-to-table restaurant at The Hotel at Oberlin offering seasonally inspired menus with locally sourced ingredients and regional artisan products. Serves breakfast, dinner, and bar fare to hotel guests and the public, including 10 Ohio craft beers on tap, over 20 bottled varieties, cocktails, and an extensive wine list. Named after the year both Oberlin College and the town were founded.
• Peter B. Lewis Ballroom (Event Venue) 3,824 sq ft of flexible event and meeting space with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking historic Tappan Square, divisible into five sections. Accommodates wedding receptions for up to 200 guests and meeting/event groups up to 350 people.
• Lucy Stone Event Space 850 sq ft meeting room designed for executive retreats, group meetings, and small business meetings. Named after Lucy Stone, the first woman from Massachusetts to earn a college degree at Oberlin College.
• Hotel & Restaurant Gift Cards Prepaid gift cards valid toward charges at both The Hotel at Oberlin and 1833 Restaurant, available for purchase by phone through Guest Services (440-775-7001) with a $12 mailing fee for physical gift certificates.
• Event Catering Services Full-service catering for weddings, corporate meetings, and social events provided by 1833 Restaurant. Includes plated dinners (tier-one and tier-two options), buffet packages (Deli Market, Burger Bar, Summer Picnic, Cantina Taco Bar, The Ohioan, Trattoria, Parisian), full bar packages (Premium, Luxe, Consumption), and add-on bars (Mimosa Bar, Bloody Mary Bar).

Quantifiable outcome

• First hotel in the US to incorporate geothermal, radiant heating and cooling, and solar power simultaneously
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Olympia Hospitality (The Olympia Companies)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 September 2016Olympia Hospitality (led by President and CEO Kevin Mahaney) was selected by Oberlin College to manage The Hotel at Oberlin. The company has expertise in hotel development, LEED building design and construction, project management, operational oversight, branding, and sales and marketing. As of 2016, Olympia had 19 hotel projects under management in the US. The company specializes in sustainable, environmental, and philanthropic boutique hotels.
• Oberlin College (Owner)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 September 2016The Hotel at Oberlin is owned by Oberlin College. The hotel anchors the Peter B. Lewis Gateway Center and is a product of The Oberlin Project, a partnership between the city of Oberlin and Oberlin College. All profits from the hotel support Oberlin College student scholarships. The Oberlin College Admissions Office is located inside the hotel lobby at 38 East College Street.
• Solomon Cordwell Buenz (SCB) – Architecture FirmminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 September 2016SCB, a Chicago-based architecture, interior design, and planning firm, designed The Hotel at Oberlin. Led by Principal Jim Curtin, AIA, the firm created the building's 'treehouse' architectural concept with canted columns, floor-to-ceiling windows, and integration with Tappan Square. The firm has practiced nationally since 1931 from offices in Chicago and San Francisco.
• The Gettys Group – Interior DesignminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 September 2016The Gettys Group, an award-winning global design firm, served as the interior designer for The Hotel at Oberlin. The firm focused on blurring the line between indoors and outdoors, using reclaimed wood from a historic farm building, an abstract mural inspired by Oberlin's pastoral setting, and carpet tiles made of recycled materials. The Gettys Group serves clients across the Americas, Asia Pacific, Middle East/North Africa, and Europe.
• The Oberlin ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 September 2016The Oberlin Project is a joint venture between the city of Oberlin and Oberlin College to transform Oberlin into a model for sustainable economic development based on education and the arts. The Hotel at Oberlin is the centerpiece of the Peter B. Lewis Gateway Center, the cornerstone of the Green Arts District. The project was visionaryized by David W. Orr, Paul Sears Distinguished Professor of Environmental Studies and Politics at Oberlin College. The hotel hosted the landmark 'After Fossil Fuels: The Next Economy' climate conference in October 2016 as the project's first major event.
• Maya Lin – Artist (Sculptural Installation)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 September 2016Maya Lin (designer of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial) created a permanent three-part sculptural installation for The Hotel at Oberlin, inspired by the local climate and landscape — the final part of her 'Ohio Trilogy.' The installation was erected in 2017 in the lobby and exterior of the hotel, enhancing the property's cultural and artistic identity.
• Local Artisan Partners (Amish Carpenters & Mennonite Craftspeople)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 September 2016Local Amish tradespeople handcrafted guest room furniture for The Hotel at Oberlin. Local Mennonite carpenters incorporated reclaimed wood from a dismantled 19th-century Ohio farmhouse into the hotel's interior design, including bar paneling. These partnerships emphasize the hotel's commitment to local sourcing and community craftsmanship.
• Adeva Salon and Spa (Spa Partner)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 13 September 2016Adeva Salon and Spa is the hotel's partner for the 'Rest & Recharge in Oberlin' spa package. Hotel guests receive a $100 spa credit per night to use toward massages or facials at Adeva Salon and Spa, which is located off-site in Oberlin.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Lorain County (Nonprofit Partner)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 13 September 2016Current nonprofit partner for the 'Give Back – Give Love' package. Hotel guests who donate a minimum of $20 per night receive a 10% discount on their stay. The donation supports BBBS of Lorain County's youth mentoring programs.
• Common Ground: The Cindy Nord Center for Renewal's Earth Camp (Nonprofit Partner)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 13 September 2016The 'Earth Day, Every Day' package includes a $20 donation per night to Common Ground's Earth Camp, which supports environmental education for local youth. This partnership ties the hotel's sustainability mission to direct community impact.
• Peter B. Lewis Gateway CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 April 2016The Peter B. Lewis Gateway Center is the 100,000-square-foot mixed-use development that The Hotel at Oberlin anchors. Named in honor of Peter B. Lewis, late chairman of Progressive Insurance Company, who contributed a $5 million gift toward the project. It is the cornerstone of Oberlin's Green Arts District and incorporates renewable energy systems designed to meet LEED Platinum rating. The complex includes commercial and office space and a culinary training facility.
• SMART Hotels (Smart Hotels Group)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 April 2014SMART Hotels LLC developed The Hotel at Oberlin as a joint project with Oberlin College. The company is committed to environmental sustainability and is a member of the U.S. Green Building Council. SMART Hotels specializes in developing hotels and mixed-use projects at prominent university and medical center campuses.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants: Larger IHG boutique brand emphasizing unique design, on-site restaurant, and event space across many U.S. markets. Comparable on boutique F&B-led model and meeting/event business, but operates at materially greater scale and brand breadth.

Direct peers

• 1 Hotels: Luxury boutique hotel brand purpose-built around sustainability, biophilic design, and verified green building credentials. Most directly comparable peer on sustainability-led positioning and premium ADR justified by environmental performance, though at a larger urban/luxury scale.
• Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas: IHG's sustainability-focused luxury boutique hotel brand rooted in wellness and environmental stewardship. Comparable on sustainability-led differentiation, on-site restaurant, and event programming, though at a higher price point.
• 21c Museum Hotels: Boutique hotel brand (Accor) co-located with contemporary art museums and featuring on-site dining and event programming. Comparable on boutique scale, integrated restaurant, event/wedding business, and arts-and-culture-led brand identity (The Hotel at Oberlin references Allen Memorial Art Museum and Apollo Theatre).
• Liberty Hotel (Boston): Boutique full-service hotel housed in a landmark property with on-site F&B and event/wedding programming, and strong institutional/visitor demand drivers. Comparable on full-service boutique model, event space scale, and a flagship urban/institutional-adjacent positioning.
• Graduate Hotels (now part of Hilton's Graduate by Hilton collection): College-town boutique hotel brand (acquired by Hilton/Platinum Equity) with hotels adjacent to major U.S. universities. Highly comparable given The Hotel at Oberlin's explicit positioning as the premier hotel adjacent to a major U.S. college campus and its college-tour package business.
• AutoCamp: Boutique experience-led hospitality brand combining design, sustainability, and on-site amenities with an active event programming capability. Comparable on a design-and-experience-led boutique positioning, though in an Airstream/glamping format rather than a full-service hotel.
• Inns of Aurora Resort & Spa: Multi-property boutique resort with sustainability credentials, on-site farm-to-table dining, and extensive event/wedding facilities in a small-town setting. Comparable on small-market boutique positioning, sustainability narrative, and event-led revenue mix.

Regional players

• The Tudor Arms Hotel Cleveland: Boutique-style full-service hotel in the broader Northeast Ohio/Cleveland lodging market. Comparable as a regional full-service competitor for drive-to business and corporate meetings within the same catchment area.

Others

• Olympia Hospitality (The Olympia Companies): Hotel management company that operates The Hotel at Oberlin and manages a portfolio of boutique, sustainability-focused hotels. Most comparable as an operational/administrative peer rather than a brand competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/hotelatoberlin
• Facebookfacebook.com/thehotelatoberlin
• Instagraminstagram.com/thehotelatoberlin
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-hotel-at-oberlin

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Hotel at Oberlin