News Summary
The historic Willoughby House Inn has reopened following a two-year renovation, restoring the estate to its original 1902 grandeur. The inn offers modern hospitality while honoring its historical significance, featuring new dining experiences and event spaces.
Willoughby, Ohio – The historic Willoughby House Inn has officially reopened following a two-year extensive renovation that has restored the 20,000-square-foot estate to its 1902 grandeur. This property, located south of downtown Willoughby, is recognized as the Julia F. Boyce Country Estate and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The renovation, overseen by owners Mike and Marcia Neundorfer, has garnered two awards: the Cleveland Restoration Society’s Excellence in Adaptive Use of a Historic Building Award and the Western Willoughby Chamber of Commerce Showcase Award. These achievements reflect the successful transformation of the inn into a modern hospitality destination while honoring its historical significance.
Hotel Manager Cody Cook has introduced new overnight packages aimed at providing guests with an immersive experience inspired by Cleveland’s Gilded Age. The inn includes flexible event spaces and features Julia’s 1902, a fine-dining restaurant celebrated for its locally sourced cuisine and creative cocktails, alongside the intimate Boyce Bar.
Guests can make reservations for curated experiences via email at [email protected]. The inn offers accommodations in seven suites within the main building and three two-bedroom suites located in an adjacent carriage house. Nightly room rates begin at approximately $200, which includes a complimentary continental breakfast served on the porch. Additionally, guests receive a 15% discount on meals at Julia’s 1902.
Upcoming events at the inn include a Five-Course Beer Dinner featuring Market Garden Brewery and a special Father’s Day brunch, further enhancing the offerings for guests and community members. The restaurant and inn adopt a community-focused stance, including practices like an automatically added gratuity and fair wages for staff, which contribute to a positive work environment.
Chef Jose Coronado, a partner in the business, is acclaimed for integrating flavors and ingredients from his Guatemalan heritage into the menu, enhancing the dining experience. The restoration of the building preserved historical architectural elements, including four-poster beds and Murano glass chandeliers, while the exterior underwent significant improvements such as new gutters, refinished oak floors, and restored historic windows.
The inn’s history is noteworthy; the Van Gorder Manor, which was previously utilized as a family home, medical center, and assisted-living facility, had remained vacant for a decade before the renovation began. Community interest in the restoration project has been robust, leading to plans for events that showcase its progress and celebrate its reopening.
Building relationships with staff and guests is a core value for the Neundorfer brothers, creating a collaborative hospitality environment focused on enhancing the guest experience. The Willoughby House Inn stands as a testament to historical preservation, local culture, and community engagement.
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Additional Resources
- Cleveland.com: Gilded Age Hotel
- Wikipedia: Willoughby, Ohio
- News-Herald: Willoughby House
- Google Search: Willoughby House Inn
- Cleveland Magazine: Willoughby House Renovation
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Historical Hotels
Author: STAFF HERE CLEVELAND WRITER
CLEVELAND STAFF WRITER The CLEVELAND STAFF WRITER represents the seasoned team at HERECleveland.com, your premier source for actionable local news and information in Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, and beyond, delivering "news you can use" with in-depth coverage of product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news impacting the region—backed by years of expert reporting and robust community input, including local press releases and business updates, while providing top reporting on high-profile events like the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductions, Cleveland International Film Festival, and holiday parades, alongside key organizations such as the Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland Orchestra, and Great Lakes Science Center, plus leading businesses in manufacturing and healthcare like Sherwin-Williams and University Hospitals, and as part of the broader HERE network including HEREDayton.com, offering comprehensive, credible insights into Ohio's vibrant landscape. HERE Cleveland HERE Dayton
