Luxury suites available at Mount Vernon's Romantic Adventures Getaways

MOUNT VERNON – Of the hundreds of boutique lodging options around the state of Ohio, many can be called comfortable, romantic, unusual, intriguing – but few deserved the appellation "unique."

One that certainly does is Romantic Adventures Getaways (romanticadventuregetaways.com), an aptly named inn located in downtown Mount Vernon, about 50 miles northeast of Columbus.

In truth, calling it an "inn" hardly does justice to the site, which was created by entrepreneur Marty Parker, who helped introduce such "active entertainment" concepts as escape rooms and ax-throwing to central Ohio.

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Parker said the goal at his new inn, which contains three individually themed private suites, is to "combine active entertainment with a mini-resort, all in each suite."

The result combines the brain-teasing fun of an escape room, the adventures of an action movie, the amenities of a spa and the slightly naughty accouterments of a honeymoon suite.

Some guests surprise their partner with a stay, perhaps for a birthday, anniversary or other occasion, Parker said. For guests who don't know what awaits them, the surprise continues through arrival at the inn, housed in a traditional brick beauty built in 1841.

The illusion is sustained through the entry hall, which looks like a typical Victorian parlor in a typical historic bed-and-breakfast.

But at the entrance to each suite awaits a simple puzzle that must be solved before admittance into each suite.

Other brain teasers lead guests through trap doors, down slides, along carpet-lined tunnels and into hidden rooms containing rewards such as a private karaoke experience or a halotherapy salt "cave," all within the confines of a private suite.

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Many of the rewards tend toward the romantic – or even sensual – such as body paints and oils; massage equipment for head, toes and everything in between; and massive, luxurious beds including, in the King Louis XIV Suite, what is billed as the Largest Bed in Ohio.

Each suite also offers a two-person jet tub with a variety of state-of-the-art spa features.

Guests who book the Genie Romance Suite will find themselves immersed in a plush, "Arabian Nights"-style adventure which culminates, for those who find three magic lamps, in a flying carpet bed that actually "flies."

The newest suite, which opened earlier this month, is called Paradise Lost, and offers an "Indiana Jones"-inspired jungle-themed adventure that includes a golden idol, waterfall, mini-archery range and a spicy little couple-centric reward at the end for those who persevere.

And every guest does, eventually, figure out the various puzzles and games in their suite – even if it sometimes takes the help of the QR code hints offered at each step for those who need them.

Romantic Adventures Getaway is located at 206 N. Main St. in Mount Vernon. Prices start at $279 per night, with an average total cost of $525 with add-on experiences, taxes and other fees. Be sure to check out the important info offered in the "pro tips" on the property's website before you arrive.

Guests usually take a break from their adventures for dinner, and Mount Vernon offers plenty of dining options. The town also contains many other attractions and diversions for guests before or after their stay including the stunning Ariel-Foundation Park (arielfoundationpark.org), located on the site of a former glass-making factory.

For more information about other things to see and do in the Mount Vernon area, visit the Knox County Convention and Visitors Bureau at visitknoxohio.org.

Steve Stephens is a freelance travel writer and photographer. Email him at [email protected].