Charming Hocking Hills inn offers visitors a taste of Scotland

By: 
Art Weber

        Sheltered off a side road in the forests and hollows of Ohio’s Hocking Hills is a little piece of Scotland, complete with candlelight seven-course meals, bagpipe music, poetry readings, spacious and varied overnight accommodations on the brink of a huge hollow, and an environmentally friendly Scottish links golf course.
        Glenlaurel Scottish Inn & Cottages has been around since 1994, charming visitors with its distinct cultural flavor, fine dining and amenities and unique architectural style that fits comfortably into a beautiful 140-acre setting that, in conjunction with a network of private trails, takes full advantage of a secluded narrow valley or “glen” that’s naturally festooned with “laurel.”
        Laurel Run flows at the bottom of the glen, tumbling over waterfalls and through views easily enjoyed from trails and bridges.
        What name other than “Glenlaurel” could this treasure be named?
        Scottish names hang on every facility at Glen Laurel. Each of the luxurious accommodations from suites to cottages is named for a prominent clan.
        The inn’s structures feature stone and stucco, as well as liberal use of wrought iron and dark timbers.
        Guests gather at the Manor House for drinks and dining, or just for romantic fireside conversation. The six- and seven-course evening meals, as well as gourmet breakfasts, are served in the Glasgow Dining Room. Drinks are served in the lower level of the Manor in the old Course Pub. The nearby Carriage House is anchored by the MacKenzie Royal Suite. Rooms and suites are available in both the Manor House and Carriage House.
        Strategically scattered along the rim of the glen are seven crofts – Scottish name for small farmhouses – and six larger cottages, each uniquely decorated but all with common amenities, including entertainment centers, fireplaces and hot tubs. Each carries the name of a prominent Scottish clan.
        However, none are named “Boogeyman,” after that imaginary evil of Scottish folklore, which, in stories told to children, lurks in the shadows and under beds, victimizing disobedient children. To the contrary, among the many services provided on site is a reassurance that every bed is checked nightly and declared free of any sign of the boogeyman. They think of everything.
       Glenlaurel Inn is located near Rockbridge, Ohio, which is about a three-and one-half-hour drive from Northwest Ohio.
        It’s possible to spend days at the inn and be content without leaving the grounds, but you’re in the Hocking Hills, where there is so much to see and do – unique shopping, dining and, best of all, the state park and forest.
        The best features of the state park are all just minutes away. One of the least known is Cantwell Cliffs, with its deep gorges and high cliffs, less than 10 minutes away. Conkles Hollow State Nature Preserve, with its scenic gorge trail and spectacular views from the rim trails, is less than 15 minutes away. Iconic Old Man’s Cave and Gorge is less than 20 minutes away from the inn.
        For more information on the inn, including availability and rates, visit GlenLaurel.com. For information on the many and varied features of the Hocking Hills Region, visit ExploreHockingHills.com.
       

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