Dayton has a special niche in the tourism industry as the home to the National Museum of the United States Air Force, thanks to the work of their very own Wright Brothers. But that’s not to say there isn’t more to do in the heart of the Miami Valley. Regardless of why you’re here, there is absolutely no reason to stay in some vanilla hotel chain out in the suburbs. Instead, take a look at the Inn Port Bed and Breakfast.
A Sense Of Home at Dayton’s Inn Port Bed and Breakfast
The Inn Port offers two buildings for guests, both located on Brown Street near the Oregon Historic District’s 5th Street. The Inn Port Guesthouse at 137-139 Brown Street across from Newcome Park offers cheaper rates than its neighbor down the block, Inn Port D’Vino – a lodging with a “wine destination” theme that doubles as Deaf Monty’s Wine Bar.
Originally, Melanie booked two nights at the Guesthouse, but she soon received a call from our soon-to-be host noting a booking error. Apparently, the room was already taken, but not properly noted online. Blasted, computers! Luckily, we were generously upgraded to the D’Vino’s Oporto Room at no extra cost.
We arrived in early July when the weather Gods were seemingly smiting the entirety of the Midwest with an ungodly heat. Nonetheless, we obnoxiously proud Ohioans were looking forward to our very first Dayton excursion.
Finding the Inn was easy, located right off U.S. 35 coming from Cleveland in the heart of the Oregon neighborhood. I was completely entranced with the neighborhood at first glance. There seemed to be some activity on Oregon’s main strip, and the surrounding area is filled with beautiful early-to-mid 19th Century homes.
The Inn itself is a sight with architecture reminding me of what I may find during future travels to Italy. The off-white colors and burnt red roof reflected nicely off the sweltering sun. It gave a sense of-home without having even stepped foot inside.
Subtle History
Leslie, our host, was incredibly welcoming as soon as we stepped in the door. She quickly checked us in, offered a few sites to see in the surrounding area, and gave us a mini-tour of the building before sending us on our way.
The Inn fit in nicely with the image I was concocting after first stepping foot outside of the car. I felt like I was in the historic home of some historical person who did this or that during a historic occasion in our history. Needless to say, there was a subtle feeling of history throughout.
Our floor – yes, floor – was spacious. We had a kitchen and bathroom all to ourselves in addition to our comfortably sized bedroom with a television, ample storage and ceiling fan spinning furiously to try and keep us cool in the 90-plus degree heat. (The air-conditioning could only do so much!). Even the bed was a treat, giving me some of the best sleep in quite some time.
Caffeinated Deliciousness
Courtesy of innport.com
Breakfast was self-serve. Leslie, as promised, prepared the coffee maker for us so we only had to press “start” to deliver caffeinated deliciousness to our bloodstream. The refrigerator offered yogurt and some fruit with cereal, milk, and juice ready on a serving table and snacks were available 24/7. No, it wasn’t a home-cooked meal, but I was able to stuff more than enough down my gullet to hold me over until lunch.
Centrally Located
Best of all about the Inn, it’s centrally located in Dayton’s most attractive neighborhood. Everything you could possibly need from restaurants to bars and shops are within a couple of blocks. Even a walk to RiverScape Metropark is manageable in the right weather. But I highly recommend bringing a bike along, if possible, so you can better explore this piece of Rust Belt America.
While I can’t speak to the Inn Port Guesthouse, I’m thankful for the upgrade to the D’Vino. I can only reiterate how stunning this bed and breakfast truly is, and wholeheartedly recommend visiting. Considering it doesn’t seem the Inn has any competition within the city-limits, it’s impressive to see they still strive to leave visitors with a memorable experience.
