Great opening for the Grand Lodge

HURON — Here's how the math breaks down for the area's newest rental property geared toward tourists and vacationers. Up to 34 guests can stay in two neighboring houses, capable of combining into one massive 6,300-square-foot space, known as the Grand Lodge. It's situated on Berlin Road in Huron by the Ohio 2 bypass. And it's a huge addition to the growing real estate portfolio overseen by Huron-based Simply Better Property Management. Four investors own the property — John Campbell, Kerri Hensel, Sean Neer and John Wasiniak — which recently opened, and it's managed by Amy Roldan, Simply Better's operations director. "Between the ownership and property management company, we definitely realized there is a need for rentals that house large groups," Roldan said. "Whether it's for sports, family reunions, weddings or other celebrations, our owners kept our eyes on a property that could house a lot of people for virtually any occasion." The project's overall investment totaled about $725,000. Owners did acquire a grant, roughly $18,000, from Shores & Islands Ohio through the area tourism bureau's Destination Development grant program. Grants "are intended for projects that will attract and engage visitors, serve and educate regional tourism partners and generate economic growth for their communities and the region through travel and tourism development for both Erie and Ottawa counties," according to a bureau statement. "The grant program is a major component of the tourism bureau's new strategic plan that focuses not only on promoting the region as a visitor destination but supporting efforts to enhance it for visitors and, therefore, residents alike," it read. Looking at the lodge The Grand Lodge's origins date back to the 1800s. Back then, builders originally constructed a hotel there, Roldan said. But when a fire ravaged the site, its past owners pivoted, erecting a house, which still stands on this land today. Before debuting in July, the ownership team spent several months working to modernize this property while maintaining its overall essence. For instance, investors kept the home's layout largely intact but upgraded its amenities. Spread out between both locations, it offers 13 bedrooms and eight bathrooms with several gathering spaces be it indoors or outdoors. "We also focused on what items we can add to the property to make it unique and stand out," said Roldan, pointing to the property's outdoor pool and pickleball court. "We are probably one of the only companies around here that has a pickleball court." This marks Simply Better's largest investment, in terms of land and dollar amount, among all properties it supervises. The company manages 23 transient rentals across Erie County with plans to add four more by year's end. Most notably, the company oversaw a similar transformation at Captain Montague's in Huron. Work there wrapped up in 2022. "No matter which property they stay at, once guests see the level of service and cleanliness and extra amenities that we offer, they want to come back and stay with us," said Roldan, who also provides concierge services for guests to accommodate their needs. Simply Better classifies itself as a start-to-finish company. This means it hires interior designers, landscapers, general contractors and maintenance workers to finish any job necessary. Right now, at the Grand Lodge, its ownership team should soon start pursuing a project to create a separate event space where big gatherings, like weddings, can occur. The team pointed to the lodge's proximity to Ohio 2 and Huron's beaches as main reasons for its continued expansion there. People can visit simplybetter.lodgify.com for more information, such as booking. What's in a name? Roldan clued people into the Grand Lodge name. "We just felt, with the look and size, it definitely deserved to be called a 'great lodge.' It's as big as a lodge, that might have eight separate hotel rooms, and it just feels grand."