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1918
The Lafayette Hotel
Marietta, Ohio
101 Front Street, Marietta, Ohio 45750
Original Property Opened in 1918
Historic Hotels of America member since 2026
memorabilia
On the banks where the great Ohio and Muskingum Rivers meet sits Marietta, Ohio, a former frontier town incorporated after the Northwest Ordinance of 1787. This riverside town was greatly impacted by the invention of steamboats in the early 1800s, and its importance in early American life was underscored by a visit from the Marquis de Lafayette in 1825. The Lafayette Hotel pays tribute to this moment in history and celebrates over 100 years on Marietta’s riverside. The boutique hotel offers 77 uniquely styled guestrooms, three dining options, and charming vistas of the majestic Ohio River and the Williamstown Bridge.
Discover
- Discover The Lafayette Hotel, a landmark in the historic center of Marietta, Ohio. While the original hotel was built in 1892, the current structure of The Lafayette Hotel was completed in 1918. The brick Beaux-Arts hotel is a great example of a flatiron building in which the corner of the lot is angled toward the intersection, giving it the look of an iron.
- Discover the historic details of the steamboat era around The Lafayette Hotel and its neighboring buildings. The steamboat era lasted roughly from the 1820s to the 1880s and marked an era where steam-powered paddleboats replaced slow flatboats on the Ohio River. Marietta, Ohio, was a major center for building these steamboats. Photos and artifacts around The Lafayette Hotel tell this story, and the Ohio River Museum in Marietta exhibits the last intact steam-powered towboat.
- Discover centuries-old earthworks that shape the landscape around Marietta. Ohio is home to many ancient and modern earthworks built by indigenous peoples including the Adena and Hopewell. Earthworks were constructed for ceremonial and social functions, rather than residential functions. The Marietta Earthworks, for example, are over 1,500 years old. At Mound Cemetery, visitors can view one of the best‑preserved Hopewell monuments called the Conus Mound.
Explore
- Explore the scenic riverside. Guests can stroll along the riverfront to stop at the Ohio River Museum or relax outdoors in Muskingum Park or Flanders Field Park. Venture along the water’s edge on the River Trail Bike and Pedestrian Path to see the joining of the Ohio and Muskingum rivers at Point Park.
- View The Gun Room at The Lafayette Hotel to see the historic collection of handmade long rifles dating to the late 18th and 19th centuries. Brochures with a brief history and description are available for a self-guided tour.
- Embark on an otherworldly adventure around Marietta, Ohio on a local ghost trek. Paranormal tours explore the spiritual connections that may exist around town, including at The Lafayette Hotel.
Experience
- Experience the Ohio and Muskingum Rivers on a historic sternwheeler boat. Sternwheeler riverboats are propelled by a paddle wheel positioned at the rear of the vessel, rather than the side. Valley Gem offers river tours, brunch cruises, theme nights, and dinner cruises touring many months of the year. Marietta has hosted the annual Ohio River Sternwheel Festival each summer since 1976. Visitors to the festival can enjoy exhibits of historic sternwheel boats, live music, fireworks, and more.
- Experience the long heritage of Marietta, Ohio. The charming town dates to 1788, and travelers can learn local stories while riding on the town trolley ride. The organization of Marietta Main Street, a partner of The National Trust for Historic Preservation, sponsors events in the historic district such as late-night Friday shopping, the Farmers Market on Front Street, guided bike rides, and live music.
- Experience the architectural eras of historic homes in the region. The Campus-Martius Museum tells the story of how Marietta became the first permanent organized settlement in the Northwest Territory. The Henry Fearing House Museum in Marietta gives a glimpse of life in the early 1800s, while The Castle Museum offers tours of their Gothic Revival-style house built in 1855. The Children’s Toy & Doll Museum was built in 1889 and today features a vast collection of antique toys in a Victorian-style house.
Taste
- Sip a signature cocktail while enjoying scenic views of the riverfront at Riverfront Bar & Grill. The Lafayette Hotel obtained the first-ever liquor license in Marietta, Ohio on January 19, 1934, after the ratification of the 21st amendment abolishing prohibition, and has been serving creative cocktails with a view of the Ohio River ever since.
- Taste a regional treat called an Ohio Buckeye. Ohio Buckeyes are a peanut butter candy dipped in chocolate to resemble the nuts of an Ohio Buckeye Tree.
- Taste classic American fare at Harmar Tavern, one of the oldest taverns in the region. The tavern originally opened in 1900 and is named for the fort built and named for General Josiah Harmar in 1795. Harmar Tavern continues to serve nostalgic favorites such as the fried bologna sandwich.
FEATURED ACCOMMODATIONS
Featured Offer
Best Available Rate
Book the Best Available Rate at this property on HistoricHotelsWorldwide.com and receive a complimentary one-year family membership (a $30 value) to the National Trust for Historic Preservation in the United States, a member of the International National Trusts Organisation.
