South Wind Motel
919 S High St
Columbus, OH
German Village's 1959 Prairie School motor hotel, restored to life by Michael Kelley and Michaela Dempsey.
About South Wind Motel
The South Wind Motel opened in July 1959 at 919 South High Street, designed by Columbus architect Harold Schofield with direct inspiration from Frank Lloyd Wright's Prairie School philosophy: dramatic horizontal lines, broad eave overhangs, and organic materials meant to evoke the expansive Midwestern landscape. It is one of the last remaining commercial buildings in Columbus built in this style. In February 2021 local developer Michael Kelley purchased it for $535,000, choosing to restore it as an operating motel rather than convert it to apartments. Kelley and his partner Michaela Dempsey led the renovation together, both lifelong South High Street corridor residents. The renovation added rooftop solar panels, solar-powered EV chargers, organic mattresses, and native landscaping without compromising a single detail of Schofield's original design. Forbes named it one of the best places to stay in Columbus; Midwest Living gave it their Best New Hotel award.
What South Wind Motel Is Known For
The South Wind Motel is the most rigorously sustainable renovation of a mid-century motor court in Ohio: rooftop solar that powers the EV chargers, organic mattresses in every room, refillable local toiletries, native landscaping, and rainwater collection for irrigation. None of it is surface-level. Kelley and Dempsey built sustainability into the infrastructure from the beginning, not as a marketing add-on but as a condition of how they wanted to run the place. What makes it a Boutel is the combination: Harold Schofield's Prairie School bones intact, walnut in every room, a lobby piece that no hotel consultant would ever recommend (the card catalog), and owners who gave up a more profitable path because they thought this building deserved to be a motel. Columbus Landmarks noticed. Forbes noticed. The guests noticed. The designation follows.
Amenities
- Pets Welcome
- EV Charging
- WiFi
- Solar-powered EV charging
- Pour-over coffee in every room
- Vinyl record lending
- Library card catalog lobby
- Organic mattresses
- Parachute percale bedding
- Local refillery toiletries
- Rooftop solar
- Rainwater collection system
- Native plant landscaping
- Outdoor seating area
- Contactless check-in
What Guests Love
- Every room has a pour-over coffeemaker with a custom South Wind walnut collar. Not a pod machine. Pour-over. The coffee ritual here is specific and intentional.
- Vinyl records are available to borrow for in-room listening, a detail that only makes sense in a property where someone thought carefully about what a 1959 motor hotel would actually have felt like.
- The library card catalog salvaged for the lobby, drawers now stocked with travel items in place of catalog cards, is the kind of unexpected detail that stays with you.
- EV chargers on-site run on rooftop solar. The sustainability is built into the building, not bolted on.
- Parachute percale bedding on organic mattresses. The sleep here has been called out specifically in multiple independent reviews.
- Antique signs salvaged from across Columbus hang in each room, making the interior feel connected to the city outside rather than to a generic mid-century theme.
- The motel earned recognition across major review platforms, a perfect 5.0 cleanliness subscore, Forbes coverage, a Midwest Living Best New Hotel award, and a Columbus Landmarks design award finalist recognition. The consistency of the response tells you the execution is real.
- Family roots run deep in this block: Michaela Dempsey's family owns Dempsey's Food and Spirits nearby, and Michael Kelley's family has run Plank's Bier Garten since 1960. The people who built this place live in the neighborhood they built it in.
Worth Knowing
- No breakfast included. German Village and the Brewery District have excellent options within a short walk from the property.
- Contactless check-in means you will receive your room code ahead of arrival. Have your confirmation ready when you arrive.
- Rooms and suites. Availability is limited. Book ahead, especially for weekend stays and during Columbus events.
- One reviewer noted some exterior noise from South High Street foot traffic. If you are a light sleeper, ask about room placement when booking.
- No on-site dining or bar. The neighborhood immediately outside more than compensates, but plan accordingly for late arrivals.
- Pets are welcome. A pet fee applies; contact the property directly to confirm current amounts and any restrictions before booking.
The Room
The South Wind has rooms and suites, each individually designed with a period-specific sensibility grounded in actual 1959 materials and methods. Custom walnut furniture was built specifically for the property: walnut headboards, wooden desks, walnut wood paneling. Parachute percale bedding sits on organic mattresses. Every room has a pour-over coffeemaker with a custom South Wind walnut collar, alongside a tea kettle and vintage alarm clock. Local refillery toiletries in grapefruit and bergamot come in refillable dispensers rather than single-use bottles. Patterned wallpapers, black wall-mounted reading lamps, and antique signs salvaged from across Columbus complete the rooms. Vinyl records are available for guests to borrow. The rooms are motor court proportions: comfortable and considered, with the presence built into the details rather than the square footage. The limestone exterior with warm wood accents runs the length of the building in a clean horizontal line.
The Grounds
Drive straight up to your door. The South Wind is a true motor court: low-profile, limestone-faced, with Prairie School horizontal lines that read as exactly the right building for this corner of German Village. Free on-site parking is directly in front of every room. The grounds include native plantings and blue pine chosen to complement the Midwestern landscape character Schofield intended. Solar-powered EV chargers are on-site. An outdoor seating area sits along the courtyard. The library card catalog salvaged for the lobby occupies a corner near check-in, its drawers now stocked with travel items for guests who forgot something rather than the card records it once held. A new neon sign, designed by the owners with reference to 1960s Columbus signage, marks the property from South High Street. The Brewery District and German Village are both immediately walkable: restaurants, bars, and the neighborhood itself begin where the parking lot ends.
The Experience
Contactless check-in means your code and room number arrive before you do. The owners are reachable by text. What keeps guests coming back, and what comes up across reviews, is the specific quality of the place: the coffee is pour-over, the records are real, the toiletries smell like something a person chose. One business traveler arrived skeptical and left saying it was the best hotel she had ever stayed in. The motel has attracted mid-century modern enthusiasts, Pride travelers, and guests marking milestones, which tells you something about the range of people who recognize what it is. German Village is the experience that surrounds it: walkable to excellent restaurants, the Book Loft, Schiller Park, and a neighborhood that takes its architecture seriously. The South Wind fits right in and stands apart at the same time. The response across major review platforms, with a perfect cleanliness subscore, is not an accident after four years of operation.
Details
Columbus, OH 43206
The Boutel designation is earned, not purchased. Boutels is editorially independent and has no financial relationship with any listed property.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does South Wind Motel have WiFi?
Yes, South Wind Motel has WiFi.
What is there to do near South Wind Motel?
The Book Loft of German Village: 0.4 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can walk. Schiller Park: 0.5 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can walk. Short North Arts District: 2 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can bike there.
How far is South Wind Motel from The Book Loft of German Village?
0.4 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can walk.
How far is South Wind Motel from Schiller Park?
0.5 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can walk.
How far is South Wind Motel from Short North Arts District?
2 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can bike there.
Is South Wind Motel pet friendly?
Yes. South Wind Motel welcomes pets. A pet fee applies; contact the property directly to confirm current amounts and any restrictions before booking.
Does South Wind Motel have EV charging?
Yes. South Wind Motel has on-site EV charging ports powered by the motel's rooftop solar panels.
What is the history of South Wind Motel?
The South Wind Motel opened in July 1959, designed by Columbus architect Harold Schofield with inspiration from Frank Lloyd Wright's Prairie School. It operated continuously before falling into disrepair. Michael Kelley purchased it in 2021 and restored it to an operating boutique motel, reopening in July 2022.
How far is South Wind Motel from German Village?
South Wind Motel is located inside the German Village and Brewery District corridor on South High Street. The heart of German Village, including the Book Loft and Schiller Park, is less than half a mile away on foot.
How far is South Wind Motel from downtown Columbus?
South Wind Motel is approximately 1.5 miles from downtown Columbus, about 5 minutes by car or 15 to 20 minutes on foot along South High Street.
Does South Wind Motel have a pool?
South Wind Motel does not have a pool. The property has a shared courtyard.
Is parking available at South Wind Motel?
Yes. Free on-site parking is available at South Wind Motel.
Does South Wind Motel include breakfast?
Yes. Continental breakfast is included with every stay. Confirm current offerings when booking.
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Things to Do Near German Village, Columbus
The Book Loft of German Village
0.4 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can walk.
A independent bookstore spread across interconnected rooms in a 19th-century building on South Third Street, less than half a mile from the motel. One of the most beloved independent bookstores in the Midwest, and the kind of place you spend two hours in when you planned to spend twenty minutes.
Schiller Park
0.5 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can walk.
A 23-acre park at the heart of German Village with an open-air amphitheater that hosts Shakespeare in the Park each summer. The park's mature trees, reflecting pond, and walking paths make it the neighborhood's gathering place year-round.
Short North Arts District
2 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can bike there.
Columbus's arts and dining corridor runs along High Street from downtown through the Short North, with galleries, independent restaurants, and bars concentrated on about twelve blocks. First Fridays bring street-level gallery openings and the district's highest foot traffic each month.