In mid-September, my husband and I were headed back to Ohio for another visit, this time it was for family.

With our visits to the Tudor Arms, and Blennerhassett, we had made up our minds that we would try and be consistent in staying at one-of-a-kind accommodations instead of your run-of-the-mill chain hotels.

Face it, if you’ve seen one Holiday Inn, you’ve seen ’em all.

Now, I’m not knocking regular hotels, but they certainly don’t measure up to the timeless charm, beauty, and stories of these historical landmarks.

Yea, sure, the free breakfasts at the chain hotels come in handy, but some of these places even offer that too!! And usually at the same, or often times, even cheaper rates!

Being the fly-by-the-seat-of-our-pants kinda people, I started our search for our overnight stay while we were actually in the car and on our way.

As I was searching for places near our destination, my husband suggested that I search a site that a buddy had mentioned to him called Airbnb.com.

The site offers bed and breakfast rooms as well as homes that are available for overnight lodging.

Now even before our little venture out from the tried-and-true hotel rooms we were used to, we had talked about the possibility of staying at a bed and breakfast, but were never really brave enough.

It kinda freaked us both out.

Let me explain.

So basically, from what I understand anyway, staying at a bed and breakfast, means possibly sharing your space with other guests. This might mean, sharing a bathroom or maybe even a meal, with a handful of strangers.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I like people and all, but would maybe rather have my first meal of the day, well, without a group full of them.

And as far as my two-a.m. pee goes, I didn’t want to have to worry about waking up those same strangers, or waiting to shower until they were finished with their morning duties… ya know what I mean??

I still visited the Airbnb site anyway, just to see what was out there. There were, of course, beautiful homes and rooms that were offered for overnight stays.

One particular place caught my attention.

It was the Steele Mansion Inn & Gathering Hub.

Although it was a breathtaking home, I still had visions of waiting in line for the bathroom and asking a complete stranger to please pass the salt and pepper.

I moved along to my usual hotel searching sites.

Sure enough, the Steele Mansion Inn was listed there too, meaning maybe it was a bit more than a regular “B’n’B”.

I explained this to my husband and he suggested I call.

At this point, it was getting late and we had run into some pretty heavy rain.

Even if they had availability, and even if we decided to stay, maybe it was too late to check-in to a place like this?

Either way, the rain was affecting my husband’s visibility and I could tell he was ready to call it a night.

I needed to find some place quick, even if it was a “regular hotel.”

I called the Mansion first, and a very friendly staff member answered the phone.

I was upfront and out there about the whole bathroom issue. She explained that all of their sixteen guest suites featured their own private baths, and that breakfast, with multiple tables, was also included.

The blinding rain was pelting down even harder now and I could tell my husband was anxious to stop.

With us being only about five minutes away from the Mansion, we decided to go for it.

As we pulled into the brick driveway, we could see through the rhythmic and watery smears of the windshield wipers that the Mansion was far more breathtaking than its computer images.

Upon entering, we walked into the Mansion’s grand foyer where the same friendly staff member I had spoken with on the phone began our check-in.

Glancing around, I saw that the Mansion was furnished with the finest and most exquisite in Victorian furnishings and décor.

It was seriously the most gorgeous place I had ever seen!

Dripping wet from the rain, I almost felt inadequate being there.

I apologized to the staff member for tracking up their spotless wood floor, to which she just laughed.

She walked us up the grand staircase and showed us a few rooms, giving us the option to choose which one we’d like.

Our choice was the “Red Room.”  (Contrary to last week’s “red room” this room was far from dreadful!)

It featured a beautiful walnut bed, a one-of-a-kind antique table and chairs, a marble mini bar and bathroom vanity, curtains trimmed with beautiful crystal ornaments, and there was even a claw foot tub!

Even though it was late, the staff member could tell how taken I was with the place, and offered to give us a late-night tour.

The main floor of the Mansion consists of the Historical Parlor, Conservatory, the Gathering Room which is adjacent to the bar and pergola, the Family Parlor and Library, and The Board Room.

We then continued to the lower level where we saw the Fireside Social Room, The Hatch which is where breakfast is served each morning, and the Boutique.

All of which are adorned in the most beautiful of antiques.

 

She then gave us free rein to explore and admire the second and third floor guest rooms that were unoccupied.

Let me first say that one of the owners of the Inn, Mrs. Carol Shamakian, personally decorated each and every room in the Mansion, doing a magnificent job!

Each guest room is named after it’s particular theme, such as room 306 The Railroad Room, room 206 The Aviary Bird Suite, room 204 named after the original owner The George Steele Suite, and perhaps my favorite room 304 The Amelia Earhart Room, which recalls the renowned aviatrix’s stay there at the Mansion in 1936.

 

We gazed at the gorgeous detailings of each bed and bath suite for over two hours (my poor husband).

From the horse trophies and saddle racks in The Equestrian Suite, to the photographs and propellers that line the walls in The Earhart Room, Mrs. Shamakian’s keen eye for detail doesn’t go unnoticed. Also, furnished in each guest room, is a unique antique, and working, telephone.

Needless to say, I was in heaven here at the Mansion.

 

The History

The four-year construction of Steele Mansion was completed in 1867 for George Worthington Steele.

The French Second Empire home was once described in the local newspaper as “The Grandest Home In Painesville.” The masterpiece of a home included a grand ballroom, bathrooms with running water, Italian marble fireplaces, windows from France, and lavish solid walnut woodwork, including that of its beautiful and ornate staircase.

The back half of the house included a two-story servant’s wing.

The Steele family lived in the home up until the early 1900’s.

Steele Mansion was then bought by the neighboring Lake Erie College and housed the college’s presidents, renaming the Mansion as “President’s House,” from 1921-1957.

In 1958, the Mansion then became the nicknamed “Mentor House,” and was a student dormitory and also contained administrative offices for the college. The Mansion’s once grand ballroom was then converted into a student gymnasium.

In 1981, the college sold the property to a private owner which then turned the dwelling into an apartment building.

During the winter of 2001 as one of the residents attempted to melt a large icicle off the roof, the Mansion caught fire, resulting in a devastation that destroyed the third floor and severely damaged the two lower levels.

The once known “Grandest Home In Painesville,” now sat vacant, charred, and roofless.

The elegant interior that once entertained much of the Painesville community, now would lay exposed and vulnerable to the harsh and weathering elements for the next ten years.

Photograph by Johnny Joo- www.oddworldstudio.com

Photograph by Johnny Joo- www.oddworldstudio.com

In December of 2010, Arthur and Carol Shamakian purchased the property and, unknowing to them, rescued the Mansion from its scheduled March 2011 demolition.

The front of the Mansion managed to survive. Its brick walls stood strong protecting its grand staircase.

Photograph by Johnny Joo- www.oddworldstudio.com

The servants’ wing was destroyed and had to be totally reconstructed, adding to it an additional story.

Anything salvageable was saved for reuse or used as a pattern for restorations. Specialists were called in to ensure accurate reconstruction of the features such as the fireplaces and woodwork.

Photograph by Johnny Joo- www.oddworldstudio.com

Photograph by Johnny Joo- www.oddworldstudio.com

After a four-year transformation, The Shamakian’s spared no expense in authenticating the Mansion’s original splendor back from its fiery rubble.

 

The Haunts

Mrs. Carol Shamakian agreed to speak with me about, what she calls, her “long term residents.”

“It’s about this time every year that I am asked to tell of the ‘haunted’ Mansion.”

She makes it clear that she never likes the Mansion to be referred to as “haunted,” but rather, that the Mansion simply just has many “long term residents.”

“Most of the spirits here are from the 1800’s and they mean no harm. They love the Mansion and this is their home. They just never left.”

Over the years, Carol has invited many different paranormal investigators as well as different psychics out to the Mansion, all of which have had very vivid and consistent stories of the same spirits.

There is activity reported throughout the Mansion but the most activity comes from the basement and the third floor, which is where the original ballroom was.

Some of the regular supernatural residents include that of George Steele and his wife Sarah, a dog named “Chester,” an Irish maid, and two little boys that appear to be from different time periods but that are always playing together.

The most predominant spirit is that of George Worthington Steele.

One of the more common and reoccurring experiences would take place in the George Steele Suite.

“It was when George had finally figured out how to turn the TV on!” Carol explains. “The only thing was, that he would do it at all hours of the night!”

During one of the paranormal investigations, an investigator had asked George to please stop, as this was awaking the guests. At first George was reluctant, as one of the recordings indicated during the investigation, but eventually George did stop and it rarely happens now.

 

I then asked Carol about Sarah Steele, George’s wife.

“Oh she’s a rather quiet spirit.”

During another investigation, it was said that Sarah asked for pink roses in her room. This prompted Carol to choose the floral theme for the Sarah Steele Room, complete with pink roses on the room’s patterned carpet. Per the paranormal investigators and psychics, Sarah loves her room and often compliments  the “jewelry on the ceiling,” aka the crystal chandelier that hangs above the bed.

Photograph by Johnny Joo- www.oddworldstudio.com

Photograph by Johnny Joo- www.oddworldstudio.com

Chester

It’s unclear whether Chester was the Steele family’s dog or not, but he certainly loves the Mansion just as much as they do and has no intention of leaving. Chester can be heard running up and down the stairs at various times of the day and night.

 

The two little boys in the basement.

Per numerous psychics and investigators these two boys are from different time periods but are always together and interact with one another. Their voices have been heard laughing, and they have been known to play tag quite often.  Both Carol and her husband Arthur have heard the boys playing and laughing on numerous occasions.

 

The Irish Maid.

It was common place in the late 1800’s that a household have a domestic servant, many of whom were Irish immigrants.

Carol says it’s clear that the Mansion’s Irish maid is still, in her eyes anyway, hard at work. She is the most mobile of the spirits and has been noted to be all over the Mansion, constantly “tiding up” complete with her feather duster in hand!

During renovation, she was seen opening up all the windows, as if to “air the Mansion out.” There was only one problem: there were no windows, just plastic covering where the new windows would go, but that didn’t stop her. She continued to “open” each one.

Carol says when she hosts tours with psychics, the maid is often seen coming out of a room as the tour is heading in, as if she just gave the room a last-minute “spruce” before the guests arrived. Carol says she continues to allow the Irish maid to do her daily chores. She says she doesn’t have the heart to tell her that the feather duster she carries, isn’t moving any dust!

 

Although these mentioned above are the “regular residents,” there are also many others that visit the Mansion from time to time. Some that have been picked up during investigations were that of a kitchen cook, and one Carol refers to as the “Debutante,” a young woman that continues to “talk, and talk, and talk” in the front parlor.

Carol also explained that many of the “events” have been somewhat declining as the renovations have been completed and the Mansion is now open.

She attributes this to the spirits being more “active” when things with the Mansion were in disarray.

“As the Mansion was deteriorating, maybe they were unsettled with that.”

“Now that things are finally put back together, they feel safe and they realize that we love the Mansion just as much as they do!”

When asked about some of the guest’s experiences in the Mansion, Carol said that some have often reported hearing footsteps, others have experienced a soft hand caress on their shoulder, and some will just get a slight spine tingle now and again, but nothing ever negative.

Often guest’s pictures will show dots of light or blobs, that could be possible “orbs.” Rarely, but occasionally,  a face has appeared in some photographs.

The Steele Mansion also offers several special events in the month of October including a Paranormal Investigation of the Mansion, A Guided Tour by Carol herself telling of the Mansion’s history and stories, and there’s even a Murder/Mystery Dinner performance “Blades of Steele,” all of which have sold out quickly.

Carol says she’s often asked if anyone has ever died in the Mansion.

“Of course! It was commonplace for people to have been born in their homes as well as died there. It was a natural thing in those days, so yes people have died here.”

Though she notes that there have been no violent or horrific deaths reported.

When complimenting Carol on their renovation of the Mansion, she stated, “We figured, if we were gonna do it, we had to do it right. The Mansion deserved that.”

And that, they certainly did!

The Mansion is now an AAA four-diamond hotel, and can accommodate gatherings of all types including corporate events, weddings, and parties.

“The Mansion hosts everything from baby showers to wakes, to everything in between!”

Carol is about pleasing all her guests, those that have been here for centuries, as well as the new-comers.

When asked what she personally thinks about her “long term residents” Carol replied, “I really don’t mind co-existing with these spirits. They are really pretty placid and nice to live with. The spirits are part of the Mansion’s history. They don’t have to be spooky, they can be our friends! They are all here because they want to be! They love the Mansion just like we do, and we are happy to share it!”

I asked Carol if there had ever been any reports of guest experiences in room 202, the “Red Room” in which we stayed.

“None that I can recall, but it is right next door to the George Steele Suite and the Sarah Steele Room where lots of activity is reported, so anything’s possible.”

As I recall that night in the “Red Room,” I laid awake while my husband lay snoring.

The lightening would flash giving sudden bursts of light into the darkened room.

I remember noticing a small ball of light in the left upper corner near the ceiling. It stayed consistent whether the room was dark or lit up by the storm. I stared at it and it never changed.

I dozed off and then awoke again for an early morning pee, and there it still was.

On the way, back from the bathroom I looked up at it, I jiggled our closed shades thinking it was an odd reflection coming from one of the crystals that dangled from the curtain’s trim, but it never moved. I never thought anything else about it until now.

Was it a reflection? Possibly… or maybe not?

Perhaps it was a visit from George Steele, or better yet maybe even Sarah.

After all, she and I do have something in common…

Pink roses are my favorite too.