New hotel will be first of its kind in Columbus, promising different experience for guests
A new hotel is opening at Old Town in Columbus.
RAM Hotels, a Columbus-based hospitality development company, has started construction of a 98-room Tru by Hilton hotel across the street from an upscale restaurant, Morten’s at Old Town. The project is estimated to cost $14 million to complete, RAM Hotels vice president Mitesh Patel told the Ledger-Enquirer.
RAM Hotels plans to open the Tru by Hilton in summer of 2026. The rates for guest rooms are expected to range from $129 to $179 per night.
Patel said he haswanted to build a new hotel at Old Town for a long time because of its prime location.
“Old Town is a city within the city,” he said. “It’s really beautiful, very pedestrian friendly and has great landscaping. It’s got that incredible Southern charm.”
A representative at Woodruff Brokerage Company, the developer of Old Town, said this marks an exciting milestone in the community.
“We’re confident this project will enhance the vibrant energy of Old Town while providing tremendous value to residents, businesses and visitors alike,” Wendy Elliot, a commercial sales agent at Woodruff, said in a news release.
The Tru by Hilton is marketed as “simple, spirited and grounded in value,” according to their website. Amenities include complimentary breakfast, a fitness center, and pet-friendly rooms.
Patel said the Tru line of Hilton hotels aims to break out of the traditional hotel experience by focusing on a playful environment. The rooms will be more compact in comparison to regular Hilton hotels, encouraging guests to spend time in its state-of-the-art entertainment lobby, furnished with pool tables, board games and a full-service bar.
“We’ve removed a lot of stuff that’s not necessary and left the stuff the guest wants, which is the highest quality of Hilton products and amenities,” Patel said. “Then, we made the lobby and public areas a lot of fun.”
RAM will employ 30-40 people to work on the construction of the hotel and plans to employ 20-22 people for their hospitality staff. Patel said the staff at the Hilton will be encouraged to casually engage with guests, joining them for board games and other activities in the lobby area.
“We have games in the lobby,” Patel said. “We encourage our team members and staff, when no one is checking in, they should be playing a board game with the guests or engaging with them.”
The closest Tru to Columbus is in Auburn.
RAM owns eight hotels in the Columbus-Phenix city area. This Tru is the first of RAM’s new line of hotels they’re developing. Patel said four new hotels will be underway in the coming years.