[Ohio-talk] Layout of the DoubleTree in Worthington

[Barbara Pierce]

I thought that others might appreciate rereading the article I wrote when our convention was at our meeting hotel for next week. So here it is from the 2017 newsletter.

Mastering the DoubleTree

by Barbara Pierce

 

            By this point in your reading of the newsletter you know that we will be at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Worthington for our convention. We have not been to this facility before, so here is your word map of the ground floor. To check in, you will enter from the north side of the building. There are two entrances about thirty feet apart. The check-in desk is about fifteen feet to the south of these doors. As you step into the hotel, angle toward the other door as you walk forward to the desk, and mind the three pillars that run from east to west half way across the space between the doors and the desk.

            After you finish checking in, you probably want to find your room and drop your suitcase. Turn left (east) at the desk and start along a hall that leads to the sleeping rooms. Just after the check-in desk is a right turn to the hall that leads to our meeting rooms, but ignore this for the moment. Keep traveling east past the work-out room and the pool on your right. You will then pass the outdoor courtyard on your right. There are large windows, so, if it is sunny, you may feel a rise in the temperature. After the courtyard are the elevators, two on the right (south) side of the hall and one on the left (north). If you hit carpet, you have gone about thirty feet too far. There are six floors of sleeping rooms, including the ground floor. The rooms all have Braille and raised print signs.

            Returning to the front door and facing south, you can turn to the right (west) almost immediately. Walk west until you deadend into a wall. This hall leads you to the restrooms as well as the Franklin and Fairfield Rooms, which is where hospitality will be held. Once you hit carpet, turn right (north) the restrooms are to your left (west). To get to the hospitality rooms, turn left (south) and begin looking for an opening on the right into an east/west hall. The entrance to the Franklin Room is just across a hall coming into this hall from the right (north). The entrance to the Fairfield Room is at the north end of this hallway.

            Returning to the front door and facing south, if you continue traveling south past the west end of the check-in desk, you will find the Crosswood Bar and Grill on your right. This is the restaurant. It is on the west side of this hallway. The Upper Terrace is on the left (east) side of the hall and up four steps. This is a large seating area that is often used for casual seating or meals, but we will not be using the space. So it is safe to say that you can ignore any short flights of steps that you discover in the lobby area. Past the Upper Terrace you can make a left turn (east) and travel past the two large ballrooms on the south (right) side of the hall. The Alder Room is our general session meeting room. It is the eastern-most of these two rooms.  One you have reached carpet, that is where registration will be set-up.

            You can reach the Alder Room another way. Returning to the front door and facing south, if you continue traveling south past the east end of the check-in desk, you will find a set of restrooms on your left (east) side of the hall.  To your right is the Upper Terrace, which was mentioned earlier. Continue walking south along the Upper Terrace, and you will walk directly into the Alder Room. If you turn left (east) just before the Alder Room, you will find the Polaris 1 and 2 Rooms on your left. When you reach the carpet, you have found the registration area.  At the east end of this hall on the left is a door out to the courtyard. The break-out rooms that we will be using are all in this area. You can turn right (south) in this carpeted area. You will be walking south toward the end of the hall. On your left in this hall are the German Village, the Arena District, and the Short North Rooms. On the right are the Oak 1, 2, and 3 Rooms. At the south end of this hall is the exit leading to the dog relief area. A trash receptacle will be located outside this door. Exit the building into a parking lot with parking along the building. Cross the driveway and another line of parking places to get to a grassy island suitable for the dogs. Please use this area and clean up after your dog.

            There you have it. The usual advice applies to reading this article. Do not expect to grasp the layout of the hotel after one reading. Study the article several times, pausing after each sentence to be sure that you have the instructions in mind. See you at the DoubleTree.





Barbara Pierce, President Emerita
National Federation of the Blind of Ohio
Barbara.pierce9366 at gmail.com
440-774-8077
 

The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise expectations for blind people because low expectations create obstacles between blind people and their dreams. You can live the life you want; blindness is not what holds you back.