Morgantown to Madison, Ohio is 208 miles, about 3 hours 15 minutes. At the end: eight adults-only rooms on Lake Erie, a winery restaurant and breakfast.
Our family spent eight years finishing this stone and slate mansion before opening it to guests in 2024. Today, the house brings together our boutique hotel, restaurant and wine bar, with Lake Erie beyond the north windows. Estate Cabernet Franc is grown, pressed and poured on the property; the 2022 vintage received Double Gold at the 2025 Ohio Wine Competition. Read our story.
Worth the drive
Why stay with us
West Virginia has no Great Lakes shoreline, so a Lake Erie weekend from Morgantown means crossing Pennsylvania into Ohio. The fastest route skirts Pittsburgh on the Southern Beltway rather than going through downtown, which keeps the drive at about 3 hours 15 minutes. At the inn, guests have a private beach below the house, plus a pool heated to 80°F and a hot tub from May to November 1, weather permitting. The house has no elevator; Suite 101 is on the first floor, with a clawfoot tub and a steam shower. The restaurant and wine bar are downstairs, and Executive Chef Jeff Gable buys from West Orchards in Perry and Rainbow Farms in Madison.
On the estate
What’s waiting when you arrive
Your room, dinner and the wine bar share one estate on Lake Erie.
Stay
Eight rooms, adults only
Every room has a private bath and one king or queen bed. Choose a private rooftop patio, an in-room Jacuzzi or a room with a separate living area. Standard breakfast is cooked to order and included each morning.
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Menu
A table in the house
Chef Jeff Gable’s kitchen buys in season from West Orchards, Bonner Farms and Rainbow Farms. Join us Wednesday through Sunday for lunch and dinner; the wine bar serves the full kitchen menu, wine and cocktails.
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The estate
Lake Erie, right outside
Walk the estate’s private shoreline or spend an afternoon above the lake. The pool and shared outdoor hot tub are for registered guests, May to November 1, weather permitting. Ask about arranging a massage when you book.
Explore the inn ›
The inn
Find the room you want to come back to
A private patio, an in-room Jacuzzi, a separate living room or a queen bed by the water. Compare the room details, then check current rates and availability.
A stay worth planning around
Leave Morgantown by 12:45 p.m. to arrive at 4. With more than three hours each way, book two nights: arrive Thursday, spend Friday at Grand River Valley wineries with a driver from GoGeneva, Sunset Taxi or The Lodge wine shuttle, and leave after breakfast on Saturday. Do not plan a Monday or Tuesday arrival; the restaurant is closed both days.
An American art museum in Youngstown
The Butler Institute of American Art, at 524 Wick Ave. in downtown Youngstown, opened in 1919 as the first museum dedicated only to American art. Its collection includes Winslow Homer’s Snap the Whip. Admission and the adjacent parking lot are free; hours are 11 to 4 Tuesday to Saturday and noon to 4 on Sunday. On tolls: the Southern Beltway and PA Turnpike charge by E-ZPass or Toll By Plate, with no cash lanes.
Thursday, after three hours north
A 12:45 start from Morgantown takes you around Pittsburgh on the Southern Beltway, along the Turnpike and into Madison as check-in opens at 4. Rooms are up the stairs, since there is no elevator, and each has a private bath. With an hour or two before dinner, walk the acre of Cabernet Franc planted in 2020 beside the house, then take a seat at the wine bar, where walk-ins are welcome. Chef Jeff Gable’s dinner menu draws on the family’s Italian and Irish cooking.
Friday at the tasting rooms, with a driver
With a GoGeneva, Sunset Taxi or Lodge shuttle ride booked for the day, nobody in your group has to drive. Start at Cask 307 on Warner Road, about ten minutes inland, which pours contemporary dry styles made for the Grand River Valley appellation. Have lunch at Grand River Cellars on South Madison Road, a winery with a full restaurant, a large stone hearth and a covered deck; book the table if it is a busy season. If you have time after lunch, Debonne is a short ride away for a last glass on its covered patio over the vineyard. Be back at the inn by 6 to change for dinner.
Suite 205 for the longer drive
After more than three hours in the car, Suite 205 gives you an outdoor space of your own: a private rooftop patio over the lake, with a king bed inside. It is at its best from late spring to early fall. Book it for both nights so you are not moving rooms between the drive and the winery day. In summer the two-night minimum applies anyway, and Saturday check-out is at 11 a.m.
See Suite 205, read our guide to Grand River Cellars, and reserve Thursday’s dinner before you set out from Morgantown on I-79.
The drive
Getting here
Take I-79 north into Pennsylvania, the Southern Beltway (PA 576) past Pittsburgh International Airport, I-376 to the Pennsylvania Turnpike west, then I-680 through Youngstown and Ohio Route 11 north to I-90. The Southern Beltway, the PA Turnpike and a short piece of the Ohio Turnpike are tolled.
Set your destination to 1300 Belleair Avenue, Madison, Ohio. Check current navigation before leaving and allow for traffic and stops. Once here, your room, the restaurant and the wine bar are on the same property.
Good to know
Common questions
Is there a toll-free way to drive from Morgantown to Lake Erie?
Yes. Stay on I-79 north all the way to Erie, then take I-90 west into Ohio. Neither road has tolls. By our measurement that route is about 262 miles, roughly 55 more than the turnpike route, so plan on close to an extra hour behind the wheel.
Are meals included in the room rate?
Breakfast is. It is cooked to order from 8:30 to 10 from a standard menu, and coffee and fresh juice are included. Lunch, dinner and anything from the wine bar are charged separately. The restaurant serves lunch and dinner Wednesday through Sunday and is closed Monday and Tuesday.
Does the drive from Morgantown go through Pittsburgh traffic?
Mostly no. The Southern Beltway (PA 576) runs 19 miles from I-79 in Washington County to I-376 near Pittsburgh International Airport, so you stay west of the city. From there I-376 joins the Pennsylvania Turnpike toward Ohio. The Beltway uses all-electronic tolls: E-ZPass or a bill mailed to the plate owner.
Vincent William
1300 Belleair Ave.
Madison, OH 44057
(440) 428-1300
info@vincentwilliamwine.com
Opening Hours
Wednesday
12 to 9 pm
Thursday
12 to 9 pm
Friday
12 to 9 pm
Saturday
12 to 9 pm
Sunday
11 to 8 pm · Brunch to 2
© 2026 Vincent William Wine
Madison, Ohio · Lake Erie