From Sandusky, Route 2 and I-90 run 108 miles east to Madison and the Grand River Valley: eight adults-only rooms on Lake Erie, estate wine and breakfast.
Vincent William is an adults-only inn with eight rooms above our restaurant and wine bar, in a stone and slate mansion that opened to guests in 2024, 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
Sandusky is at the western end of Ohio's Lake Erie wine country, near the Isle St. George AVA on North Bass Island. Madison is at the eastern end, in the Grand River Valley AVA, established in 1983 and lying within the larger Lake Erie AVA. Vincent William makes Riesling and Rosé from Lake Erie fruit, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from Grand River Valley fruit, and an estate Cabernet Franc from one acre planted beside the inn in 2020, hand-picked and aged 12 months in French oak. The inn has eight adults-only rooms and a private beach below it, and the wine bar pours the estate wines alongside other local bottles.
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.
See the rooms ›
Menu
A table at the inn
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 Sandusky by 2 p.m. for the 4 p.m. check-in, or by noon if you plan to stop at the Rock Hall. Two nights let you spend a day at Grand River Valley wineries such as M Cellars, South River Vineyard or Laurello, using GoGeneva or Sunset Taxi, and come back for dinner. Arrive Wednesday through Saturday.
The Rock Hall, in downtown Cleveland
I-90 passes the edge of downtown Cleveland, a short detour from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame at 1100 Rock and Roll Boulevard on the lakefront. The museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with later hours on some evenings and in summer, and is closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas. Two hours there still leaves time to reach Madison, about 45 minutes further east, by check-in. No tolls apply on this route.
From Route 2 to a 4 p.m. check-in
Leave Sandusky at 2, stay on Route 2 and I-90 through Cleveland, and you pull into Madison at about check-in time, 4 p.m. The stairs are the only way to the upper rooms, with no elevator. From May to November 1, weather permitting, a swim in the pool or a soak in the hot tub fits before dinner. At the wine bar, start with the Riesling made from Lake Erie fruit; drinks and dinner go on a separate bill.
Two tasting rooms on South River Road
Breakfast is included and cooked to order between 8:30 and 10 from the standard menu, with coffee and juice. Walk down to the private beach afterward. At noon, take a Sunset Taxi ride to M Cellars at 6193 South River Road West near Geneva. South River Vineyard is a short way down the same road, at number 6062, with its tasting room in a former Methodist Episcopal church. Check both tasting rooms’ hours, taste Grand River Valley wines at each, then compare them with the estate Cabernet Franc at dinner.
Suite 205 for an evening with a bottle
The king room with the private rooftop patio is Suite 205. After a day of tastings, order a glass at the wine bar and sit out on the patio before dinner. It is on an upper floor, and there is no lift. From Sandusky, two nights suit this plan, and in summer they are required. Check-out is at 11.
Read the South River Vineyard guide, see Suite 205 with its rooftop patio, and look through our wines so you know what to order at the bar.
The drive
Getting here
Route 2 east past Huron and Vermilion to I-90, then I-90 east through Cleveland to exit 212 (Route 528) in Madison: 108 miles. The route stays off the Ohio Turnpike, so there are no tolls.
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
How is Grand River Valley wine different from the Lake Erie Islands?
Both sit inside the Lake Erie AVA. Isle St. George is a separate AVA on North Bass Island. The Grand River Valley AVA covers land within two miles of the Grand River in Ashtabula, Lake and Geauga counties, where the river valley affects air drainage. Taste both: Vincent William pours its estate Cabernet Franc and Grand River Valley Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
Can we bring our kids, as we would to a Sandusky hotel?
No. The inn is adults only. Its eight rooms each have one king or queen bed and a private bath, so the inn is set up for couples and solo guests. Two couples travelling together should book two rooms; the inn holds sixteen guests as couples, or eight at one per room.
Can we get from Sandusky to Madison without the Ohio Turnpike?
Yes, and it is the faster way. Take Route 2 east to I-90, then stay on I-90 through Cleveland to exit 212 (Route 528) in Madison. The drive is 108 miles, about an hour and 45 minutes, with no tolls. Check-in starts at 4 p.m.
Vincent William
1300 Belleair Ave.
Madison, OH 44057
(440) 428-1300
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