I have wanted to stay at the Doghouse, the BrewDog hotel in Columbus, ever since they opened in 2018. But, frankly, I just never had a reason to since I live in central Ohio.

(I know, I know, staycations are the bomb, I had just never done one before.)

Recently, though, I finally decided to make a reservation, and it was EPIC!

A view of the bar and some of the spacious seating at BrewDog’s restaurant.

What Makes the BrewDog Hotel So Special?

Well, for one thing, it’s the WORLD’S first craft beer hotel. Yup, right here in little ole Columbus, Ohio.

But seriously, a hotel AT a brewery, with beer as far as the eye can see. If you’re into the craft beer scene, that right there makes a hotel stay pretty appealing.

Oh, and do you like dogs? Because you can’t have a brewery with a name like BrewDog – a brewery that started with a pup – and not allow dogs. You not only can bring your four-legged friends to the patio portion of the restaurant, but they’re welcome at the hotel, and there’s a dog park on the premises for your dog to run amok.

One view of the hotel room. This bed is soooo comfyyyy!!

The Doghouse: The Hoppiest Place on Earth

^ This right here is the slogan for the Doghouse. Sets the bar pretty high, doesn’t it? But it lives up to it!

As I said, you’re already at a brewery. And most of the rooms overlook the Overworks brewing area where their sours are fermented. So as soon as you leave your room, you’re greeted with the lovely view of barrels and foeders where new brews are hanging out till they’re ready for the cans and kegs.

But the moment you enter the lobby to check in, the hoppiness begins. As you check in to your room, you’re welcomed with a complimentary BrewDog beer of your choice. (Seriously, this should be a thing at other hotels, too.)

Next, you enter your room to see a mini-fridge by the shower stocked with more BrewDog beers, as well as a mini-fridge under the desk with a variety of BrewDog and other recommended beers. If you purchased a keg, that’ll be waiting for you in your very own in-room tap. (Didn’t get a keg? You can still get one after you arrive!)

Then, from 7p-9p every evening you get a complimentary cookie and stout! Free dessert and beer just because you’re a guest. And in the morning, there are complimentary beermosas with the breakfast buffet. Yeah, I was really excited about the stouts and beermosas, too.

So every day you get two complimentary beers, not to mention whatever other beers you choose from your keg, fridge, the lobby bar, or the restaurant. Sooooo yeah, it pretty much is the hoppiest place on earth!

Part of the bar and seating area in the Doghouse lobby. It’s a great place to try some new beers and meet other visitors!

Other Perks of the BrewDog Hotel

The Doghouse is located on the southern end of Columbus. The benefit of this is that there’s free parking (and plenty of it), and you’re not far from all the other incredible restaurants and breweries that central Ohio has to offer.

BrewDog is about 20 minutes south of the Columbus airport, 20 SE of downtown Columbus, and 25 minutes SE of The Short North.

BrewDog is also part of the Route 33 Brew Trail, six breweries along Route 33. Get a passport at the first brewery you visit and get a stamp at each of the six breweries to get a free Brew Trail pint glass. I’ve visited five of the six, and a couple of them are some of my favorite breweries!

Don’t feel like going anywhere? You don’t have to! (I get it, city driving and parking can be a pain at times.) There are plenty of restaurants and a couple grocery stores nearby. Or heck, there’s a restaurant right next door at the brewery, and it’s pretty darn tasty! So you literally don’t have to leave once you park.

Feel like being sociable? Hang out at the lobby’s bar, especially during the cookie and stout time, and you’re bound to make a few new friends. I was there every evening for my stout and to knit a bit, and I always wound up chatting with a couple other guests and staff members till midnight. It’s a pretty quiet, welcoming venue, so even us awkward introverts can make a few friends and feel at ease, all while enjoying beers from a variety of breweries.

Behind the check-in desk at the lobby lies two large beer fridges… and a sign to make no mistake of where you are.

It Gets Better…

BrewDog is a huge believer in reducing their impact on the environment. Like many hotels, they request that you hang up any towels you’ll reuse if you get your room cleaned so they’re not washing towels daily.

But they’re also the first international brewery to be carbon negative. Not just carbon neutral with their carbon footprint, y’all, but carbon negative! Even better, they’re striving to removing twice the amount of carbon their team members produce in both their personal and professional lives. And they’re planting a million trees in their 2,000 acre BrewDog Forest. (You can read more about this here.)

They even recently brewed the world’s first carbon-negative lager, Lost. It’s brewed using wind power, a third less water, and would-be waste bread in the malt. Pretty friggin’ cool, right??

The lobby area of the Doghouse, where you can check-in, get a beer (or two), and purchase a shirt or their Elvis Juice inspired soaps.

Good to Know

A couple of tips to help your stay…

Fitting with its industrialized vibe, the floors are cement or something to that extent. There are rugs on either side of the bed, but I recommend bringing non-slip slippers or socks, especially as the floor is cool in the morning.

There’s a ton of storage space, so you can spread out and make yourself at home during your stay. And, super important, their beds and pillows are so comfy! Seriously, one of the comfiest hotel beds I’ve ever experienced.

I was surprised to find there’s no phone in the room, and the clock is old school style, not the digital with the radio built in. (Don’t panic, you can listen to iHeartRadio via the TV.) With this hotel being so new and everyone having cell phones nowadays, they give you a number to call or text if you need room service or anything else during your stay.

Local business supporters rejoice! The rooms come stocked with local coffee from Stauf’s Coffee Roasters in Columbus. And their soap and shampoo come from Columbus-owned Glenn Ave Soap. The soaps are actually a collaboration, taking inspiration from BrewDog’s Elvis Juice IPA and using grapefruit for the soap’s scent. You can even buy bottles of the soaps to take home.

Even if you don’t eat at BrewDog (although I recommend you do, cuz it’s tasty!), be sure and check out the lobby area of the restaurant. There’s a Lego replica of the whole facility, a shop where you can get tee shirts, dog collars, and beer to go, a reading area with books about beer, another small bar (perfect while you’re waiting for your table), and a 6,000 sq ft museum about craft beer. At least pop into the museum for a hot second to get your picture with the Ohio frame made from beer cans.

The lobby of the restaurant has shirts, dog collars, and to-go packs of beer.

Final Thoughts on BrewDog’s Hotel, The Doghouse

The Doghouse was hands down one of the best hotel stays I’ve ever had. I didn’t even leave the hotel my couple of days there as I had business to tend to, but I thoroughly enjoyed my stay and am still swooning about it a week later!

I mean seriously, good food, good brews, and doggos… That’s pretty much a little slice of heaven as far as I’m concerned. Add to that their large outdoor patio area and fire pits, and it’s just a good, laid back place to socialize. Whether it’s a staycation or you’ll be traveling through Columbus, I absolutely recommend a visit to the BrewDog’s Doghouse!

BrewDog has the coolest artwork all around the hotel! This is just a section of the huge mural in the Overworks section, which the rooms overlook.

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