Tucked into the woods near to Hocking Hills, Ravenwood Castle is a surprise even if you already…read moreknow what you're getting yourself into. One minute you're driving along backroads in Ohio and then BAM, you're starting at a medieval castle. Ravenwood Castle is well known for its focus on games of all kinds - board games, social deduction games, scavenger hunts - you name it, they have it. My mom and I came for a special weekend where they were hosting a murder mystery. Put on by a separate company, but hosted within Ravenwood Castle, our murder mystery experience started on Friday night and ran through Sunday morning. We worked in teams to solve the mystery and along the way participated in goofy and quirky games and puzzles to help us score points. When you stay, you can eat on site, or you can book a cabin and bring & prepare food in a small kitchenette. Alternatively, there are a few places you can order from / go out to in the surrounding areas, but nothing is particularly close by because the castle is in a remote area. While I found the food to be mediocre, the beer and whiskey selection is great, and a surprise stand out was their version of butterbeer, which is dangerously chuggable. If you're someone who loves board games and wants a weekend away to connect with friends or family, this is a great place to go!

I didn't know it when we showed up to Ravenwood Castle that the entire property is dedicated to…read moreplaying games! There is a plethora to choose from as soon as you check in or when you're dining in the pub or premade scavenger hunts to do while walking around the property during your stay. My husband and I aren't board game enthusiasts but we did have a great time at the castle. After checking in we made our way to the King Arthur Suite, a short walk from the check-in desk and through the dining hall. The door to the King Arthur Suite is quite literally in the middle of the dining hall which we personally felt was kind of awkward because it is a prime gathering space for most of the guests. The two story suite was spacious, painted in a funky green and featured a giant jacuzzi tub which was the highlight of the room. A comfortable four poster bed on the second story made us feel like royalty and is close to the door that leads to a porch over looking the grounds behind the castle. My husband made a fire in the large fire pit outside of the castle that is closer to the cabins. The area was stocked with wood and we spent the majority of our evening enjoying a warm fire on the cool fall night. The pub downstairs serves beer and basic bar fare. It wasn't very busy when we stopped by but service was wonderful and we felt very welcome. Another couple proposed the four of us play a game together and we reluctantly obliged. Our patient competitors taught us how to play "Ticket To Ride" and it was a blast. So, in the end, Ravenwood Castle (and our new friends) did turn us into game people.