(PHOTOS BY SAMANTHA N. STRIPE / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
TRU BY HILTON … The City of Wauseon celebrated its newest hotel on State Route 108 on Tuesday, April 22, 2025. Owners, their family, Fulton County representatives, including members of the chamber of commerce and city council, and employees, as well as members of the community attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
CELEBRATING WAUSEON … A wall-length mural inside of the new Tru by Hilton’s lobby depicts different important parts of Wauseon, such as the annual county fair and the Museum and Welcome Center of Fulton County.
By: Samantha N. Stripe
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
The City of Wauseon has a new place to rest its head at the Tru by Hilton on State Route 108. The owners of the hotel, Rama Tika Management LLC, held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday, April 22, 2025.
“We’re going to do great,” said Vaibhav Patel, president of Rama Tika Management LLC. “I think the town…was in need for a new hotel and deserved a new hotel.”
A large crowd made up of the hotel owners, family, friends, employees, members of the Wauseon City Council, Chamber of Commerce, Fulton County representatives and members of the community gathered to celebrate with food, drinks and tours as new customers checked in.
Ken Garberick of J&F Construction, based in Bucyrus, Ohio, attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Garberick was brought in as project superintendent after the previous superintendent retired. He started at about the halfway point of the construction.
Seeing the completion and the complete package was “overwhelming,” he said. Garberick added that it was a whole team working together – made up of over 30 different trades.
“It’s a good feeling when you can officially close the job and especially one like this. When everything comes together…and you see guests walk in the door and enjoy it – it’s the fruits of your labor. It’s a good feeling.”
Ground broke on the site of the 98-room hotel in August 2023. Located just across from the Ohio Turnpike (I-80/I-90) exit/entrance ramps, it offers travelers a new place to call a temporary home.
“We’ve only been legally open for five or six days and we’ve started seeing some really good results already,” added Patel.
“Hilton is one of the best brands out there. Tru by Hilton is one of the newest brands. It’s a really nice building. It provides all the amenities and services needed for transient travelers.”
The expansive lobby sits at 2,800 square feet and features a pool table, a 24-hour market with snacks and individual beverages for purchase, a complimentary breakfast bar with cereals, fresh fruits and a “Top It” breakfast topping bar, as well as plenty of chairs and lounging room. For those stopping in for business, free WIFI printing is available throughout the space.
The lobby also showcases a large, wall-length mural highlighting various parts and important events at Wauseon, like the Fulton County Fair.
“I think it’s great. We have the Fulton County Fairgrounds right there. That brings in thousands and thousands of people throughout the season.
To be able to have another hotel to house them is wonderful,” said Wauseon Mayor Kathy Huner, who also attended the event.
Patel noted that the hotel will be able to better service the small businesses in the Wauseon community who have professional visitors coming into town.
“We actually rely on a lot of small businesses and serve them,” he said. “I’ve seen so many of them having people come outside of Ohio, some outside of the country, to support those businesses.”
Huner emphasized the importance of adding new businesses like the Tru by Hilton to the Wauseon area, stating, “Being a small city, businesses help each other out. If you bring in a new business, people will shop in the new business.”
“It brings in job opportunities, but it also promotes the other businesses in the city working together. If you have more business, you have more options, it keeps our community shopping locally rather than having to go elsewhere.”
Other amenities available to Tru by Hilton guests include a fitness center, electric vehicle charging and guest laundry services. They are also a pet-friendly hotel for those traveling the Turnpike with their dogs and/or cats.
Those interested in booking a room at Wauseon’s Tru by Hilton can visit www.hilton.com or call 419-330-8090.