At The Metlen, an old hotel building does not simply sit there looking historic. Its preserved character supplies the setting for drinks at the bar, a game of pool, a little foosball competition, and a dance floor that gets considerably more animated as the night goes on.
That combination gives the place a pleasantly unusual rhythm. You can come in for a quiet drink and spend a while taking in the old interior, then find a DJ playing newer music and a crowd gathering around a wood dance floor. The shift from hotel history to late-night energy is very much the point.
The building also has enough visual personality to reward a slower look around. It is the sort of setting where the rooms, levels, and older details invite informal exploration instead of serving merely as a backdrop for the bar.
An Old Hotel With a Social Side
The Metlen works as a roomy social stop rather than a one-note drinking spot. The bar and back bar give people places to settle in, talk, and order another round without immediately committing to the dance floor.
That makes the atmosphere flexible. A person stopping by alone can have a drink at the bar, while a larger group has pool tables, foosball, music, and dancing to keep the evening moving. Not every night needs to be a big night out, but the building is ready when it turns into one.
The back bar has also been used for hosted gatherings, including a Lunch & Learn. It is a useful reminder that the hotel’s gathering spaces are not limited to nighttime crowds; the same old surroundings can hold a more conversational daytime event.
The Dance Floor Changes the Temperature
A wood dance floor is central to the evening setup, and a blacklight element gives it a more colorful, contemporary edge. It is a fun contrast: old hotel surroundings, newer tracks, and a floor made for people who did not come only to admire the architecture.
DJs play current music, take requests, and keep the mood aimed toward dancing rather than background listening. A request-friendly setup can make a mixed group more willing to get involved; somebody usually has a song they are hoping will come on.
Later in the evening, particularly after 10 p.m., the bar can become louder and more dance-oriented. Earlier stretches and less active periods are better suited to conversation, but the place has a clear late-night gear when the crowd is ready for it.
Games Between Songs
Pool tables give the room another center of gravity. They are handy for people who like the energy of a busy bar but would rather line up a shot than join the dancers immediately.
Foosball adds a quicker, more casual option. It is the sort of game that can pull in a few friends for ten minutes and then turn into a longer contest once somebody starts keeping score.
Those games matter because they keep the evening from being divided into only two choices: sit at the bar or dance. At The Metlen, a group can drift among all three without making a production of it.
A Small Spin of Barroom Luck
The first-drink wheel is one of the more playful bar rituals associated with the venue. A spin can carry the possibility of a free-drink outcome, adding a little harmless suspense before the first order is even finished.
It is a small detail, but it suits a place where the night can be informal and social. A wheel does not need to be the evening’s main entertainment to give a new arrival something to laugh about at the bar.
Walking Through the Hotel’s Stories
The Metlen is also a place to visit with history in mind. Guided walks have taken visitors through the hotel’s multiple levels, using the building itself as the route through stories of its origins, notable guests, and the various unusual tales that have attached themselves to the property.
The paranormal side belongs to that storytelling tradition. The hotel has a reputation for unusual occurrences, and those accounts add a little extra intrigue to a walk through an older building after dark. They are best approached as local stories and reported experiences, not as verified supernatural claims.
For people who enjoy old buildings as much as bars, the tour angle changes the pace of a visit. Instead of only finding a seat and ordering a drink, you can spend time moving through the structure and hearing why its past remains a subject of conversation.
Two Ways to Spend an Evening
The useful thing about The Metlen is that its different moods do not cancel one another out. The early portion of a visit can be simple: a drink, a look around, a game of pool, and conversation in the bar.
Then the music rises, requests start landing with the DJ, and the dance floor becomes the livelier corner of the room. The old hotel character remains in view, but it is not treated like a museum display. It is an active setting for a night out.
A Few Practical Notes
Free street parking has been available nearby, which is a welcome convenience for a downtown-style evening stop. Conditions can vary, but the surrounding street parking has been described as plentiful.
For a quieter visit, the earlier and less active parts of the evening offer more room for catching up over a drink. Later hours bring a louder room, dance music, and a more energetic crowd.
The hotel’s back bar, dance floor, games, and multi-level history walks give The Metlen more to work with than the usual single-room bar. You can keep the plan loose and let the night decide whether it becomes a drink, a game, a tour, or a few songs on the floor.