What to do with Entry Way Floor

[Robert P.]

I have an entry way floor that I am trying to figure out what to do with. Sorry I don't have a picture, but let me explain. 

It's a two-family home. The floor I am referring to is when you open the outside door into the hallway leading up stairs to 2nd floor. It's about 30-35 sqft.

Right now it is old beat up looking hardwood. I was thinking about laying over vinyl floor tiles. (my thought is that it would be good to do this to protect wood against snow/rain, etc.

Options:

1. Should I lay vinyl floor tile over it?

2. Should I just stain it and throw a poly over the hardwood?

3. One piece vinyl floor?

4. Anything else?

Doesn't need to look "pretty", just needs to have good utility and make sense for this high traffic, possibly "wet" area (since it's the first floor directly from outside)