The 10 Best Hotels in Cincinnati

An oasis of old-world elegance, The Cincinnatian has offered the classiest lodgings in town since it opened as the Palace Hotel in 1882. Over a century on, the grandeur still overwhelms you from the moment you step into the towering eight-story atrium lobby, dominated by an imposing marble and walnut grand staircase. The refinement continues in recently renovated rooms boasting ornate furniture, luxurious linens, and cozy fireplaces. But it’s the hotel’s gracious service and unique touches that continue to make it so special – including fresh baked cookies and complimentary travel across the city for guests in a London cab.

Located in downtown Cincinnati, this sleek and contemporary hotel is one of the city’s best for businesspeople. Rooms here are spacious and well-appointed with marble-floored bathrooms and dramatic floor-to-ceiling windows. Some of them even overlook the iconic Tyler Davidson fountain. You’ve got blackout curtains and the Westin’s signature Heavenly Beds to ensure you have a good night’s sleep, no matter how busy your day may have been. Speaking of relaxation, take a dip in the hotel’s indoor heated pool or, for real decadence, book an in-room spa treatment. And if you’re hungry, head to the deli, gourmet seafood restaurant, or upmarket after-hours lounge.

With a starry list of past residents including Winston Churchill and Elvis Presley, the Hilton offers a winning mix of historical splendor and contemporary comforts. Situated in the stunning Art Deco Carew Tower, its immaculately preserved lobby is a design fan’s dream – a colossal space filled with bas-relief sculptures, exquisite rosewood paneling, and elaborate ceiling frescos. Rooms are more simply decorated but fully equipped with modern amenities. Pick up a brochure in the lobby and take a self-guided tour of the hotel’s historic features, before dressing up for dinner at the awards-garlanded Orchids at Palm Court formal restaurant.

Cincinnati’s hippest new hotel isn’t technically in Cinci itself, but just across the Ohio River in neighboring Covington, Kentucky. Combining contemporary urban design with plenty of nostalgic touches, you can feel evidence of the property’s past as a department store throughout, from its towering ceilings to its huge window displays. Sip on a craft cocktail and mingle with the local creative classes in the lobby bar or enjoy revamped takes on southern classics like collard greens and fried catfish at in-house restaurant Coppins. If the weather’s fine, head out to the vast patio for lawn games or a film screening

This Best Western is a small conference hotel with a difference – an extraordinary Swiss Alps-meets-Tudor Revival façade that looks more Verbier than southern Ohio. The hotel dates back to 1926 and features bedrooms firmly in the mock-Tudor style, with fireplaces, oil paintings, and huge TVs cheekily hidden behind roll-up tapestries. In-house restaurant The National Exemplar has been winning plaudits for its fresh take on staples like prime rib and linguine. Make sure you take time to explore the neighborhood – Mariemont’s eye-catching architecture and sense of quirkiness endure. The area even lays claim to the only elected town crier in the USA.

Appropriately located next to the Contemporary Art Center and across from the Aronoff Center for the Arts, this boutique hotel is an art gallery in itself, with rotating exhibitions covering the lobby walls, and guided art tours are on offer. The hotel’s reimagining of the 100-year-old Metropole Hotel building is credited with helping to revitalize Cincinnati’s historic centre. Rooms feature original artworks alongside neutral custom furnishings, Nespresso machines, and Malin + Goetz toiletries. Visit 21c’s buzzy roof terrace bar for kno

This personality-packed boutique hotel is found within the newly regenerated neighborhood of Over the Rhine, which was originally home to the city’s German immigrant population. Symphony Hotel & Restaurant (unsurprisingly) has a strong musical history. The restored 1871 mansion was once used for music lessons and as a boarding house for musicians over the years, and you’ll still find the celebrated Cincinnati Music Hall just over the road. Opt from nine decorated rooms themed around great composers, from Mozart to Mahler, which all include plush bathrobes and complimentary daily snacks. Jazz fans should head to the lounge for seasonal cocktails and electrifying live performances three nights a week.

One of the newest hotels on the Cinci scene, the Renaissance opened in 2014 in the neoclassical Bartlett Building, formerly home to a bank. There’s a definite focus on conferences in the hotel; historic Burnham Hall has space for a whopping 700 guests. Yet warm service and a cosmopolitan clientele stop the place feeling impersonal. Generously proportioned rooms have a modern, Pop Art-flecked aesthetic and include ergonomic workspaces and roomy bathrooms with posh Aveda toiletries. Stylish in-house restaurant D Burnham’s is named after the building’s architect – don’t miss the incredibly tasty signature burger bearing his name.

The Renaissance opened in 2014, making it one of the newest hotels on the Cinci scene. It takes up space in a former bank, with a large neoclassical exterior that adds a sense of grandeur. One for the business types, it’s got a definite focus on conferences in the hotel with the historic Burnham Hall having space for a whopping 700 guests. But despite its corporate leanings, the warm service and a cosmopolitan clientele stop the place from feeling impersonal. Rooms have a modern, Pop Art-flecked aesthetic, including ergonomic workspaces and roomy bathrooms with posh toiletries. There’s even a stylish in-house restaurant D Burnham’s, named after the building’s architect – don’t miss the incredibly tasty burger bearing his name.

Spread over six acres in a serene spot 15 minutes from downtown Cincinnati, this B&B is a fascinating place to spend a night on your way in or out of town. The striking buttercup yellow property lies in the diverse suburb of College Hill and has a truly remarkable past. Originally built by Quaker abolitionist Zebulon Strong in the 1850s, it was used to hide fugitive slaves as part of the Underground Railroad. You’ll find the current owners’ passion for (and knowledge of) the house and its history infectious – as you will their warmth. Sunny guestrooms have large, comfortable beds with soft sheets and private baths.