Cincinnati Hotel Guide

Baby Boomers who’ve never been to Cincinnati feel a familiarity with the city as a result of the long-running series WKRP. River City is suited to the recalled youth of baby boomers and the trendy twenty and thirty somethings of the new millennium.

The city has always been a bustling hotspot of the new, the young and the stylish. In the 19th century, Cincy was the center of the rail and river network linking a large part of the USA. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow dubbed it the “Queen City of the West.”

As a commerce center, sports center, and an urban connection to Kentucky Bluegrass Country, there are plenty of people pulled to Cincinnati. If you’re in the city for business or pleasure, chances are your first pick of position will be downtown. Skyscrapers and historic buildings blend in an eclectic mix that’s reflected by the Ohio River. Fountain Square is the center of the city and plays host to summer concerts, book sales, festivals and other walkable events. Downtown is pedestrian accessible in any weather via sidewalk or the system of skywalks. Most downtown area residents are singles or couples under 39, contributing to the “forever young” feel of the city whose oldest tavern in continual operation --- Arnold’s at 210 8th Street --- opened its doors in 1861.

To take advantage of all downtown has to offer, stay at the Regal Cincinnati Hotel right downtown with enclosed skywalk access to the convention center. The Regal is only five blocks from Riverfront Stadium, home of the Bengals and the Reds --- and a short three block stroll to Arnold’s. The property has more than 800 guestrooms and 32 suites. Its revolving rooftop restaurant specializes in seafood while offering an overview of the entire city.

The Cincinnatian Hotel, built in 1882 and totally renovated in 1987, is listed on The National Register of Historic Places. The original walnut and marble grand central staircase is intact, adding Old World elegance to this hotel’s modern efficiency and amenities, including roman-sized tubs or oversized granite dual showers in each room, computer hook ups and a state-of-the-art on-site health club complete with sauna. Only one block from Fountain Square, the Cincinnatian is Ohio’s only four star, four diamond hostelry, and it’s perfect for a romantic getaway or special occasion in the center of Cincy.

For a less pricey pick in the downtown area, budget travelers should try the Holiday Inn on West Eight Street. While it’s a less expensive choice, this property offers an outdoor pool, exercise room, voice mail and data ports --- everything you need to do business or keep connected to the folks back home if you’re in town just to catch a few baseball games.

The biggest bargain in the downtown area is arguably the Cincinnati Travelodge on Central Parkway. This budget-best bet offers clean comfortable rooms, an outdoor pool and if you are a married with children, your kids under seventeen can stay free if they bunk in the same room as you do. If you can’t bear leaving Fluffy or Fido at home, the Travelodge will even accommodate your pets as long as you agree to pay for any damage they might cause.

From a four star hotel to a steal-of-deal, it’s all available in downtown Cincinnati.

If you’re headed for King’s Island with your family, or golfing with the guys, check out the Country Hearth Inn; it’s a mere five miles from Paramount’s King’s Island, The Golf Center at King’s Island, and The Beach Waterpark. Within a 10-mile radius you’ll find 10 additional golf courses. From the complementary paper and breakfast, until you relax in your in-room recliner, you’ll be impressed with the superior service at the Country Hearth.

If you need to be on the northern side of Cincinnati, we recommend Comfort Suites of Blue Ash Ohio for value and space. This suite property with refrigerator and microwave is perfect for the extended stay traveler who uses the area as a base to work throughout the region.

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