Cincinnati, OhioCentral Business District
21c Museum Hotel Cincinnati
Contemporary art gallery hotel
Central Business District Cincinnati, Ohio
Opened
2012
Price
$$
Rated for
Design Heritage LocalOutside the door
The house
21c Museum HotelsContemporary art gallery hotel
Public galleries stay open around the clock, so you can wander rotating contemporary exhibitions on the way to bed.
“the hotel's 100 year-old premises was formerly home to Cincinnati's Metropole Hotel, and subsequently a forgettable bloc of apartments and retail.”
What it’s good at
Notable
Custom Rookwood Pottery tiles display sculpted facial features across Deborah Berke guestrooms.
Notable
Restored 1912 Hotel Metropole architecture retains original mosaic floors and a sweeping staircase.
Listed
Metropole serves wood-fired dishes rooted in Ohio River Valley produce and Midwestern farms.
What they say
Michelin Selected
Michelin
Also in Condé Nast Traveler and AFAR.
The rooms are luxe, low-key in their elegance…they are impeccably composed, their soothing minimalism livened by a well-curated collection of eclectic modern and contemporary furnishings.
Right in the middle
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
The Aronoff Center sits next door, and Fountain Square is an easy two-block walk south.
1 of 8
The rooms
Subway tiles in the bathrooms reveal sculpted ears and lips, contrasting with understated furniture and crisp white beds.
The spa
Three treatment rooms host massages and hydrotherapy, and the spa includes a steam room and spa tub.
At the table
The eleventh-floor rooftop bar looks out over the skyline, and Metropole serves seasonal plates from an open kitchen below.
The red-brick century-old Metropole Hotel now has 156 rooms with tile from local producer Rookwood Pottery Company, gauzy curtains, and comfortable workstations.
Cincinnati
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Our shorthand
How we rate hotels.
The medals
Gold
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Silver
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
Bronze
They did this well. You’ll notice.
Listed
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Design
Built around a vision. Even the door handles have a designer.
Luxe
Cared for at every turn. The bath is drawn before you ask.
Local
It could only be here. You wake up knowing where you are.
Social
Where the city goes out. The bar is full and the night is young.
Heritage
A building with a story. Once a palace, a monastery, a station.
Wellness
You leave feeling new. Rest, sweat, soak and sleep like a stone.
Classic
The city grew up with it. Same rituals, same regulars, same bar.
Resort
A world of its own. Something to do from breakfast to nightcap.
The scene
Lively
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Central
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Secluded
A place apart: the property is the destination.