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Cincinnati · Hotel shortlist

The best hotels near Hippo Cove

Britt Sorensen

Britt Sorensen India and the Himalaya

Updated 1 September 2026 · 7 Cincinnati hotels assessed

These are my five favourites in Cincinnati, out of the 7 that qualified. I read what other travellers scored them before I picked, so the order follows the guests, 5 down to 4.1.

All five are within 2.1 km of Hippo Cove.

8 Cats Cincinnati

Highest rated of the five

8 Cats Cincinnati

★★★★★5 from 59 reviews

8 Cats Cincinnati comes out on top of this list, and not narrowly: 5 from 59 guest reviews is a score that holds up at that volume, which is the whole test here. A perfect ten from nine people does not beat it.

It is found under poi.

7 hotels in Cincinnati qualified for this list and five made it. Graduate by Hilton Cincinnati is the one I would book if the first is full.

Why it works for this trip

  • Poolsomewhere to cool off between walks
  • Air conditioningthe one that decides a summer trip
  • Bara drink without going back out
  • Kitchenettebreakfast on your own schedule
  • Parkinga real consideration if you are driving in

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All five, ranked

  1. 8 Cats Cincinnati1

    8 Cats Cincinnati

    ★★★★★5 from 59 reviews

    300 m from Hippo Cove, about a 4 minute walk

    • Pool
    • Bar
    • Parking
    • Kitchen
    • Air conditioning
    • Airport shuttle

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  2. Graduate by Hilton Cincinnati2

    Graduate by Hilton Cincinnati

    ★★★★★4.3 from 1,511 reviews

    1.0 km from Hippo Cove, about a 12 minute walk

    • Gym
    • Restaurant
    • Bar
    • Parking
    • Pet friendly
    • Kid friendly

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  3. Hotel Celare, Cincinnati Midtown, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel3

    Hotel Celare, Cincinnati Midtown, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel

    ★★★★★4.5 from 206 reviews

    2.1 km from Hippo Cove

    • Spa
    • Gym
    • Restaurant
    • Parking
    • Pet friendly
    • Air conditioning

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  4. Hampton Inn & Suites Cincinnati/Uptown-University Area4

    Hampton Inn & Suites Cincinnati/Uptown-University Area

    ★★★★★4.1 from 1,263 reviews

    1.2 km from Hippo Cove, about a 15 minute walk

    • Pool
    • Gym
    • Parking
    • Pet friendly
    • Kid friendly
    • Air conditioning

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  5. Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites Cincinnati Uptown/University Area5

    Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites Cincinnati Uptown/University Area

    ★★★★★4.3 from 715 reviews

    2.1 km from Hippo Cove

    • Pool
    • Gym
    • Kid friendly
    • Air conditioning
    • Accessible

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How this list was put together

7 Cincinnati hotels qualify for this list. We ranked them on guest rating first and on how close they are to Hippo Cove second, then took the top five.

Two things decide these lists. The first is my own time in the city: every hotel on this page is one I have stayed in, walked into and looked at, or gone back to check. That is where the shortlist starts, and it is why some well reviewed places are not on it.

The second is the numbers, and those are what set the order. The rating and review count come from the big travel sites, pooled through Google, so a score here reflects Expedia, Booking, Hotels.com and the rest together rather than any one of them. I also read the review breakdown by topic, which is where the figures on service, breakfast and location come from. Hotels with fewer than forty reviews are left out altogether, because a rating that thin is not a rating. No more than two come from one neighbourhood.

What I do not do is move anyone up the order. The ranking is the guest score, highest first, and nobody pays to be on the list.

Distances are straight lines from published coordinates, so the real walk is a little longer. Amenities are as recorded by Google Hotels and can change without notice. Rates are an indicative nightly figure for a midweek autumn stay, not a quote. Check the booking page before you commit.

Britt Sorensen

Britt Sorensen India and the Himalaya

Her work season is winter, leaving whole summers free for mountains in the other hemisphere or trekking at altitude in Nepal and Peru. Carries the lightest pack of anyone she travels with.

Trip Grapevine earns a commission on bookings made through the links on this page. It costs you nothing, and it does not change the order of the list, which is set by the measurements above.