Residence Inn, Downtown's first new hotel in 27 years, opens near Lytle Park

Cincinnati's first new Downtown hotel in nearly 30 years opened on March 30 at the historic Phelps Apartments, at 506 E Fourth Street next to Lytle Park.

The Residence Inn Cincinnati Downtown, operating under the Marriott brand and owned by Western & Southern Financial Group, features 134 suites in studio and one- and two-bedroom layouts.

Designed for stays of five nights or more, each suite has separate live-work spaces, fully-equipped kitchens, 52-inch flat screen televisions, and high-speed Internet access. Guests can take advantage of a daily housekeeping, grocery shopping, and same-day dry cleaning services.

Other hotel features include Bar 506, offering hand-crafted cocktails and premium wines; an exercise room; a social room; 1,157 square feet of meeting space; a courtyard with a fire pit; and The Market, a 24-7 food and beverage pantry.

Renovation of the 85-year-old building cost approximately $20 million.

"We are pleased to introduce Residence Inn hotels in the Cincinnati Downtown area," said Residence Inn Vice President Katie Tyson in a prepared release. "This new hotel was designed to be a home away from home and provides a residential atmosphere and spacious accommodations for guest comfort."

Marriott's second-largest lodging brand, the company operates nearly 600 Residence Inn hotels in North and Central America and the Caribbean, with another 154 hotels on the way. The hotel is managed by Winegardner and Hammons, Inc.

The last hotel to open Downtown was the Hyatt Regency Cincinnati in 1984.

Two other Downtown hotels are in the works – a Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites on Eighth and Sycamore streets, site of the former headquarters of the American Red Cross Cincinnati chapter; and a 21c Museum Hotel in the former Metropole Hotel on Walnut Street.