The Best Cheap Hotels to Book in Cincinnati, Ohio

Staying at SpringHill Suites by Marriott is a walk in the park for your wallet. Studio rooms offer a little extra shut-eye in the sleeping area while the kids stay up late playing games in the living room. Let them unload their energy at Eden Park across the street, which features basketball courts, a playground, the Krohn Conservatory and the admission-free Cincinnati Art Museum. Need more room to roam? The TM Berry International Friendship Park adjacent to Eden Park offers miles of riverside trails.

With nearly a dozen golf courses within a half-hour drive, this cheap hotel in Cincinnati is ideal for lovers of sports. The iron and ironing board, blackout shades, and coffee maker allow you to wake up and get ready for a day on the links at your own pace. Loosen up in the fitness center after a free breakfast, then drive your clubs down to one of the nearby golf courses for a day of leisurely putting.

Should you score tickets to a Reds or a Bengals game, Hampton Inn and Suites says you shouldn’t have to choose between the two. These budget-friendly rooms (in the glorious former Cincinnati Enquirer building, might we add) are a short walk from both the Great American Ball Park and the Paul Brown Stadium. Fill up on a free breakfast so all you’ll need to buy at the game is beer, Cracker Jack and maybe a new ball cap that doesn’t smell like you’ve owned it since the Reds last won a World Series.

Get out of the traffic at TRU by Hilton in Sharonville. Only a 20-minute drive from downtown, you’ll feel far enough from the city yet close to the shopping at Tri-County Mall – not to mention thrills at Full Throttle Adrenaline Park and hours of button-mashing fun at Dave & Buster’s bar and arcade. TRU has a fitness center and an indoor pool if you prefer to hang out around the hotel, but we must insist that you take a quick drive around the corner to Graeter’s Ice Cream for a taste of its famous Buckeye Blitz Chocolate Chip.

You may spot a White Castle next door to Best Western in Clermont, but do yourself a favor and take your appetite over to the homegrown burger joint, Frisch’s Big Boy. It’s just as close to your guest room and twice as delicious. With a belly full of Frisch’s tartar sauce, you can waddle back over to the outdoor pool and let that big boy digest under the warm Ohio sun.

Your kids may ask why you’re excited about staying at Red Roof Inn. You could tell them that children and pets stay for free in this cozy, cheap hotel in Cincinnati or that the spicy wings and quesadillas at Frickers next door gives you ample opportunity to eat out every night. Instead, you can let the 5mi (8km) drive to Kings Island amusement park do the talking – and we’re willing to bet that one look at the rollercoasters and water slides will leave the little ones speechless.

Looking to check off a few states on your list without barreling through a wallet worth of gas? Consider Holiday Inn Express your home base. Start your day at the complimentary breakfast buffet, then snake through Indiana and into Kentucky in less than an hour. There’s an on-site business center at the hotel, too, if you’re the type that prefers printed directions. If so, make sure you mark up a few under-the-radar stops, such as Edgewater Motor Sports Park, Perfect North Slopes and the Shawnee Lookout, on the map.