Parts of Cincy to avoid? (Cincinnati, Fairfield: extended stay, rent, hotels)

[mjh]

My family and I will be traveling through Cincinnati later this summer. I'm looking for hotels and am tempted by some deals offered through hotwire. If you're not familiar with hotwire, they offer really cheap rates, but they don't tell you the address or name of the hotel until after the transaction is completed. And after that you can't get a refund. But they do tell you general areas of the city where the hotel is located (e.g. downtown, airport, etc).

What I'd like to know is what parts of Cincinnati are relatively safe for me to stay with my family. It's especially important because we'll be driving from Charlotte, NC and we'll probably arrive pretty late.

Thanks so much for your help!

[Pathwalker]

First question: Why on earth would you make a hotel reservation with a website that doesn't tell you the name of the hotel, or its location? My advice? I would seriously not use that website. You could end up in a roach motel in some out-of-the-way part of the city.

The thing about giving you "bad parts" as opposed to "good parts" is that you can find BOTH in ANY part of the city. So without actually knowing the address where you'd be staying, it's kinda hard to tell you if it would be a good part or bad part.

[mjh]

Originally Posted by WCRob

First question: Why on earth would you make a hotel reservation with a website that doesn't tell you the name of the hotel, or its location? My advice? I would seriously not use that website. You could end up in a roach motel in some out-of-the-way part of the city.

You've never heard of hotwire.com? I've had great success with them. I avoid the one-star hotels, and I'm pretty good as far as hotel quality goes. I just would like to know where in Cincy are parts of town to avoid. For example, if you asked me about Charlotte, I'd tell you to avoid the area north of the airport and west of I-77. I'd tell you to avoid East Charlotte south of Tryon. I'd tell you to look in the University area, South Park, or Uptown, but not outside of I-277.

You really can't give me any advice about parts of Cincy to avoid?

[Linda Pratt]

Originally Posted by WCRob

The thing about giving you "bad parts" as opposed to "good parts" is that you can find BOTH in ANY part of the city.

'Tis true!!!

[Linda Pratt]

Originally Posted by mjh

You really can't give me any advice about parts of Cincy to avoid?

The areas I can think of to avoid don't really have hotels - at least the kind that rent by the whole day .
Downtown Cincinnati has some lovely hotels within walking distance of lots of city stuff. Airport area is great, lots of business travelers. Check out The Gap outlet. North side of town near Kings Island is good. If you stick to a higher-star quality, you'll be fine. (FYI - Cincinnati is a big city.)

Avoid; Over The Rhine, Bond Hill, Lincoln Heights, to name a few, but these are not touristy areas and would not have any name brand hotel in those areas.

[movingsoon2007]

The downtown area is pretty safe... the area around fountain square (5th street) is nice and has plenty of businesses/stores around.

Avoid Over the Rhine... but I doubt there are many hotels there anyway.

[Pathwalker]

We need to remember that MJH may not know where Over-the-Rhine is.

Originally Posted by mjh

You've never heard of hotwire.com? I've had great success with them.

No, I've never heard of them. But then again, knowing me, that's not surprising. Anyway, I guess it just seems odd to me that a site wouldn't give you the address of some particular place so you can check it our first without committing to it.

Originally Posted by mjh

I avoid the one-star hotels, and I'm pretty good as far as hotel quality goes. I just would like to know where in Cincy are parts of town to avoid. For example, if you asked me about Charlotte, I'd tell you to avoid the area north of the airport and west of I-77. I'd tell you to avoid East Charlotte south of Tryon. I'd tell you to look in the University area, South Park, or Uptown, but not outside of I-277.

You really can't give me any advice about parts of Cincy to avoid?

Sure I can, as a general rule. Will you just be passing through the area and need a place to spend the night? Or will you be staying for a few days and doing some touristy stuff? It kinda makes a difference, because it would be rather pointless to stay in a downtown hotel if you're simply wanting a place to spend the night. And if you were planning on staying, I would tell you to avoid certain hotels that aren't necessarily in bad areas, but are nevertheless not the greatest places for an extended stay.

Like I said, as a general rule you'll want to avoid downtown north of 7th street. Aside from the fact that there really isn't a hotel north of there anyway, it's just good advice for anyone coming to visit the city. Several blocks north of there is a neighborhood called Over-The-Rhine, and you want to DEFINITELY stay away from there, especially as a tourist.

There are a couple of hotels just west of downtown, across I-75 around the Lynne Street area, that are okay if you just want to spend the night somewhere. I wouldn't recommend them for a long term visit.

Basically, it's a lot easier to tell you where it is safe, as opposed to what areas to avoid. Anyplace in Covington along the riverfront is going to be good. Anyplace near the airport in Northern Kentucky would be good. Anyplace along the I-275 loop would be good. Anyplace around Kings Island, which is along I-71 northeast of town, would be good. Anyplace along I-71 north of the Kenwood Road exit would be good. Anyplace along I-75 from the Sharon Road exit on north through Butler county would be good - especially the West Chester exits. Anything along Route 4 in Fairfield between I-275 and Gilmore Road would be good.

Basically, those are going to be your primary locations where you will find decent hotels.

The names of specific areas where you'll find hotels which are in areas that would be GOOD are: Florence, Burlington, Covington riverfront, Downtown Cincinnati SOUTH of 7th Street, Sharonville, West Chester, Fairfield, Liberty Township, Monroe, Mason, Kings Mills, Montgomery, Blue Ash, and Kenwood. Stay away from motels or hotels listed in other areas.

Hope that helps. PLEASE feel free to ask us if you find something, and we can tell you if it's good or not. Best of luck!

[cincylifer]

As long as you choose a 3 star or above you will be fine, there are no decent hotels in the "bad" areas of town.

[Pathwalker]

Originally Posted by cincylifer

As long as you choose a 3 star or above you will be fine, there are no decent hotels in the "bad" areas of town.

Good way to put it.

When I want to tell someone something, I tend to take the long way around. LOL! But what you said is exactly right.

[lydunn]

I got a friend a hotel on their (hotwire) and I put in West Chester and got Livin Suites in Sharonville they aren't bad at all only cost $55 a night. Let me know if I can help any futher