hotel suggestions in the area (Cincinnati, Mason: amusement park, hotels, safe area)

[El Passeaux]

We are going to stop in the Cincinnati area heading north and I am looking for a safe area to sleep something like 10pm to 4am so I dont need a Hilton but with the family, an area where I would feel comfortable would be ideal. Is it better to stay north of the city or on the KY side? Any thoughts would be appreciated.

[wrightflyer]

Personally, IMO, it seems silly to pay for a hotel room for just six hours.

Anyways, by going north, are you going up I-75 or I-71 out of Cincinnati?

[Gibaschitz]

I’m not sure how to read “don’t need a Hilton,” but if you’re looking for economy (not that Hiltons are the epitome of luxury) you should mainly avoid places off the beaten path where you’d be checking in on the wrong side of bullet proof glass.

Personally, I usually feel safe sleeping overnight at any major chain hotel, whether Hilton, Holiday Inn, Days (“we’ll leave the light on for ya”) Inn, etc., especially when it is conveniently located at an Interstate ramp not in a downtown area where rates are also higher than in suburban or rural areas. I-71 and I-75 merge a few miles south of Cincinnati (where they split) and there are lots of these motels south and north of downtown Cincinnati.

For economy, you can generally negotiate a better price than that first quoted by asking for the best rate, being an AAA member (10% discount), schmoozing, etc.

[Ohiogirl81]

Originally Posted by El Passeaux

Is it better to stay north of the city or on the KY side? Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Six of one, half dozen of the other, but are you going north on 75 or 71?

[kjbrill]

Some of the lower cost chains, Econo-Lodge. Knights Inn, etc. vary considerably between locations, some of them very poorly upkept. Unless I was familiar with a particularly location I would avoid them. I can tell you one to avoid, the Knights Inn at Tylervsille Rd and I-75 north of Cincinnati. It has a horrible reputation.

There are 17 motels in Mason, Ohio located north of Cincinnati between I-75 and I-71. The reason for so many is they make their money on the Kings Island Amusement Park trade. And this does not include the large Great Wolf Lodge adjacent to Kings Island which is considered a resort in itself. Kings Island weekend opening begins April 28th and full week operation Memorial Day. Until then there are motel rooms galore, Motel 6, Super 8, Microtel, and about everyone else. If you are coming north soon and planning on a late arrrival, I might consider pot luck. Try and negotitate a lower rate and if they say no indicate fine I will go someplace else. I know of one location where you can stand and see at least 6 motels right near each other, the fanciest being a Comfort Inn. I would not hesitate for a short stay at any one of them. With all of the competition, if they do not maintain a reasonable standard they are quickly broke. And yes there is turnover. One motel near Kings Island was a Best Western when it first opened. A quite large place before the competitors all moved in. Then it became a Holiday Inn Express. Recently it has become a Super 8. I drive by it frequently and the exterior appears the same. It all depends on how they have maintained the rooms themselves.

Even if your planned route is I-75 north of Cincinnati, I-71 is very short distance from I-75 at Mason, say 5-10 minutes. There is a cluster of motels at the south exit to Kings Island, I-71 and Fields Ertel Rd, and then the north exit to Kings Island, I-71 and Kings Mills Rd.

If you are coming prior to Kings Island getting into full swing, these motels must be willing to offer a deal rather than having so many empty rooms. I don't expect the Marriott or the Hilton Garden Inn to do this as there is sufficient business bookings to keep them afloat, but the littler guys - oh yes.

Get online and begin searching. Try and establish a good rate for the time you intend to spend. Call them directly and discuss it if necessary. Just remember they have occupancy goals to attain, and the only variable in their profit picture for the room is the cost of maid service. If no one uses the room there is of course no maid service cost, but there is also no booking or income. And then the maids will quit as they cannot earn a living, being paid on a per room serviced basis.

[Jen35]

Use priceline. We always use them if we know where we are going to stay for the night (and not doing the drive as far as we can before we get tired). We just went up to Chicago for the long weekend, and were able to get a 3.5 star hotel (was a Hilton Suites) in downtown for $58/night.

For the name your own price in Cincinnati, you can choose to be either off in the Kings Island area/Blue Ash area (I-71), or in West Chester (I-75) or right downtown. Since you can select by star level, you know you wont end up in an unsafe area of an awful hotel. For a 3 star or 3.5 star, you can probably get a room for $45-$50 a night. 3 star would be like a Hyatt Place. 3.5 star would be like a Marriott. Here's a great link of what other people have gotten for priceline around Cincinnati (broken down by region)

CINCINNATI HOTEL LIST in Ohio - Cincinnati Forum

We use that forum for all our priceline hotels. It's incredible!

[joyeaux]

Red Roof on Pfeiffer Road in Blue Ash is on the north side of Cincinnati.
Coming up I75, you'll need to split over to I71 for this. Safe, clean, cheap!

[kjbrill]

That's a good suggestion to use priceline to secure a reservation. I would recommend the I-71/Kings Island area just because there are so many motels there. And as I said, if your northern trip is actually I-75, it is very convenient to zip through Mason the next morning on Tylersville Rd over to I-75, about a 10 minute drive.

[wolden]

Originally Posted by El Passeaux

We are going to stop in the Cincinnati area heading north and I am looking for a safe area to sleep something like 10pm to 4am so I dont need a Hilton but with the family, an area where I would feel comfortable would be ideal. Is it better to stay north of the city or on the KY side? Any thoughts would be appreciated.

You could stay at the Kingsgate (I think its a Marriot) on the University of Cincinnati campus. If you are going up I-75 you just get off at I think Mitchell exit.

The Kingsgate is very safe and just a couple miles from I-75, its nice and quiet.

[El Passeaux]

Thanks for all the suggestions. We plan on stopping basically to sleep, then up to New York State the next day so it would be 71 but I noticed 71 and 75 seem pretty close so anywhere north is the goal.