Cincinnati’s Fidelity Hotel has opened in the restored 1913 Gwynne Building as a new 165-room property in downtown’s Fountain District. The hotel blends the landmark’s Beaux-Arts architecture with residential-style interiors, two dining concepts and event space totaling more than 7,770 square feet.
Opened on July 28, 2026, it is the second Fidelity Hotel in Ohio from independent hospitality company New Waterloo. The group launched Cleveland’s 97-room Fidelity Hotel in January 2025, and that property received one Michelin Key later the same year.
General manager Michael Dunbar said the Cincinnati hotel was intended to reflect the character of its surroundings and fit within them.
“Cincinnati has always been a city with a strong sense of place, and this project is about amplifying that spirit,” Dunbar said in the hotel’s opening announcement.
Historic architecture shapes the hotel
The 13-storey Gwynne Building is a downtown Cincinnati landmark with a history extending beyond its decorative façade. Designed by architect Ernest Flagg, it was commissioned by Alice Claypoole Gwynne Vanderbilt in honour of her father, Cincinnati lawyer and judge Abraham Evan Gwynne. Procter & Gamble later used the building as its corporate headquarters from 1935 until 1956.
Dallas-based Looney & Associates led the hotel interiors, drawing upon Cincinnati’s former reputation as the Paris of America. European references are softened by warmer furnishings and locally connected details, creating rooms that feel collected rather than rigidly period styled.
The renovation preserves the vaulted lobby and restored façade while introducing a four-storey light court and grand staircase. Natural marble floors, patterned wallcoverings, vintage and contemporary furniture, and local artwork bring colour and texture into the public spaces.
The adaptive reuse keeps the building’s original scale visible. Historic elements frame the experience, while the new light court draws daylight through the interior and gives the communal areas a more open character.
Rooms range from bunkrooms to a presidential suite
Cincinnati’s Fidelity Hotel has 165 guest rooms, including 17 suites, two bunkrooms and the Alice Presidential Suite. The latter includes separate living and dining areas, making it the most spacious option for entertaining or an extended city stay.
The rooms carry the downstairs residential feel forward, combining polished finishes with everyday conveniences. Available amenities include locally sourced minibars, Parachute bathrobes, premium bath products and in-room dining, and the hotel’s 24-hour fitness centre comes with Peloton, CLMBR and FORME Life machines.
The two bunkrooms offer an unusual alternative for friends or families travelling together. The larger suites provide more space within the building’s limestone-washed tower.
Gwynne draws on Ohio River Valley cooking
Gwynne, the hotel’s signature American restaurant and lobby bar, is led by chef Brad Bernstein and takes its cues from Midwestern food traditions. Seasonal ingredients and regional producers shape a menu connected to the Ohio River Valley, with references to Cincinnati’s former importance as a pork-packing centre.
That history appears directly at weekend brunch through Porkopolis goetta sausage. Goetta, closely associated with Cincinnati, combines meat with grain and reflects the cooking traditions of the city’s German immigrant communities.
Gwynne’s lounge serves breakfast and lunch each day, while the main dining room opens for dinner and weekend brunch. Its setting is intended to work for hotel guests and local diners, with the lobby bar providing a less formal option throughout the day.
The cocktail menu follows the story of Alice Claypoole Gwynne Vanderbilt and her journey from Cincinnati into one of America’s most prominent families. The Gwynne Heiress combines single-barrel bourbon with black cherry, finished with tobacco bitters. Garden Secrets takes a fresher direction, bringing tomato liqueur and aperitivo elements to a gin base.
Cora’s All Day Café changes with the hour
Cora’s All Day Café, a neighbourhood-inspired café and market within the hotel, offers a casual counterpart to Gwynne. Mornings begin with speciality coffee and house-made pastries, alongside a broader breakfast menu.
Later in the day, the selection shifts towards sandwiches, salads, charcuterie and local beer, with wine also available. The coffee programme includes beans from Cincinnati roaster Urbana, while an evening drink called the Over-The-Rhine references one of the city’s best-known neighbourhoods.
A small retail section carries local goods and artwork alongside Fidelity single-origin coffee. The market section connects visitors with Cincinnati makers and supports Cora’s role as an informal meeting place for guests and residents.
Every booked night supports 1001 Colors
Through its Community Love initiative, the hotel will donate $10 from every booked night to 1001 Colors, the Cincinnati arts nonprofit formerly known as ArtWorks.
The organisation adopted its new name in June 2026 after more than 30 years in the city. Its work includes over 400 murals and more than 14,000 creative projects, which have employed upwards of 8,000 artists.
The name originated with a hand-painted 1000 & 1 Colors sign discovered during renovation of the nonprofit’s campus. Dating to the former Bolce Paint Company, the sign had survived there since 1909.
The hotel also displays artwork by local creatives throughout its interiors. The nightly donation and interior artwork give Cincinnati’s artistic community a visible presence within the property.
A central base for downtown Cincinnati
For private gatherings, Cincinnati’s Fidelity Hotel offers more than 7,770 square feet of meeting and event space. The 2,575-square-foot Vanderbilt Ballroom is the largest venue, with floor-to-ceiling windows that create a bright backdrop for weddings and business events.
The Fountain District location places guests close to Fountain Square and several of downtown’s main cultural and sporting venues. Great American Ball Park and Paycor Stadium are nearby, as are the Aronoff Center for the Arts, Contemporary Arts Center and Taft Museum.
Cincinnati’s Fidelity Hotel is now accepting reservations through the official hotel website.
