Versatile Spaces and Unparalleled Potential

The Renaissance Cincinnati Downtown Hotel is a unique space that embodies Cincinnati as a city. On the outside, the building resembles many other downtown structures, from its architecture to its history, but the inside of the building is as diverse and attractive as the Queen City itself. 

Designed by architect Daniel Burnham and built in the early 1900s, the building has changed owners many times over the years. But no location has made such extensive and successful use of its beauty and potential as Renaissance Hotel. The building successfully marries modern design elements and amenities with the breathtaking, historical art deco stylings of the original structure. Because of the building’s versatility and its wealth of attractive and updated spaces, the hotel is the perfect location to host any event, from weddings to corporate luncheons to lecture presentations. 

The crown jewel of the hotel, and the most popular space for weddings, is historic Burnham Hall. With its high ceilings, majestic pillars and upper-floor balcony space, it’s a versatile room that can meet the needs of any large event. Historically, the room served as the bank lobby for Union Trust when the building was originally constructed, and today it is as lovely and functional as it was back then. 

"The Burnham Hall ballroom is what makes us special and unique," says Heather Paparella, director of catering for Renaissance Cincinnati Downtown Hotel. "It boasts a 40-foot-tall arch dome ceiling with beautiful, intricate architectural details. The space really allows our brides to feel like a princess on their dream day." 

One dream day recently hosted in this space was the wedding of Holly Burke and Matt Koczak. On August 29, the two celebrated their reception with family and friends under the ornate, arched ceiling of the ballroom.

"Holly’s colors were pastel pinks, pastel blues and gold – she was truly a modern-classic bride," says Paparella. "Throughout the entire planning, their vision was very elegant, yet simple." And ‘simple’ works in a ballroom so full of architectural detail, though the couple was still able to bring their own inspiration, décor and magic to the room to celebrate their big day. Serenaded by Second Wind Band, the two shared their first dance as husband and wife in the perfect setting. 

But it’s not just couples looking for a spectacular wedding reception that find the hotel to be perfect for their event. There are a multitude of spaces within the hotel that function perfectly for different corporate events, from large banquets to intimate board meetings. With the hotel’s first-class guest rooms and suites just an elevator ride away, it’s perfect for hosting business associates from out of town as well. 

"We work to make sure the total experience is perfect for any event," says Keoni Christensen, general manager of Renaissance Cincinnati Downtown Hotel. "The ballroom is a very unique setting – it’s not a traditional banquet space." He adds that people sometimes assume that because the building is historical, rooms may be outdated or cramped, which is not the case. Guest rooms are large, bright and welcoming while event spaces range from the cozy and intimate to the grand magnitude of the ballroom. 

Mercy Health hosted their Angels Among Us awards dinner in the ballroom last spring. The event was quite the grand production, featuring a performance by Grammy award-winning singer Amy Grant. More than 600 people attended the event, filling the entire ballroom, including the upper balcony wings.

"Logistically, that was a challenge for us to figure out," says Christensen. "But it was very interesting to see the event come together. They brought in their own outside vision on how to use the space, which always offers new ideas and helps us to envision what we can best do to bring everything together."

Whether the event is a wedding, a fundraiser or a small-scale corporate planning meeting, Renaissance Cincinnati Downtown Hotel has unique spaces and customization options to make it perfect for your event. 

The Renaissance Cincinnati Downtown Hotel is located at 36 East Fourth Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202. You can reach them at 513.333.0000 or visit their website at www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/cvgbr-renaissance-cincinnati-downtown-hotel/.