New hotels in Columbus

Columbus has spent the past several years building hotel rooms by the thousand, but almost all of that growth has come from suburban select-service chains lining the interstates. Only two properties in the city itself meet a higher bar in the 2020s: The Junto, an independent lifestyle hotel built from scratch on the Scioto Peninsula, and AC Hotel Columbus Downtown, an upscale Marriott flag carved into the historic North Market district. Both opened within the same two-year window and both bet on neighborhoods — Franklinton and North Market — that Columbus was actively trying to revive, making them useful markers of where the city's center of gravity is shifting.

What to do

A weekend in Columbus

Base yourself downtown or in North Market so you can walk to the Short North's gallery-lined High Street, the Scioto Mile riverfront park, and North Market itself for lunch. On day two, cross the river into Franklinton to see COSI, the science museum, and the Peninsula development around The Junto, then loop back through the Arena District before an evening at Nationwide Arena or a game at Huntington Park. Two days is enough to cover downtown, North Market and the Scioto Peninsula without feeling rushed.

A full week

With more time, add German Village's brick sidewalks and Schiller Park, the Brewery District's bars and breweries, the Short North's full gallery-hop circuit on a First Friday, and a day trip out to Ohio State University's campus area. A week also gives room to properly explore Franklinton beyond the Peninsula — its warehouse-district art studios and the 400 West Rich creative campus — and to take in a Columbus Crew match or a concert at one of downtown's venues.

Neighborhoods

Downtown

Columbus's civic and business core, home to the Statehouse, the convention center and most of the city's high-rise hotel stock, including the large Hilton Columbus Downtown convention hotel. Neither tracked hotel sits squarely in this core, though AC Hotel Columbus Downtown is only a few blocks away at its northern edge.

North Market / Arena District

The area where AC Hotel Columbus Downtown opened in June 2021, built into a preserved row of historic North Market buildings a short walk from Nationwide Arena, Huntington Park and the Arena District's restaurants and bars. It's the most central of the two tracked hotels and the best base for events at the arena or convention center.

Short North Arts District

Columbus's gallery and boutique strip along North High Street, dense with restaurants, bars and independent shops, and effectively next door to AC Hotel Columbus Downtown, which sits at the seam between the Short North and North Market. No tracked hotel is inside the Short North itself.

Franklinton / Scioto Peninsula

A long-overlooked, flood-prone neighborhood just west of downtown that the city has spent years trying to redevelop; The Junto opened here in June 2023 as the anchor hotel of the new Peninsula mixed-use project beside COSI. It's the only tracked hotel on this side of the river, and it doubles as a bet that Franklinton's arts and warehouse-district scene will keep growing.

German Village

A meticulously preserved 19th-century brick neighborhood just south of downtown, known for its restaurants, bookshops and Schiller Park. No tracked hotel is located here; visitors typically stay downtown or at North Market and walk or drive in.

Brewery District

A small entertainment district of bars and breweries adjoining German Village and downtown, popular for a night out but without any hotel of its own among the properties tracked here.

Which hotel for your trip

Business travelers and convention-goers

AC Hotel Columbus Downtown is the practical choice: it's a short walk from the Greater Columbus Convention Center and Arena District, and its brand-standard AC Hotels format (fast Wi-Fi, a straightforward workday breakfast at AC Kitchen, an easy rooftop bar for after-hours meetings) is built for efficient business stays.

Design and architecture fans

Both hotels reward a look. AC Hotel Columbus Downtown is a genuine adaptive-reuse project, its guest floors set back above restored historic North Market facades. The Junto goes further, commissioning a full architectural and branding concept from JNS Architecture + Interior Design and OMFGCo built around Franklinton's own history.

Travelers who want a scene, not just a room

The Junto's Trade Room lobby, rooftop Brass Eye bar and lifestyle-curator programming (trade talks, foraging outings) are designed for guests who want to linger downstairs, not just sleep upstairs — a different proposition from AC Hotel's more conventional public spaces.

First-time visitors wanting a central base

AC Hotel Columbus Downtown's location at the crossroads of the Short North, North Market and the Arena District makes it the easier walk-everywhere option for a first visit to Columbus.

Visitors prioritizing Franklinton and the riverfront

Anyone planning to spend real time at COSI, the Scioto Mile or Franklinton's arts scene will find The Junto the only tracked hotel on that side of the river, putting them steps from the Peninsula's restaurants and the riverfront path.

Frequently asked questions

What are the newest notable hotels in Columbus, Ohio?

The two hotels tracked here are The Junto, an independent lifestyle hotel that opened in June 2023 in Franklinton, and AC Hotel Columbus Downtown, an upscale Marriott property that opened in June 2021 in the North Market district.

Is The Junto in downtown Columbus?

Not exactly — it's in Franklinton, on the Scioto Peninsula just west of the Scioto River, a short walk or drive from downtown proper via the Main Street or Broad Street bridges.

Which hotel is closer to the Greater Columbus Convention Center and Arena District?

AC Hotel Columbus Downtown, which sits at 517 Park Street on the edge of North Market, within easy walking distance of both.

Was AC Hotel Columbus Downtown a new building or a renovation?

Neither in the usual sense: it's an adaptive reuse of a row of historic North Market buildings that had never previously operated as a hotel, with new guest-room floors and a rooftop bar built above the restored historic facades.

Does The Junto have a spa?

No spa is advertised at the property; its amenities center on food and beverage (up to nine outlets), a fitness center, a gear-rental garage and extensive meeting and event space.

Which of the two hotels is better for a longer, week-long stay in Columbus?

It depends on priorities: AC Hotel Columbus Downtown's central location suits travelers who want to walk to the Short North, North Market and the Arena District daily, while The Junto suits those planning to spend meaningful time in Franklinton and along the Scioto riverfront.