Aimbridge Hospitality has assumed management of The Westin Cincinnati and has been selected as the future operator of the Cincinnati Downtown Marriott, expanding its partnership with real estate investment, development and management firm Portman.
The agreement adds The Westin Cincinnati, a 456-key hotel on Fountain Square, to Aimbridge’s portfolio while positioning the company to operate the Cincinnati Downtown Marriott, a 700-key hotel now under construction as part of the city’s $828 million Convention District redevelopment project.
“These properties represent exactly the type of complex, large-scale hospitality assets Aimbridge is built to operate,” Chris Tatum, president of Aimbridge Hospitality’s Full Service Division, said in a statement. “Running an established downtown hotel while preparing to open a landmark development requires deep operational expertise, and we are proud Portman trusted us with both.”
Tatum said that Aimbridge looks forward to driving results at The Westin Cincinnati while preparing for the opening of the Cincinnati Downtown Marriott.
Portman acquired The Westin Cincinnati in 2025 as its first hotel investment and has announced plans to begin renovations at the property next year. Located in the heart of downtown Cincinnati, the hotel serves convention, business and leisure travelers and provides access to the city’s entertainment and event venues.
Construction of the Cincinnati Downtown Marriott began in July 2026. When completed, the hotel will include 700 guestrooms, 60,000 square feet of meeting space and a 17,000-square-foot events terrace. Earlier this year, the project secured $540 million in financing. Aimbridge is participating as an equity partner in addition to serving as the hotel’s future operator.
“Cincinnati demonstrates both sides of our hospitality strategy: repositioning a well-located hotel on Fountain Square and developing the hotel that will anchor the city’s new Convention District,” said Kaunteya Chitnis, managing director of hospitality for Portman. “We are excited to partner with Aimbridge as the operator for both hotels during the Westin renovation and the Marriott opening.”
Both hotels are located in Cincinnati’s central business district. The Westin Cincinnati is two blocks from the First Financial Center, while the Cincinnati Downtown Marriott will connect to the complex via a skybridge, providing direct access to convention and exhibition space expected to generate future group demand.