TL;DR

New opening: in late 2023, already iconic to Franklinton
Contemporary style: with leather couches and central fireplace
Relaxed vibe: with library and calm rooftop bar
Larger size: at 198 rooms but still cozy common spaces
Check prices here

This Franklinton, Columbus hotel is the place to be if you want to be west of the Scioto.

Only opening in late 2023, it already somehow feels quite emblematic of the neighborhood.

Franklinton is a cool, boxy zone, dominated by one of Columbus’ main attractions: the Center of Science and Industry (COSI).

The Junto is a decidedly contemporary hotel, but there’s a mature charm to the leather couches and central fireplace.

There’s a library, and even the rooftop bar has a certain calm ease to it, tailor-made for soft evenings with the city spread out in front of you.

Common areas are cozy and welcoming, even if, with 198 rooms, this hotel is a bit bigger than we usually like them.

What are the rooms like?

Number of rooms: 198
Trendy interiors: with wood, nooks, and youthful design
Range of options: from bunks to suites with terraces
Spacious layout: with no room under 280 sq ft
Extras included: like TVs with Netflix, mini fridges, blackout curtains
See each room in detail here

Rooms are the super cool kind of cute you’d find in the apartment of your childhood friend, who now masterminds an organic snack startup.

From the window nooks to the buttery wood to the copy of “No Idea is Final” in place of the Bible, there’s definitely a posh young money vibe.

Standard rooms are King Singles and Queen Doubles, with ADA options and a good number of unique other options.

One is a bunk room, perfect for families, others suites ranging from studio-style to one bedrooms with sofa beds.

Extra amenities include soaking tubs, private terraces, dining rooms, and more.

No room or suite is under 280 square feet, meaning all guests should have enough space to spread out.

But if you and your partner need some space, we’d spring for the Executive King in lieu of the Classic.

Whatever you choose, you’ll enjoy nicely sized TVs with Netflix, mini fridges, blackout curtains, and coffee & tea capabilities with snacks.

What are prices like?

Check prices here

And what’s the food like? Any facilities we should know about?

Café Maudines: for grab & go breakfast and coffee
Trade Room: offering casual meals by day, cocktails by night
Rooftop bar: Brass Eye with superb skyline views
Little West Tavern: for beer, hearth, and good company
24-hour fitness: plus outdoor river activities

There are plenty of options for a hungry traveler, starting with a grab & go breakfast and/or coffee at Maudines.

This cute café is all black and white tile and expertly crafted lattes. Pastries are fresh baked and if you sit down at the Trade Room you can snag a warm plate of eggs and bacon.

By night (or, really, evening), The Trade Room transforms into an intimate bar/restaurant made for gossiping in the corner over classic bar fare or testing the cocktail menu before a night out.

For the wow factor, head upstairs to the Brass Eye, The Junto’s rooftop bar.

The vibe here is understated, they’re happy to let the skyline speak for itself. The view is superb, and the drinks well-made.

Finally, it is Columbus, and we’d be damned if we didn’t tell you where to catch a game.

The Little West Tavern is the place to get beers and enjoy both the wood-hearth and the great company.

Our active guests have plenty to enjoy as well. The 24-hour fitness center is just one place to start, followed by a litany of options that will help you get the most out of proximity to the river.

How is the neighborhood? Anything interesting nearby?

Great views: of Downtown across the Scioto River
Complimentary tickets: available for COSI museum
Nearby attractions: like Veterans Memorial and local breweries
Easy walk: to Downtown in 10 minutes
German Village: and Short North reachable by foot or short drive

Franklinton is basically East Downtown, Columbus, the newer side of the Scioto River.

This makes for killer views of the city center, and plenty of riverside walking areas. Genoa Park, for example, is just a 10-minute walk from the hotel.

The most obvious attraction is, of course, the Center of Science and Industry (COSI). Your booking includes two complimentary tickets to COSI, if you request it.

It’s one of the top museums in the city, and definitely worth a visit. The National Veterans Memorial and Museum is a lovely piece of architecture not far from the hotel.

Other than the obvious, you’re looking at a handful of cool bars, including multiple breweries.

It’s also a super-quick walk into Downtown, just 10 minutes across the bridge.

If you want to go deeper in, perhaps to the Columbus Art Museum, you might want a car, but it’s only about a half-hour on foot.

There are better art museums in the state (looking at you, Cleveland), but there’s a nice little collection and a bunch of other small museums & historical buildings around.

German Village is another half-hour walk, perfect for some window (or real) shopping. There are antique shops, plenty of used bookstores, and the odd posh boutique.

For university business, you could be closer. It’s an easy drive, however, less than ten minutes to the heart of campus.

You’ll pass through Short North, the modern, hip shopping district, to get there.

And what about the reviews? What did other guests think?

Some things guests liked:

”Staying at this hotel provides a very fun and unique experience. You are definitely paying for the location and the vibes, however the nuts-and-bolts aspects of the hotel itself are very high quality, i.e., room service, shower amenities, etc. The coffee shop located within the hotel has absolutely PHENOMENAL coffee. Wonderful lounge area that is bustling with people. Was just under 20 minutes walking distance to Nationwide Arena, perfect for concert-going stays. Tip: Park at the garage across the street for significantly cheaper for up to 24 hours at a time, ideal for one-night stay. Overall, would absolutely stay here again, very fun experience….”

”Fantastic Experience. The location and service was excellent. As a European, the bland and tasteless American drip coffee is not what I look forward to. The coffee in the coffee shop and the overall vibe of the place is great – would definitely recommend….”

Some things guests didn’t like:

”The coffee! Could you please try a different bean that’s not as BITTER and oily…maybe strong? But usually love strong coffee, but something is off about it. Get queezy and shaky from it….Something is not up to standards….”

”The pillows are not great and left all 6 adults with sore necks. Rooms are pricey for being pretty basic. But again, very clean….”

Read all the reviews right here