A few years ago, Lori Frischer was searching Cincinnati for the perfect venue for her daughter Elle’s Bat Mitzvah. She didn’t have to look far to find it — the Renaissance Cincinnati Downtown Hotel.
Frischer works as a Managing Director for Wealth and Asset Management at Fifth Third Bank, and the Renaissance Hotel building was a predecessor bank to Fifth Third.
“The party room is an old bank lobby, which brings a lot of character,” says Frischer, who also appreciated that the space offered the ability to accommodate many guests. Because more than half of their 200 guests were coming from out of town, she wanted to provide them with a memorable Cincinnati experience, and the Renaissance fit the bill.
“The service team and staff were extremely professional and were there to take care of every single want and need you can possibly imagine,” says Frischer. She could not have been more pleased with how her daughter’s Bat Mitzvah party turned out. So when her son, Cal, needed a place for his Bar Mitzvah in April 2022, the Frischers again began thinking about where to host the party following the ceremony at the historic Plum Street Temple.
“Even though I loved the Renaissance, I shopped around a bit,” says Frischer.
However, after talking to her event planner, Chrissie Blatt, she realized the Renaissance venue really couldn’t be beaten. “Chrissie said that knowing our expectations, I wouldn’t be happy going anywhere else,” Frischer says.
Blatt notes that from a design perspective, the Renaissance is the right fit for this type of party because the space is versatile.
“The juxtaposition of the gorgeous architecture and gilded items mixed in with the youthful vibe gives it so much energy,” says Blatt. “Plus, from an event planning perspective, there’s no one else that is as easy to work with and more accommodating as far as being prepared, responsive and responsible. The day we set up for the mitzvah, literally an entire team marched in with the chargers, the chairs and the napkins and asked how I wanted them folded. I think that level of service and attention to detail really can’t be found anywhere else in the city.”
It Starts With a Sneaker
For Elle’s Bat Mitzvah celebration, the vibe was more traditional, but for Cal’s shindig, he wanted an edgier street vibe. The Renaissance achieved that cool ambiance by working with the audiovisual team to set up the proper lighting and the DJ to mesh the music and entertainment with the energetic atmosphere.
“Cal was very involved in the planning, and he knew exactly what he wanted,” Frischer says. “He’s a pretty sporty kid, and his friends are sporty, too. He’s into sneaker collecting, so we used that as a theme. With Chrissie’s help, we took it to the next level.”
They invited all the guests to wear sneakers to the party, which helped set the mood. Upon arrival, everyone received a shoebox filled with color-coordinated favorite snacks of Cal’s.
As with Elle’s party in 2018, several guests were not locals, so the family wanted to provide an outstanding weekend experience.
“If people made this trip, we wanted it to be hassle-free with no added stress,” Frischer says. “Guests could come straight from the airport to the Renaissance and not even need a car.”
Everyone enjoyed it — particularly the man of the hour.
“Coming out of COVID, Cal wanted a party. We all did!” Frischer says.
“As a parent, the thing you love about the day is watching your kid,” she says. “Obviously, a bar mitzvah is not about the party but the rite of passage and the ceremony that happens, but the celebration is also important. To see an ear-to-ear grin on your kid’s face, to not hear from him one time over a four-hour long party, and to get a genuine thank you from him at the end of the evening — well, there’s not much more that a parent can ask for than that.”
Can the Renaissance Cincinnati Downtown Hotel throw you a perfect wedding reception, party or corporate event? Call them at 513-333-0000 or email tracy.hartman@renaissancecincinnati.com for more information.