<PAGE>   1

                        SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                 FORM 10-K/A

               ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
                          SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 For the Fiscal Year ended December 31, 1996  Commission file number 001-11975

                              BOYKIN LODGING COMPANY
              (EXACT NAME OF REGISTRANT AS SPECIFIED IN ITS CHARTER)

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<S>                                                   <C>
                    Ohio                                               34-1824586
--------------------------------------------          --------------------------------------------
      (State or Other Jurisdiction of                     (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
       Incorporation or Organization)

Terminal Tower, Suite 1500, 50 Public Square                             44113
--------------------------------------------          --------------------------------------------
  (Address of Principal Executive Office)                              (Zip Code)

                                          (216) 241-6375
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                       (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)
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Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

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<CAPTION>
             TITLE OF CLASS                        NAME OF EXCHANGE ON WHICH REGISTERED
    ---------------------------------              -------------------------------------
    <S>                                            <C>
    Common Shares, Without Par Value               New York Stock Exchange
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Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:  None

     Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports to
be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during
the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was
required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing
requirements for the past 90 days.  Yes [X]  No [ ]

     Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item
405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the
best of registrant's knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements
incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this
Form 10-K.  [ ]

 State the aggregate market value of the voting stock held by nonaffiliates of
                                the Registrant:

            $217,669,644 computed based on the closing price of the
                       Common Shares on March 20, 1997.

  The number of Common Shares, without par value, outstanding as of March 20,
                                1997: 9,516,251

                     DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE:

Definitive Proxy Statement for the Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held May
6, 1997, into Part III, Items 10, 11, 12, and 13.
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                                   SIGNATURES

     PURSUANT TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE SECURITIES
EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934, THE REGISTRANT HAS DULY CAUSED THIS REPORT TO BE SIGNED ON
ITS BEHALF BY THE UNDERSIGNED, THEREUNTO DULY AUTHORIZED.

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  <S>                                         <C>
  March 28, 1997                              BOYKIN LODGING COMPANY
                                              By: /s/ Robert W. Boykin
                                              -----------------------------------------------
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     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this
report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the
registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

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  <S>                                         <C>
  March 28, 1997                              /s/ ROBERT W. BOYKIN
                                              -----------------------------------------------
                                              Robert W. Boykin
                                              Director, Chairman of the Board,
                                              President and Chief Executive Officer
                                              Principal Executive Officer)

  March 28, 1997                              /s/ RAYMOND P. HEITLAND
                                              -----------------------------------------------
                                              Raymond P. Heitland
                                              Director, Chief Financial Officer
                                              (Principal Accounting Officer)

  March 28, 1997                              /s/ IVAN J. WINFIELD
                                              -----------------------------------------------
                                              Ivan J. Winfield
                                              Director

  March 28, 1997                              /s/ LEE C. HOWLEY, JR.
                                              -----------------------------------------------
                                              Lee C. Howley, Jr.
                                              Director

  March 28, 1997                              /s/ FRANK E. MOSIER
                                              -----------------------------------------------
                                              Frank E. Mosier
                                              Director

  March 28, 1997
                                              -----------------------------------------------
                                              William N. Hulett III
                                              Director

  March 28, 1997                              /s/ ALBERT T. ADAMS
                                              -----------------------------------------------
                                              Albert T. Adams
                                              Director
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                                       23
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                                 EXHIBIT INDEX

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<CAPTION>
                                                                                     SEQUENTIALLY
                                                                                       NUMBERED
                                         EXHIBIT                                        PAGES
                                                                                     ------------
<S>     <C>                                                                          <C>
 3.1    Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation                                    *
 3.2    Code of Regulations                                                               *
 4.1    Specimen Share Certificate                                                        *
10.1    Limited Partnership Agreement of Boykin Hotel Properties, L.P.                    *
10.2    Form of Registration Rights Agreement                                             *
10.3    Long-Term Incentive Plan                                                          *
10.4    Directors' Deferred Compensation Plan                                             *
10.5    Employment Agreement between the Company and Robert W. Boykin                     *
10.6    Employment Agreement between the Company and Raymond P. Heitland                  *
10.7    Employment Agreement between the Company and Mark L. Bishop                       *
10.8    Form of Percentage Lease                                                          *
10.9    Intercompany Convertible Note                                                     *
10.10   Agreements with General Partners of the Contributed Partnerships                  *
10.11   Form of Noncompetition Agreement                                                  *
10.12   Alignment of Interests Agreement                                                  *
11      Statement re Computation of Per Share Earnings
21      Subsidiaries of the Registrant
27      Financial Data Schedules
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---------------

* Incorporated by reference from Amendment No. 3 to the Company's registration
  statement on Form S-11 (Registration No. 333-6341) (the "Form S-11") filed on
  October 24, 1996. Each of the above exhibits has the same exhibit number in
  the Form S-11.