The mixed valent Ce-based compound, CeRhIn, is found to absorb hydrogen and form two distinct hydride phases, CeRhInH_x with x = 0.55 and 1.58. The x =  0.55 hydride retains the hexagonal structure of the parent compound. The x = 1.58 hydride also has the hexagonal phase but contains an orthorhombic phase as well in nearly equal proportions. The higher hydride is found to be relatively unstable and transforms to the x =  0.55 phase in a short time. Magnetization studies reveal that Ce ions continue to be in a mixed valent state in the x = 0.55 hydride. The susceptibility of the x = 1.58 sample exhibits Curie–Weiss behavior between 40 and 330 K with μ_eff =  2.25 μ_B and θ_P = – 92 K indicating the formation of nearly trivalent Ce ions in this hydride phase. It is suggested that hydrogenation results in increased d-band occupancy of Rh, due to partial transfer of electrons from hydrogen. This, in turn, results in decreased hybridization between Ce 4f electrons and those on the neighboring atoms, and a consequent shift of the valence of Ce towards 3+.