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Upscale Hotels
All of Cleveland's downtown upscale hotels are virtually interchangeable. All have excellent rooms and health and fitness centers and, with the exception of the Ritz-Carlton, the rates are all fairly competitive.
The main difference among the upscale hotels is the restaurants. The restaurants at the Renaissance and the Ritz-Carlton give those hotels a slight advantage over the other downtown Cleveland upscale hotels.
Renaissance
Cleveland Hotel Located right in the heart of Public Square,
the Renaissance Cleveland Hotel is a throwback to the grand
hotels of the early 20th century. This hotel boasts 491 rooms,
a fitness center, one of the best restaurants in Cleveland
(Sans Souci), an indoor pool, and a huge formal lobby with a
lot of marble and a piano bar. The hotel is connected to Tower
City, an upscale shopping mall that hosts a Hard Rock Cafe,
Morton's Steakhouse and ten cinemas. There is also an
underground tunnel in Tower City to both Progressive Field and Quicken Loans Arena and a rapid transit stop that can take you to and from
Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. The hotel and Sans
Souci each received four diamonds from AAA.
Ritz-Carlton Hotel
The Ritz-Carlton is located on the third level of The Avenue
at Tower City and so it enjoys all the same advantages of the
Renaissance Cleveland Hotel. The restaurant at the Ritz, the
Riverview Room, is an upscale, white glove restaurant. The
food and service are both great, but the atmosphere is stuffy.
There are 208 guestrooms and 22 suites. Each guest room has a
marble bathroom, twice daily maid service, computer modem
capabilities and the famous Ritz-Carlton terry cloth
bathrobes. The hotel has a fitness center, an indoor pool and
massage therapy (by appointment only). The Ritz-Carlton
received four diamonds from AAA and four stars from Mobil. A
bit more expensive than the Renaissance, but isn't a sure
thing from your date worth a couple of extra bucks?
Cleveland Marriott at Key Center
The Cleveland Marriott offers 400 guest rooms located just
north of Public Square. The hotel is fairly new and still
looks it. If you are a fitness nut, you may want to stay at
the Marriott. It boasts a private health club (more than just
a fitness center) for use by hotel guests. It also has an
indoor pool. The restaurant at the Marriott, David's, is not
nearly as good as the offerings at the Renaissance or the
Ritz-Carlton, but Frank & Pauly's, an Italian restaurant,
is located just across the street from the hotel. Three
diamonds from AAA.
Hyatt Regency
This hotel is located in the beautifully restored Arcade, an historic landmark in the heart of Downtown Cleveland.
Wyndham Cleveland Hotel at Playhouse Square
As its name suggests, the Wyndham is located across the street
from Playhouse Square. If being near Playhouse Square is
important to you, then this is where you should stay.
Otherwise, we would suggest the Renaissance, the Ritz-Carlton
or the Marriott. The Wyndham has 205 rooms. Amenities include
a pool, a spa and an exercise facility as well as a restaurant
and lounge.
Omni International Hotel
The Omni is located near the Cleveland Clinic about fifteen
minutes from Downtown Cleveland. It is not in a very pretty
neighborhood so unless you have business at the Clinic or in
the nearby University Circle area there is no reason to stay
at the Omni. Having said that, the Omni is a first class hotel
with 300 rooms and a health club.
Mario's International Spa and Hotel
This hotel is located in Aurora, Ohio, about thirty minutes
southeast of downtown Cleveland. Mario's Spa is a nationally
recognized spa facility that was named one of the ten best day
spas in America in a Conde Nast readers' poll. The restaurant
serving the hotel is more than adequate.
If you are looking for a romantic weekend, check into Mario's. Geauga Lake Amusement Park (soon to be Six Flags of Ohio) and Sea World of Ohio are located minutes away from Mario's.
Glidden House
The Glidden House is a 60-room hotel/bed and breakfast located
in the University Circle area, an area that encompasses Case
Western Reserve University, University Hospital, Severance
Hall and the Cleveland Museum of Art. Glidden House is located
directly across from Case Western Reserve University's School
of Law. No health club or fitness room and no restaurant,
although breakfast is served to hotel guests.
That Place on Bellflower, an upscale restaurant, is located directly behind Glidden House and Sergio's, an informal restaurant that serves lunch and dinner is located right next door.
Baricelli Inn
The Baricelli Inn is located in an old greystone mansion in Cleveland's Little Italy neighborhood. It is known more as an
upscale Italian restaurant than a hotel, but it does have
seven rooms each with a private bath. The Little Italy area
abuts the University Circle Area and is approximately 25
minutes from downtown Cleveland.
Little Italy is filled with great Italian restaurants and art shops. Breakfast is served to hotel guests in the main dining room.
Second-Tier Hotels
If you are on a budget, check out of the hotels listed below. The bad news is that downtown Cleveland does not have many choices in the moderate and budget hotel category. The good news is that the upscale hotels don't cost that much more if you are willing to stretch a little.
Embassy Suites Hotel
The Embassy Suites Hotel has 268 rooms, a health club, a pool,
a restaurant and is located in a building that has a
full-service grocery store. If you are in Cleveland for an
extended stay, the Embassy Suites is not a bad option. This is
probably the best of the second tier hotels. It is located on
East 12th Street, which is only a couple of blocks from the
main downtown business district.
Radisson Hotels Gateway
Located across from Quicken Loans Arena and Progressive Field you'll find a
pretty basic Radisson Hotel with 142 rooms. Several bars and
restaurants (most notably, The Winking Lizard) are located
within a very short walking distance. Good place to stay if
you are in to catch a Tribe game on a weekend, but its
location is not ideal for business travelers. Has a fitness
room.
Hampton Inn
For those of you on a budget, consider staying at the Hampton
Inn. Its East 9th Street location makes it a convenient place
to stay for Browns' games and visits to the Rock & Roll
Hall of Fame. Because it is only a couple of years old, it is
in good shape and not a bad choice if you are watching
dollars.
Holiday Inn Lakeside
If everything else is booked, try the Holiday Inn
Lakeside. It is not very conveniently located (unless you are
going to a Browns' game or the Rock Hall) and it is a Holiday
Inn. Enough said.
Airport & East Side Hotels
If you need an airport hotel, try the Marriott (216-252-5333) or Sheraton (216-267-1500). The Sheraton is the only hotel actually located on premises at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.
Cleveland's eastern suburbs of Beachwood and Mayfield Heights are home to a number of large corporations. The major chain hotels serve these suburbs. If you need a hotel in one of those areas, you can try the Marriott (216-464-5950) or the Radisson (216-831-5150).
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