Embassy Suites Cleveland Downtown

Upon arrival at the hotel, the place looked beautiful.... then we waited for the elevator to take us to our floor.... and waited.... almost 10 minutes later, the elevator whisked us away to our $150 a night room. By the way, the wait for the elevator was the same each time we used it... about 6 times between Friday and Saturday.

After unloading our bags, my girlfriend made a trip to the bathroom... a bathroom complete with un-flushed toilet paper, and pube hairs on the toilet seat.

We decided to order some food... 2 cold sandwiches to be exact, which took over an hour to arrive.

While waiting for the food, we decided to relax on the couch and watch some television, when we realized we were sitting in someone else's unwanted children. A call to the front desk did nothing, but we were reassured that our food would be there shortly.... I could only hope that the person responsible for cleaning our room was also working in the kitchen preparing our sandwiches.

Would I recommend this hotel to anyone else?

Only if they have a fetish for slow elevators, poor service and sexed up couches....

My family of 4 stayed in a block of rooms reserved by our swim team.

The Bad:

The bedroom was poor--small with double beds--no one can sleep with another person in a bed that small (and we're not big people). There was only one lamp in the whole room (the wall switch seemed to turn on nothing), the alarm clock was 2 hours slow (and couldn't be changed without a maintenance person, which we requested but never got (he came while we were out and must have forgotten the clock although he did remember to oil the bathroom door as requested. It squeaked so loudly it had awakened everyone whenever it was closed the night before). The hallway bathroom door needed maintenance, as it wouldn't close unless you leaned on it.

The living area was ridiculously large (it looked like something big had been removed and there was this overabundance of empty floor space). The fabric on the sofa and chair were like sitting on plastic. The sleep sofa was unbelievably uncomfortable (my teen ended up putting the mattress on the floor the second night)

The charges for parking ($10 each time you go in or out OR $18 for valet plus tips each time you go in or out), plus $9.95 each day for internet access caused our total bill to really add up (over $175 daily before tips--this compared to the Marriott around the block that our friends got the same weekend for $89+tax/day (albiet not a suite) with free parking & internet). There is a free shuttle, but it is small and took almost an hour start to finish to go less than a mile (we walked the next time). The pool was cloudy and over-chlorinated so the whole 7th floor (where our room was) smelled. The vending machine was empty (even on Friday when we checked in) so we drank funky-tasting tap water.

Our team dinner that was held in a rented room was mediocre and overpriced ($18 for anyone over age 10 for pasta, meatballs, bread, salad, cookies & pop).

The Good: The room was clean--the maids are doing a good job. Even the carpets were clean. The hotel is quiet, especially when you turn the continuous fan on high for white noise. The valet, bartender & food staff were amazingly good--really heads-up and friendly. The breakfast was good (includes an omelet bar). The plasma screens (one in each room) were good. The kitchenette is very handy.

So I thought I'd take the family to Cleveland to visit the Rock HOF and a few other places. Since I also stay at Embassy Suites when traveling on work I thought that all Embassy Suites would be the same - both look and service wise.

I was wrong.

If you are expecting the regular Embassy Suites model then you are in for a big surprise. First if you are expecting the large open atrium setting like all other Embassy Suites - at least that I have been to - forget it. There is no such thing. This more like your typical downtown hotel with a hotel built into an office building. No open atrium and the like that you may be used to.

Ok - the service and amenities. Where do I begin. We were a little early for check in and the room was not ready - no problem - except the room did not become ready to well after check in time. Then the clerk gave us a gift certificate for some place that is about 20 blocks from the hotel. No problem - we can drive there - but only if we pay the $10 fee the adjacent parking lot charges every time you leave the parking garage.

Next the amenities. The pool is cold, dirty and loaded with chlorine. There was a pool attendant on staff but she left at quitting time with no replacement. Too bad because the 20+ little league football players took over the pool with a football game that drove everyone else out. The hot tub was closed.

If you like relaxing at the Embassy Suites bar - their normal happy hour reception - in other Embassy's done away from the bar- is done right at the bar so you will be inundated with that crowd. We went up there and there was nowhere to sit so we left.

Next -if you are an early riser for coffee or breakfast then stay in bed until after 7. Unlike other Embassy Suites I have been in with the breakfast starting at 6 - this hotel starts at 7. And there is nowhere else to get breakfast or coffee - in out of the hotel - unless you use the in-room coffee maker - and if it works!

Last the Internet Access - it is $10 per day - don't let some of this hotel's marketing fool you into believing that it is free.

The only positive I can give it was the hotel's restaurant food was very good and our suite had large HD TV's in them - that's the only good thing that I can say.

This hotel experience was so lousy that we spent our second night in a different hotel.

I thought the hotel was clean and nice.

The hotel had a good location, but it took a long time for our room to be ready so we could check in.

This hotel made me feel comfortable: Our room was spacious. Having a separate living area from the bedroom gives more room to spread out and not feel cramped.