Hilton Garden Inn Cleveland Downtown

Location plays a big role in the type of guests this hotel attracts. On weekends during baseball season, it buzzes with sports fans who love the convenience of walking to the games. The hotel’s conference center and downtown location also brings in many business travelers. Overall, common areas here are inviting; the lobby is bright, and airy, with splashes of color everywhere. Lime-green sofas, side tables, and armchairs as well aqua blue and fuchsia armchairs create a cheerful, almost festive ambiance. Part of the lobby soars to three stories with clusters of modern, oval-shaped chandeliers suspended from the ceiling. And a homey lounge area features a large, two-sided gas fireplace with an impressive wood mantle and marble hearth.

This Hilton is situated in the southern part of downtown Cleveland, adjacent to Progressive Field (a four-minute walk) and near Quicken Loans Arena (a nine-minute walk). Several restaurants are less than five minutes away on foot, including a few directly across the street. Tower City Center, the heart of the city with a major train connection, is a 15-minute walk or five minutes away on the hotel’s free shuttle service. The shuttle goes to downtown and the Cleveland Clinic (about a 10-minute ride). The Wolstein Center on the Cleveland State University Campus is a nine-minute walk, and both FirstEnergy Stadium and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum are about eight minutes away by car or shuttle. The closest bus stop is about a five-minute walk away. The Cleveland Amtrak Station is six minutes away by car or shuttle, and Cleveland Hopkins International Airport is a 20-minute drive or about an hour away via public transportation.

Unlike the inviting common areas, guest rooms are rather generic and dated, with floral-patterned, brown-and-beige carpeting. Rooms are furnished with matching reddish-brown wood furniture that includes headboards, dressers, nightstands, desks, and bureaus that hold microwaves, mini-fridges, and Keurig coffeemakers. Blue upholstered armchairs and matching ottomans and ergonomic office chairs provide seating. Guests have complained about broken TVs and toilets, loud AC units, uncomfortable mattresses, and dirty bedding. Bathrooms have tan granite vanities, beige-tile floors, and white tile framing the standard shower/tub combos. Standard rooms have king or two queen beds, as do the suites, which add sleeper sofas and separate sitting areas. At 638 square feet, the King Deluxe Suite also has a board room and whirlpool tub. Free Wi-Fi, 32-inch flat-screen TVs, and two-line speakerphones with voice mail and free remote printing all come standard. Rooms are generally quiet, but noise from the hallways does tend to echo. Some rooms facing the street offer partial views of Progressive Field. 

Features at this Hilton reflect the brand and its clientele, which includes several business travelers. For dining, the hotel’s restaurant serves dinner and breakfast (not included in room rates), and its sports bar offers a dinner menu as well. A 24-hour lobby pantry offers various snacks, frozen dinner options, and sundries. Free coffee, tea, and lemon water is on hand in the lobby throughout the day, and room service is available as well. The hotel’s Gateway Conference Center offers 20,000 square feet of meeting space, and the business center is open 24 hours. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel. The indoor pool and whirlpool area has plenty of space and several loungers, but the adjacent fitness room is small, with only a handful of cardio and weight-training machines. Self-parking is on site, and the hotel offers a free shuttle service to points downtown and the Cleveland Clinic every day except Sunday. Valet laundry and dry cleaning services are available, and there are self-serve laundry facilities and an ATM on site. The front desk has a guest safe deposit box, and free "USA Today" newspapers are offered on weekdays.