A Pit Stop in Cleveland

Situated less than 5 minutes from Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, the Cleveland Airport Marriott is a great place for a few nights of rest. Just off I-71 at the W. 150th Street exit, the hotel is situated 15 minutes from downtown Cleveland, 4 minutes to the airport, and (for thrill-seekers) 45 minutes from Cedar Point in Sandusky.

Rooms are spacious and very comfortable. A standard room with 2 double beds includes a reading chair, separate desk and chair, television, dresser, a large bathroom. Rooms have A/C and HBO. The hotel provides wake-up calls, and also has express checkout (either by phone or even on your television).

Outside your room are a number of amenities. For starters, there is a 24-hour gym with treadmills, stair-masters, and weights. Next to that is a pool and Jacuzzi, open from 6am until 11pm. Towels are provided at the pool, so there is no need to use any towels from your room. In the hotel business center, you can find computer/Internet access and complimentary safe deposit boxes. Next to the lobby is Jack’s Steakhouse, complete with a bar. If steak is not your thing, next door is a Denny’s.

There is plenty of parking outside, though on our visit, there was an event at one of the ballrooms, resulting in most of the parking spaces being occupied. Please note that parking is $5/day.

All in all, the hotel is clean, comfortable, and feels more expensive than it is. Nightly prices start at approximately $100.

A cheap alternative to the hotel restaurant at the neighboring Cleveland Airport Marriott is Denny’s. Located right off the W. 150th Street exit on I-71, it is (like all Denny’s) a great place to grab a late-night meal, satisfy your craving of pancakes at 8pm, or work on increasing your cholesterol level in a very economical way.

Unlike other Denny’s I have been to, I found this place to be very friendly and inviting. I had, perhaps, the nicest waiter of all time. I had a free refills of my drink on my table before I had even finished half of the first drink, and any special meal requests were fulfilled without a fuss.

There are a million Denny’s in this country. But it was good to find one that did not feel as cookie-cutter as the rest.