We stayed on the $119 Rock and Roll Package, which included room, breakfast for two, and two tickets to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I used my Marriott Elite Exclusive Offers "buy one, get one free" coupon for the second night, so this worked out to be an excellent deal.

We received a larger than average outside room with a westward view that included Lake Erie in the distance. The room was nice and seemed to have been partially renovated within the past few years (with new carpet, bathroom, comforter, and wallpaper), but it was nothing spectacular. There was no high-speed Internet access.

We used another Elite Exclusive Offers coupon to receive a free entrée in the Sans Souci restaurant, which is reportedly one of the finest restaurants in Cleveland. My opinion: sure, it was one of the better meals that I’ve had in a Marriott family hotel, but it really didn’t knock my socks off. I wouldn’t eat there again. (Additional details are available in the Sans Souci restaurant review.)

On Sunday morning, we headed down to The Brasserie to take advantage of our free breakfast. The small buffet spread was perfectly adequate, but probably a hair below the usual Marriott standard. And, in my opinion, the facility itself is a pretty sorry excuse for a Renaissance Hotel restaurant – with the stained drop ceilings, basement location, and loud atmosphere, it felt more like "Quality Inn coffee shop" than "Renaissance Brasserie." That said, breakfast was included in the rate and was perfectly decent, so I wasn’t about to complain.

On Sunday evening, we headed up to the nicely appointed two-level Concierge Lounge a little too late and missed the appetizer spread, but sat down for a dessert snack. Nothing spectacular – just a few mini-dessert/cookie items.

This morning, we ordered breakfast through room service rather than venture to the basement brasserie. The food arrived in a timely fashion, and tasted fine. . . I don’t really expect anything earth shattering when I eat at a Marriott family hotel.

When we left (and on other occasions when we accessed our car), the valet staff were very helpful, polite, and professional. If you stay at this hotel, you should be aware that self-parking is available as well (even though I was advised otherwise.)

The room itself was roomy with two windows overlooking the lake across a view of a parking lot, buildings, and streets. The bathroom had marble in it and was also elegant. The TV had more channels than usual. The only complaint: one bedside lamp did not work. However, if I had decided to call down, I am sure they would have fixed it quickly. We enjoyed the room so much, we stayed in for room service. Service was efficient and courteous. The food was good too.

The hotel is connected to the tower City Mall, which is built on top of the city's rapid transit network. That means that it is easy to get to the airport from this hotel, and to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and other lakefront sights. The mall is huge, with several restaurants in it, most notably, a Morton's Steak House. The Ritz Carlton also connects to the mall.

Overall, this was an excellent hotel experience for me. However, my Frommer's guidebook cautioned that rooms in this hotel have different layouts and that some are bigger than others. This hotel is likely to have good rates on the weekend. Plan ahead because its prime location will always be in high demand.