The Residence Inn by Marriott Cleveland University Circle Medical Center is the extended-stay option in the museum district, and its strength is practical rather than romantic. The brand is built around suite-style rooms with separate living space and a kitchen area, which is a real advantage if you are traveling with children, staying for several nights or visiting a patient at one of the nearby hospitals. University Circle puts you among the Cleveland Museum of Art, the History Center, the Botanical Garden, Severance Music Center and the university, and the HealthLine bus on Euclid Avenue links the district with downtown. It is a calmer, more residential base than the hotels around Public Square, and it suits visitors who plan to spend most of their time among the museums and hospitals and not in the entertainment district.
Location and getting around
University Circle is a leafy cultural district about fifteen minutes east of downtown, and the museums are the main reason to stay. The Cleveland Museum of Art is free and closed on Mondays, the History Center opens only from Thursday to Sunday, and the Botanical Garden is closed on Mondays, so a stay here is easiest to plan around Tuesday to Sunday. Little Italy's restaurants are a short ride, the Red Line stops in the area, and the HealthLine bus runs into downtown for the Rock Hall and the theatres.
Who it suits
Families, groups of friends and longer-stay visitors will get the most out of the suite layout, and parents visiting students at the university or relatives in hospital often use this type of hotel. It is not the place for a nightlife weekend, since the evening scene is thin compared with downtown, and for a more characterful stay in the same district the Glidden House, a 1910 mansion, is the alternative. If you want a hotel with a historic feel on Carnegie Avenue, look at the Tudor Arms, and if you want to be on Public Square, look at the Marriott at Key Tower.
What to check when you book
This guide has not read the hotel's own pages, so confirm what the suite layout includes, whether breakfast is part of the rate, parking arrangements and any pet policy on the booking page. University events, graduations and medical conferences can fill the district's hotels quickly, so book early for those dates. If you are visiting Cleveland in winter, the museums and garden make a good cold-weather itinerary, and a suite with a kitchen is helpful for families who want to avoid eating every meal out.
Why stay here
- ✓University Circle location
- ✓Suite-style brand
- ✓Kitchen area brand standard
- ✓Near the Cleveland Museum of Art
- ✓Near the Botanical Garden
- ✓Near the Cleveland Clinic and hospitals
- ✓HealthLine bus on Euclid Avenue
- ✓Suited to longer stays
Good questions
Is the Residence Inn near the Cleveland Museum of Art?+
It is in University Circle, the museum district, so the art museum, the History Center and the Botanical Garden are close by.
Is it good for families?+
Its suite-style layout gives families more room than a standard hotel room, and the brand is built for longer stays.
Is there nightlife nearby?+
The evening scene here is quieter than downtown. Little Italy is a short ride, and downtown is reachable on the HealthLine bus.
