Independence, Ohio / Hampton Inn & Suites Cleveland/Independence

September 2017, Weekdays, 2-nights, King suite 220

Arrival and diamond perks

There are three diamond guest parking spots at this hotel, and I got the last one. My guestroom was ready when I arrived a bit before check-in time. I had not checked in online to choose my room, because the app was only showing me a room on the second floor, and I prefer to be on the top floor. During check-in, I learned that is because the only suite left was the one on the second floor. I have bonus points checked for my on-site amenity, and the front desk agent also offered me a bottle of water.

Sushi from nearby restaurant; info below

Guestroom 220

This guestroom is located near the elevator and center of the building. I did not hear a lot of noise from the elevator or guests in the hall, although I did hear the guests overhead (precisely why I always try to get a top floor room).

The suite was quite spacious. The open kitchenette and living area contained a small fridge, a table with two chairs, microwave, sink, sofa, footstools, table that slides under seat, flatscreen TV on an armoire, desk and chair, ice bucket with disposable cups, and a single-serve coffee maker with supplies. The coffeemaker was on the slide out shelf in the armoire; I had already moved it to the kitchen counter before I took the photos below.

I really like the tables that slide underneath furniture for working; however, this one did not work because it was too short and did not fit in under the sofa. The table is visible in the photo with the sofa, if you click on it to enlarge it. The desk chair was not very comfortable. A full length mirror was mounted on the wall in this room near the entrance.

View from entrance

Suite 220

The bedroom area contained a king size bed, second flatscreen TV on an armoire, nightstands with lamps and alarm clock, a soft chair, and second slide-in table. The bed was comfortable. The windows in both rooms could be opened a few inches.

View from outside bathroom

A closet outside the bathroom contained a folding luggage rack, along with the usual items: extra bedding, hangers, iron, and ironing board.

Toilet seat was up when I arrived

The bathroom was a good size and had a large walk-in shower. Bath amenities and good quality towels were provided.

The Internet speed was good, although I had to log back in again the next day. There were several outlets in the guestroom. Along with the usual wall outlets, there were outlet stations on the nightstands, on the side of the bedroom armoire, and on the desk. The guestroom smelled slightly of smoke when I arrived, and I thought about calling to request room freshener. I decided to just use a small bit of lavender spray that I had with me around the bed instead. Since this guestroom is located near the main entrance, it is possible smoke got in the room from the window being open when guests were outside smoking.

Food & Beverage

This Hampton Inn is the first one I have stayed in that has an evening social during the week. I had originally looked at staying at the Embassy Suites just across I-77, because I prefer a light evening meal/snack when I am traveling for work. Embassy Suites and extended stay properties often have an evening social that meets my needs. Although the Embassy Suites looked fabulous, I decided the cost was too high. I was happy to learn about the evening social at the Hampton Inn when I checked in.

Red and white wine was available both evenings of my stay. I prefer merlot, cabernet, malbec, or red blends, and I thought the red wine was pretty good. I do not like sweet wine, and I did not think the wine was overly dry. Cheese and crackers were also served both evenings. The other food items were different each night, and included tossed salad, chicken tenders, meatballs, and cookies.

Breakfast included the items usually found at Hampton Inn: waffle maker, fold-over egg omelets,  yogurt, fruit, hard-boiled eggs, oatmeal (not instant), cereals, breads, muffins, milk, juices, tea, and coffee.

Fitness center

The posted opening hours for the fitness center said 6:00 AM; however, I observed someone in the room before 6:00 both mornings. It was very warm in the fitness center every time I visited (both mornings, and in the afternoon). There was only one treadmill, and no cardio theater. The picture on the hotel website accurately shows the equipment in the room.

Misc. and overall

This hotel is located next to Residence Inn and Hyatt Place. There is no Hampton Inn sign at the end of Jefferson Drive. Fortunately, my GPS had the hotel in the correct location. There are a couple of restaurants on Rockside Road, which is where I picked up the sushi before check-in (Wasabi Japanese Steakhouse). The sushi was good; however, I would have ordered something different, if I had seen the to-go menus before placing my order. For some reason, the host gave me a lunch table menu to look at instead.

I was happy with the service and evening social at this hotel. Next time, I think I would just reserve a king guestroom, even though the suite was only a few dollars more. Usually, I hear less outside noise in a larger room; however, I think a top floor corner room would have been better for this stay.

If you need to travel northbound I-77 or on I-480 in the morning, be sure and look at alternate routes! I usually do not need to worry when traveling away from the city (Cleveland, in this case), and I neglected to check traffic before I left. Eastbound I-480 was stop and go all the way to I-271.

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