Aloft by Marriott Cleveland Downtown

After more than 20 years of loyalty to Marriott and a lifetime Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite membership, I was very disappointed by how this property handled my situation. My three-year-old son became unexpectedly ill, so I needed to cancel after the 48-hour window. I understand that cancellation rules exist. I offered to book a future stay directly with the property and only asked to turn my reservation into a credit instead of paying the $270 one-night penalty. They declined without taking my loyalty or the circumstances into consideration. For a brand that talks about recognizing guests and long-term loyalty, the response felt rigid and transactional. After two decades choosing Marriott properties, I expected a more customer-focused approach. Very disappointing.

I wouldn't recommend booking here. I needed to cancel because of a medical illness and contacted the hotel two days before check-in to ask for a refund. It was nearly impossible to reach a staff member or manager. I finally got through that evening, and was told the manager wasn't there and to call the next morning. I couldn't reach the manager then or the following week, and didn't hear back until eight days after my first attempt, despite leaving a couple of voicemails and emailing to request a verbal or written response. Waiting nine days for a reply from the Aloft hotel manager is unacceptable. The email I eventually got was generic and made it clear the manager hadn't read the details of my cancellation policy. They said no refund policy was listed, which was either a blatant lie or a failure to notice the hotel's listed cancellation policy for emergency cancellations. They can take my money for short-term gain, but they won't get my business again. I'll find a hotel in Downtown Cleveland that takes customer questions more seriously and responds more urgently.

The hotel felt run down. There were tears in the carpet, deteriorated signs, and a mystery pile of ...something in the parking garage. The room layout was awful, as if a child had designed it. Nothing was practical or where you'd expect it: the fridge was in the bathroom, there was nowhere to hang a towel in the shower, and the clean towels were left on the floor. The frosted glass window from the shower into the bedroom was pretty questionable too.

I came to Cleveland OH for a funeral and felt out of place since I'd never been there before. The valet attendant was extremely nice when I arrived and directed my mom and me upstairs. At check-in, Ms Christy was such a pleasure to meet. There was a snag with my reservation, but she went above and beyond to find it and made sure it was sorted out. She was calming and down to earth, and just as kind the next day. I don't usually write reviews, but she deserves credit for great customer service. Keep shining, Christy!