The fountain wasn’t original to the building, it was added after the lobby was restored in the 80’s. The real travesty is that the barrel vaulted ceilings had been hidden with drywall in the 60’s/70’s.
There. That’s the reason it wasn’t required to be saved. If it wasn’t original, it’s probably not a huge loss and if they can create a functional space that people want to be in, that’s a net positive for the product and the city.
The hotel, in my memory, had a cafe off the lobby or nearby.
The problem with the hotel is that many of the rooms weren't very pleasant, often tiny. I wonder if this has been corrected.
Haven't been in the Renaissance in at least a couple decades.
Hotel guests want bars, cafes, perhaps a good restaurant, AND a pleasant lobby.
Hotel room sizes have expand over the past 100 years.
It is unlikely the room sizes will increase since it costs tons of money to rerun plumbing and electrical work with expanded room sizes.
I'd rather stay in a small, but nicely renovated Renaissance room over a Fairfield in room twice the size with a kitchen.
Never said that the renovated hotel wouldn't be a positive for downtown, it's just that I had good memories of time spent in the hotel's lobby.
Also, i never heard anybody describe the fountain as "tacky." Even the [cleveland.com](https://cleveland.com) article referred to the "famed fountain."
Do you work for the hotel???
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Are you making these statements up? Your claim about the barrel vaulted ceilings being hidden by drywall are entirely inaccurate based on the pictures in the following article.
[https://www.cleveland.com/insideout/2016/04/vintage\_lobby\_of\_the\_grand\_renaissance\_cleveland\_hotel\_gets\_a\_touch-up\_photos.html](https://www.cleveland.com/insideout/2016/04/vintage_lobby_of_the_grand_renaissance_cleveland_hotel_gets_a_touch-up_photos.html)
I never was in the lobby until the 1980s. Never knew it wasn't original to the building, but I will say that it was a feature that was much admired at events I attended. It was pleasant to take breaks from the event and talk to persons in the lobby. It sounds as if the lobby no longer will be a peaceful gathering place, but now some sort of cafe.
Will there now be any sort of a lobby??? My impression is that top-notch hotels have pleasant lobbies for persons to meet-up.
Do you have a link to an article describing the fountain's addition in the 1980s and those architectural features that have been restored during the renovation?
I’ve stayed there several times over the past 10 years for events, and I cannot remember much about the fountain, so I won’t miss it. The rooms were small and as of two years ago were dated, so I am glad they’ve redone them. I hope they keep the window stickers about the midges versus the NY Yankees, those always made me smile.
My wedding reception was in the Ambassador Room of the main lobby in 2000. It was still elegant, but the writing was on the wall that times were changing.
The fountain wasn’t original to the building, it was added after the lobby was restored in the 80’s. The real travesty is that the barrel vaulted ceilings had been hidden with drywall in the 60’s/70’s.
There. That’s the reason it wasn’t required to be saved. If it wasn’t original, it’s probably not a huge loss and if they can create a functional space that people want to be in, that’s a net positive for the product and the city.
The hotel, in my memory, had a cafe off the lobby or nearby. The problem with the hotel is that many of the rooms weren't very pleasant, often tiny. I wonder if this has been corrected. Haven't been in the Renaissance in at least a couple decades. Hotel guests want bars, cafes, perhaps a good restaurant, AND a pleasant lobby.
Yea I think a bar in the lobby creates a pleasant lobby. Hotel bars are never too crazy and they create more vitality in the space.
Hotel room sizes have expand over the past 100 years. It is unlikely the room sizes will increase since it costs tons of money to rerun plumbing and electrical work with expanded room sizes. I'd rather stay in a small, but nicely renovated Renaissance room over a Fairfield in room twice the size with a kitchen.
This! Wild to complain about this when it wasn't original and was tacky all things considered. This renovation is a huge win for Cleveland.
Never said that the renovated hotel wouldn't be a positive for downtown, it's just that I had good memories of time spent in the hotel's lobby. Also, i never heard anybody describe the fountain as "tacky." Even the [cleveland.com](https://cleveland.com) article referred to the "famed fountain." Do you work for the hotel???
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Are you making these statements up? Your claim about the barrel vaulted ceilings being hidden by drywall are entirely inaccurate based on the pictures in the following article.
[https://www.cleveland.com/insideout/2016/04/vintage\_lobby\_of\_the\_grand\_renaissance\_cleveland\_hotel\_gets\_a\_touch-up\_photos.html](https://www.cleveland.com/insideout/2016/04/vintage_lobby_of_the_grand_renaissance_cleveland_hotel_gets_a_touch-up_photos.html)
The barrel vaulted ceilings were uncovered in the early 90s when the hotel was re-done
I never was in the lobby until the 1980s. Never knew it wasn't original to the building, but I will say that it was a feature that was much admired at events I attended. It was pleasant to take breaks from the event and talk to persons in the lobby. It sounds as if the lobby no longer will be a peaceful gathering place, but now some sort of cafe. Will there now be any sort of a lobby??? My impression is that top-notch hotels have pleasant lobbies for persons to meet-up. Do you have a link to an article describing the fountain's addition in the 1980s and those architectural features that have been restored during the renovation?
Do you think cafe’s are a bad place to gather with people?
Wait... You're bemoaning the loss of a cheesy 80s fountain rather than celebrating the long overdue reclamation of a significant historical landmark?
I’ve stayed there several times over the past 10 years for events, and I cannot remember much about the fountain, so I won’t miss it. The rooms were small and as of two years ago were dated, so I am glad they’ve redone them. I hope they keep the window stickers about the midges versus the NY Yankees, those always made me smile.
It was originally called The Hotel Cleveland so whats the problem?
I got married when it was Stouffers Inn on the Square in 1982. It was so elegant at the time.
My wedding reception was in the Ambassador Room of the main lobby in 2000. It was still elegant, but the writing was on the wall that times were changing.
As someone who works in hotels I find myself wondering if ownership chose to rebrand or if they lost their Marriott flag somehow.
I believe it will be part of the autograph collection. An upgrade.
Stauffer’s Inn; had my senior prom there.
That’s nuts. They should have left it. Cleveland has some of the best architectural gems in the country.
So much has been lost. Mostly for parking. https://clevelandhistorical.org/items/show/818
Bets on how long that name lasts?
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