Where to stay in Cleveland
As you know, choosing a hotel is an incredibly important decision when it comes to enjoying your stadium experience. But where should you stay? Near the ballpark? Closer to other attractions? Close to a public transit station? As with anything, the answer is: It depends. It depends on your priorities, the price, the availability, what time the game(s) might be, transportation … it just depends!
This chapter will help you make the best decision for you when it comes to visiting Cleveland to see Progressive Field.
Where Progressive Field is located
Progressive Field sits right downtown off the interstate. It’s about a 15-minute drive from Cleveland Hopkins Airport and nestled right at the corner of Ontario Street and Carnegie Avenue.
One of the best things about Cleveland is that it’s compact. If you’re centrally located, then almost anything you might want to see or do is a 15-minute-or-less walk (if you’re staying at the far east or west side of the city, then it could be more like 30 minutes to walk across the entire downtown area).
From the ballpark to the adjoining Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse to most bars or restaurants you’ll visit, it’s all within a few blocks’ radius of most of the downtown hotels. And most of downtown Cleveland is, in our opinion, a safe place to walk, both during the day and at night (though you should always be aware of your surroundings and take the proper precautions). We’d also suggest that you should stay on major streets rather than turning off into connector alleys. Cleveland is safe, but there’s no reason to go looking for things you don’t want to find.
All of the hotels we’ve listed below are, in our opinion, safe to walk back to after a night game at Progressive Field.
Deciding where to stay for a Progressive Field visit
Because of the small size of the downtown area and the lack of relevant alternatives, there’s just one appropriate hotel zone for a Progressive Field visit, and that’s … downtown. In most cities we could at least point out one or two other options, but Cleveland is just too simple for that. You may have heard of The Flats, but even though it’s a cool area, there are no hotels there (and very few home rentals either). And although the University Circle area has a lot of hotels, especially centered around the medical facilities, those hotels wouldn’t save you any money over staying near the ballpark, so there’s no reason to recommend there either.
So your lodging choice is really going to be about how far you want to walk to the stadium, or how close you would like to stay to other attractions. And, beyond that, it will be about what category of hotel you’d prefer to stay at, and, of course, price.
So we’ll do our best to describe some of the options so you can decide what might work best for you.
Hotel Distance to Progressive Field Distance to RTA Breakfast Pool Parking Notes
Hotel Indigo .2 mile / 5 min walk .4 mi / 10 min walk Not included No $45/day valet Closest hotel to ballpark
Hilton Garden Inn .2 mi / 5 min walk .8 mi / 20 min walk Not included Indoor $20/day self Very close to ballpark, but further from restaurants
Metropolitan at the 9 .2 mi / 5 min walk .5 mi / 12 min walk Not included No $48/day valet Marriott Autograph Collection, rooftop lounge
Kimpton Schoefield .2 mi / 5 min walk .5 mi / 12 min walk Not included No $48/day valet
Holiday Inn Express .3 mi / 8 min walk .4 mi / 10 min walk Included No $39/day valet
Crowne Plaza at Playhouse Square .3 mi / 7 min walk .6 mi / 15 min walk Not included Indoor $44/day valet
Residence Inn .4 mi / 8 min walk .3 mi / 8 min walk Included No $42/day valet
Roost Cleveland .4 mi / 8 min walk .2 mi / 5 min walk Not included No none Aparthotel with washer/dryer, kitchen, complimentary bike use
Hampton Inn .4 mi / 11 min walk .6 mi / 15 min walk Included no $45/day valet
Ritz Carlton .5 mi / 12 min walk .1 mi / 2 min walk Not included No $60/day valet
Westin .6 mi / 15 min walk .5 mi / 13 min walk Not included No $35/day self Central location between Browns and Guardians
Hyatt Regency Arcade .6 mi / 15 min walk .5 mi / 12 min walk Not included No $48/day valet Directly across from 4th Street
Hotel Cleveland .6 mi / 15 min walk .1 mi / 2 min walk Not included No $45/day self Formerly the Renaissance, but still a Marriott property
Marriott at Key Tower .7 mi / 17 min walk .4 mi / 10 min walk Not included No $48/day valet
Hilton Cleveland .9 mi / 21 min walk .4 mi / 10 min walk Not included Indoor $55/day valet
Doubletree by Hilton .9 mi / 21 min walk .9 mi / 25 min walk Not included no $30/day self Longer walk from ballpark
ALoft 1.1 mi / 27 min walk .7 mi / 18 min walk Not included No $40/day self Closer to Flats, farthest from ballpark
The closest hotels to Progressive Field: Hilton Garden Inn & Indigo Hotel
In this case, we’re not talking “close” like a 10-minute drive close. In this instance “close” means that you could probably look out the nearest window and see Progressive Field from your room.
Hotel Indigo Cleveland Downtown
Just on the other side of the Gateway East Garage attached to Progressive Field is Hotel Indigo. It’s just across the street from the famed East 4th Avenue hotspot that features some of the top local bars and restaurants in town, from local taco joint favorite Barrio to Southern Tier Brewing. East 4th is one of the most popular pre- and post-game spots, so staying nearby is really convenient.
Hotel Indigo is a part of IHG’s boutique collection, so it’s a bit more unique than the typical chain hotel. If you’ve been to Cleveland in the past, it used to be The Radisson Hotel, but was acquired in 2019 and underwent a $7 million renovation during the pandemic, so it’s essentially a brand new property. Which means it’s pretty much the closest, newest, and most convenient hotel to the ballpark. What more can we say: it’s the ideal place to stay for a visit to Progressive Field in terms of convenience.
Hilton Garden Inn Cleveland Downtown
Lean out your window – you might catch a foul ball on the first base line. OK, we’re exaggerating a little bit, but Hilton Garden Inn sits catty corner from Progressive Field. In terms of accessibility to the ballpark, it literally doesn’t get any closer. Walk out toward Progressive Field and hang a right down East 9th Street and in about two blocks, you’ll hit two local favorite pre-game bars: Thirsty Parrot and the Clevelander Bar & Grill. You’re also directly across the street from Aladdin’s, a local favorite for Lebanese cuisine.
It’s a perfectly nice mid-range hotel offering a fitness center and a pool, but it’s on the east side of the ballpark, away from most of the downtown restaurants and bars. Hilton Garden Inn is excellent for a simple stay if your goal is to be as close to the ballpark as possible, but are willing to walk a little further for attractions and things to do.
Hotels within a five-minute walk to Progressive Field
For all practical purposes, these hotels are as close to the ballpark as you could need to be, and are absolutely on par convenience-wise with the two hotels we just mentioned.
The Metropolitan at the 9
If you’re looking for an upscale hotel that’s equally as convenient to Progressive Field, then the Metropolitan At The 9 (or just “The 9”) is for you. It’s one of a couple of four-star hotels in the city and its biggest attraction is a terrific rooftop bar and restaurant. In fact, The 9 is more than just a hotel for Clevelanders, serving as a popular spot to celebrate anniversaries and local nights out on the town.
They offer a multitude of dining options, from The Centro (its internal gastropub) to the aptly-named Garden of Eden rooftop bar; they even have a bar outfitted in a bank vault.
Residence Inn by Marriott Cleveland
Just down the street from Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse is one of the more popular downtown hotels, the Residence Inn. It’s the first building next to East 4th Street, across the street from Harry Buffalo (a popular pregame and postgame spot), and a mile walk from the Flats East Bank, Cleveland’s top nightlife scene.
Kimpton Schofield Cleveland
Another four-star hotel situated right across East 9th from The 9, Kimpton Schofield is a newer addition to the downtown hotel scene. It’s another boutique hotel that features an upscale feel. Complimentary tea and coffee are offered, but not breakfast, so factor that into your decision making when comparing it to the other hotels.
Hotels within a 10-minute walk to Progressive Field
Hotel Cleveland (formerly The Renaissance) (0.5 miles, 10-min walk)
What Hotel Cleveland lacks in immediate proximity to Progressive Field, it makes up for in total trip convenience for those flying into Cleveland. This hotel sits inside Tower City Center, which is the downtown RTA stop from the airport. Also attached to Tower City Center is JACK Cleveland Casino. Overall, this is the most convenient hotel to downtown Cleveland, even if it’s slightly further (about a half-mile from the ballpark) than the other hotels on the list. But that’s a very walkable half mile right through the middle of downtown, so make no mistake, this is still a very convenient hotel.
The nice thing about staying at the Renaissance is that you barely have to walk outside to get to the ballpark – a sky bridge connects Tower City Center to Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse, which is just steps from the gate at Progressive Field. So if you’re catching a cold-weather game, or it’s a little wet out, or if a summer walk outside isn’t your thing, then this is a great option.
Cleveland Marriott Downtown at Key Center (.8 miles, 16-min walk)
This hotel is attached to Cleveland’s tallest skyscraper, the Key Bank Tower. Nearby attractions include Public Square, East 4th Street (less than half a mile), and the House of Blues. It’s halfway between Cleveland Browns Stadium and Progressive Field, making this hotel convenient to both Lake Erie and the ballpark, if you don’t mind a little walk.
Hyatt Regency Cleveland at The Arcade (0.6 miles, 12-minute walk)
The Arcade was once a bustling downtown mall, but now it’s used for events and wedding photos. The Hyatt is very conveniently located to other downtown attractions like East 4th (right across the street) and is located on Superior Avenue, which has plenty of food and drink options.
Beyond the ballpark: Where else to stay for a visit to Progressive Field
Most other hotels not listed above are a further, but completely reasonable walk from Progressive Field. Options just beyond that 15-minute threshold include:
- Hilton Cleveland Downtown (four-star hotel)
- The Westin (four-star hotel)
- Drury Plaza Hotel
- DoubleTree by Hilton (four-star hotel, this one sits on the train tracks though, so beware)
- Aloft Cleveland Downtown (a newer, nice hotel situated at the Flats. Rideshare needed to Progressive, but walkable for nightlife)
Our guideline is to stay north of the interstate highway, west of East 18th Street, and east of the Cuyahoga River. The closer to Lake Erie you get, the less walkable Progressive Field is.
TSI TIP: The RTA is really convenient for travelers flying into Cleveland Hopkins Airport. But don’t expect to take the line from any downtown location to another, because there is only one downtown station, and that’s Tower City. There’s the public bus, but I highlighted why I don’t recommend that in Local Transit. Cleveland is really a walking city. If you are limited on mobility, then choose a hotel that is closest to both the ballpark and the other attractions that you are most likely to visit, and stick to rideshares or taxis for anyplace else you need to go to.
Staying beyond downtown Cleveland
If for some specific reason you need to stay outside of the downtown area, our list of appropriate alternatives would be:
- Independence (from the South, 12-minute drive)
- Lakewood (from the northwest, 12-minute drive)
- North Olmsted (from the west, 15-minute drive)
- Eastlake (from the east, 24-minute drive)
But as we mentioned, these areas don’t connect easily or quickly to the ballpark via RTA, and getting rideshares to/from these areas is difficult and very expensive, so you’ll want to have a car to get back and forth to the ballpark.
Bottom Line
Our advice to visitors to Progressive Field is:
- Stay close to the ballpark. There are plenty of options that range in both price and quality within a short walk (15 minutes or less) of the gates.
- Think about where else you’re going to visit while in Cleveland. Many hotels bisect the distance between the ballpark and entertainment centers like East 4th, the Flats East Bank, Playhouse Square, and Tower City Center. If you’re interested in seeing these attractions, pick a hotel in between them and the ballpark.
- If you’re staying elsewhere downtown, keep in mind the parameters: north of the interstate, west of East 18th, and east of the Cuyahoga River. For those looking to stay outside downtown, we recommend the suburbs of Independence, Lakewood, North Olmsted, and Eastlake.
