Cleveland Clinic where to stay

[Monty]

If I decide to have my surgery at Cleveland does anyone know of a place my wife could stay until I am released? My drive back home to Nashville is about 8 hours. Can I leave and let her drive me home after my surgery? I will be calling them tommorrow to talk with Dr Cosgrove about handling my surgery.

 

[MelissaM]

There are several options around the Cleveland Clinic which will come in a packet from CCF once you decide to go there. The options might also be posted on their website. There is a "patients only" type of hotel right next to the hospital that runs about $65/day. I ended up staying at the Intercontinental suites hotel (not the conference center) - got a great rate off of Hotwire. They don't tell you the name of the hotel on Hotwire, but you can figure it out pretty easily if you see a "suites only" hotel near University Circle.

I traveled over six hours by car upon being dismissed from the hospital. It was really hard. We split it up into two days and took three hours/day - even that was hard because you have to stop every hour to get up and walk around. The motion of being in a car, sitting upright and not being able to get comfortable and sleep were what made the car ride difficult. Plus, staying in a hotel bed, rather than a hospital bed was tough - bring a lot of your own pillows to prop yourself up or try to get a hotel room with a recliner (a lot to ask. . .).

Having said that, I found that getting to my final destination was highly preferable to staying in Cleveland at a hotel until I "felt better".

 

[BillCobit]

Lodging in Cleveland

Lodging in Cleveland

Monty -

I rented a room @ Studio Plus in Westlake. It's a very nice suburban area about 20 mins west of the CC by freeway. I stayed there in the week before my surgery. It's an extended stay hotel - has a full kitchen, cable, nearby restaurants & shopping. The weekly rate was about $45/night 2 years ago. I liked the fact that it had nearby gym, movie theatres, shopping malls, restaurants, etc.

My wife arrived the day before my surgery and continued to stay at Studio Plus while I was hospitalised. I thought she would enjoy the Westlake area, because the places right near CC aren't really suitable (IMO) for R&R. But she ended up spending all of her waking hours w/ me at the hospital (which I hadn't expected or recommended), and actually found the commute to be a bother.

Studioplus Cleveland Westlake
Address: 30360 Clemens Rd, Westlake, OH 44145
Phone: 440899-4160

http://yp.yahoo.com/py/ypMap.py?Pyt...V.rmP.rGxBm_&fb=1&stat=:pos:0:fb:regT:0:fbT:1

Other places (scraped from the CC web site) right next to the Cleveland Clinic are:

Cleveland Clinic Guesthouse
Economical hotel for short and long-term stays. Located across Euclid Avenue within short walking distance of Clinic facilities.
Hours: 24 hours Front Desk
Phone: 216/707-4200; Reservations Only 1-877-707-8999

Cleveland Clinic Inter-Continental Suite Hotel
First class Hotel offering 163 suites including amenities such as microwave, wet bar, and refrigerator. Located on the Cleveland Clinic Campus, within short walking distance of Clinic facilities or take the complimentary shuttle bus.
Hours: 24 hours
Phone: Front Desk 216/707-4300; Reservations Only 1-877-707-8999

I personally don't like the neighborhood the CC is in - but everyone has different priorities.

Hope the info helps.

 

[KimC]

I agree that the area around CCF isn't desirable. Although the Inter-Continental is convenient in terms of closeness to the hospital, it's expensive and inconvenient in terms of activities to get your wife's mind off the stress.

My husband and I had a very pleasant experience at the Hyatt downtown where we could go for short walks. We also toured the nearby Rock Hall which made a very painful experience that much easier.

Best of luck,

 

[Harpoon]

Lived in Cleveland for two years and several years prior to my valve replacement in 2003...

Cleveland's a cool city, lots of stuff to see and do, but it can be a little tough to navigate if you don't know the terrain and I wouldn't recommend it while on a visit to Cleveland Clinic unless it's after surgery for some kind of follow up really. You'll have enough on your plate prior to surgery to include site-seeing on your itinerary...

The Inter-Continental is right across the street from the main entrance to the hospital campus. They have shuttle services that will bus you back and forth at minimal (or none at all?) charge if you are a patient, and/or family member. They also have special rates for patients and family members which can be arranged through consierge or whoever your contacts are wiht the Cleveland Clinic (generally a surgeon's secretary or some other logistics type person on staff)

If you go in just about any direction off the campus you're kind of in a "ghetto" area... It's not terrible by any means, but it does take some "street smarts" for folks. You want to be comfortable walking around in a big city if you're going to go walking around off the campus.

I should mention however, that one street (or so, it's called Euclid Avenue, RT 20, which cuts across the US from coast to caost) north and to the right of the campus (east) is Severance Hall (home to the Cleveland Orchestra) and the University Circle area which includes Case Western Reserve University, The Cleveland Institute of Art, The Cleveland Institute of Music, The Cleveland Musuem of Art, The Cleveland Museum of Natural History, and one other museum that I've forgotten the name of, a technology/engineering museum...

Anyways....


There are a LOT of services available for patients and family members that need accomidations during their stay at Cleveland Clinic. If you are comfortable picking your way around the city (or know the layout already) then you may be OK to go to that place in Westlake or elsewhere for a decent deal on accomidations. If not, stay on campus, you'll be happier.

Bring your own pillows to sleep on in a hotel, not only so you have extra to prop yourself up if needed, but also because you sleep better on your own pillows (and blankets if you want to go that far.) Something about familiar scents I believe...

 

[Rich]

Hi Monty,
I lived in Cleveland the first thirty-five years of my life.
The area around CC is not the greatest.
If you stay right next to the hospital that's OK but I wouldn't recommend going for a walk in that neighborhood.
My nephew and his wife both worked at the Clinic for many years until they retired a few years ago.
I have heard a lot of stories and they are not good ones.

 

[MelissaM]

Enough with the CCF-area bashing! I stayed two blocks away in the Intercontinental suites and had a GREAT time!! We walked to Little Italy - at NIGHT (gasp!). . .just us little ladies. . . and didn't feel threatened at all. We had a great picnic in the park outside of the art museum. Oh, and did I mention that there is an gorgeous art museum, a museum of modern art, a botanical garden AND a children's museum ALL within walking distance of the hospital???

I was impressed with Cleveland and had a great time staying right near the hospital. My sister, who stayed closer to downtown, hated the commute.

One other thing - I was there during the big blackout of 2003 and *surprise* there were no big crime sprees, no murders, and no looters. This isn't East St. Louis, folks!

 

[Harpoon]

Melissa:

You were VERY lucky that you didn't get mugged, acosted, or run into the "black spider gang" which is a local term for the little Italian Mafioso punks that hang around Little Italy roughing up anyone who looks like they don't belong.


I love Cleveland, it's a great city, one of my favorites actually, even more so than Toronto. It's almost a second home for me. My father grew up there. I used to visit my grandmother for years before she past away there. I have an aunt, uncle, and cousin who live on the west side and I went to the Cleveland Institute of Art which is only a few blocks away from Cleveland Clinic.


It's a great city, but you GOTTA be careful.

I was with a group of friends in college when we decided to take the "Rapid" down to Tower Citry (downtown Cleveland) and while we were waiting on the platform a group of "thugs" came up the stairway. One was brandishing a gun. We had crabbed a bag of bagels before leaving the cafeteria on campus and one of the guys in the group was holding the bag when these teenage punk kids came up. They asked for the bag, not knowing what was inside, then left, laughing with eachother over acting so "macho" and bullying people around.

They held us up, at gunpoint, over a bag of stale bagels...

Not everyone's used to the extra precautions you just have to take when in a city like that. If you can't be safe, you're going to get into trouble. That's all I'm saying.

The area around Cleveland Clinic is a little "rough" and once you get outside of the hospital campus, you're more or less on your own. You just gotta know how to conduct yourself when you're in a situation like that, "street sense."

 

[Harpoon]

For the record, I used to LOVE going to the Museum. I really miss their armour court.... Spend many hours there sitting on the floor sketching the suits of armour, helmets, and armaments...

Never got to see a concert at Severance though, it's on my "wish list" but I doubt I'll get the chance at this point.

 

[Rich]

Melissa,
Harpoon is right on.
I also lived on the west side of town all those years.
My nephew's car broke down one day, he asked me to drive him across town to the Cleveland Clinic where he worked for many years.
When we got into the parking lot much to my surprise there were HEAVILY armed guards patrolling the lot. I asked my nephew why and he told me there had been a number of problems.
Not long after that they had a woman come racing in the front door, she was screaming and all bloody, she had been shot.
A few seconds later the man who shot her came racing in the front door after her, waving a gun at everyone who he thought was in his way.
I agree that Cleveland is a great town and I'm glad it is my 'hometown'.
But like every big city you have to know where you are at and use some caution.

 

[LUVMyBirman]

Well Rich. If Cleavland wins.....we will be looking towards you for lodging suggestions. Sounds like downtown or the outlining burbs may be a better bet! Will be nice to meet you finally!

 

[Rich]

Gina,
If I'm still on this side of the grass next year then I will be there.
It would be great to finally meet some old friends, not that you are old.
I havn't lived in Cleveland for many years and can only go by what some of our family says. I know it has changed a lot just like everywhere else.
The Clinic is on the East side of town and we always lived on the West side.
It probably is like if you went to the South side of Chicago.
In fairness to Ross I should comment that he lives about 45 minutes south/southeast of Cleveland.
Do we have any members who could set up this reunion in Cleveland.
If I still lived around there I sure would try but I'm over 200 miles from there these days.
I hope it can be worked out.
In the meantime one day we will visit my some of my wife's family who live in Ross's hometown.
I'll surprise the heck out of him.

 

[LUVMyBirman]

Hey Rich. I am sure everyone would appreciate your assistance if Cleavland was picked! I arranged the Nashville reunion from Memphis. That was 210 miles! For now....just looking forward to Denver! Hope all works out so we will meet sometime in the future. If you are in the Chicagoland area please let us know! Would love to have lunch/dinner!