Crowne Plaza Detroit Downtown Riverfront

This glass high-rise hotel bustles with activity year-round and draws a range of guests, from business travelers participating in trade shows at the Cobo Center to leisure travelers attending hockey games and other events at nearby Joe Louis Arena. The welcoming lobby has contemporary decor, with white and crimson shades and a striking, polished steel ceiling. It has a stylish business hotel vibe, as does the rooftop restaurant and bar, with all-white tufted banquettes and high-back chairs, sleek wood floors and tables, and a mirrored ceiling. Both spaces are attractive spaces for guests to gather for meals and meetings. 

The Crowne Plaza is located on the southern end of downtown Detroit, near the Detroit River. Several restaurants and bars are just a brief walk away. The Cobo Center is directly across the street, and Joe Louis Arena is attached to it. The Financial District People Mover Station is one-minute away on foot, and the GM Renaissance Center is a 12-minute walk. Greektown Casino is 13 minutes on foot, or eight minutes via public transit, and Comerica Park and Fold Field are about 15 minutes away via public transit. Detroit Metropolitan Airport is approximately 28 minutes by car, depending on traffic. 

The hotel's modern guest rooms are tastefully decorated, yet they lack colorful accents, with brown and gold wavy-patterned carpet as their most striking element. Other design details include a rather boring mix of soft gold walls, drapes, white duvets, and dark-brown wood furniture. 

Standard units are spacious, and the larger suites have separate living rooms with sleeper sofas and small wet bars. Some Deluxe Executive rooms also have sleeper sofas, while Standard rooms include oversize armchairs. Units are generally tidy and well-maintained, but some of the wood furniture we saw was showing signs of wear, and several past guests have reported minor housekeeping issues, including stained carpet and sheets. 

The average-size bathrooms have roomy, tan marble vanities, magnifying mirrors, and shower/tub combos with white tiling and glass doors. The Queen Suite we saw had a glass walk-in shower, but no tub. Standard amenities include 32-inch flat-screen TVs, desks, mini-fridges, coffeemakers, and free Wi-Fi. Many rooms have sweeping views of the Detroit River and/or city skyline, with those on the higher floors offering the best views. 

This hotel has a solid lineup of amenities for a comfortable stay. For dining, Top-of-the-Pontch, located on the top (25th) floor, is open for dinner nightly and has a menu featuring steaks and seafood. The Jefferson House Restaurant is where breakfast is served for a fee, plus there's casual fare for lunch and dinner. Urban Cellars has a casual menu of sandwiches and flatbreads, as well as a full bar and a billiards table. The Tobacci coffee shop in the lobby has Starbucks and to-go breakfast items. The hotel offers room service. 

For wellness, there's a spacious fitness center with free weights and several pieces of Life Fitness cardio equipment, including treadmills with video screens. The heated indoor pool is on the small side, but it has a whirlpool and some tables and chairs for relaxing in between swims. 

Other amenities include a 24-hour business center with two computers and printers, meeting space for up to 400 people, and free Wi-Fi throughout. Valet dry cleaning and laundry are among the concierge services. Parking is valet-only and a bit expensive, but it includes in/out privileges.