They are one and the same hotel. Used to be a Renaissance, now a Marriott...

It's a good, but not great, hotel. It's in Heidelberg along the Neckar River-- I've stayed there a couple of times and always gotten rooms with a river view but it's sort of out of the corner and mediocre.

It is walking distance, about 20 mins. or so, to the Hauptstrasse which is the main shopping street of Heidelberg. Just walk east along the river... the castle is at the end of the Hauptstrasse up the hill. Spectacular.

The rooms are average size for Germany so somewhat smallish. The staff is friendly, and the club lounge has a decent breakfast spread, a less impressive evening selection. The breakfast buffet in the hotel restaurant is outstanding and many rates for this hotel include breakfast.

It's a much better hotel than the Crowne Plaza in Heidelberg, though it's slightly farther from the action.

My top hotel choice in Heidelberg is actually the Hotel Europa in the main square(Der Europaische Hof...), which is a very luxurious German-style hotel, but the Marriott is fine.