Residence Inn by Marriott Sarajevo

The location made getting around Sarajevo easy, with all the main sights about a 10-minute walk away. The hotel itself is modern, clean, and well equipped, but the staff made the biggest impression. They were so friendly and helpful from the moment we arrived. We’d happily recommend it.

We’d gladly stay here again. The rooms are spacious, the staff are great, and breakfast is included with plenty to choose from. The hotel is well placed too, so you can walk to almost everywhere.

The hallways even had a warm, welcoming look, and the front desk staff were clear and helpful at check-in. I thought it was the nicest Residence Inn I’ve stayed in. If you have upgrade nights, using one for a suite with the huge balcony and its view is worthwhile. One practical thing: Uber and Lyft aren’t available here, and taxis don’t take cards. There’s an ATM about 30 feet from the hotel, though it gave me just one bill, so you could ask the front desk to change it. They can call a cab, which arrives quickly, or you can reserve one the night before and pay through the hotel.

The AC was the biggest problem. The room stayed at 27º, and the hotel said it couldn’t bring the temperature down. Even with a fan and the doors open, we slept very badly. I found that especially surprising given what sleep research says about 18º being ideal, based on hundreds of studies across demographics. The hotel later blamed government rules for not being able to go below 26/27º, but the Courtyard Marriott a few doors away is in the same chain and on the same street, and could set a comfortable, tolerable temperature. Residence Inn should take responsibility for this instead of relying on excuses that don’t hold up. I wouldn’t return if I could find another option. There were some good points. The staff were nice, and I appreciated both the room upgrade and their efforts to fix a few damaged or stained things. The room was spacious, and the TV was better than at Courtyard, though it had very few news options. The hotel also had a sauna and steam room, unlike Courtyard. Still, several things in the room were broken, including the desk lamp and toilet paper dispenser. The coffee maker was full and hadn’t been maintained, we got only two small bottles of water and the hotel wouldn’t provide more, and the couch was stained. The balcony didn’t drain, which made it slippery. Breakfast was weak, and even though it was close to the end of service, I had to ask and wait for nearly everything, including bowls, mugs, milk, juice, and utensils. Compared with Courtyard, which was about the same price, this place fell short in service, quality, design, and amenities.