Courtyard by Marriott London

The staff were excellent and accommodating, and I enjoyed the on-site bar in the evening. The rooms were clean and the beds comfortable, though I missed some of the usual comforts. The ice machine on our floor was broken, and there was no breakfast, although having a Starbucks on-site was nice. Protocols were in place, but they weren't being followed or enforced. I'd like to see that handled better. Overall, it was a nice stay.

The room was comfortable and clean, with up-to-date furnishings, a cozy couch for watching TV, and a really comfortable bed and pillows. It was a pleasant, convenient one-night stay close to the highway. When I got thirsty at night, I had to go downstairs to buy a $2.85 bottle of water at the front desk since there were no vending machines or bottled water in the fridge. In the morning I went down for coffee, waited a while because no one was there, and was given the wrong change. Still, the staff were really friendly and I had a nice stay.

The staff were friendly and helpful, and the rooms were clean and spacious with comfortable beds. We got an affordable family suite with two queen beds and a sofa bed, though the sofa bed is only a twin. You can use the amenities, but you have to schedule them with the front desk. Each room can book the pool for 30 minutes, and if nobody has booked the following 30-minute slot, you can keep using it.

We booked over the holidays mainly so the kids could use the pool. Before reserving, we called and were told it was fully working. As soon as we checked in, we asked to use it and were told it was under treatment and should be ready the next day. We asked again the next day and were told to check in during the afternoon. We got the same story for all three days of our stay. We came to understand it had been closed, perhaps because of a review a few weeks earlier mentioning a dirty ring in the pool, and likely wouldn't reopen for several more weeks. Why lie to us? The front desk kept giving us stories to pass us along to the next shift. When we asked for the manager, we were told they wouldn't be there until 10 a.m. the next morning. Of course, when we asked again the next day, there was no manager. Some front desk staff also gave us wrong information. One told us the bistro would be open on the evening of Dec. 26 and said she was sure, but when we came down to order food for the kids, it was closed. We asked for the manager's email and were given the marketing manager's business card. We got an automatic reply saying she would be out of office for the next week, and our email still hasn't been answered. We were charged for an amenity we couldn't use and couldn't even get a discount. There are lots of neighboring hotels just meters away, with much better service for your money.