Courtyard by Marriott Oxford South

What makes us keep coming back is the service. My husband and I stay here regularly, and the team always makes us feel at home. Everyone is friendly and goes out of their way to make the stay feel special. One night I felt unwell, and Moses stayed in the room with me until my husband and the ambulance arrived. I'm very grateful to him. Maddie and David are also my superstars. They always get me my favourite first-floor room because I'm afraid of lifts and don't like high floors, and they're so warm and welcoming at check-in. The hotel is great value compared with central Oxford, with clean, spacious rooms and all the toiletries you need. There's free parking, and if you're driving it's a good option for Oxford or Milton Park. Central Oxford is well connected by bus, with the stop a 6-7 minute walk away and a one-way town ticket costing £3.00. The restaurant serves good food and stays open until 9:30pm on weekdays. The atmosphere is pleasant and relaxing.

We stayed one night on Boxing Day with half board. The location on the edge of Oxford suited us, as we knew there wasn't much within walking distance. At check-in the receptionist was welcoming at first, then seemed less friendly when I said we'd booked through a third party and she couldn't see dinner included, even though I had a hotel confirmation for our table. A coach full of guests arrived, and she handed us the key and waved us off without directions or breakfast information. I later reread the booking and realised she also hadn't explained how to register the car, so I went back to ask. The same receptionist pointed at a small screen between the two desks and walked away. Luckily, the rest of the stay was as expected. Our third-floor deluxe king room was clean, spacious and comfortable, with a good night's sleep and a view over the empty overflow car park, apart from the coach. The hotel itself was nice and modern. Dinner was two courses from a basic set menu; there was also a main menu, but at full price. The food we chose was very good and the staff were friendly. Breakfast was a nice standard English and continental buffet. We enjoyed the stay and would consider coming back to the area.

Of the two rooms we had for the weekend, this one was better, but its TV wasn't working. We were eventually offered a room change, though. We ate at the hotel and regretted it. The food was good, but the dining room felt like a canteen. There was a coach party, and their organisers kept patrolling, which made us feel as if we were being watched.

Breakfast was one of the few parts I enjoyed. There was a decent choice and the quality was pretty good. Dinner was less satisfying: my ribeye on the first night came out lukewarm. It was edible, but nothing special. The room, though, was a huge disappointment. The furniture looked filthy and was covered in stains, so I didn't use it. There was also a large red mark on the carpet that looked like dried blood. The lack of cleanliness was really concerning, and I can't believe the room passed any quality checks. I raised it with the woman at the front desk, but she was dismissive. Since the hotel was full, she offered no real solution, and I was left staying in a disgusting room. Thankfully, only part of my trip was booked there, so I moved to another hotel for the rest of it. I finally felt comfortable and much better mentally. One of my worst stays ever. Despicable.