Courtyard by Marriott Ames

The hotel itself is beautiful, and the guest service woman was really pleasant. The restaurant and bar were a letdown, though. I tried a Paloma that was awful, then ordered a Margherita pizza and got the worst one I’ve ever had. Who puts cheddar on that? Save yourself the trouble and go to Applebee's.

The rooms are good and the hotel is pleasant, but you can hear conversations, music, and TV through the thin walls. The bigger frustration was the bar and restaurant, which kept closing unexpectedly. They were shut on Friday because, we were told, the server had been in a car accident. It opened for breakfast and dinner Saturday, then was closed again Sunday morning for the same reason. Even a coffee or muffin from the kitchen wasn’t available Sunday, though it had been the day before. I understand staffing can be hard, but it’s frustrating to choose a hotel based on advertised amenities and then find them inconsistently available. They could use backup staff or cross-training.

The staff were friendly and sorted out any problems quickly and professionally. The rooms were modern, very clean, and super nice. The fitness center was especially good, with lots of space and equipment that actually worked.

I was put in a room at the end of a hallway right beside an exit door. It slammed loudly every time someone used it, all night, and kept waking me up. I told the front desk, but all they offered was to file a maintenance report, which did no good. As a Gold Elite member, I expected better treatment. This hotel has gone downhill fast, and it was a terrible stay.