Courtyard by Marriott Bettendorf

The whole place looked and smelled almost new, which surprised us when we learned it was already two years old. It’s clearly been maintained very well. Rates were lower than other hotels nearby, there was lots of parking, and getting there from the interstate was easy. Everyone on staff we met was cheerful and friendly. The surrounding area also seemed new, with more development underway. A very pleasant stay.

The rooms feel modern and comfortable, and the hotel still has that new-building smell inside. The gym is decent, though a few more machines would be nice. What’s there covers the basics you need. A solid Marriott experience.

There’s a pool, workout room, and bar and restaurant, and the hotel feels nicely up to date. My one issue is that the room with a king bed is small. You come straight into the bathroom, which is somewhat bigger than in most rooms I’ve stayed in. Past the closet, there’s a larger area with the bed, loveseat, desk, and kitchenette.

The evening ended with children in tears and parents feeling unwelcome. We were there with several other families for a youth soccer tournament, and the hotel handled the kids very poorly, despite having multiple sports teams booked. Before 8:00 pm, staff took photos of children who weren’t standing right beside a parent, then walked around the lobby asking guests whose children they were. They kept warning that families could be removed if the kids didn’t “quiet down,” even though they were supervised, safe, and not acting inappropriately. They were excited and social after a long day of games, just being kids. This should have been a fun team bonding stay. I’d strongly caution families and sports teams against booking here if the hotel can’t reasonably accommodate children.