Courtyard by Marriott Bloomington

Parking is $15 a night, while the city deck around the corner charges 50 cents an hour. With just a five-minute walk, do the math. Breakfast at the bistro is expensive, as you’d expect at a hotel, but the French toast was advertised with Vermont maple syrup. For $11.50, I expected actual maple from Vermont, not completely artificial syrup. That’s just wrong. The room itself was comfortable and well kept, and the place is nicely located. Staff were very friendly and helpful.

The stay wasn’t awful, just full of mildly annoying oddities. The fifth-floor room was clean, the sheets smelled nice, and the bed didn’t make me uneasy. But there were crowded power strips for appliances and no liners or bags in the trash cans. Water pressure was terrible, and it barely stayed hot. Parking in their own lot costs extra, so plan on paying. A friend who used to work here said the hot tub has been broken on and off for about three years, or at least as long as she worked there. That was the main reason I picked it over the Hyatt for New Year’s Eve. At the Hyatt, breakfast is at least free. This place charges a lot for everything. If you’re trying to enjoy a vacation, I wouldn’t choose it.

The staff were friendly, and the hotel was clean and well located. I didn’t like having to pay to park when it isn’t valet. I understand it’s because of the convention center, but if guests have to pay, the parking lot should at least have working lights throughout. I’d also like a rule about hot tub use. Families can swim, of course, but I don’t understand allowing children under five in a hot tub.

As a longtime Marriott customer, I’d steer people away from this property. The beds were below par, there was no soundproofing from outside or neighboring rooms, staff were unfriendly, and the Wi-Fi and cable were bad. The pool area was poorly maintained. The hot tub jets don’t work, and although a sign says staff can adjust them, they won’t. A loose belt makes the ventilation scream through a rusty, disgusting vent cover. Maybe that explains the unbearable chlorine fumes, though I suspect the water quality is being poorly maintained by unqualified staff. We heard sirens most of both nights, since the hotel is right down the street from what seems to be a police station, firehouse, and hospital. Apart from one very friendly housekeeper, staff acted like they didn’t want to be there and probably shouldn’t work in customer service. Marriott has several properties a few blocks away, closer to downtown, with much better rooms, amenities, staff, and pools. I couldn’t contact the general manager because they aren’t listed publicly.