Courtyard by Marriott Anaheim Buena Park

The staff were great, and the lobby has been nicely renovated. It was a quiet place to work, wait for a room, or hang out; staff even let us use an empty meeting room to blow up balloons so we wouldn't disturb people in the lobby. Porto's is directly across the street, so walking over saves time. There's plenty of uncovered parking on both sides, making it easy to park near your room, though the open lot has no rain cover and anyone can come and go. My room was dated and smelled of stale cigarette smoke even with the air running. I told the front desk so I wouldn't be charged a smoking fee. The two-queen room had a balcony overlooking the courtyard and pool, which was nice. I also liked having an empty fridge for leftovers and drinks, and being able to stream YouTube on the TV. The elevators to the second floor are around the middle of the hallways rather than by the lobby, which felt unintuitive.

The location was great for visiting Knotts, and there were plenty of places to eat nearby. We stayed two nights, but this Marriott was below the standard we expect from the brand. There were no outlets next to the bed for our chargers, and the bed had cookie-like crumbs on the sheets. We were tired and figured housekeeping would clean it the next day, so we didn't report it. Before heading out, we asked the housekeeper to make sure the room was cleaned. She said it wasn't assigned to her, and although we assumed she'd tell the person responsible, the room still hadn't been cleaned when we returned. There was no complimentary lotion either. We would have liked Christmas decorations to make it feel more festive, but that was a preference, not a major problem.

For a work trip, this was a really poor Marriott stay and I didn't get much rest. The TV didn't work when I arrived, and the shower kept changing temperature and was always cold in the morning. I asked for the room to be refreshed once, but it never happened. Staff were loud in the laundry room right beside my room and kept me up all night. I also found a needle and other diabetic supply stuff in the room. Yuck.

On Christmas Eve at the Courtyard Marriott in Buena Park, I had a very disappointing interaction with Chris at the front desk. He was unfriendly, hard to approach, and showed little customer service, leaving me feeling dismissed and unwelcome. The front desk is guests' first contact with the hotel, so that kind of demeanor reflects badly on the property and Marriott brand. As a long-time Marriott Bonvoy Elite member, I expect basic professionalism, courtesy, and a willingness to help. I felt undervalued instead. Marriott is known for hospitality, and front desk staff should be friendly, caring, and willing to go the extra mile. I believe the company should reconsider putting people with this attitude in guest-facing roles, because it gives the hotel a bad name and hurts the guest experience.