Residence Inn by Marriott Boston North Shore/Danvers

Selma left a thoughtful welcome note, which meant a lot and made my stay feel special. The front desk made me feel at home as soon as I arrived at the Residence Inn by Marriott. Housekeeping was just as lovely, with a friendly, attentive housekeeper who made sure everything was right. The hospitality was warm and welcoming throughout. I highly recommend this Residence Inn to anyone wanting a comfortable place to stay. Thank you Marriott.

Housekeeping was excellent over the roughly three months I stayed here. The cleaning was thorough, reliable, and on time. Several staff members were kind and helpful, especially Jose, who was consistently friendly and made a real effort to assist. It seemed like some employees were constrained by management decisions. Even so, I wouldn’t stay at this Marriott location again. The overall experience was acceptable, but with this price there’s a lot of room to improve. Nearby Homewood Suites by Hilton seemed like better value for less. The dryers were poor, costing $2 per cycle in quarters, and usually needed several cycles to dry clothes. My keycard often took repeated tries to work, sometimes not opening the door at all. Maintenance checked it multiple times without fixing it. The TV remote was often unresponsive; a replacement from staff didn’t solve it. The kitchenette was sparsely equipped, so I had to buy basics like scissors and measuring cups. I’d initially have rated the stay four stars, but checkout changed that. I was charged for curtain damage on the last day. I was willing to pay a reasonable replacement cost, but was told the fee was $500. After discussion, it dropped to $200, which still seemed excessive for the damage. The resolution felt disproportionate and poorly handled.

The property was clean, comfortable, quiet for the night, and well situated. I’d stay again, though it wouldn’t be my first choice. It felt strange and dated, as if it had once been a condo development that either failed or was bought by Marriott. The outdoor pool also made it seem like it was originally a condo complex, since I’ve never seen one at a Residence Inn. The keypad gave the green light, but the door still sometimes wouldn’t unlock. It clearly wasn’t designed as a hotel in the first place.

We shared the two-bedroom suite with another couple, but there was basically no privacy. We were attending a Gala and had to get dressed in the tiny bathroom, since the downstairs bedroom had no door. The upstairs bedroom is an open loft, so that room offers no privacy either. The only doors were on the bathroom and closets. I wouldn’t describe it as a two-bedroom suite. It’s more like a room with a bed downstairs and a loft bed above, and anyone needing privacy should avoid it. Looking at older photos, it seems there used to be bedroom doors, but they were removed. I can’t see why anyone would want their bed on open display.