Element by Marriott Miami Doral

Jeancarlo, the morning receptionist, is one of the best I've come across as a Gold Elite member who travels often for work. He's always smiling and welcoming. I saw how calmly and quickly he handled a chaotic situation and sorted out the problems. Marriott-Element is lucky to have him. His abilities would suit a management role.

A quiet area, a nice hotel, and free parking were all positives. The deposit they charge is higher than at most hotels, though. Stained carpets in both the hallways and rooms were a letdown.

The evening clerk who checked me in was really nice, and they're the only reason I'm giving this place two stars. The first-shift person at the desk before check-in time wasn't helpful. I've stayed at newer and older Element hotels, and this was the worst, which surprised and disappointed me. The room floor felt sticky, the kitchenette light was broken, and it wasn't a problem with needing an extra key in the light slot. The office chair had multiple visible stains. White residue streaked down the shower window and got worse near the bottom, clearly showing it hadn't been cleaned.

The staff made my two-night conference stay memorable. DIEGO gave a great first impression, and XIOMARA, LIANA, DOLORES, and WILL took good care of guests at the breakfast buffet. On weekends, XIOMARA makes a tasty egg-white omelet with goat cheese, avocado, tomato, and kale, alongside scrambled eggs. LiANA makes a mean pancake. Breakfast also includes croissants, breads, muffins, and gluten-free choices. There are five kinds of milk in the cereal dispensers, including oat milk. I went for seconds of Chobani® plain and vanilla yogurt with fresh fruit. Coffee, decaf, and tea are available 24/7. For Miami, the rooms are spacious, with lots of pillows, a comfortable comforter, a generous desk, microwave, half-size fridge, in-room safe, and a large TV with several Showtime(r) channels as well as Spanish and English channels. Some rooms have more kitchen options. The room drawers are heavy to open. WiFi is good and free, with a paid upgrade, and it's free for Bonvoy rewards members. The gym is open 24/7 and has lots of equipment, with an outdoor view through a big window. The lobby has a recessed wheelchair-accessible area and a charging-port table with a large-screen TV. The pool is in a shared central outdoor area with the Aloft hotel, with accessible tables and umbrellas but no furniture. A lunch bistro operates outdoors Tuesday through Thursday. There's onsite van-accessible parking with a charge and no curbs. There is no airport or local shuttle.