Courtyard Fort Lauderdale East/Lauderdale-by-the-S

The bistro food was a real highlight. The turkey avocado BLT was so good, and the fries were fantastic. Kudos to the cook! My room was great, with lots of space, plenty of towels, a couch that pulls out, and a mini fridge that worked perfectly for keeping food and drinks while I was here for work. The only downside was the elevator, which is very slow. Not a big deal if you're not in a hurry, though the stairs may be quicker.

The rooms are extremely small, and the bathroom is tiny too. If you're mainly going to the beach and nearby restaurants, it's okay, but nothing special. What really bothered me was how inconsistent things were. My husband and I have stayed here for four nights on and off over the last two weeks. Tonight a new person at the desk decided to charge for parking and said there were no managers. I wasn't charged during my previous three stays. She also didn't seem to know that you can check in by phone without going to the front desk.

The $10 parking fee is one thing, but making guests sign up with a third-party company on their phone to pay it is a frustrating process. After a long drive, I don't want to stand in the parking area fumbling with my phone for a small fee. Just add it to the hotel bill. I've stayed at hundreds of Marriott properties and haven't seen a check-in process so unfriendly to customers. Whoever came up with this should not be in charge. Between that policy and the nasty bathroom, I can't recommend the place. The rooms seem clean until you get to the bathroom. The shower door was broken and nearly falling off the track, one bracket was loose from the wall, there was mold in the shower, and hair on everything.

The property was in great shape, check-in was easy, and our room was clean and in good condition. The bathroom water and toilet looked discolored, though that may be due to Florida's water. I'm not sure if reclaimed water was used for the toilets, though I know it is used for irrigation. That's my business. My fiance owns a cleaning business, and our room passed her standards. Breakfast was good too. I had an excellent breakfast sandwich, my fiance loved her oatmeal with blueberries, and the coffee was great. Joe and Aida at the restaurant/breakfast service were super nice.