Courtyard by Marriott Chicago Glenview/Northbrook

The room was clean and the bed comfortable, but the front desk experience brought things down. I thought the reservation was under my name, but it was actually under my fiancée's. Once the agent realized that, her manner changed completely. She became dismissive and mostly ignored me instead of just helping. Checkout was supposed to be at 12:00 PM, but our keys stopped working at 11:10 AM, so we were locked out before checkout time. Clean rooms and a comfortable bed matter, but so does respectful, professional service.

I was in town for 10 days of training, and Marriott gave me a clean, comfortable room with plenty of space to work. There were lots of restaurants close by, and it was a short drive from the airport. Whenever my coworkers or I needed something, the service was accommodating. It'll be my first choice if I'm back in the area.

This Courtyard could use renovation and a few more amenities: a microwave in the room, a TV with more than a few channels, and either a continental breakfast or at least free coffee and tea. Still, the room was quiet and gave us a place to spend the evenings, so I returned four months later. My first stay at Courtyard by Marriott Glenview/Northbrook was in March with my wife and small dog, and the second was in July on my own. On that second visit I was mostly out during the day and used the room at night. I kept the “Do Not Disturb” sign up continuously because I didn't need housekeeping. The first four days were uneventful. On the fifth and final day, I came back with fast food, hoping for a relaxing night before the 800-mile drive home. My room was on the third floor, but the door wouldn't open, so I carried everything back to the lobby for a new keycard. When I got in, it was clear the room had been cleaned despite the sign. Something had also changed with the A/C, and the room was a warm 82°. A small personal item I'd left on the nightstand was missing. Later, I realized the receipts I'd collected during the trip and left on the table were gone too. It kept bothering me. I tried calling to speak with the manager, but no one answered. I opened an online case through Marriot Bonvoy and gave them five days to respond. Nobody did, and no one apologized. There is no customer service.

The elevator was slow and kept closing and reopening on the same floor. I worried we might get stuck. Service was mediocre too. During our eight-night stay, we asked twice for the room to be made up. The first time they replaced towels but not sheets, and didn't refill the soap or shampoo. The second time they changed everything but still left those empty. The remodeled front desk and lounge make you think the rooms have been updated too, but they haven't. It's a Marriott built in the 80s, with old, sagging beds. The bathroom was disappointing: a worn-out, dirty toilet seat from the 80s that barely flushed unless you held the handle down for two minutes. The sink, closet, and counter area were old and unappealing. I wouldn't stay again unless the price matched the poor quality.