Courtyard by Marriott Dallas Grand Prairie

The service was friendly, and breakfast was good, but a few problems made the stay less enjoyable. The fourth-floor hallway has no AC, and walking out into that wall of heat is awful. It’s less of a problem on the lower floors. Parking in the evening is a nightmare. You’re pushed to the back of the hotel, with hardly any working entry doors within a reasonable walk. The room thermostats are trash. I also stayed in two different rooms, and both showers had mold growing on the seals. The shower floors clearly don’t get scrubbed, as the picture shows where I used a scrub brush.

Everything was clean and tidy, and the beds were comfortable, though my pillow seemed small for a king-size bed. Kids running through the halls and knocking on my door brought the stars down. The breakfast included with my stay was disappointing: their idea of breakfast was a bowl of oatmeal and coffee. I might stay again, but cautiously, since there are plenty of other options.

As a business traveler, I had a good stay at this fairly new property. The lobby felt comfortable and welcoming, the service was friendly, and the room was comfortable and well equipped. My only concern was the paper-thin walls. I don’t understand why newer Marriott properties in Texas always seem to have them.

Parking was the biggest problem. The hotel has specific parking rules, but nobody explained them at check-in and they weren’t clearly posted. The morning after my stay, several guests found their cars had been towed. When I asked the front desk why guests weren’t told, the staff replied, “Nobody asked.” That was dismissive. It’s the hotel’s responsibility to communicate rules clearly. I also found spiders all through the room and around the hotel, which made me uncomfortable from the start. The key system was another problem: mine flashed green but still wouldn’t open the door, forcing repeated trips to the desk. Between the cleanliness issue, faulty keys, and failure to explain parking, I can’t recommend this hotel. I hope management takes this seriously and makes real improvements. Guests deserve better.