Residence Inn by Marriott Gulfport-Biloxi Airport

The breakfast buffet was delicious, and Lawrence really stood out. He went out of his way to make sure we had what we needed. The hotel itself is very nice.

The staff were friendly and helpful, and breakfast was one of the best I’ve had at a Marriott. We were upgraded before check-in, and the room was very spacious. It was also very clean, though the kitchen seemed to have been missed: there was an old sponge and half a bar of soap there. When we arrived, the room door was propped open, which startled my wife and daughter, but everything appeared to be fine. We’ll definitely stay again.

We booked two nights and later found out we needed to add another. The hotel said it couldn’t accommodate the extension under the same reservation and that we’d need two bookings. After three calls, we were told we could stay in the same room without interruption and just update the room information sometime Sunday. We wanted to prepay the whole stay, but that wasn’t allowed. We arrived after 10 p.m. and were given a car tag with the wrong name and checkout date, so we had to go back to the desk. The front desk said it would charge a $50 incidental fee. In the room, we found spackle on the floor and dust on the surfaces. We showed photos to the desk. The staff member offered “some points” but couldn’t say how many, and offered another room. Since it was late and we were concerned it might have the same cleanliness problems, we chose to wipe up the dust ourselves rather than move. We contacted Marriott about it. They offered to send housekeeping, but we declined because we’d already cleaned most of it and our child was asleep. Later, we were offered a half-night refund for the trouble. I wasn’t feeling well on Saturday and stayed in the room. Someone saying they were housekeeping woke me and told me, “You need to open the door.” I said we didn’t need anything and I wasn’t well. They said they “have something for you”; I declined again. My husband called the hotel about the unsettling encounter and was told they were trying to deliver a card and brownies. He said that wasn’t something we could deal with then. Early Sunday, my husband went to the front desk as instructed to exchange keys, but was told to come back later because the “system isn’t working.” At checkout Monday, we got a printout showing the prepaid reservation, the additional night’s charges, and a refund for half of one night. Then on Monday I was notified of extra Residence Inn charges of $1140.16, $570.08, and $569.08, with no refund pending. I was transferred to “general manager” Sharon Welch, who said she would remove them right away and blamed a “third-party” system. I explained that $2300 in extra authorized charges could be devastating for most consumers, and that the hotel should sort it out with its third-party system. Ms. Welch repeatedly said it was out of her control, even though the charges came from her hotel. She removed the $1140.16 and $570.08 charges, but said she couldn’t find the $569.08 one and thought it would resolve overnight. It didn’t. In an email, she said she was “sorry” and still couldn’t find the charge to remove it. She kept avoiding responsibility, saying “we were snakebit from the beginning.” We escalated to Marriott and were directed to Diana D, Senior Elite Supervisor. She showed no concern that Residence Inn still had our $569.08 or about what had happened during the stay. In a very robotic manner, she said this was the “end of phone escalation” and told us we could email someone.

The calm, welcoming feel throughout the property made a strong impression on me. The room was spotless and roomy, with a comfortable bed and thoughtful amenities, and the linens felt well cared for. Check-in was easy, and the staff were warm and professional. I especially want to mention the manager on duty, “Ms. Sherron,” who made me feel valued from the moment I arrived. It’s a comfortable place with a touch of luxury, and I’d gladly return for business or a personal trip.