Courtyard by Marriott Miami Homestead

Super Bowl Sunday brought a crowd of at least 35 to the bar, which is unusual since there are normally only a few people there. The team gave us five-star service. Saby delivered the meals so well, Oxaris took orders attentively, and Anderson handled the bar service and food prep. They’re the hotel’s unsung heroes.

A friend left expensive medication in her fridge after checkout, and the hotel kept it for a week until she could come back for it. During a storm, the power went out just after I’d brought groceries back. I had to climb five flights of stairs carrying them, and housekeeping staff at the other end of the hall saw me, ran over with a flashlight, and helped me get everything in. They told Nour Asouti what had happened, and he reached out to apologize and gave me points for the trouble. The outage wasn’t anyone’s fault, but their concern felt genuine. Nour was kind and proactive, and every staff interaction was the sort of thing that would make the owners proud. The Courtyard itself is nice and clean, but the staff are what set it apart. It felt like Ritz Carlton service at a Courtyard.

The hotel’s in the middle of renovations, but it was still appealing. There’s a nice reception and breakfast area, and a small bar in the lobby. We could use the gym at the sister hotel next door. Outback and Starbucks were conveniently close, and the hotel serves Starbucks coffee. I had a very good breakfast sandwich from the lobby restaurant. I gave the location a 3 only because we didn’t drive around to check, though it seemed close to shopping. The beds were very comfortable.

The room and bed were clean, and the staff were friendly. I’d stay again. The TV didn’t work when I arrived until I reset the directTV box, and the bedside outlets wouldn’t hold a phone charger, so I had to use the wall outlet behind the nightstand. Just small annoyances. I’d rate the stay 4.8 if I could.