Courtyard by Marriott Jackson

The friendly staff and modern lobby were good, and the room met our needs for one night while we were in town for my nephew's graduation. But it wasn't up to what I usually expect from a Marriott. The rooms were outdated and smelled old, and the room itself needed a deep clean. There were stains on the curtains and the nightstand beside the bed, dust and cobwebs on the lamps, and grime on the mirror and tissue box in the bathroom. I saw mildew or mold in the shower and on the curtain, plus stains on the bathroom door and frame. The sheets were so old they were see-through. In the hallway, a plunger in a bag sat outside one door and a dirty face towel lay outside another all afternoon and overnight. Someone could've fixed both with a walkthrough each shift. Newer linens and a thorough cleaning would make a big difference. It worked for the one night, but I wouldn't rush back unless the room gets a deep clean.

I chose this place partly because the restaurant would be convenient while traveling with my son, who has special needs. It closed early because occupancy was low, though, and when he got sick around 5am I had to stay in the room longer than planned. I called for fresh sheets, waited 20 minutes to reach anyone, then had to explain to a college student what I needed because he didn’t know the difference between a duvet and a mattress cover. He said housekeeping would collect the soiled sheets, but nobody came. The front desk staff seemed much better in the morning. Check-in itself was smooth, and we were given an accessible room, but there was visible mold in several places in its bathroom. The pool is very small, with still water on the deck and some mold. There’s no hot tub, despite at least one website saying there was. Laundry costs $6 for a small load, $3 to wash and $3 to dry; the little market sells some basic items but no detergent. I paid extra for breakfast and wasn’t told where or when it was served. I didn’t feel the hotel was worth the price. They later comped one night, which helped a little, so I added a star for service.

After driving more than eight hours, we were too tired to move to another hotel, even though we found hair and makeup on the pillows, hair in the shower and on the toilet seat, black mold in the closet, and moldy grout in the shower. It was disgusting. I didn't raise it with the desk because I didn’t get the sense they’d do anything about it. I love Marriott, but this was our worst experience, and I’d pick a different brand if we return to Jackson. I’ve now also seen a parking charge of over $4 on my credit card statement.

I was exhausted and only had to stay one night, so I decided to put up with it. Still, this wasn’t what I’ve come to expect as a Marriott rewards member. The room had no TV service or Wi-Fi, some furniture was ragged, and several outlets weren’t working properly.