TownePlace Suites by Marriott Fort Meade National Business Park

I’ve stayed here a few times. It’s okay, but a bit rundown and trashy, and it looks like some people live in the hotel. The courtyard down the street is much nicer.

The first room smelled like a dirty hair dryer as soon as we switched on the heater, like that hot, grimy smell filling the whole room. We moved to another room, and everything there was great. It was very clean, and breakfast was delicious. The young woman had trouble keeping up when a rush of guests came in and ate everything, which was understandable since she couldn’t have known they’d all come down at once. The overnight woman was especially sweet and accommodating. She took extra time to find a pillow and blanket because my wife often gets cold.

We tried this hotel because it was conveniently placed for our drive home to NJ from Kiawah Island, SC. The front desk woman was welcoming and friendly, and apologized that the kids had eaten all the freshly baked cookies. Our room was clean, smelled fresh, and had furniture that looked new. My original complaint was the bed: every room has a small “hotel” queen, only a little bigger than a double and too small for two adults. I later learned that all TownePlace Suite Marriott properties have these small queens. It was my first stay with this Marriott brand, and I said it would be my last, since we usually have good luck at SpringHill Suite hotels. After breakfast the next morning, I changed my rating from four stars to five. The buffet was amazing, better than any Fairfield or SpringHill Suites we’ve stayed at, with nearly anything you could want and two waffle makers. We both had a hot egg, ham, and Gouda cheese croissant sandwich, which was excellent. There were also hot scrambled eggs, bacon, and plenty more, all clean and nicely presented. Two high-end stainless steel gas grills outside the breakfast room were available if you wanted to barbecue a steak or something else. We also loved the larger refrigerator with a real freezer and the oven in the room. I’ll put up with the small queen and stay again on our way home. It’s a very well-managed Marriott property.

There’s plenty of free parking, and the staff are very friendly. The rooms are clean and have a fully equipped kitchen area. You can’t walk to restaurants or stores, but shopping areas are a short drive away. A good option for either an overnight visit or a longer stay.