StudioRes by Marriott Newnan

The highway noise made this the loudest room I've had at a Marriott, and the worst night I've ever spent at one. The even-numbered rooms face I85, one of Georgia's busiest freeways, and traffic was terrible. I spend over 75 nights a year at Marriott properties as a Titanium Elite member, and in my opinion this new StudioRes concept dilutes the brand. It feels like a budget setup with growing pains, and one night was enough for me, even though it's designed for longer stays. There was nobody at the desk at night under what they call “smart staffing.” The room had no toilet paper or kitchen utensils, and the vending machines, the only way to get water there, weren't working. I couldn't sleep, so at 3am I had to go to a gas station for toilet paper and water. On the plus side, there's a Racetrack about four minutes away. This property isn't Marriott worthy.

The room was clean, but the smell of a brand new hotel was overwhelming, like it was still gassing off and badly needed ventilation. There was no coffee maker in the room, no breakfast, cups, stove, dishes, or decorations. The lobby coffee wasn't very good either. Several times we needed someone at the front desk and nobody was there. We also saw other guests run into the same problem repeatedly.

Two women at the front desk have been awesome, though another one has been very unpleasant. She was there yesterday evening, 12/3, when I got back from treatment, and she also checked me in on my first visit. I'm switching hotels after this stay. There have been issues on both visits. The fire alarm went off each time. During my first stay, the motion light over the bed kept turning on and made it hard to sleep. A very nice maintenance man thought he'd fixed it, but when it kept happening the second night, he put tape over it and said he'd work on it more after checkout. This time, regular TV channels didn't work, and streaming stopped after 15 minutes until we restarted the TV. The fridge made noise all night, and the kitchenette had no pans, plates, or utensils. The first-floor ice machine doesn't work, and the coffee dispenser's hot water was dark. I wasn't sure it was clean or changed, so I was afraid to drink it. After this visit, the room wasn't cleaned or restocked with toilet tissue or line. The front desk doesn't open until 7am, so there was no help.

A great place to stay when you're in town for work. I just wish the bathroom light stayed on longer. I understand the timers, but the light shuts off during a shower.