Courtyard by Marriott North Brunswick

I've given this Courtyard many chances since the new owners took over about a year ago, staying around two nights at a time and making roughly 10-12 visits over several months. This will be my last. The place has gone downhill, with little upkeep. TVs on their brackets just need tightening, some rooms have A/C/Heat units that don't work properly, and staff smoking outside leave the hallway by the elevators smelling strongly of smoke. They're always apologizing, but I'd rather see things done right in the first place. There's a new excuse every time, and the new faces at the front desk make it seem like they aren't retaining staff. I'm an Ambassador member with Marriott and spend almost 200 nights a year in Marriott hotels, so I know what to expect across their different brands. This review reflects my view of the new owners and the standards, or lack of them, they have for this location and its team. It's the lowest priced Courtyard for a reason.

There was only one working elevator, and it barely worked. My room had no hot water or soap, and the sheets hadn't been changed, just remade. The hallway scents management sprayed were way too strong. Both the credit card reader and the room card readers were down, so they could issue only single emergency cards. My friends couldn't get into their room at all and had to be moved.

The room was enormous, the biggest hotel room I've ever been in, and we had a great weekend getaway. The pool was great too. There are lots of stores, restaurants, and shopping options close by. I hope the area around the hotel keeps developing. We'll be back.

Parking is lousy. It's all behind the property, and none of it is close to a door. I also had to check in on my phone and then repeat the process at the property, even though mobile check-ins should be honored. If you request a mobile key, it should be provided. The hotel doesn't reflect the Bonvoy mentality, and Marriott needs to get its third-party vendors in line with its standards. I just checked into room 501 today, and the TV mount is broken, the TV remote doesn't work, and the AC unit can only be controlled at the unit instead of through the thermostat. The furniture wasn't properly put together either: things that should be fixed aren't, and can be moved around. I moved a piece of the desk to make the point to staff, in case they gave me major attitude, which other reviews led me to expect. There's no clock in the room, either. I'd rather have an alarm clock than a poorly placed phone. If they can't move me tomorrow morning, I'm changing properties. I'm a Titanium elite member who's spent well over 180 nights with Marriott, and this Courtyard property is terrible. The bad reviews overlap a lot. Maybe the people replying should put their names on the responses, since the hotel can't answer them by itself. A human is replying, so say who that person is. Use common sense.