Courtyard by Marriott Philadelphia City Avenue

I’ve stayed here more than five times in the past year and have never been disappointed. Whether I’m using a discount code or not, the staff treat me just as well. The front desk workers are warm, friendly, and polite on every shift, including night audit. My room is always clean. It’s a bit wild that the hotel gets called three-star just because it’s a little older. I recommend it as a friendly, safe, spacious, affordable, clean place to stay.

The room was okay, with a nice view from the fifth floor, and Floyd made check-in quick and easy. Having to scan a room key to use the elevator felt like a good safety feature. The cleanliness, though, was really poor. I first tried to blame the filthy elevator rug and soaked welcome mat at the back entrance on winter weather, but the room had problems too. While wiping things down, I spotted what looked like a dirt mark on the toilet seat. Dirty water had stained the outside of the tub, which was also badly clogged and wouldn’t drain well. Our rug had something sticky on it, and there were no washcloths in the room. When I called, Floyd apologized, noted it for the housekeeping supervisor, and added free breakfast to our account. We didn’t use it because we were questioning how clean the whole building was. A full refund would have been better. I also need to mention the one washcloth we did find, used and tossed over the shower curtain bar, clearly left behind by the previous guest. Disgusting. This was completely unacceptable by Marriott standards.

I wish we’d stayed here longer instead of switching to Sonesta based on those flashy, misleading photos. The two hotels don’t compare. Courtyard was a great experience, and I was surprised by how modern and updated it was for the price. The lobby and reception area looked great and smelled lovely when we walked in. There’s onsite parking, too. Our room was clean, spacious, and up to date. The shower was the best part, with steady hot water and a strong stream that helped me relax. The soft sheets didn’t itch, and the bed felt like being wrapped in a cloud pillow.

The location worked really well for us, close to restaurants and stores. We found a great breakfast place only 4 minutes away, and the zoo and other local attractions were about 15 minutes from the hotel. We were in Philly for our godson’s christening and had a positive stay at the Courtyard Marriott. The staff were friendly, the hotel was clean, and it felt welcoming for families with kids. The gym was well kept and had what we needed for a good workout. Breakfast isn’t complimentary, which can be inconvenient with children, and the pool closed earlier than we’d hoped, so the boys didn’t get to swim. We’d consider staying here again on a future visit.