Courtyard Phoenix North by Marriott

I slept like a baby here. The rooms are modern, the place was super clean, and the customer service was great. I needed a room and a nice place to stay, and this Courtyard Marriott fit the bill. I won’t fault this hotel in particular since they all do it, but charging for parking is silly. Most travelers have a car, so how else are we supposed to get there, by bus or Uber? It feels like a corporate trick to advertise a cheaper rate.

A relaxing courtyard pool sits in the middle of this freshly renovated classic Courtyard, with rooms arranged in a square around it. The hotel is just off I-17, and First Watch is right next door. Seoul Korean BBQ, Pappadeaux, Olive Garden, and plenty of other restaurants are about a five-minute drive away. The area has fallen on hard times. The parking lots around the hotel are well lit, and, as anywhere, don’t leave tempting things visible in your car. The light rail station across the highway used to be the mall featured in Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure.

We had a wonderful stay, and it was easy to get around with plenty of food options in the area. The hotel was clean, the staff were professional, and I didn’t run into any problems. Melissa Bell, the manager, welcomed us with gifts and an email for my girlfriend’s birthday and our anniversary. We really appreciated that. The one downside was that the bistro was closed at night, so we couldn’t use the drink tickets we’d been given. Thanks to Melissa and her team for making it such a great visit.

The place was very clean, and the rooms were great. There’s no complimentary breakfast or coffee beyond the in-room coffee maker. I also got an email the next day charging me $11 for parking. If you’re just passing through Phoenix, this may not be the best choice.