Residence Inn by Marriott Phoenix

I keep coming back because this hotel is so close to Grand Canyon University, and the rooms are roomy, clean, and comfortable, with plenty of outlets. The staff are friendly, and the grounds and facilities feel clean and safe. The free hot breakfast is the best variety I’ve found at a Marriott, with lots of fresh and healthy choices. Jack or Jackie keeps it running well, is fun to talk to, and is very helpful with local information. The fitness room is nice, which matters because there aren’t walking trails or good running sidewalks nearby unless you drive more than five miles. There’s some shopping and dining a couple exits away. My small complaints: I’d prefer cloth shower curtains to the plastic ones, which can feel too short, and some stairs leading to second-floor rooms are starting to deteriorate and need repair. Neither issue would stop me from staying here again and again.

The kitchen and bathrooms were thoughtfully laid out, with enough counter space, and the rooms were clean. It’s a reasonably priced mid-range hotel, though parking was limited on busy nights. Our “penthouse suite” turned out to be a lofted room on the second floor, with little natural light. I was also disappointed there was no hot tub by the pool.

My room is spacious, and I really like the little kitchen. It feels like a small apartment, but with cleaning service, and housekeeping does a great job without getting in the way. Breakfast is good with several things to choose from, and although room service is limited to delivery, the food quality is great. The staff are kind and service is great. The internet, though, is slow even with the paid option. I’ve contacted tech support three times, and each fix seems temporary.

The staff were amazing, very helpful, and focused on customer service. The room was clean enough, though the bathroom corners could have been cleaner. Noise from the road made it really hard to sleep, with the hotel just off I-17. We also felt uneasy about the area because there were many homeless people very close by. We were there for a hockey tournament and made sure everyone used the buddy system whenever going outside the room.