Courtyard by Marriott Detroit Pontiac/Auburn Hills

Do. Not. Stay. Here. I was here for a week on business, and there was no breakfast staff at 6:45, even though I'd paid extra for breakfast with my reservation. As I left for the day at 7:00, the desk guy said, “They thought you wanted a menu first.” Nobody had come out to ask or even say hello. The same thing happened the next morning at 6:35, so I gave up trying. After loud people across the hall woke me at 2:00 AM, followed by music in the parking lot, I couldn't sleep again. I tried to get coffee and start early, but there were no cups in the room. I found cups but only decaf, then no coffee in the lobby carafe. There was nobody at the desk at 2:30, 3:00, or 4:00, and still no coffee. I don't think they have overnight staff. The room had a falling-apart light fixture with bare wires, and they'd clipped its ground wire. The door was falling apart too, the heater's temperature control was broken, the cabinet handles were rusty, and the shower faucet wasn't sealed. Marriott used to mean something to me, but now it seems the name just means somebody paid to use it without the former standards. Clarke Howard was right: Marriott doesn't run hotels, it sells franchise rights.

The room was clean, and the woman who checked me in was very nice. The staff I saw this morning were nice too. But the bar and restaurant were closed, apparently because it was slow during the holidays. The clerk said this happens most times I visit Courtyard. The website still says the restaurant is open, and the app didn't mention the closure. After an 18-hour drive, I didn't want to get back in the truck for food after choosing a hotel that advertises on-site dining. After I put my things away, I went to buy a beer from the little shop and asked the same person who'd checked me in. She politely asked whether I wanted to charge it to the room or use a card. Another employee suddenly scolded me, saying the first woman was “off the clock” and “you saw me sitting over here.” They were both at check-in desks, and I had just been helped by the first woman, so how was I supposed to know she'd clocked out? The other employee said the first woman was “too nice” to tell me, “but I don't have that problem,” then told me to come over to her. She mocked and spoke rudely to me through the rest of the transaction. I tried to laugh it off, but it was uncomfortable, so we avoided customer service and didn't ask for or buy anything else until different staff came in. There was no coffee, conditioner, or bar soap in the room, and no detergent available to buy for the washers.

The Auburn Hills Chamber of Commerce picked the Courtyard Marriott Detroit Pontiac/Auburn Hills for the Driven event, and it worked beautifully for networking and presentations. The event rooms were spacious, attractive, and set up well. The hotel's presentation was top-notch, with plenty of space, modern amenities, and a polished feel. Staff were welcoming, professional, and helpful throughout. They know how to host business functions and make guests comfortable. I'd recommend this venue for conferences, meetings, banquets, and other professional or social gatherings in the Auburn Hills/Pontiac area.

We had a spider in our room, which smelled musty, and it wasn't especially clean. The beds also had no headboards, which seemed odd. The location wasn't great either, with nothing walkable nearby. Worse, the first-floor window bar and the door's deadbolt were broken, which felt like a serious safety concern. Staff let us switch rooms when we told them, and we were grateful for that, but I wouldn't recommend this Marriott.