Courtyard by Marriott Rochester Mayo Clinic Area/Saint Marys

My father was at St. Mary's, and the staff helped make a difficult time a little easier. My oversized vehicle wouldn't fit in the garage, so they gave me a ground-level parking spot. We also needed to use the laundry after hours, and Nicole at the front desk and another woman quietly let me in and out. Sorry, I can't remember your name. The rooms were spacious and clean, and the customer service was fabulous. Thank you, Courtyard.

Every person here went out of their way for us. The GM sets a great tone, the front desk is welcoming and helpful, meals are made enjoyable by the waitresses and cooks, and housekeeping keeps the place spotless. You feel more like family than a guest. The Courtyard by Marriott in Rochester, MN, is a real gem. It's the best hotel staff I've ever met, and if I could give 100 stars out of 5, I would. I'll never stay anywhere else in Rochester.

The manager later contacted me to apologize for the problems in the review I'd left them. He asked how he could make things right, so I focused on the two biggest issues, the surprise parking charge and front desk behavior. He refunded the parking fee and said he'd arrange a staff training session. I give him credit for owning the problems and trying to fix them. The rate was high even with the Ronald McDonald discount. Nobody told me parking cost extra, and they steered me to the ramp as if it were the only option without mentioning the fee or offering another place to park. $15 is too much at a hotel where I'm already paying to stay. I've never paid for hotel parking before, even in big, nice cities. The staff didn't seem happy to be working. At check-in I had to ask the employee to repeat themselves because they spoke quietly over the noise in the lobby, and they seemed annoyed that I couldn't hear. At checkout, the person at the entrance stared at me without a greeting until I walked up and said I was checking out. The room was okay otherwise, but the wallpaper and ceiling were peeling, and there were obvious cutout patches all over the walls. There were long hairs in the bed, though both of us have shaved heads. The tub had a yellow stain that looked like a pee puddle, some lights didn't work, the bulbs had mismatched colors, and the deadbolt was broken. The one good thing was being close to Mayo and having a reasonably clean place to rest before major hospital appointments.

My dad had major surgery at Mayo the next day, so my brother, dad, and I booked a suite. I asked for a rollaway so we'd each have our own bed, but they didn't have one. I ended up on the floor and barely slept. For what the room cost, that was ridiculous. The restaurant was overpriced too, and the place was very unaccommodating.