Courtyard by Marriott Ruston

We checked in Saturday, May 2, around 2:40 pm, and asked for a room on the fourth floor. Sylvana gave us key cards. There was a connecting door, and when I asked whether the lock was safe, she assured me it was secure. We left our bags and went out. When we returned around 6:30, the tub was dusty and dirty. My husband wiped the tub and toilet with Clorox wipes, and they picked up dirt and dust. It was obvious the accessible room hadn’t been occupied or cleaned for a long time, and I don’t know why she put us in it. We’d asked for two pillows and a blanket. Sylvana said she’d bring them later, though she didn’t seem busy. By the time we got back, two pillows and pillowcases had been tossed on the bed. I went down to ask about the missing blanket. She said he hadn’t brought it, then handed me one. There was no body wash in the dispenser either, so we bought soap nearby. I didn’t raise that with her because she seemed like she didn’t want to be bothered. Her attitude felt lazy and uncaring, and from my first interaction she didn’t meet my standards for a Marriott front desk associate. What bothered me further was seeing her be friendly and accommodating to Caucasian people. At the Marriott restaurant around 7:30, she helped a Caucasian couple who came in without a reservation. They complained about prices, and she told them a softball team was in town, said Marriott had unoccupied rooms, and offered them 20 percent off. It was mind blowing, though not surprising. This was a zero out of ten experience, and I felt she treated us in a racist way. We always stay at this location, but Sylvania shouldn’t be working at the front desk. The two staff members who served us at the restaurant that night were exceptional.

The bar staff were especially nice and helpful, and even brought our drinks over to the table. The front desk quickly supplied pool towels, which were warm and welcome since the water was colder than we expected. This is my favorite Marriott in Ruston: it’s easy to reach from the highway, with several restaurants within walking distance. The only snag was the TV guide being 4.5 hours off. At 7 when we got up, it showed shows scheduled for 3AM. Thanks for another good stay.

The room and bed were great, and the shower was very good with fluffy towels. It felt safe here, and there are plenty of restaurants nearby. The hotel is just off the interstate, and check-in was easy and friendly.

The rooms are clean, the showers have strong water pressure, and the staff are consistently friendly and helpful. Nice hotel.