Courtyard by Marriott San Diego Sorrento Valley

I felt uneasy after seeing a cockroach dart under the ice machine in the ice room, and wanted to leave. At the front desk, the attendant didn’t believe me and gave me a hard time when I asked to cancel. She was even more difficult once she realized I’d booked with points. The way my concern was handled left me upset, uncomfortable, and frustrated.

It took two in-person conversations, five emails, and two phone calls to get this sorted out, which was a frustrating hassle. I’d hoped to put some of my stay on an eGift card Marriott sent for my birthday week, but nobody at the front desk knew how to process it. Instead, I was overcharged. This definitely didn’t feel like a Marriott experience.

The cost was quite a bit higher than I expected. I don’t know the area well, so maybe that’s typical, but it contributed to an only-okay stay. The shower had very strong hot water, which would be nice in winter, but I couldn’t get good pressure with cool water, not great in summer. I also saw a large AC unit left unattended in the hallway. It wasn’t a major issue, but it shouldn’t have been left there. The place felt a little less nice than other Courtyards I’ve stayed at recently.

There are restaurants nearby and the location also works for business travelers, with Qualcomm and other offices close by. But my experience was pretty average by Marriott standards. There’s no room service, and the bathroom had no basics like a toothbrush or shaving kit. I opted into the green initiative, and as a result nobody even made the bed. Breakfast comes from Starbucks as a set menu, so over a week or so you’ll be having much the same thing each day.