Courtyard by Marriott San Francisco Fisherman's Wharf

The room was big and nice, with a large-screen TV and a comfortable bed, though it smelled stale. I wouldn't call it moldy, just stale. Staff were friendly and offered suggestions. We easily walked to Chinatown for lunch, as well as to Ghirardelli square and Pier 39. We were there for just two nights before our cruise, and it worked perfectly. We took a Lyft to the ship because walking that far with a suitcase was too much. We're frequent Marriott guests, and the reviews made this an easy choice. We really liked the hotel's location.

The rooms were nice and the beds comfortable, but I was still pretty unhappy with the stay. My fiancé and I travel often as ambassador elite members and usually pick Marriott properties. I work in hotels myself. The toilet seats here felt cheap and uncomfortable, with a flimsy back that seemed like it might break under weight, like something from a school or public restroom. I was also disappointed there was no complimentary water, at least according to the front desk. When I went to ask for some, I only had my phone and keys with me, so I couldn't buy any since they don't take Apple Pay. As a Front desk agent myself, I find that pretty unacceptable. At my property, if we're low on water bottles, we'd order more for same-day delivery because complimentary bottles matter for every silver member and above. We also happened to arrive while the lobby was being remodeled. It was so loud during check-in that I couldn't stand being in there and my ears were ringing. I was very unsatisfied and will probably choose a different property next time we're in the area.

The only downside was a business nearby playing music early, around 8 a.m. each morning. Next time we'll try to avoid outside noise as much as possible, because we'll definitely come back. Courtyard Marriott is an ideal base for seeing nearly everything in San Francisco: the staff are helpful, the rooms are Marriott, and you can walk to Fisherman's Wharf, trolley cable car and streetcar stops, Pier 39, the seals, Golden Gate bridge, and lots of good restaurants, shops, and bars.

The room smelled as soon as we opened the door, and there was no complimentary bottled water for a Gold member, which was a first for me. We also had several bags and two bikes, but nobody offered to help us get them to the room. On top of that, students from the nearby campus kept walking past and shouting until 2:30 a.m., so the room was really noisy. The location is good, but this was one of my worst hotel stays in recent years. I’d avoid it, especially with so many other places to choose from.