Courtyard by Marriott Richmond Airport

I give it four stars, though my muscle relaxer is kicking in, so bear with me. The place was clean and quiet, the bed was comfortable, and the TV had all the smart apps. The room AC did what I told it to. The decor feels like it was picked by one of those professional mermaids from opeecheepee, or whatever that Florida park is called. Still, I'm fond of the strange seashell-shaped sofa. The airport shuttle was on time. The van doesn't say “courtyard Marriott” anywhere, just “airport parking shuttle” in Arial, so it looks generic and odd. Remember you're the main character, hop on, and you'll be fine. There's a tiny indoor pool, but no hot tub. I didn't get to check out the bar properly, though you can buy booze from the fridge at the front desk. A male-only steam room would have earned another star of enthusiasm. Anthony at the desk was great, I think that was his name.

Ray took the time to look into a problem with my Marriott Bonvoy account, figure out what was wrong, and give me the right fix. She was absolutely amazing, and staff like her make this location well equipped to serve its customers.

My early flight was canceled and moved to the next day, so I called the property. After a short conversation, Donyel made sure my medically disabled spouse would be looked after. He got him settled and comfortable, and put both of us at ease. The world needs more people like him. Thank you for such over-the-top service.

The one good thing was being close to the airport. The Wi-Fi didn't work, and when I asked the front desk, they gave me a corporate number and said it wasn't their problem. There was water damage on the bathroom ceiling, and although the place was under “renovation,” it seemed to have bigger issues than that. I was charged $10 for the day I arrived and another $10 for the day I left, despite staying only one night. Very disappointing. I do not recommend it.