Aloft by Marriott St. Louis Cortex

Genise on the afternoon shift and Zaria in the morning deserve a special mention. The people are the heart of any business, and the welcome here really stood out, from walking in the door to coming downstairs in the morning. The place itself is very modern and clean throughout. My family had room to play board games and relax, and we loved hanging out beside the heated indoor pool. The fitness room has proper free weights with space to use them, plus a good cable setup, cardio machines, BOSU balls, bands, and belts. There's a protected outdoor plaza by the pool and fitness area, so you or the kids can get outside while staying within the hotel grounds. Upstairs, there's a pool table, a bar, and a second-floor outdoor deck. The location felt safe. For Mardi Gras, a weekend away, or downtown business in St Louis, I'd consider staying here.

The room was clean, and the area is nice, very close to Wash U. Parking was street-only when we arrived. You need an app to pay, starting at 8 a.m., and then have to pay again every two hours. We had late checkout, but got bothered several times before the usual checkout time with reminders about when checkout was.

I got back to my room at 5:30 p.m. and found housekeeping hadn't made it. By then I'd had enough. I checked out early the next morning and won't come back. I'm a Titanium elite member and travel to St. Louis for work several times a year. I'd stayed at the Aloft Cortex once last year, and then they offered 500 points or breakfast as a welcome benefit. I chose breakfast and received a voucher for each booked night. This time, staff said breakfast was a one-time benefit, not one per night, and told me it had always been that way when I asked if the policy had changed. I checked the Marriott terms and conditions, which say the Aloft welcome benefit for Platinum and above is 500 points per stay, an F&B amenity per stay, or restaurant breakfast per night for the member and one guest. I didn't feel like arguing, so I let it go. The room smelled strongly of cheap perfume, as if someone had tried to cover cigarette smoke. The hotel has no parking of its own and validates at a nearby garage. My first validation didn't work, and neither did the second one the desk issued after I reported it. They blamed the garage operator and hadn't communicated the problem. I returned the ticket and asked them to refund parking for my remaining nights, saying I'd pay the garage directly when I left.

The common areas were a highlight, with lots of different places to sit and lounge. They felt unusually comfortable for a hotel. The staff were very friendly and went above and beyond, and having my dog with me worked out perfectly. The neighborhood was quiet, and it was easy to get around the city from there. Parking took a little figuring out. There's a paid lot and a garage, which can get expensive. Street parking is free overnight, though, and I parked there, then paid the meter for the few hours I was around. Just know there isn't a free hotel lot. It wasn't a major issue, just different.