Courtyard by Marriott Tacoma Downtown

The water view was a nice surprise, and the front desk was friendly. There weren’t any Gold upgrades available, but they gave me a good bag of snacks. Once I figured out the parking, getting around the hotel was easy. I also liked the real glassware and the sanitary plastic wrap. Still, for the price and the prominent downtown location by the convention center, this Marriott felt below average for the brand. The modern-looking rooms didn’t keep sound out well at all, and I could hear full conversations next door. Housekeeping had left a few hairs in the bathroom. The coffee setup was another letdown: no urns in the lobby or dining area, just a Starbucks counter, plus a cheap single-serve machine in the room with a dusty pod. It’ll make a first cup, I guess. But there were no creamers. That’s a strange thing to skimp on when it affects the morning coffee, and I’ve had a much better stay at the Marriott right across the street.

I was visiting family while dealing with my mom’s health problems, and the staff helped me from the moment I arrived at midnight. The weekday valet was especially sweet and accommodating. When my TV broke, the maintenance guy stayed patient and didn’t leave until he’d fixed the problem. I can’t say enough about how kind the staff were. I’ll definitely stay again.

I used a Marriott annual free night to book a stay for my wife, but the front desk wouldn’t let her check in without me. They said their policy doesn’t allow spouses to check in alone. I called customer service and spent 15 minutes on hold, only to be told they’d have to charge me for the night. We canceled and booked somewhere else. After years as a customer, I’m likely to cancel my card and leave Marriott.

The room was comfortable and gave me no problems, and the people at the desk and bistro were helpful and nice. The location was alright, but there’s no dedicated parking for the courtyard. The valet spaces fill up fast, so you may have to park on the street. 8.5/10