Residence Inn by Marriott Houston The Woodlands/Market Street

Ants showed up in my room, and I had to throw out an almost full pack of candies. I reported it in the morning, but nothing had been done by that afternoon. They fumigated the next day. After I got home, I realized a sweater and two t-shirts I'd bought were missing. That was the only day staff entered my room, which concerned me. The front desk response was just an apology, and when a manager came by, it didn't seem like they took the situation very seriously. We were a group of five, and there were days when the scheduled cleaning didn't happen as expected. When staff did clean, some things were missed: the bathtub wasn't properly cleaned, and small items stayed behind the entrance door throughout my stay. Towels were rehung as if they were fresh even when we hadn't left them on the floor to be replaced. That made me wonder about the environmental policy and whether used towels were just being folded and put back. At check-in, we were told the breakfast and gym schedules, but not how often the rooms would be serviced. The staff member wore headphones while helping us, which didn't make a good impression. I've worked in hotels myself, and attentive service and proper follow-up matter when a guest reports a problem. There's room for improvement here.

The shower had no hot water in the morning, though the sinks were scalding hot. The TV didn't work either. The remote lit up, so it looked like it was working, but it wasn't. We arrived at 10:06 p.m.; once we were unpacked and realized the TV was out, we just used our phones. By morning, changing rooms wasn't an option, so I asked for a refund. The front desk person just deflected me to Hotels.com. Since the owner trains staff to pass the buck, one star.

The only real letdown was trying to extend checkout. The clerk was unfriendly and unhelpful, and begrudgingly gave us just 15 extra minutes. We were traveling with a small baby, and I'm a silver elite bonvoy member. I don't understand why they couldn't offer another hour as a courtesy. That lack of consideration was disappointing. We stayed two nights in a very quiet, safe spot in the heart of the Woodlands. There were plenty of restaurants and shops nearby, including H-E-B, the Market Street Mall, and Whole Foods, and parking was convenient. The check-in clerk was so friendly and helpful. Our room was clean, the windows opened, and the smart TV was incredible. The bed was too firm for me, but that's personal preference.

The staff were incredibly helpful and attentive. The kitchen is spacious and has all the essentials, plus a dishwasher and a washer and dryer. It's a great setup if you like cooking for yourself or are staying longer.