Courtyard Tuscaloosa by Marriott

I booked online several hours before arriving, using my Marriott card, and the app already showed me as checked in. The evening attendant said they didn’t have the room type I’d reserved and wanted another $180 for the only room left. When I showed her my confirmation, she rolled her eyes, repeated that there were no rooms like that, and told me to cancel so she could rebook me at the higher price. That hole-in-the-wall place isn’t worth over $300 a night. No, ma’am.

The place was clean and the staff friendly, and otherwise things were acceptable. But the building seems made of paper mache and balsa wood, so sound carries. The food area isn’t complimentary, either. Breakfast for two came to nearly $50 with the tip.

The price was unbeatable, and the accommodations were great, even though it was a bit farther from UA than I wanted. I’d booked by mistake, thinking this was another location, but it worked out fine. The lobby is bright and welcoming, with a bar for coffee or cocktails, and the pool looked nice, though nobody was using it. The maids were sweet and friendly, and the front desk service was excellent. My only complaint is that the bathroom had no exhaust fan.

First they put me in a dirty room. The replacement had a broken TV, phone, and air conditioner. It was after 11 p.m., and I didn’t realize the AC was out until 3 a.m., otherwise I’d have asked to move again. The manager assured me they’d refund the room, but then I was charged over $200. Motel 6 would have been better.