Residence Inn by Marriott Wilmington Downtown

The breakfast nook was a real treat, especially with the outgoing, energetic woman running it. The receptionist also went out of her way to find milk for our coffee. The room was clean and comfortable, with a great bathroom and a lovely walk-in shower. A couple of things needed attention, including the TV’s missing HDMI cable, apparently unplugged by someone, but I’m not going to quibble about that.

We liked the room setup, especially having a fridge and freezer that make ice. My husband drinks iced coffee, so having ice in the room was a nice bonus. I enjoyed the king bed, though the pillows were a little thin for me. The gym was small and somewhat dirty, and by the time we got to breakfast at 9, it had been picked over so much that cereal was what remained. Staff we met were kind and helpful. There’s a good food hall across the street and other restaurants down Market Street, which we walked along. It’s a lovely street with lots of shops, bars and places to eat. There’s also a cool bank vault up the stairs from the lobby.

The room’s heat never reached the 74 degrees set on the thermostat. Water draining or dripping in the shower made a very loud noise because of a metal panel over the drain. The cups in the cupboard were dirty, with dried milk or something crusted inside, and there were several strands of someone’s hair on the kitchen counter. Outside, the parking area was in poor shape: more than a week after the storm, snow still blocked many spaces and narrowed the passage. Snow piles framing the narrow entrance hadn’t been cleared, leaving cars at risk of scratches, and the sidewalk was slippery. I didn’t feel safe leaving my car there, so I paid $25 to use the garage.

The building is old, but the refurbished rooms are clean and everything worked. I saw no mold or other dirt. The staff were excellent and quick to sort out any issues; at 11 PM they even brought replacement sheets for one of the beds. Parking is difficult, as it is at the other downtown hotels. There’s a food court across the street with pizza, burgers, Mexican, vegan, chicken and Indian options. This is the Marriott I’d choose in downtown Wilmington.