Courtyard by Marriott Austin North/Parmer Lane

S B _{on Google}

Apr 10th, 2024

This review is for the night of 10 April @ 7:30PM. the members on staff were Donna, Adrian & Christian. I am a frequent business / government traveler who stays in Austin a few nights a week for work. Unfortunately, this week I forgot my bank card with my little sister & didnt have a backup option outside of Apple Pay which Ive been able to use successfully at alol establishments. I asked the front desk if I would be able to check in using Apple Pay and they told me that the system isnt wired for digital transactions. I told them I understood but since the banks were closed, would I be able to show them the card to type it in (have a copy on my phone) or Zelle someone on staff the money (I was desperate lol). My plan was to go to the bank in the morning to get a temporary card & show them the next day since they needed to see the physical card.
They told me that both options were out of their company policy & there was NOTHING they could do. I got so desperate that I attempted to ask a fellow guest for help could I send the cash for one night via Zelle & they use their physical card to show the front desk? Ms. Donna approached me and told me that they dont allow people to do that here. I suppose she meant ask guests for help bcs it could be considered a bother. I was so embarrassed. I started crying & apologized to the gentleman bcs I didnt even realize how it could have been perceived. She also proceeded to tell me that all the other hotels in the area operated under the same policy. Her last words were so you want to go ahead & cancel? No remorse for a young woman in tears with nowhere to stay overnight. This could happen to anyone but I digress.
I left with zero options and called aloft to let them know my dilemma and see if they would accommodate me. They were happy to type the card number & told me to come on by. That got me thinking that maybe one of the hotels that she said couldnt accommodate actually could. I drove 2 min up the street to Fairfield Inn & let them know the pickle I was in. They told me that it would be easy for them to validate the card using their authenticator. They typed it in & I was checked in under 10 minutes with no prior reservation. The team went on to inform me that Courtyard has the same POS and capability to validate cards if you dont have the physical copy. Im assuming that the Courtyard team just didnt want to help me. The upside is the offered to give me a 100% refund on the room so I guess thats a plus?
I am SO grateful to the Fairfield Team for not leaving me stranded overnight in a city where I have no friends or additional support. I wish there were more service-oriented humans like them working in the hospitality industry. In the end I was happy that it didnt work out breakfast is included & the entire hotel @ Fairfield is very clean bathroom is spotless. Just looked at a few other reviews for this Courtyard & saw others complaining about the management team, lack of breakfast & cleanliness of the rooms. I very likely dodged a bullet normally wouldnt pick them but it was a last minute reservation since I needed to be in town for a panel.
Oh & Im a Bonvoy Silver member whos been using the Marriott brand for travel for the last 15 years (I was Gold last year but got downgraded since I travel less these days) if that adds any other context.
I dont need a resolution, just sharing with others youre better off staying in one of the other hotels in the area clean, comes with breakfast & comes with an accommodating front desk staff who makes the world of difference in the customer experience. Ill be writing a review for them as well.

Paul Orfanu _{on Google}

Apr 8th, 2024

Super great experience (like never elsewhere)! I am updating this review to mention that all details are based on my 2 months stay in this place. Also to say that the overall credit, beside the specific departments and names, is first driven by the executive management, Adrienne and Donna, who really lead by example, going the extra mile of caring, friendliness and help all the time in any detail. Similarly the rest of the staff is going the extra mile to accomdate every request, starting with the exceptional front desk team of Zoey, Christian, Jared, Faith, Julian, Roger, everyone shows extra professionalism, amazing patience, friendliness, politeness, positivity, care and also being very prompt. Eddie, the barista, adds an outstanding positivity and charisma to the hotel, helping also front desk, thus giving the vibe of a family. The housekeeping crew (Aida - really going the extra mile, Rebeca, Elena, Elieth Rayo, Isabela, Blanchis, Gracie, Latora Johnson etc) does an outstanding work I never saw before in any hotel in the US or internationally (and I traveled a lot), the room looks like "out of the factory" every day. Each room's spiff cleaning is post-checked daily by housekeeping manager Julia , as well as Paulina, who do an excellent job. Regarding the rooms, they have very new and modern furniture, including the beds and linens. Maintenance also does a very prompt job right away if called. The hotel atmosphere is very warm and feels like a vacation (lobby with the bistro crowd, kids playing in the indoor pool until 11 pm on the weekend). The view from top floors is great. The parking and surroundings are very safe, two security cars are running around almost every few minutes all night long. I strongly recommend this place!

Margret _{on Google}

Apr 5th, 2024

Clean hotel from lobby to room to pool. Service was great from anyone we dealt with. Pool water was perfect temp and clean. Rooms are spacious, clean and offered fridge/microwave. Plenty of usb ports & easy access plug ins to charge devices. Security car on duty. Not near much or any food, but travel 10 mins and you have all the options.

Diane Dutra _{on Google}

Mar 27th, 2024

I did not stay here, but have had the unfortunate experience of having my vehicle damaged whilst on their property. The General Manager Adrianne is minimally responsive, and rather than address the situation quickly, pushed it to a claims adjuster.
Horrible representation of the brand to say the least