marriott Rewards

Photo Review of Marriott Town Place Suites McKinney Texas

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Nothing too surprising to report at this typical Townplace Suites. I enjoy this Marriott brand as the hotels are laid out nice and fit my travel needs well. I wish they could redesign the weird closets at these hotels but I “get” the purpose for extended stay folks. This location has somewhat small TVs and lacks the Netflix internet TV option. Other than that the service was great and spotlessly clean. This hotel is well located for runners with good sidewalks and trails not far away. Also near shopping and restaurants. I’d stay here again for sure.

Springhill Suites Tulsa Hills Photo Review

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Nothing bad to say about a spotless, new, well located hotel with good service. Good breakfast. Nice indoor pool and fitness room.

TVs are good but do lack the Netflix streaming feature of some new Marriott properties. Not a huge issue. Hard to find anything bad to say. This new property is very nice and located near shopping and restaurants.

Hotel Photo Review – Marriott Courtyard Springfield Missouri Airport

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The last time I stayed at this property Dick Cheney was VP. I know this because he was staying here at the same time on a campaign stop. I also remember this because when I checked in the front desk gave me the wrong key and I walked in on a secret service agent in his room, yikes.

Anyway this hotel has aged well. It’s one of the designs that has a small atrium in the lobby. It has a restaurant in the parking lot but is equipped with the Hyatt Place style bistro for breakfast, evening drinks and food. I like this but still feel that not having free breakfast,, even for elites, has long hampered Courtyard business traveler business. Sure many can expense this cost anyway but it is just more complicated than being able to grab a quick coffee or breakfast on the way out the door for most roadwarriors.

This hotel has a small in door pool, decent fitness room and clean rooms. I find the bathrooms a bit dated but spotless. This property is right off I-44 and near the Springfield Regional Airport. They have shuttle but a cab might be worth it to save time.

Photo Review Marriott Town Place Suites Hays Kansas

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Decent, new, clean, great service, great roadside location right on I-70. Near shopping, restaurants and other services. The perfect hotel if…they could fix two things. 1. Fix water pressure in the showers, I’ve seen drinking fountains with better water flow (suspect it’s the crappy shower heads). 2. Start breakfast at 6am if not earlier. This is a hotel in Western Kansas on I-70 many people need to hit the road earlier than 6:30.

Photo Review Marriott Fairfield Inn San Antonio Schertz Texas

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Decent hotel. Fairly typical Fairfield Inn with proper 6am (not 6:30am) breakfast time. Good location right off I-35 and near shopping and restaurants. I would stay here again due to clean rooms and super great staff.

Photo Review of Marriott Renaissance Denver Stapleton Hotel

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When is an airport hotel not an airport hotel. Well for many hotels around the Stapleton airport this became reality when they moved the operations to the new Denver airport. So this hotel is like an airport hotel and has that vibe but now sits about halfway between downtown and the new airport. Just South of I-70. I recently booked this hotel for a business trip to Denver. Hotels in Denver can be expensive but I got a fairly decent price on this stay. I also recently hit Marriott Gold or now Platinum Elite so I was also able to access the lounge. They had a temporary lounge on the 3rd floor but just opened the newly remodeled 10th floor lounge during my stay. I couldn’t get photos of the new lounge as it was fairly busy and I try not to get people in my photos if possible.

The highlight of this hotel is the staff and service. I don’t usually like the hassle of full service hotels but this one was very good and laid back at the same time. I had a “newly renovated” room on the 9th floor with a balcony that was very nice and spotless. I am kind of picky with 100+ hotel nights a year but I could find little wrong with this hotel. Even the parking garage is free for guests.

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Pool area20180829_060733

My blurry lobby photo. There is a paid breakfast buffett and a starbucks in the lobby.  I didn’t see any free coffee however. 20180828_164329_hdr

The temporary 3rd floor lounge. Offering good evening snacks. 20180828_162510

Funky airplane on room ceiling are kinda cool.20180828_162711_hdr

View toward downtown from balcony20180828_160034

Nice bathroom20180828_160018

Room featured fairly comfortable table workspace, fridge, coffee maker. Very good TV service and again spotless. Even the sliding door to the balcony worked flawlessly.20180828_160013

Double Queen beds in this room.20180828_155918

Atrium views 20180828_155842

Front lobby20180828_154646

Front lobby20180828_164036

dining area and business center part of atrium20180828_154739

Lobby area seating. This may not be a “Five Star” hotel officially but to me it is.

Photo review Townplace Suites by Marriott Lubbock Texas

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Quick stay in Lubbock Texas. Not much to report. Upon arriving I was checked in very quickly by the very professional and friendly Lesa at the front desk. Given key to room 317 and told breakfast starts at 6:30am 😦 since my first appointment is at 7am this seems a bit late for breakfast but most hotels have gone to the 6:30am model even on week days with a hotel full of road warriors. Many times this doesn’t matter.because they put the food out much earlier but at this hotel it was dark in the breakfast area at 6:20am unfortunately.

Room 317 was ok and typical setup for a Townplace but I couldn’t help notice worn and stained carpets throughout the entire property. The room was clean but not quite spotless like most Townplace or Marriott properties. The bathroom was mostly clean but a bit dingy in spots.

Overall it wasn’t a bad quick overnigbt. Not much within walking distance but there is an Arbys and Joes Crabshack within a block. Shopping limited to the Home Depot next door but plenty of other things to drive to nearby.

Quick review of Residence Inn downtown San Antonio

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Not my best photo effort but a few to show this typical Residence Inn.

Outdoor play area.

Nice pool area. This hotel has a great staff. Everyone was very friendly.

Outside grounds. Well located about a half mile SW of the Riverwalk. Close to groceries and some restaurants. Easy to the Interstate as well.

Good work space.

This was an end room on the second floor. Typical older model layout. Everthing was spotless. Not bad. I would stay here again but did find the internet speed a bit lacking for the standard speed offered.

Changes to expiration policy of Marriott Rewards points

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I just got this email announcing changes to how points expire with Marriott Rewards. Seems like you need earning activity within 2 years which seems fairly tame. I don’t like programs the expire points but this one doesn’t seem to draconian.

marriott changes