Courtyard Tampa Downtown

The hotel has no parking on site, so you must use the valets who were always friendly and helpful. However, it was not easy to ENTER the hotel. They have a double set of doors. The first set whisked open immediately, I was expecting the same at the next set of doors, which were about 3 steps away, and I almost walked into them because they did NOT open. So what do you do with electric doors? They weren't closed all the way (about an inch) but I had to push very hard to get them open, but they suddenly flew open with a resounding crash, that the entire first floor could have heard. Even so, the front desk was unattended, in spite of our very noise entrance. We said "hello?" no one came. I browsed around in their merchandise alcove for a little while only to find my spouse still waiting for someone to appear. The absence of staff at the front desk has been noted in other reviews - management response is that they are "in the back" where they can monitor front desk. Well, they were not "monitoring" the desk this particular afternoon. And what are they doing "in the back" that they can't do at a computer at the desk? This is such a poor first impression! It would not be allowed at ANY decent hotel. The woman who finally appeared (quite by chance I'm sure), was pleasant enough. After the check in procedure, I asked why I had to manually throw the doors open and she explained because of COVID, you have to ring a doorbell out there to get in. Registered guests use their room keys to get in. We looked at the set up out there later. They store the huge luggage carts on either side of that little space between the sets of entry doors. There was a little sign on the right far wall about using your room key and there was a sensor, but all this was behind the luggage carts - you would have had to pull one of them completely out to access the sensor or the "doorbell." Ridiculous! Move the sign to the door itself for heavens sake. Or ensure that the valets tell people who are checking in to look for the doorbell just inside. How hard is that? It did not end there. We get up to the room, and it was pleasant enough. We left to visit a nearby shop, and when we returned, I knelt down to put some drinks in the mini fridge and when I stood up, the knees of the pants I was wearing were completely soaked through. The air conditioning was leaking and the carpet of that whole quadrant of the room was saturated with water. The front desk changed our room. Now we were celebrating my birthday in Tampa and had reservations for dinner in less an hour. The LAST thing I expected to be doing was repacking everything, hauling it to the next room assignment, then trying to dry my soaking wet pants with the hotel hair dryer that smelled like it was on fire. This second room we were given was considerably smaller than the one we had to leave - how is that for service recovery? Later in the evening before retiring, I go into the bathroom and find out that you cannot adjust the temperature at the sink - seriously, try brushing your teeth using BOILING water. I had to kneel down at the tub faucet. Ridiculous! These maintenance issues are things that the housekeeping staff would notice and report, but obviously NOT. At some point in the afternoon, I wanted something from their merchandise alcove and asked the front desk person if they post these charges to the room. I was told she just had to scan them, which she did, but then she told me that "for some reason" they did not scan and she would have to enter the purchases in manually - which took three or four times LONGER than it should have. I don't imagine that anything was done to research the issue to take steps to correct this problem - but what I DO imagine is that it will somehow be blamed on the COVID pandemic. I've looked at management responses to some of these very same issues and a recurring theme is COVID this and COVID that. Please save your breath. EVERYONE has been impacted by the pandemic - it has been horrible. The difference here is that you are taking money from customers who may have much less money as a result of the pandemic. When you fall short of expectations, you can't just take the money and say, thank you for your comments, please give us another chance in the future. You need to implement true service recovery - there needs to be an offer of some kind - a rate reduction, cover the parking, if nothing else, a decent reduction on a future stay. And the customer should not have to freak out and ask for or demand this compensation. This type of occurrence should not be all that costly to the hotel since it should be rare. If it's the rule instead of the exception, then you shouldn't be in business. We will never go back, and do not recommend this hotel at all.

The front desk was unattended when we arrived. That was a telling sign of things to come. When we did get checked in the trip to our room ok us past a water and ice station that was decorated with empty beer cans. We can only hope it was part of a recycling effort. The room was okay, a bit worn, but the windows were dirty and we would come to find out that one of two air conditioners did not work. We used the $22 valet parking. No complaints about the service or the fee until I watched he valet brining my car in the morning due a U turn in front of the hotel . Front desk was unattended at checkout. Not a typical Marriott Courtyard experience.

I had parathyroid surgery at Tampa General and the Courtyard was the perfect place for our stay. It was clean and modern (LOVED the sofa/chair in the room and bed was very comfy as well!) and they were so kind and understanding in letting us stay a bit longer due to the surgery schedule so I could rest a bit before checking out...so appreciated!

I rarely have negative feedback on Marriott Hotels, but this is the exception. The ad is a little misleading. Parking is not easy to come by downtown and there is a $22 valet fee that was not mentioned in the booking. It did make the stay easier but be aware of this if you stay. The front desk staff is friendly, but no mention of being a Bonvoy member and no speedy check in service. (kind of a big deal to Marriott) the room was pictured correctly and nice enough. Definitely be careful with the wall outlets several of our would pull out of the wall if you weren’t careful and electrocution was definitely not in our plans. The bar area and breakfast are shut down due to COVID concerns (I assume) but you can purchase a sack breakfast for $7.00 but I highly recommend not doing so. With so many great options downtown, I feel confident we wouldn’t stay here again.

The Courtyard Marriott in downtown Tampa, Florida, was/is located in a truly convenient spot for touring the river walk but sadly it was a bit too noisy. Which is odd given that the city is currently in “lock down” due to the COVID19 pandemic.