Courtyard by Marriott Galveston Island — Hotel in Galveston

I'm conflicted while writing this review. In town for the week of July 4th.

The check-in was smooth and the attendants were friendly. Even texting with them was smooth.

The hotel itself seems new and clean. However, I feel like this is a business hotel trying to be coastal. They have a lobby/business area (very nice)...but it's in the path to go to the pool (just an odd location.) The room(s) are nice. You're instructed to take the "privacy" tag off for service, but we left our rooms @ 10.30 each day - and they would never attend to our rooms (without texting them.) Our second room had two roaches one night. The AC was great. The water pressure in the shower is light (which is hard when you have a ton of hair to wash), but I like how there is a seat in the shower if needed.

Parking - no complaints. During the day, there was usually parking available. If you come in later at night, you usually need to park below in the garage - and we never had a problem with that.

There is a seating area outside - and it also has a fire pit!

The pool area is nice - it's trying to be like a resort. There are 5 large cabanas for rent. There is a website, but you can reserve through the front desk. There are a few covered areas as well, but they go really early/quick. Chairs were always filled, but we later figured out where the extra chairs were stacked. Towels were a rarity. On 4th of July, it was 3pm before I could personally get a towel. Lots of families with small kids. I think this pool is shared with the Marriott Suites behind the Courtyard - people kept walking in the back gate - which is probably why it was so full.

There is a bar outside for beverages and ordering food. They also have a few pool/beach toys for purchase. Happy Hour rates as well.

We served/rented a cabana for July 4th. You can rent 9 to 3, or 4 to 10. We rented from 9 to 3. We read some info where the bar would open @ 10, but on another site it said something like 12.30. We ended up leaving at 11.30 to go get food off-premises. Leaving us not much time to enjoy our rental. We never got our fruit plate (would have been great for breakfast!) A pool attendant never stopped by to check on us. My husband got our buckets of beverages by going to the bar. We've rented cabanas at other hotels, and this is not the experience we expected.

The hotel rooms may have a view of the Gulf, but they don't have balconies. The window opens. We found it challenging to keep our bathing suits dry from day to day without a balcony in the room. There may be a suite or two with a balcony, but those are rare. Bring your string/rope/hooks to hang your wet stuff (not even a string in...

It all started with an incorrect image on the reservations page. When I booked, the listing showed an ocean-facing room, so I assumed that’s what I would be getting at check-in. Instead, I was told those rooms are “based on availability.” I wish that clarification had been made clear upfront on the booking page.

At check-in, the front desk lady said she would check availability for the next night and let me know. Even after few reminders, no one ever followed up. A simple call or confirmation that no rooms were available would have saved a lot of unnecessary expectation.

The next morning, we went for what was supposed to be complimentary breakfast, only to be told we didn’t purchase it. Thankfully, I had a screenshot of my booking that proved it was included, and only then was it honored. But don’t expect a buffet — it’s a limited menu with a $10 per person cap. At this property, you can’t even get a bagel and coffee within that limit, so think twice before paying for the “breakfast option.”

The room itself was okay, though the bathroom felt dated. Amenities were very minimal — just a soap bar and moisturizer. We had to request toothpaste separately. Despite staying longer than one night, housekeeping never cleaned our room or made the bed, and oddly, the only moisturizer provided on day one was taken away and not replaced.

The AC was another frustration. Guests can’t control the unit themselves; it’s managed centrally by staff. It was set so low that the room was uncomfortably warm, both during the day and at night.

Limited parking at the lobby level. There was underground parking, but only one of the elevators gives you access to underground. Either you take 2 elevators or keep waiting for an elevator that can take you to ground floor. We ended up hauling our baggage thru 2 elevators.

On top of all this, the location isn’t great. The hotel is on one end of the beach strip, and it feels far from most of the action. I don’t think there are any other hotels beyond this one.

Overall, this stay fell far below expectations. I expected more from a Marriott property, and unfortunately, this experience has made us decide not to stay at Marriott hotels...

I called ahead to request an early check in and the lady I spoke with made the notes in the system. We arrived around 2pm and was told that the room we had been "blocked" into was still occupied and would not be ready until 4pm (which is after check in time of 3pm). I voiced my frustration in a calm manner and was met with abrasiveness by the front desk clerk. She literally said to me, "I can't go and knock on the door and force them to leave." To which I replied, "Of course not, that is common sense." And I followed up with, I just don't understand how I requested an early check in and was blocked into a room with the current guests not checking out until 4pm. She very loudly said, "Do you want me to kick them out? They paid their money and I cannot kick them out!!" I said to her, "Ma'am, no one asked you to do that". This lady was an older white woman with a bun on her head. She then proceeds to gossip about my husband and I while we sat waiting on the room - we saw her and we heard her because she talks extremely loud. I then spoke with Jerry, the manager and while I was speaking to him, she was making these noises like a child (she was at the Starbucks coffee counter making a coffee for a guest and my husband heard her and watched as she made these noises). Jerry then came and spoke with both me and my husband again and he apologized. Like we told him, it was nothing she could personally do to change the situation - however, she handled it WRONG. Before she left for the day - she approached us in an aggressive manner and said the guests checked out and the room would be ready in 45 minutes - she talked aggressively and had a scowl on her face - she should have let Jerry handle it from there - it was like she wanted negative interaction - I said thank you without even making eye contact. It was all very frustrating and unprofessional. If I could have canceled the room with no penalty, I would have. No one should have to be subjected to such unprofessionalism while trying to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city and trying to relax and have a good time. She is not the person to have at...