I never think of a RI ( or a CY or FI ) as being a botique hotel product providing an idyllic get away. The RI product is intended both as an extended stay property aimed at contractors etc. who spend some several days or weeks, and at ordinary customers who aspire a lager room with kitchen ammeneties.

I don't think one is gonna find many UG opportunities at a RI as the product is not especially diversified ( studios, 1BR or 2BR ) and I would not expect that Marriott automatically give me a 1BR or 2BR unit UG for my studio or smaller unit. I myself always consider the already larger room w/ sofa & sitting area and the kitchen features to be my UG. As these are not resort type products I would not anticipate having much selection in terms of preferred views etc.

What I find interesting in the OP's experience is that the kids and the noise occur at a RI product as we've not had that sort of experience before. I would expect this more at the CY brand whose price point and ammeneties aim to serve the family crowd ( the Mt. Laurel NJ CY is one such property with noise & running kids all over the place ). Then again, the newer RI properties are designed akin to the CYs in single hallway, multiple floor buildings and you're gonna notice the noise when noisey folks are at it. At the legacy RIs which consist of several 2 story apartment-type complexes, noise is rarely an issue ( and one might even request a more isolated view ). I guess that at a popular and busy location such as this one, your room options go way down.

As to the dog crap stuff. I'm a dog lover, but I remain ambivilent about bringing Tippy on vacation just for that very reason. I'm not gonna delve into dog psychology here, but if I can't travel without my pet crapping or peeing on the carpet, then Tippy ain't coming with me. As a paying guest who expects a clearn room, I'm not comforted to find those carpet reminders as I also gotta wonder if HKers spray for fleas. But such is life today as folks deem it a right to travel with their pets and hotels face new laws allowing one to bring a "comfort animal" ( which in theory could be a dog, a pot belly pig or a python ). I do note that the St Pete RI allows pets and charges a $100 fee to do so. I guess it's a good system, but I still do not relish the idea of trying to figure out how recent that spot on the carpet is.

Seems that the one negative to doing a lot of travel is that sooner or later you'll have a trip where the travel gods are not so kind. Hopefully it doesn't happen often.

Barry