No, you're not alone. This property has done well by me as both a MR Gold and MR Platinum - you can find (usually) parking fairly near to your room and they know that you're a business traveller. They have a CL that is kept up and well managed.

Yes, the walks to/from the CL to your room can be long. See my review from October to see if you can get them to do better in terms of what room you want vs. where you park by picking the room number that you prefer.

My issue with the other FS Marriotts in the area are either the distance you have to travel to (Fair Oaks) or the hateful walk to/from parking and no CL (Westfields).

If you fall into the "I don't care which MR property", then yes, there are properties from the trio @ Lee Jackson Highway & 28 (FI, SHS & CY), the ones up the 267 that you have to pay the tolls to get to/from, and places in Herndon and points further east. However, many of these cost more than the Marriott IAD (except those in Sterling) and still don't have a decent breakfast or CL.

David