Courtyards: Are they worth it?
Sep 4, 2018, 6:27 pm
#61
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: SJC/SFO
Programs: WN A+ CP, UA 1MM/*A Gold, Mar LT Tit, IHG Plat, HH Dia
Posts: 6,285
It amuses me how many people on FT dismiss CY for its breakfast-- because it's not included in the room rate, or the bistro's too expensive, the bistro has poor choices, etc. It amuses me, though I do understand it. For me, hotel breakfast offerings, especially the complimentary ones, are rarely that interesting. I don't like cheap eggs, stale breads, packaged cereal, and other sugary crap. Often I'd rather pick up a more enjoyable breakfast along the way between the hotel and wherever I'm going first in the morning. That said, there are times when the convenience of having breakfast in-house trumps going elsewhere for something better. That's especially true when traveling with others where eating anywhere other than the hotel restaurant would be an enormous time sink or significant expense.
Sep 4, 2018, 7:19 pm
#62
Join Date: Aug 2018
Programs: Hilton Honors Diamond; Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 26
It amuses me how many people on FT dismiss CY for its breakfast-- because it's not included in the room rate, or the bistro's too expensive, the bistro has poor choices, etc. It amuses me, though I do understand it. For me, hotel breakfast offerings, especially the complimentary ones, are rarely that interesting. I don't like cheap eggs, stale breads, packaged cereal, and other sugary crap. Often I'd rather pick up a more enjoyable breakfast along the way between the hotel and wherever I'm going first in the morning. That said, there are times when the convenience of having breakfast in-house trumps going elsewhere for something better. That's especially true when traveling with others where eating anywhere other than the hotel restaurant would be an enormous time sink or significant expense.
Sep 4, 2018, 8:16 pm
#63
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Ewa Beach, Hawaii
Posts: 10,909
Tried the breakfast sandwich, really didn't like it. Not sure why but something about the combination of ingredients I didn't care for. To each their own.
Sep 5, 2018, 7:50 am
#64
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: SFO
Posts: 1,754
At half the Courtyards I have been to you cant trust the staff to make decent coffee, much less eggs.
Sep 5, 2018, 7:58 am
#65
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: SFO
Posts: 1,754
It amuses me how many people on FT dismiss CY for its breakfast-- because it's not included in the room rate, or the bistro's too expensive, the bistro has poor choices, etc. It amuses me, though I do understand it. For me, hotel breakfast offerings, especially the complimentary ones, are rarely that interesting. I don't like cheap eggs, stale breads, packaged cereal, and other sugary crap. Often I'd rather pick up a more enjoyable breakfast along the way between the hotel and wherever I'm going first in the morning. That said, there are times when the convenience of having breakfast in-house trumps going elsewhere for something better. That's especially true when traveling with others where eating anywhere other than the hotel restaurant would be an enormous time sink or significant expense.
Give me a Fairfield or a Springhill where I can slink down, get the swill out of the community pot, and not talk to anyone until after I have had 2x cups of said swill.
Sep 5, 2018, 8:45 am
#66
Join Date: Aug 2018
Programs: Hilton Honors Diamond; Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 26
They sell eggs cooked to order (advertised as cage-free Eggs Your Way). It's not like the buffet "eggs" that are served at the free breakfast hotels.
Sep 5, 2018, 8:47 am
#67
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: CLT
Programs: Marriott Plat, AA Gold
Posts: 1,076
Paying $8 and waiting 20 minutes for it
Sep 5, 2018, 6:48 pm
#69
Join Date: May 2013
Location: New York
Programs: UA Silver, Marriott LTPP, Hertz Five Star
Posts: 1,079
I'll drink in-room coffee, but rarely... at pretty much any MR brand, the lobby coffee beats the room coffee by a large margin.
Sep 5, 2018, 7:09 pm
#70
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: SJC/SFO
Programs: WN A+ CP, UA 1MM/*A Gold, Mar LT Tit, IHG Plat, HH Dia
Posts: 6,285
Sometimes I actually prefer a limited-service hotel such as a CY over a full service hotel, even when location and price are comparable. Is anyone else in this group?
For me the issue, especially when I'm staying on a one-night, "halfway from A to B" trip, is that I want a hotel I can get in & out of fast. FS Marriotts require much more walking.... The parking lots are usually larger, the hotel building is spread out with registration often on the far side of a big lobby or conference area, and check-in more often has a line. CYs are more compact and rarely have much of a line at the front desk. And especially on weekends the elite breakfast offerings at FS Marriotts are generally a joke, so there's no edge over a CY there. If I just want "8 hours and a shower" (plus maybe a dip in the pool) I'll take the CY two times out of three.
For me the issue, especially when I'm staying on a one-night, "halfway from A to B" trip, is that I want a hotel I can get in & out of fast. FS Marriotts require much more walking.... The parking lots are usually larger, the hotel building is spread out with registration often on the far side of a big lobby or conference area, and check-in more often has a line. CYs are more compact and rarely have much of a line at the front desk. And especially on weekends the elite breakfast offerings at FS Marriotts are generally a joke, so there's no edge over a CY there. If I just want "8 hours and a shower" (plus maybe a dip in the pool) I'll take the CY two times out of three.
Sep 5, 2018, 7:26 pm
#71
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: SFO
Posts: 1,754
That may be pure fiction, but I guarantee you that pot NEVER gets a good real washing, and I would bet good money that the same rag used to wipe the counter wipes the pot.
Sep 6, 2018, 1:56 am
#73
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Aug 2002
Programs: UALifetimePremierGold, Marriott LifetimeTitanium
Posts: 71,114
https://www.firstforwomen.com/posts/...-kettle-141060
That may be pure fiction, but I guarantee you that pot NEVER gets a good real washing, and I would bet good money that the same rag used to wipe the counter wipes the pot.
Cheers.
Sep 6, 2018, 10:39 pm
#75
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SBA & LAX
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold, BA Lifetime Blue, Marriott Gold, and many others
Posts: 1,152
Sometimes I actually prefer a limited-service hotel such as a CY over a full service hotel, even when location and price are comparable. Is anyone else in this group?
For me the issue, especially when I'm staying on a one-night, "halfway from A to B" trip, is that I want a hotel I can get in & out of fast. FS Marriotts require much more walking.... The parking lots are usually larger, the hotel building is spread out with registration often on the far side of a big lobby or conference area, and check-in more often has a line. CYs are more compact and rarely have much of a line at the front desk. And especially on weekends the elite breakfast offerings at FS Marriotts are generally a joke, so there's no edge over a CY there. If I just want "8 hours and a shower" (plus maybe a dip in the pool) I'll take the CY two times out of three.
For me the issue, especially when I'm staying on a one-night, "halfway from A to B" trip, is that I want a hotel I can get in & out of fast. FS Marriotts require much more walking.... The parking lots are usually larger, the hotel building is spread out with registration often on the far side of a big lobby or conference area, and check-in more often has a line. CYs are more compact and rarely have much of a line at the front desk. And especially on weekends the elite breakfast offerings at FS Marriotts are generally a joke, so there's no edge over a CY there. If I just want "8 hours and a shower" (plus maybe a dip in the pool) I'll take the CY two times out of three.