My husband and I booked a room for the weekend and, being familiar with the Marriott chain of hotels, looked forward to a pleasant stay. When we checked into our room, we immediately noticed a very strong odor of cigar smoke. (The hotel is supposed to be smoke-free.) We mentioned it to the attendant at the front desk, but the response was indifferent and we were not offered a change of rooms. There were also some large, dark stains on the sofa, but we decided to make the best of it and get on with our weekend activities.
The next morning - Saturday at 8:45 - we were in the dining room to enjoy our complimentary buffet breakfast (priced at $9.95 for those not staying at the hotel). The dining room was about 3/4 full, and we noticed most of the people at the tables only had coffee or juice in front of them. The buffet had been emptied of eggs, sausage, bacon, potatoes, biscuits, and gravy. Although there was a Belgian waffle iron available to "make your own," there was no waffle mix available either! (There were ample containers of yogurt, but for us that's a snack, not breakfast.) We were assured that more food was being prepared, but it took a full thirty minutes for the buffet to finally be replenished in increments. Each time a container was filled with an item, it was besieged with hungry diners. Consequently, we had to get up at least four times just to get a serving of whatever was being doled out... First scrambled eggs and a few potatoes. About ten minutes later, bacon & sausage were produced. Another ten minutes and biscuits & gravy arrived. The food was actually VERY good when we finally had the opportunity to nab some!
We thought maybe the kitchen was just having an off-day, but unfortunately Sunday morning was just as bad, if not worse! The entire dining room was filled with disgruntled hotel guests eyeing the depleted buffet with hungry, angry eyes.
I mentioned the problem to the front desk, and was told there was no manager on site that weekend. The young woman at the front desk was apologetic, saying they were doing the best they could, but there were "only two burners in the kitchen!"
On the plus side, wireless internet is available, the A/C was quiet and efficient, and the bed was VERY comfortable. The location is also great, being adjacent to the mall. However, next time we're in Abilene, we'll book at the MCM Elegante right next door. I understand the rates are comparable, and the service has GOT to be better than what we experienced at the Courtyard.