JW Marriott Houston Downtown

Absolutely loved the room only inconvenience is that they we’re fixing the street beside but other than that absolutely loved

Excellent stay and almost perfect. From check-in with Michelle, who was clearly a UH hospitality student or graduate based on her precise delivery of welcome and check-in, to the two gentlemen offering help with my limited luggage, to the restaurant staff, every single person on the premises contributed to the brand perception in a positive way. I was using a loyalty reward, so I can’t speak to the value of the price. It was a great value to me. My room was upgraded with request as well. Another kudos to the team. The photos do not do the large room justice it was expansive and hard to depart. Parking is a challenge unless you pay a hefty valet… or are local. Locals know how to park for free on the street. Still, property crime in the city may give one pause choosing this option. Also, views are not skyline or otherwise glamorous. Still, I think this is my new lodging of choice when staying downtown. Besides the phenomenal club, front desk, and cleaning teams, the rooms are exceptionally clean and comfortable.

Until this weekend, I had not had a bad JW Marriott experience. That streak is now broken. First, be advised that there is construction at/near the entrance of the hotel. It has made a dicey valet situation worse. And while you will get a VERY long email about the valet move, it's difficult to locate and the signage is bad. Also the relocated valet stand is just bad -- where we had our choice of WALKING THROUGH a labrynth of dumpsters on one side of the road, or the incredibly foul smell and waste water runoff of (hidden) dumpsters on the other side of the street. The valet service is pretty slow, and due at its relocated spot, now requires the valet folks to drive around the block (adding to the time it takes to get a vehicle). You are supposed to be able to text to add your car to the que for pick up. That worked for us on Saturday. But on Sunday morning, it did not, and instead we received a text back saying we needed to come down to the valet stand to request retreival of the car. We did, and since we were checking out, it was with all of our bags in tow. Once there, we were told it was going to be "quite a long wait", with absolutely no estimate provided, and only 2 guys shagging cars from the garage (one with zero amount of hustle). We waited for 45 minutes, standing on the corner with all of our bags. There was no where to sit. Fortunately the weather was decent as there was no awning or weather protection for us or the valet stand attendant. DO NOT RECOMMEND THE VALET SITUATION AT PRESENT. Self park, use an Uber/Lyft, or stay somewhere else. The room was also unfortunate. I often stay at JWs, and book a standard room. The "Poet" really did not meet my minimum expectation for JW standards. The room itself was coffin-like -- too small for the JW cost level. The TV was located in a bad spot. The curtains on the widow overlooking nothing did not close fully. The bathroom was a motel style bathroom with the sink exposed to the bedroom, and the toilet and shower stall in a WC. The barndoor of the WC both did not close fully, and had such a large gap on the back side (unrelated to the lack of closing) that you could clearly see whatever was happening on the toilet from the bed. Inside the WC was truly depressing, as the light was connected to a fan that rattled loudly, and the shower was old, small, and in need of renovating. At $450 for a single night, I shouldn't have to scrutinize the representative photos for potential issues. While the photos show the weird bed/window/kinda TV set up; they do not show the shower/WC, indicate that the sink is in the bedroom, show the tiny closet, or otherwise convey just how small and cramped this room is. At checkout, the front desk representative said the rooms were due for renovation. I would agree. And I wouldn't stay there again until that happens.

I’ve stayed at this hotel for a total of about 20 nights this year. The staff is what makes this an exceptional hotel. As a Bonvoy Elite member I appreciate the Executive lounge for morning breakfast. Good selection. rooms are spacious and clean. The bar has an excellent selection of drinks and good food options. Staff quality is high. Special call outs to Lexi at the front desk and Ike tending the bar. Really make me feel special. One improvement opportunity: as a Bonvoy Ambassador member, I have yet to receive a gift…hint..,hint Basically this hotel has spoiled other so so hotel experiences for me.