**Purpose of the Trip:**
I stayed at the Courtyard by Marriott in Valdosta, GA, using it as a resting point between family events at Moody AFB and my brother’s house in Hira.

**Location:**
The hotel’s location is relatively convenient for accessing I-75, providing easy access to Moody AFB. Although it's a bit further from the highway entrance compared to other hotels, the extra two-minute drive is worth it for safety. The highway on-ramp road nearby is notoriously unsafe, especially at night, so this Courtyard’s location earns high marks for offering a safer alternative. Having almost been mugged at a nearby gas station, this aspect significantly influenced my positive view of the location.

**Staff and Service:**
Unfortunately, the service left much to be desired. The front desk staff were not very attentive, and I found myself waiting multiple times to purchase a drink because no one was available. This lack of attention is a significant downside in an otherwise decent hotel.

**Room Experience:**
The room itself was underwhelming. Upon check-in, I encountered a broken door handle, making it difficult to enter despite the green indicator on the card reader. The staff's casual acknowledgment of the door issue suggested a recurring problem rather than an isolated incident. Housekeeping also disappointed; they left a handwritten note explaining they couldn’t clean the room due to a hat and a clean shirt on the bed—an unnecessary inconvenience.

**Interior and Amenities:**
The rooms are reminiscent of early 2000s Courtyard designs, with some modern touches like the signature “half-circle” couch. Basic amenities include a bed, dresser, microwave, and desk. The bathroom, though dated, was clean and had good water pressure.

**Comfort and Layout:**
The bed and TV setup were less than ideal. The mattress was too soft for my liking, and the overly soft pillows required stacking for adequate support. The TV’s placement, parallel to the bed and about two feet away, made it difficult to watch comfortably. Swiveling the TV towards the couch helped slightly but wasn't an optimal solution. Marriott’s design choice here is questionable and detracts from the overall experience.

**Outdoor Amenities:**
Outside your room, you’ll find a fitness center I didn’t try but which looked pretty good for a smaller hotel. There’s a pool and a garden-like walkway outside. The ambience of the walkway, given the hotel’s location in a highway commercial zone, was surprisingly pleasant and allowed me to take some work calls without sitting in my room. This pathway is part of the exterior pool area, which is gated for safety—a nice feature if traveling with kids. It had decent loungers and a table and chairs. While no one should expect a resort pool in Valdosta, the area was clean, quiet, and usable—a win in the 90+ humid heat. I didn’t use the pool, but it looked clean, which is a win all around.

**Hotel Status Recognition: Check-in to Checkout:**
Despite my status and high-floor preference noted on my account, I was assigned a first-floor room near the front desk in a half-empty hotel. Given my mobile check-in the day before, it was frustrating not to receive an upper-floor room. Arriving at midnight, I didn’t push for a room change, but it highlighted a disregard for guest preferences. Checkout was good with the staff being accommodating to my late checkout request, allowing me to stay until 4 PM due to the ceremony at the base. While check-in lacked elite status recognition, the late checkout showed this strongly. This indicates that service quality may vary by employee. Special thanks to the front desk employee (I forget her name) working Thursday the 7th in the afternoon for meeting Bonvoy expectations.

**Overall:**
The Courtyard by Marriott in Valdosta is a reasonable choice in a city where hotel options are limited. While there were notable issues, particularly with service and room layout, the hotel’s safety and basic comfort make it a passable option. With more Bonvoy consistency, it could be a stronger choice for travelers. I am ambivalent about returning but wouldn't rule it out entirely.

Safe travels!