Nice and Overpriced
Written: Feb 14 '08
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Clean and spacious, appearance according to usual Marriott standards
Cons: Overpriced. Uninteresting locale.
The Bottom Line: Decent hotel in a decent area - stay there if you can expense it, otherwise you can probably find cheaper options, at least outside of Fountain Valley.
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| philipchu's Full Review: Courtyard by Marriott Huntington Beach Fountain Va... |
Fountain Valley is a clean, pleasant-looking, somewhat boring planned city (the web site displays the motto "A Nice Place To Live"), and even before the housing boom - I thought it was overpriced.
The Marriott Courtyard in Fountain Valley fits the same description. It's the first Marriott Courtyard I've tried out, and for a no-frills hotel it's clean and well-appointed with decent service. Unlike the high-end Marriott's, the internet access is complimentary - only wired access is available in the rooms, but wireless is available in the lobby. My room was spacious, half taken up by the king bed and the other half essentially a living room with sofa, coffee table, desk and TV.
There is no restaurant or store except for a fridge/freezer in the lobby stocked with ice cream and drinks. Although prices are listed, the fact that the items are located across the lobby from the registration desk seems to put guests on the honor system - while studying some strawberry Haagen Dasz, a corporate-looking man grabbed some beer and strode off in a hurry.
The dining room is open for a breakfast buffet - the type where you operate the waffle maker yourself and there is no omelet station, but for under ten dollars, any deal where you can bust your cholesterol levels with second servings of bacon is not a bad deal.
However, if you wander out for food, the planned community aspect of Fountain Valley intrudes - pick a direction, and eventually you'll run into a strip mall, where you can find some good restaurants, if you know where to go (go west/south far enough on Brookhurst, and you'll find a strip mall with some good Japanese food) And it's not a pedestrian-friendly area - during morning and afternoon rush hours, I didn't think I was going to make it across the street.
This would be a great value if it was actually at a value price - but the $200/night that I paid was no cheaper than at the Marriott by the beach in Dana Point. Apparently, the Fountain Valley Marriott is quite busy with corporate business, since many companies are based there (in fact, I had a terrible job there once), and I got one of the last rooms (although that's what they told me at the nearby Howard Johnsons and Best Western, too). And when I dipped my toe in the courtyard pool, it was cold. For $200/night, you'd think they could keep the pool heated (I think the shivering little girl who got out would agree). The only consolation is that the adjacent Marriott Residence Inn is even more expensive.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
philipchu
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Member: Phil Chu
Location: Huntington Beach, CA
Reviews written: 60
Trusted by: 4 members
About Me:
writer of software and prose
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