The Marriott Hotel at George Bush International Airport in Houston, TX, is located within a tram ride of the airline terminals. Convenience can’t be beat and the room I stayed in was clean, comfortable and surprisingly quiet.

From the tram hotel stop you ascend two floors by elevator or stairs to the registration desk. This level is richly appointed but shows its age. On this level are a gift shop, relatively overpriced, a fitness center and a coffee bar. Complimentary fresh fruit is available at the registration desk. If you arrive early enough complimentary Wall Street Journals are also at the front desk.

You may receive a room in the north or south towers. The north tower appears to be the older of the two and is where my room was. This is a unique building, torroidal in shape (like a donut) with rooms on the inside or outside. If you’re on the outside, like I was, you overlook the airport. If you’re on the inside you overlook landscaped grounds including the hotel pool.

Like the lobby my north tower room showed its age, at least architecturally. Like many chains of this level, the bed was upgraded with a high quality mattress, sheets, pillows and light but lofty comforter. The television armoire housed a 20-inch TV and had a single drawer for clothing. There’s also a desk, desk chair (not ergonomic), an armchair, two phones and a clock radio. There’s good FM reception. Internet access is wired, not wireless, and costs $9.95 per day. The tiled bathroom appeared to have been recently refurbished and everything was in good order. Toiletries were branded by Bath and Body Works. Air conditioning controls were effective.

A minor inconvenience was the elevators. Those in the north tower were very slow in responding to calls and there is no routine stair access available – the doors on the lobby level are locked and alarmed.

I did not eat in the hotel restaurants because my food was provided as a part of my meeting. The catered food was very good for hotel food, showing creativity, flair and nutritional balance.

At our meeting-negotiated rate of $92 before taxes this was a good value.

All in all this is a comfortable place to spend the night. Despite being right at the airport I didn’t hear a single aircraft arrival or departure from my room. Be aware that the George Bush International Airport is a long ways from downtown Houston, and you are further isolated as is the nature of an airport hotel.

Reviewed 4/20/2006