I consider myself to be a hotel snob with a middle class budget. Generally speaking I hate hotels. But my job and vacations demand that I use them. So I do a ton of research, even for one night stays. I recently had to spent a night in Frederick, MD. I chose this hotel based on solid reviews. This was one of the best hotels I stayed in an awfully long time. I will list the highs (and one low) in bullet point form for easier reading.

1) The front desk staff: I got there at noon and my room was not ready. I left my luggage at the hotel and continued to my meetings. When I returned at about 8 pm I was extremely grumpy from a long day. But a woman at the front desk named Barbara perked me up. She gave me a little history of the hotel and ownership and never stopped smiling. It was something positive about her demeanor that made me feel a little more energetic. Even though I was tired I went downstairs, after going to my room, to workout.

2) The gym: It was small but very clean. Two treadmills, one stationary bike and an elliptical machine. Each had its own TV and the equipment was very modern. It also had dumbbells and a weight bench. It would be nice if the gym had exercise mats for those who stretch on the floor or do crunches. I had to use towels to place under me which seems like a waste. I didn't go to the pool but it seemed clean and well maintained. There was a fire pit outside which seemed relaxing.

3) The lobby: it was very clean, modern and well appointed. Nice lounge with a large TV. Nice bar for beer and wine and light fare.

4) The room: It was very clean with fairly new furniture and a nice flat screen TV. I had two queen beds. The room was spacious and thankfully did not have that carpet fresh odor often used by hotels to hide smells. I had a good sleep which is very hard for me to have in a hotel.

Overall: My only complaint was that the wifi was not working in my room. But I was too tired to call and ask them to check it. Other than that, I have no complaints. If every hotel I stay in for the rest of my life was like the Courtyard in Frederick, MD I will be a happy person. Whenever I am in that area it will be my No. 1 choice.

If you’ve stayed in Courtyards before you’ll have a pretty good idea what to expect here. My partner and I stayed here for five nights as part of a large group attending a nearby wedding. We arrived with high expectations and left feeling they’d been met. We were welcomed warmly by the front desk clerk and, throughout the stay, were greeted and served at a high level by all the staff. All our questions were answered and advice was freely given when we asked. The cool touch screen in the lobby offers directions to restaurants and nearby attractions, easily printed out.

The lobby and other public areas were great for hanging out with our without food and drink. We particularly appreciated the lobby “bistro.” It was open for several hours in the morning for breakfast and in the evening for drinks or a light supper. The offerings, while not extensive, seemed carefully chosen to meet basic needs. We had breakfast there at least three times and were quite satisfied. (The prices were only slightly higher than the nearby IHop or Bob Evans). Also in the lobby are three free computers and printers and a large screen TV, but on the side so it doesn’t dominate the space. Rooms have a coffee maker but there was free coffee in the lobby all morning.

We didn’t use the pool or exercise room but others who did pronounced both inviting and well equipped.

The room was fine with typical Marriott bedding and bathroom appointments. A nice pullout desk with plenty of outlets and room for our laptops. The free WiFi worked consistently but – pet peeve – required frequent reregistration. Insufficient drawer space for our clothes forced use of the sofa for overflow. The hotel gets extra points for having room-darkening shades that worked so well we were able to sleep in a couple of days. Others have complained about noisy rooms; we found ours to be quite quiet.

There don’t seem to be any hotels in the historic area of Frederick, but the Courtyard is only about ten minutes away if that’s your destination. If you’re a history buff, the area is full of Civil War sites, and Gettysburg is under an hour.

Overall, a pretty nice place. I’d happily return.

A very nice hotel zith nice rooms, great service in terms of equipment and people.
The best hotel I went to during this current business trip on the east coast.
The swimming pool is also nice and fitness center looks really good.
Really an hotel I could recommand.

I stayed here for three nights on a personal vacation using points. At every other property the staff greet you with "thanks for being Marriott Gold" and offer a few "extras" for being an elite member. At this hotel I had to ask for benefits, and we got two bottles of water and two chocolates. The rooms, although renovated in the past few years, were average for the Courtyard brand. The bed was not as firm as typical Marriott hotels, and the pillow top was very thick. I typically have no problem sleeping on Marriott beds, but this one caused me backaches. The waterfall in the lobby is nice, but otherwise it's your standard Courtyard without much unique character.