Hotel Courtyard by Marriott Phoenix West/Avondale - Avondale, Phoenix

ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! The moment I walked through the front door, I was greeted with smiling employees and excellent decor. They had answers to all my questions and tried to help me in any way possible, even calling me once the complimentary shuttle bus was available (on demand). Even the maintenance guy was polite, and as it turned out, he was also the shuttle driver! Once I stepped into the room, I was graced with the smooth smell of fine oak wood. The room was incredibly clean (as it should be...hotel was built at the beginning of 2008). There were so many lights I was bewildered...a BIG difference from other hotels, where there never seems to be enough light. There are lamps everywhere and halogen spot lights in hey areas if you just want minor illumination (e.g. main entrance, entrance table, computer desk). The washroom was large and well designed, and actually had a darned ventilation fan that made a soft hum. Pool was large and clean, and you can drink in the pool area which was a bonus. The bar opens at 5 and happy-hour is for 3 hours, with beers starting at $2.75! Breakfast is $10 and is billed to your room, but it's TOTALLY worth it. A chef is there to make any omelet/egg that you'd like, there was a large variety of breads, cereals, danishes, juices, and other breakfast items. There are several fairly large plazas just across the hotel, past the highway. Do not be fooled, I tried walking to them and although I managed to, that 15-minute hike in 42C temperatures wasn't all too thrilling. Thankfully they have a shuttle bus that is available on demand, so may not be available right-away. There is NO airport shuttle bus, and it cost me approx. $45 with tip to get to the hotel from Phoenix Sky Airport. So rent a cheap car if you can! It'll come in handy for getting around the hotel area. Overall, I am *very* pleased with the hotel. Keep it up, and I'll definitely be dropping-in again in the future.