You know that feeling of walking into a hotel and you just know you're bound to have a relaxing, fun time?
That's exactly the feeling I got when Mr. Locke and I visited Courtyard by Marriott Waterfront in Pittsburgh this past weekend. Clean and comfortable accommodations, spacious rooms and suites, and a lobby and outdoor courtyard area where we could relax and unwind is exactly what we found on our visit. The hotel is budget friendly, but please don't confuse that title with lack of amenities or service. If a star rating was based on service alone, the hotel would truly deserve five shiny stars.
What else makes this hotel worthy of booking? Read on!
Location
Courtyard by Marriott Pittsburgh West Homestead/Waterfront sits bang next to the Monongahela River- one of the three ways in the city. The hotel is inside of the Waterfront Shopping Complex in Homestead (a Pittsburgh borough) making it only a few minutes' drive to Sandcastle Waterpark, Kennywood Amusement Park, and the Carrie Furnaces.
If you're up for some shopping and dining while visiting Pittsburgh, there's plenty of that around the hotel as well. Mr. Locke and I actually enjoyed strolling around the outdoor mall area and found some great bargains.
Accommodations
Once we checked in (which was VERY easy!) we headed straight to our room to check out our weekend digs. One word: space. The suite was really clean and the carpets worthy of the bare foot treatment.
The king suite's sitting area offered a large working desk, flat screen tele, patio access via a sliding door, and pull out couch for extra guests.
In addition to the pull out sofa there's an extra chair and tables just in case we wanted to hang out and relax. There's that word again.
A separate wet bar area with sink, microwave, mini fridge, and coffee maker allowed us to run to the store and grab a few snacks and breakfast items. Love the ability to not have to eat out if we didn't want.
The bathroom had a separate vanity- perfect for those times when you're racing to get ready in the mornings.
Amenities
Having an indoor pool was lovely as, even in August, we encountered a couple of chilly summer nights. The pool area also has a large hot tub and handicapped accessibility and offers outside courtyard access without having to go through the lobby. LOVE that!
The hotel's gym room wasn't gigantic, but there was all of the typical gym equipment you'd find in one including free weights and tred mills.
And while we're talking courtyard, the hotel has a beautiful brick fire pit- perfect for chilly nights and s'mores.
An in-house laundry facility makes for an easy way to wash clothing if you find yourself in a pinch. Bonus: head to front desk and ask for complimentary laundry supplies. No kidding.
The front desk area has a sundries station packed with drinks and snacks as well as microwaveable meals and ice cream. You can pay for the items with cash or a credit card or ask to have them added to your bill. It was a snap to grab a snack and a drink and head out the door! Looking for a little caffeine kick? The in-house restaurant, The Bistro, serves coffee, specialty drinks, and a variety of breakfast and dinner meal options.
Freebies
There's some great freebies at Courtyard by Marriott Pittsburgh West Homestead/ Waterfront including wifi and parking. The wifi was a breeze to connect to and we never had a problem finding a parking spot even at 11 at night on a Saturday.
Disclosure: complimentary wifi worked absolutely fine for our computer needs but you are able to purchase an upgrade which is recommended for streaming movies and uploading large photos and files.
If you've got young children, the property gives them a little treat at check-in. I love the way Courtyard by Marriott Pittsburgh West Homestead/Waterfront thinks of kids as special guests!
If you like to read the newspaper, head down to the lobby area where's there's plenty of free ones.
And the Verdict is...?
Absolutely lovely! Courtyard by Marriott Pittsburgh West Homestead/Waterfront is great for families with kids of all ages, couples, retired folk...you name it. We had a blast on our visit last weekend and I'd recommend a visit to any and all in a heartbeat. The accommodations were clean and comfy, the staff so attentive and amazing, and the location perfect for our visit.
Disclosure: I was hosted by Courtyard by Marriott Pittsburgh West Homestead/Waterfront to give you fine folks the scoop on what makes a visit to the hotel so great. I was not asked to state a particular point of view and all opinions are my own!
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