Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center in Detroit, MI

This was an immense and gorgeous room, perfect for a slightly longer stay than the normal 2-day business trip. Absolutely felt like home. The combination of being a leader for the event and a platinum status member. Lovely room, but needed to call them for cleaning on the third day because they bypassed my room as I had been hanging the 'do not disturb' on two previous days. Amazing views, including of weird little building spiders that hang on for dear life at towering heights.

Pros: -The service -The bed is comfortable -The view!! -The pillows -The rooms are spacious -Incredibly fast elevators -Walk-in closet with safe Cons: -The bathroom is on the smaller side, and the towel bar is inside the shower. I like to hang a lightweight toiletry bag off of the towel rod and this won't work. -It has a fixed, unadjustable shower head in the shower/tub combo; I have thick hair and this makes it harder to get the shampoo & conditioner out of it. -My room is on the 19th floor and I'm far away from the elevator doors, but I keep hearing something rushing by all the time. I would have to believe that the only logical explanation would be the elevators which are located in the center of the tower. It's not overly bothersome to me, but to some it might be problematic.

We reserved a block of rooms for a family event at a nearby banquet hall. 3 days before the event, the event director, Michelle called me to introduce herself and gave me a few numbers to call 24/7 if any issues. We were treated so well during our time there and every request was met. The hotel itself is showing its age in some areas. The lobby and restaurant are newly renovated. Thank you Detroit Marriott Renaissance Center for doing a fine job hosting my guests and me!

Attending international trade shows can be very hectic and turn into a very long day. I arrived first thing in the morning and was warmly greeted by Alana. I enjoyed French Toast and crispy bacon. Everything was fresh, delicious, and made to order. A wonderful view of the Detroit River with the sun coming up was a nice touch.

The Marriott inside the Renaissance Center is Michigan's biggest hotel with 1,200-plus rooms. It's a huge hotel that relies upon conventions and downtown office workers, including employees at General Motors (who own the hotel). Unfortunately, the whole Renaissance Center is a ghost town with virtually no shops, restaurants, or services. It's so empty that I'm pretty sure there are dead bodies in stairwells or empty storefronts. You're paying a significant premium for a 4-star Marriott experience but only getting what is effectively a Holiday Inn Express or Fairfield Inn experience. No bellman or doorman. At check-in, Kenise (or Kenisa) at the front desk never thanked me by name or made eye contact. She was too busy reading her script on the computer. Despite hosting a $15,000 cocktail reception at the hotel, I never received any kind of recognition or thank you. Not even a thank you note signed by a manager or a bottle of wine in the room. Or an upgrade. Seriously? The room itself was old but relatively updated, except for the lack of outlets. There were just two accessible electrical outlets. There are no USB outlets anywhere in the room. Also, there was no clock. No complimentary bottles of water. No robes and no slippers. I asked for robes and slippers and was told the hotel did not have any robes or slippers. There was no laundry bag in the closet. In the bathroom, there was one bar of soap at the sink and one mini-bottle of lotion. In the combination shower-bathtub, there were wall-mounted dispensers with shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. Cleanliness was mediocre at best. While the bed and linen, carpet, and shower-bathtub were clean, some of the countertops had crumbs and hair. A lot of surfaces and fixtures were dusty. There was also a lot of hair on the floor around the toilet. The toilet itself also had hairs under the seat. The M Club executive lounge was closed. The only restaurant is a lobby bar with a burger and sandwich-heavy menu and a mediocre wine list. No incentives are offered for guests to eat or drink at the hotel. And as I said earlier, the other restaurants in the Renaissance Center have gone out of business or were closed. All things considered, there is no reason to stay here unless you must. This area of Detroit is completely dead with no life. You're better off booking the Shinola Hotel on Woodward Avenue or the recently renovated Westin. They're at least near open restaurants, bars, and shops. I cannot recommend the Marriott. Why pay 4-star prices for a 2-star Holiday Inn Express or Fairfield Inn experience?