Escape to Paradise: Missoula's Marriott Courtyard Awaits!

Courtyard by Marriott Missoula Missoula (MT) United States

Escape to Paradise: Missoula's Marriott Courtyard Awaits!

Escape to Paradise? Let's Talk About That Missoula Marriott Courtyard, Folks! (A Messy Review)

Okay, so "Escape to Paradise: Missoula's Marriott Courtyard Awaits!" – that's a bit much, isn't it? Let's be real. It's a Marriott Courtyard in Missoula, Montana. Which, don't get me wrong, Missoula is gorgeous. But paradise? Let's see what kind of "escape" this actually delivers, shall we?

Accessibility: Where Did the Ramp Go?

Right, first things first. Accessibility. This is a BIG one. Wheelchair accessible? Absolutely crucial information. Because if you can't get in, you're stuck outside, staring at the… well, at the lobby. I couldn't find any specific information on specific room adaptations like grab bars or accessible showers, so I'm gonna hold my breath on that one. Hope the ramps are in good working order though! Gotta find out if Facilities for disabled guests are really accessible, or just… supposed to be.

On-site grub and drinks… or the Hunger Games Start Early?

Restaurants? Yes. Plural. That’s a good sign, though I haven't found any details on what kind of restaurants (expect “American” or "international cuisine" - not exactly cutting edge). Bar is a must, of course. Poolside bar? Maybe a savior during a hot Montana afternoon. I'll need a stiff drink after the drive. Coffee shop? Thank god! I’m fueled by the dark nectar. Hope the coffee's good.

Eating, Drinking, and Surviving (on a Budget Maybe?)

Alright, Dining, drinking, and snacking: This is where it gets interesting, especially if you're like me and end up needing food at weird hours. Room service [24-hour]? Yes! (Cue angel choir). Thank you, Marriott gods. Snack bar? Good for a quick bite. Breakfast [buffet]? Could be a blessing or a minefield of lukewarm scrambled eggs. Fingers crossed for decent Western breakfast, and maybe a little bit of Asian breakfast. Breakfast takeaway service is a lifesaver for those early morning hikes. A la carte in restaurant is a plus. And definitely a need for Bottle of water.

The Hygiene Hustle: Cleanliness is Next to… Well, Actually, It's Important

Cleanliness and safety: This is where things better be top-notch. Post-pandemic, I'm practically a germaphobe. Anti-viral cleaning products? Yes please. Daily disinfection in common areas? Gotta see it to believe it, but promising. Room sanitization opt-out available? Good for the eco-conscious. Professional-grade sanitizing services? YES! Rooms sanitized between stays? Again, a must. Hygiene certification? Give me that seal of approval! Staff trained in safety protocol? Hopefully they are. Safe dining setup sounds like a good idea. Hand sanitizer stations everywhere, please! Individually-wrapped food options? I'd be thrilled. Physical distancing of at least 1 meter? We'll see how they do this, right?

(Note to Self: Pack extra hand sanitizer)

Internet: The Wi-Fi Wars

Internet access: Ok, so Free Wi-Fi in all rooms! Huge plus. Internet [LAN] is also available, just in case you're old-school. Wi-Fi in public areas is standard. Internet services -- well, they better work! This is 2024. No excuses. (Rant over… for now)

Relaxation: Beyond the Grind?

Things to do, ways to relax: Ah, the siren song of… relaxation. Swimming pool [outdoor]? Potentially awesome after a long hike, or a stressful day. Pool with view? Now we’re talking! Fitness center? Gotta burn off all those breakfast buffets somehow. Gym/fitness? See above. Spa/sauna and Spa? Ooh, now we're talkin'! Sauna? Perfect for sweating out all the stress. Steamroom? I'm in! Massage? Yes. Just… yes. Body scrub? Maybe. Body wrap? Possibly a tad… excessive.

Let's talk about that "view" from the pool…

I'm picturing myself, fresh from a hike, covered in dust, easing into the outdoor pool. The sun hitting my face, a frosty beverage in hand, the mountains stretching out in the distance… and then I realize I’m just looking at another hotel room. Kidding, kidding! (Mostly).

The Room: My Fortress of Solitude (or Just a Bed and a TV?)

Available in all rooms: Okay, let's dive into the actual room situation. Air conditioning? Essential. Air conditioning in public area? You bet! Alarm clock? Hopefully not one of those blinking nightmares. Bathtub, Bathroom phone? Oddly specific, but okay. Blackout curtains? YES. Carpeting? I’m okay with carpets, as long as they are clean, and not… too stained. Closet? You bet. Coffee/tea maker? Thank you, heavens. Complimentary tea? Good. Daily housekeeping? Excellent. Desk? Essential. Extra long bed? A must. Free bottled water? Love this. Hair dryer? Always appreciated. High floor? Nice. Let's be real though - not every room offers this. In-room safe box? Excellent. Internet access – LAN, Internet access – wireless… we covered that. Ironing facilities? Always smart. Laptop workspace? A must for the weary traveler. Linens? Soft ones, please. Mini bar? Oh, the temptation… Mirror? Double check. Non-smoking? Good. On-demand movies? Great! This could be my jam Private bathroom? Yes. Reading light? Important. Refrigerator? Another plus. Safety/security feature? Always want this. Satellite/cable channels? Ok. Scale? Uh… maybe I don't need a scale after a week of buffet breakfasts. Seating area? I mean, good if you want it. Separate shower/bathtub? Nice. Shower? Gotta have it. Slippers? Luxury. Smoke detector? Good. Socket near the bed? Crucial for phone charging. Sofa? Nice, if I'm getting fancy. Soundproofing? Wonderful! Telephone? Still around. Toiletries? Let's see what they've got. Towels? Fluffy, please. Umbrella? Montana weather is unpredictable. Visual alarm? Great for safety. Wake-up service? Maybe I'll actually need it. Wi-Fi [free]… yup and Window that opens. Fresh air!

Services and Conveniences: The Little Things That Matter

Services and conveniences: These are the unsung heroes. Air conditioning in public area? Already mentioned. Audio-visual equipment for special events? A good sign for meetings, or… who knows. Business facilities? Well, duh. Cash withdrawal? Always useful. Concierge? Depending on the concierge. Contactless check-in/out? Modern and convenient. Convenience store? Score! Currency exchange? Helpful if you have to. Daily housekeeping? Excellent. Doorman? Fancy. Dry cleaning? Useful. Elevator? Essential. Essential condiments? I need coffee and sugar! Facilities for disabled guests? Already covered that, need to know more. Food delivery? Great. Gift/souvenir shop? Tourist trap, maybe? Indoor venue for special events? Okay. Invoice provided? Of course. Ironing service? Yes. Laundry service? Good. Luggage storage? Always convenient. Meeting/banquet facilities? Sigh… Meetings… Meeting stationery? Always needed. On-site event hosting? Whatever. Outdoor venue for special events? Better. Projector/LED display? Okay. Safety deposit boxes? Smart. Seminars? Nope. Shrine? Okay, weird. Smoking area? Whatever. Terrace? Nice if there is. Wi-Fi for special events? Standard. Xerox/fax in business center? Old school, but can be useful.

For the Kids: Babysitters and Kid's Meals

For the kids: I am not a parent, so I'm out. Babysitting service? Good for the parents. Family/child friendly? Always a plus. Kids facilities? Good

Dallas Hotel Steal: Addison's Hidden Gem (Luxury on a Budget!)

Book Now

Courtyard by Marriott Missoula Missoula (MT) United States

Alright, buckle up buttercups, because this ain't gonna be your sterile, corporate travel log. This is my attempt at surviving, and hopefully, enjoying, a weekend at the Courtyard by Marriott in Missoula, Montana. Consider this less a schedule, and more… a confession with a side of travel crumbs.

Day 1: Arrival and the Great Missoula Mystery (aka Finding the Damn Lobby)

• 2:00 PM - Arrival (or, the Glorious, Exhausting Reality): Landed in Missoula. Sun's blazing. My luggage is apparently on a cross-country tour of its own. Found the airport. Then got lost. Then, after a furious mental battle with the rental car system (seriously, why are they always so complicated?), found the rental car. The GPS, of course, decided to take me on a scenic tour of back alleys before depositing me – finally – at the Courtyard.

  • Courtyard First Impression: The building is massive, which is exciting and incredibly stressful at the same time. First impressions really matter, and they totally bombed, because I couldn’t even find the damn lobby. I swear! I swear I walked around the exterior of the building like a confused golden retriever twice before finally spotting the little “Entrance” sign. God, I feel 60 years old already.
  • Check-In Antics: The front desk person was… sweet. But a little too… chipper? Maybe the altitude was getting to me. Got my room key, mumbled polite assurances I was going to leave the reservation “as it was” and promised I’d visit the Bistro even though I’ve been at a Courtyard before and know exactly how the Bistro goes.

• 3:00 PM - Room Reconnaissance: Room's… fine. Standard Courtyard fare. Cleanish. Bed's big. I'm already contemplating a lengthy nap, which is either a sign of profound fatigue or early-onset hibernation. The view is… of other buildings. Missoula isn’t exactly the "City of Eternal Beauty" at this point, but it's a fine view if you like "solid brick" and "window air conditioning." There is a coffee maker! Bless up.

• 4:00 PM - The Missoula Mystery Begins: Okay, I have to embrace the Mission: Explore. First stop: the actual city. I will not, repeat, not spend the entire weekend in this perfectly functional, but ultimately generic, hotel room. Found the car.

  • Downtown Drive-By: Drove down the main street. Missoula looks cute. Lots of old-school diners, breweries, and coffee shops. It has character. The locals are… well, I’m not entirely sure yet, but they appear to like the outdoors. Everywhere.
  • Attempting Culture: I was going to go to the “Museum of Mountain Natural History” (or something like that.) Decided that I deserved to take some time to unwind first. Ordered my first beer. I figured the best way to enjoy the local culture was to drink like a local. Decent tap list.
  • Impulse Buy: Somehow, amidst the beers and the general confusion of being a stranger in a new place, I ended up buying a Missoula Grizzlies baseball hat. Don’t even know what’s going on in that department, but, hey, when in Montana, right? Or, you know, “be cool bro,” whatever.

• 7:00 PM - The Bistro Debacle: I was hungry. I went down to the Bistro. It was… fine. Pre-made sandwiches, microwaved something-or-others, and a general air of “meh.” I ate a sandwich. It filled a hole. The end.

  • Internal Monologue: I swear, I’m starting to see the same three corporate heads in all of these “hotel restaurants.” The same music. The same blandness. The same… existential dread. I should have just ordered some real food. What was I even thinking?
  • The Unexpected Delight: Okay, the bartender was nice. Actually, really nice. Gave me the scoop on a local brewery. Maybe this weekend isn’t a complete loss.

• 8:30 PM - Room Recon II: The Uncomfortable Truth: Back in the room. TV's on. I'm already slightly regretting the sandwich. The "real" hotel vibes are setting in. I'm alone with my thoughts, which, in the context of a giant hotel room, can be a terrifying experience. Am I going to waste this whole weekend just… existing?

Day 2: River Adventures and Existential Crises (aka, Will I Ever Leave This Hotel?)

• 8:00 AM - Morning Panic (or, I Need Coffee Now, Damn It): Woke up. Thought about skipping breakfast. Decided I'm already in a "hotel room" frame of mind and needed the caffeine. Had coffee. It helped. A little.

  • Breakfast Observations: The breakfast situation was… typical. The oatmeal was… oatmeal. The "scrambled eggs" were… questionable. The best part was probably the tiny packets of jam. I’m not sure what this says about me.

• 9:00 AM - White Water Day: Today's the day! I've booked a half-day whitewater rafting trip on the Clark Fork River! I am not an outdoorsy person. I am terrified of heights. And water. And… well, basically, of nature. But people said I had to, so I’m going. I'm not prepared.

• 10:00 AM - River Rage (or, I'm Pretty Sure I'm About to Die): Okay, so the river… it’s… intense. The guide was super chill, which was either incredibly reassuring or a sign of impending doom. Our trip had to be cancelled. Sad.

• 12:00 PM - The Post-Adventure Blues: Well at least I had some beer ready to go…

• 3:00 PM - Downtown Round Two: The Great Bookshop Rescue: Okay, I needed a change of pace. Found a local bookstore. This place was amazing!

  • Lost in the Stacks: I spent like two hours just browsing. Found a book about local history. I actually read! I got lost in the pages, losing track of time, just enjoying the quiet, the smell of old books.
  • Impulse Purchase II: Ended up buying more books. The bookstore owner was super cool. Missoula isn’t so bad after all.

• 6:00 PM - Dinner and Drinking: Found a restaurant. The food was decent. The beer was good. Talked with a local. This is the second conversation I've had this weekend… it's not great.

• 8:00 PM - Room Recon III: The Long Darkness: Back in the room. Watching TV. The existential dread is back. This is where the real monster is - the loneliness. Was that all?

Day 3: The Farewell and the Promise of a Better Tomorrow? (or, Get Me Out of Here)

• 8:00 AM- Breakfast and Departure: Breakfast was ok. Not that great. I checked out.

• 9:00 AM- The Final Drive: I did. Missoula.

  • Last Thoughts: Missoula, Montana. It's… a place. Beautiful, at times. Kind of… lonely. I will be back. Maybe.

• On the Plane: The moment of zen.

The Verdict:

Courtyard by Marriott, Missoula? Fine. Missoula? Intriguing. The adventure? Meh. The overall experience? Messy. Honest. Mostly good.

Houma's Hidden Gem: Comfort Inn & Suites Review (You Won't Believe This!)

Book Now

Courtyard by Marriott Missoula Missoula (MT) United States```html

Escape to Paradise: Missoula's Marriott Courtyard Awaits! (Or Does It?) - FAQ (Because Let's Be Real, We Need Them)

Okay, So... Is Missoula REALLY Paradise? And is This Courtyard a Portal?

Okay, deep breaths. Missoula's... Missoula. It's got mountains, rivers, craft breweries (score!), and a vibe that’s part rugged outdoorsman, part hip college town. Paradise? Depends on your definition. If your paradise involves dodging fly-fishing rods and the occasional bear sighting, then yeah, maybe. The Courtyard? Well, it *tries*. Think of it as an entry point, a decompression chamber before you hurl yourself into the actual Missoula-ness. I wouldn't go in expecting winged cherubs and golden gates, but you know, clean sheets are a beautiful thing. And a decent coffee maker. MORE on that later...

The Rooms - What's the Deal? Cozy Cabins or Corporate Clones?

Alright, let's be real. Hotels, especially Courtyards, are rarely *thrilling*. I've seen more exciting things in airplane bathrooms. That said, the rooms are… functional. Cleanish. They have the standard hotel-room-y things: a bed (hopefully comfortable, fingers crossed!), a TV (probably with more channels than you’ll *ever* watch), and a desk (where you'll presumably *not* be working because, hello, vacation!). My personal experience? The bed was... alright. Not the cloud-like experience you dream of, more like a slightly-above-average trampoline. And the lighting? Ugh, fluorescent city. I swear, some hotel designers are actively trying to depress us with their light choices. I spent a good fifteen minutes wrestling with the tiny desk lamp, trying to create some semblance of a reading nook. Didn't quite work. But hey, at least it wasn't falling apart. (Unlike my sanity after hour three of Netflix).

Breakfast - Is the "Bistro" Worth the Effort? (Or Should I Just Brave the Missoula Mornings?)

Ah, the Bistro. The *very* name conjures images of Parisian cafes and gourmet pastries, right? Wrong. Let's just say, the word "bistro" is used *very* loosely here. It's the same old hotel fare. But hey, the eggs might, *might* be fluffy. The toast? Possibly not burnt. Honestly? I always end up making my own. I ventured downstairs one morning. I saw the usual suspects: pre-made omelets that looked a little sad, muffins that were probably pre-packaged. And the coffee... oh, the coffee. It was... *there*. Let's be generous and say it served a purpose: caffeine delivery, albeit inoffensively. My REAL suggestion? Embrace the Missoula mornings! There are tons of local coffee shops (I *highly* recommend "Breakup Coffee" – yes, really), and you can grab a proper pastry while you're at it. Trust me, your taste buds will thank you. (And so will your sanity).

Is There a Pool? (Because, Let's Be Honest, Sometimes You Just Want a Dunk.)

Yes, there *is* a pool! This is crucial. After a day of hiking or brewery hopping (priorities!), a dip in the lukewarm, somewhat chlorine-y water can be just the ticket to, you know, existence. Don't expect Olympic grandeur. It's a hotel pool. It's functional. I saw some happy kids, a couple of slightly-sunburnt adults, and maybe a rogue pool noodle. The biggest drawback? The towels. They're... well, let's just say they've seen better days. Thin. Fraying at the edges. But hey, they sop up the water, so... win? Bring your own if you're a towel snob (like me).

Parking - Free or a Pain in the Rear? (Seriously, My Car's Name is "Beamer"...)

Parking...it is free, which is a MAJOR win. I've been to places where parking costs more than the actual *room*! But the space? It does get a bit, er, *cozy* once the hotel fills up. You might find yourself playing a Tetris game with your car, trying to squeeze into a spot. Beamer? May the parking gods be with you. I recommend arriving early/late to ensure a spot. Seriously. Nothing ruins a vacation mood faster than circling a parking lot like a vulture for twenty minutes. I once saw a guy argue with a particularly tenacious SUV over a space for a solid fifteen minutes. It wasn't pretty.

The Location - Is it Centrally Located, or Am I Going to Be Driving Everywhere? (I Hate Driving...)

The location? It's… reasonable. Missoula isn't that huge, so you're not exactly stranded. You're within striking distance of downtown, the river, and all the brewery goodness (important!). But, and it's a big but, you'll probably still be doing some driving. Public transport isn't exactly the city's strongest suit. Plan on getting your car out and about, or budget for ride-sharing. I did a mix of both during my stay. Walking is an option for some things, but it can take a while – especially if you're, ahem, *ahem*, partial to those aforementioned craft brews. So, pack comfy shoes, prepare for a little driving, and embrace the Missoula sprawl.

Wi-Fi - Good or Gotta Hotspot? (My Instagram Feed Demands Answers!)

The Wi-Fi... is *there*. It's… acceptable. Speed? Don't expect to download a movie in five seconds. It'll do for basic browsing, checking emails, and maybe, *maybe*, uploading a quick Instagram story of your amazing hike. (Spoiler alert: everyone is going to see *that* hike on Instagram.) I had a few moments of buffering frustration, but mostly it was okay. But if you're a serious work-from-hotel-room type, or if your life depends on constant connectivity, I'd hedge my bets and have a hotspot ready. Because nothing is worse than a slow connection when you’re trying to pretend you're productive on vacation. Trust me. I speak from experience. (Rant over.)

The Staff - Friendly or Forgettable? (Because Kindness Matters)

The staff? Generally pleasant. Helpful? Yes. Genuinely warm and friendly? Mostly. I had a few interactions. The front desk folks were efficient and polite. They got me checked in, gave me the key, and seemed to be able to handle all the questions people lobbed at them. The breakfast folks? They seemed to be operating in a slow-motion movie. But everyone was *trying*. Look, they're people, they're working. They're doing their best. Tip them! You will make their day, I promise.Hotel Near Me Search

Courtyard by Marriott Missoula Missoula (MT) United States

Courtyard by Marriott Missoula Missoula (MT) United States

Share :