This hotel is right alongside the 99 freeway and thus outward facing rooms can have considerable noise. Free wireless Internet access, a well-appointed desk space and a good-sized room made working in the hotel room a breeze. Second floor rooms also have vaulted ceilings that make the already decent floorspace feel that much roomier. The staff was extremely friendly and helpful throughout the week I stayed and the Manager's social in the evening was a pleasant way to sit outside in the quiet courtyard and meet my fellow travellers. I do recommend venturing out to Downtown for excellent meals. Clayton's and The Nines were excellent places for locally-sourced produce and friendly service. Try to avoid the area south of downtown if you can. It's very industrial and seems like it might be unsafe after dark. Overall, the Courtyard and Modesto in general were a pleasant surprise!

After reading the reviews of Modesto and Turlock hotels, the Courtyard seemed to be the best option (especially at half the price of the Doubletree Modesto). The room assigned to me was on the corner of the building nearest the freeway (it's just across the road) and when I asked for a quieter room, the desk agent changed it easily and immediately. The room was on the second floor in the back and was nearly silent. The ceiling sloped upward from the windows so at the highest point the ceiling was 12-14 feet! This made the room feel enormous. Generally the room was clean but not spotless--some toothpaste spots on the mirror, mildew underneath the peeling decals on the tub, food remnants on the TV remote. Otherwise everything was in fine working order. There is also a snack bar with sandwiches, wine, beer, and other goodies at the front desk for after-hours. I didn't bring my laptop but there is *free* wireless access throughout the hotel. There are loads of restaurants and shops nearby and the freeway entrance is less than a block away. I saw no train tracks around the hotel (the reviews for other hotels in Modesto mentioned train noise as a serious issue). Overall if you're looking to stay in the area, this is probably your best bet, especially at a cheap rate.

First off, the public restrooms were closed, and they used two rooms as public restrooms. When I checked in at around 11pm, I found that the room I was assigned to (room 106) was in between these two public restrooms. I was disappointed to know that the gentleman at the front put me in between two rooms used as restrooms (rooms 104 and 108, I believe), where people would be slamming the door at all hours of the night. Since I had been traveling all day and did not want to be faced with the extra noise, I went back to the front counter to ask the gentleman if our rooms could be switched. He argued with me about changing a room, which I was shocked about, since the hotel was not very crowded. After a few minutes of politely attempting to explain why I wanted a room away from extra noise, he relented. But, instead of offering a room on another side of the facility, he only offered a room that was across from the rooms used as public restrooms (room 109). I explained that I did not think this room was much better and if there was any way I could get another room, pay extra, get a room with a smaller bed, etc., then I would do it. He finally did offer another room on the other side of the facility (room 219). Upon entering the room at the other side of the facility, it was very fragrant of mildew. Although I wanted to change to another room, I figured that at least this room was quiet, and to avoid asking for another room, decided to rough it out. I must note that the bed was very comfortable and the room was quiet, so I was very thankful for that. But unfortunately, there was no working ice machine in the hotel and the night manager had to get ice from the restaurant portion. All in all, I am very disappointed with Marriott, because usually I have had great experiences for both business and vacation. But based on this experience I do not believe I will be staying at another Marriott facility for some time.

We stayed at nine hotels in seven states this month and I can easily say that this was the most expensive and the worst experience. While the room was clean and decent and everything functioned, the place is definitely run-down and far below any other Courtyard I've stayed at. The bed, however, was excellent. Our major problem was the service; the front desk staff was horrible and they wouldn't even listen to my complaints. To make matters worse, upon returning home I found that they had overcharged my credit card. They did issue a credit when I called, but the entire experience has put me off this hotel. I travel to this area at least twice a year and I can honestly say that even the Microtel in Ceres is a FAR better hotel than this one.

Stayed one night in July 2006. Front desk staff was helpful, room was clean and comfortable, pool was nice.