Durham Marriott City Center

We stayed 1 night to see a concert at the DPAC. The hotel was in an easy walking distance, and right across from a main square where there were boutiques, places to eat, and general local activity. We found the area to be clean, safe, and interesting to spend time before our concert. The hotel was great - clean, quiet, and great breakfast. Would definitely stay here again.

Room was comfortable appointed. Bed was super comfortable. Shampoo and shower gel were fragrant. Katryna at breakfast was friendly, attentive and helpful. Great location!

Everything good here

Dark, dated and dingy, this is possibly the worst Marriott property I’ve stayed in. While the room was clean, their attempt at upgrades (faux wood flooring, funky mod door and new mirror in the bath) fall short. While the first floor public spaces are modern and fresh, the halls upstairs are irredeemably dark. Room is too, only inadequate bedside pendants and a corner lamp. Furniture cushions are cratered from wear. There is a mini fridge but no in-room safe, which is a head scratcher bc 1. there is space for it and 2. I’ve never stayed at a Marriott where there wasn’t one. The linens are tired and lumpy. The staff (especially in the restaurant) are friendly and responsive, but Housekeeping forgot to replenish the cups and sweetener from the in-room coffee service tray and when I tried to call the Front Desk, turns out my in-room phone was broken. So, 4* for the restaurant/staff, 3* for Housekeeping, 1* for infrastructure.

I stayed at the Marriott Durham City Center for one night while attending a conference at the Carolina Theatre next door. First impressions were mixed. The hotel looks nice from the outside, and the valet was super friendly on arrival, making check-in smooth. However, the lobby is sparse and uninteresting, lacking any warmth or personality. The room was disappointing. It was dark and musty, with a pedestal sink offering no counter space, plus a small, worn-out side piece that looked like it came from IKEA 20 years ago—already bubbled and barely useful. Glad my wife wasn’t with me—there wouldn’t have been enough space for two. The toilet paper holder was broken, and the shower drain was gross. Worst of all, the shower itself never got hot, staying at best lukewarm in the morning. The towels were scratchy and worn, though the room was very clean and well-stocked, which I appreciated. Breakfast was another letdown. The restaurant staff was apologetic and clearly doing their best, but with no chef available, there was no cooked breakfast—only cold options. I had been looking forward to a hot meal but ended up with avocado toast instead. Despite the issues, I have to say the staff throughout the hotel were all very nice and professional. It’s clear that the problems are with management and upkeep rather than the people working there. The best part of my stay was the location—the hotel is surrounded by great restaurants, including ramen, tapas, bakeries, and panini shops. If you’re staying here, skip the hotel breakfast and eat nearby. Final thoughts: The Marriott Durham City Center is operated by Shaner Hotels, and it shows in the lack of attention to maintenance and service. It could be a solid option based on location alone, but the poor room setup, maintenance issues, and lack of hot breakfast make it hard to recommend, especially for a longer stay or if traveling with someone else. Would I stay here again? Only if I had to.

Great service. Thank you!

The power was out for about 6 hours. But the staff was able to find me some coffee!!!!! ❤️❤️

The location was great. Very close to many restaurants and shops.

The floors were not clean in my room. There was stray candy and wrappers behind the curtains. Attention to detail was not there by house keeping. Pillows were terrible.

Location

Very dirty windows