Annapolis Waterfront Hotel, Autograph Collection

Arrived on 7/21. Valet service was very welcoming and helpful (not operated by the hotel) Was checked into room 605 by a very welcoming front desk associate.
Room 605 has a temporary portable A/C unit. The good news is that it keeps the room cool, the bad news is that the u it rattled so loudly that we could not sleep.
The bed was comfortable and the room was clean. The toilet power hanger in the bathroom was so far from the toilet that you would need to be well over six feet or a primate to be able to reach it without getting up.
The shower door handles were either missing a piece or held by an ugly generic replacement bolt. There were several areas of mildew around the base of the shower.
Full disclosure, I was staying using my Bonvoy points so perhaps the room assigned was based on a “free” stay. I am very glad that is spent 75,000 points rather than 355 dollars++

⭐ Annapolis Waterfront Hotel: A Masterclass in How Not to Run a Hotel ⭐

If you’re searching for a hotel that delivers the full spectrum of “absolutely unacceptable,” look no further — the Annapolis Waterfront Hotel has curated an experience so uniquely awful it deserves its own museum exhibit.

Let’s begin with the sink, which greeted me with what can only be described as a crime scene. I’m not saying it was vomit, but if it wasn’t, then congratulations to the hotel for discovering a new substance that looks exactly like vomit and hair and choosing to leave it there as a decorative accent. Bold choice.

After complaining about the disgusting sink to a cleaning lady still on the floor at check-in, I was delighted to find a maintenance plunger thoughtfully placed next to my toothbrush when I returned back to my room. Nothing says “luxury waterfront stay” like brushing your teeth next to a tool used to unclog other people’s bodily disasters. Truly inspirational.

The ceiling was a work of modern art — if the theme was “we gave up halfway.” Spackling patches that weren’t painted, peeling paint that seemed ready to flutterdown like sad confetti, and cracks that whispered, “We haven’t maintained this building since the Bush administration.”

Then there was the lampshade, featuring a brown water stain so dramatic it deserved its own backstory. I imagine it’s been through a lot. Perhaps it’s seen things. Perhaps it’s begging for retirement.

The sheets? Ripped and torn. A perfect metaphor for the hotel’s overall condition — what maid thought to herself, yep! This looks good when making the bed up with that sheet? Poor hygiene all around and absolutely not fit for use.

And finally, the pièce de résistance: an oily, stained seat cushion at the desk. Nothing like sitting down to work and wondering which previous guest decided to moisturize the chair. I didn’t know upholstery could glisten. Now I do.

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⭐ Final Thoughts

If you enjoy mystery stains, structural neglect, and the thrill of wondering what bodily fluid you’ll encounter next, this is the hotel for you. Otherwise, do yourself a favor and stay literally anywhere else — including your car, a tent, or the floor of BWI.

Location

The property was clean and the staff was exceptional! Everyone was kind and helpful and made the stay amazing!

We arrived with oversized packages and our room wasn’t ready yet. Collin, an amazing valet took wonderful care of storing our valuable packages for us! He was pleasant and super helpful!

We have been going to this hotel for 15 years including many anniversaries etc......It is one of our favorite go to places and it is difficult to see how much this hotel has gone down hill. There was no restaurant (Pussers was supposed to be open by July 4th weekend......it wasn't .......no restaurant.......I don't know what they are renovating because everything in the rooms is old and tired and minimalist.....Terrible interior decorating etc......There are 2 elevators and one was out of service and the other intermittent. The employees were nice and courteous, however, the desk people didn't know what they were doing. A half hour into our stay there was another couple trying to get into our room. No do not disturb sign so every day the housekeeping people are trying to get into the room while you are waking up. The saving grace is the view from the waterfront rooms is wonderful and was very nice although our$2564 for 3 nights is more than it was worth it given the accommodations. I hope they get some new management in there. I'm a lifetime Silver Marriott member and have stayed in many many Marriott hotels over the years. This one needs to be rescued from whoever is running it.

We booked this hotel for the Fourth of July weekend. When we arrived, we found the following:

• The restaurant and rooftop bar were “under construction” and unavailable, although we were told we could order from room service. This was never mentioned on their website.
• “Room Service” consisted of phoning the front desk which would connect us to a restaurant in another location/building. If we placed an order the restaurant would deliver it to the hotel.
• There were two elevators in the hotel. One was out of service. The remaining one almost broke down the first time we used it.
• We were assigned a room and given keys. When we got to the room AND used the keys we were given, we discovered there were already occupants in the room. It took 20 minutes to trade in the keys and get another room assigned.
• The room assigned was on the top floor on a 102-degree day with faulty air conditioning. The hotel put a portable air conditioner in the room with a very loud motor. We barely got two hours of sleep due to the noise.
• I complained about the portable air conditioner and when I showed them a picture I took of it, the manager said, Oh you were in one of the rooms that have them. One of the rooms??? You mean, there are multiple rooms with faulty air conditioning and this is the solution?
• Our reservation had us arriving on July 3 and checking out on July 5. Early in the morning of July 4, I received an email indicating we were supposed to check out that day. At that point, we didn’t argue and were very happy to leave.

We chose this hotel because of its central location by City Dock. Shops and restaurants are nearby. Be advised that if you come here by car there is only valet parking available at a rate of $39/day.

This hotel has been under different brand ownership and was a standard Marriott hotel (as opposed to a J.W. Marriott) years ago. I would rate it on the same level as a Courtyard Marriott due to lack of onsite dining but there is no way it rates as part of the Autograph Collection.

This place needs a complete overhaul. No soap. Badly stained upholstery. Sheets not clean (other people's hair on pillowcases). And the shower was a hazard. Not just filled with mold and missing tiles, the door bar attachment had a jagged metal edge that could slice open a finger. See shower pics. I made it out without having blood drawn, But just by sheer luck. Absolutely not worth what they are charging.

Close to downtown and the waterfront

Some of the staff was nice in person but when you’d call they were rude and unhelpful.

Thank you so much for giving me a Great room on my travel birthday!!

For a property that charges nearly $600 per night before taxes and fees, I expected a significantly higher level of service and communication than what I experienced at the Annapolis Waterfront Hotel.

Our reservation was scheduled to begin at 4:00 PM on May 30. Before we even reached the front desk, we were informed that valet parking was unavailable due to construction and a wedding taking place at the hotel. Guests were instead directed to a parking garage approximately two-tenths of a mile away for an additional fee. While I understand that unforeseen circumstances arise, this should have been communicated in advance. Had we known that parking at the hotel would not be available, we may have chosen a different property.

The larger issue occurred at check-in. We arrived at approximately 5:00 PM—already an hour after the hotel's stated check-in time—only to be told that our room was still not ready because members of a wedding party had checked out late. I find this unacceptable. A guest's reservation begins at the advertised check-in time, and the hotel should be prepared to honor that commitment. When I asked when our room would be available, I was told housekeeping might have an update in 20–30 minutes. In other words, there was no actual estimate and no guarantee of when we would receive access to a room we had already paid for.

When I expressed concern that we were paying premium rates for both lodging and parking while simultaneously being denied access to the room, the front desk employee responded by explaining that Annapolis is a walkable downtown area and that the parking garage was nearby. That entirely missed the point. My concern was not the walk. My concern was paying luxury hotel prices while receiving neither the advertised parking accommodations nor timely access to the room.

When my partner asked whether we would be compensated for the lost time, we were told we would receive points. We did not book this stay with points—we paid with money. Offering loyalty points as the primary solution felt disconnected from the inconvenience being imposed on paying guests.

What was most disappointing is that none of this should have been a surprise to hotel management. Staff knew throughout the day that late checkouts were affecting room availability. A simple phone call, text message, or email advising arriving guests of the delay would have allowed us to adjust our plans accordingly. Instead, we drove to the property expecting a room to be ready and learned only upon arrival that it was not.

To their credit, the hotel agreed to waive the cancellation fee and process a refund after I requested one. I am currently monitoring my account to ensure that occurs.

Ultimately, this was not a problem caused by a wedding party. It was a failure of communication, planning, and customer service. At a budget hotel, this would have been frustrating. At a property charging us $729.84 for a one-night stay BEFORE valet parking, it is simply unacceptable.

Nice property/location.

Upon arriving at the Marriott Annapolis Waterfront, we were disappointed to find that valet parking was unavailable. While we appreciated being able to check in approximately 45 minutes early at 3:15 PM, the 10-minute walk from the parking lot after traveling was not ideal.

Once inside, we were warmly welcomed by the front desk staff, who have truly been a bright spot during our experience thus far. They were friendly and professional, and we greatly appreciated their kindness.

Unfortunately, after requesting additional towels both through the front desk messaging system and the Marriott app, we still had not received them as of 5:56 PM. In addition, while the bed is comfortable, there were visible pieces of dirt on the rug and what appeared to be paper towel or tissue residue in the shower area upon arrival.

At this point, we are quite tired and hesitant to continue requesting assistance, as the staff already seem overwhelmed.

Location

N/A

Booked a stay for the night of May 2nd. While at a wedding, received a call from the hotel that they had no space for us and they had moved us to the Hilton Garden Inn. First, this is NOT the same class of hotel, so it was really annoying. Fast forward a week, and I get charged $350/nt for the Hilton because the Annapolis Waterfront Hotel didn't pay for our new hotel as agreed! I've emailed the general manager, David Hendrix and have gotten zero reply. This is totally unacceptable for a hotel of this class. I will never be back.

A bit of construction going on, but a very nice place to stay nonetheless. This property is located in pretty much the center of activities and eateries and within easy walking distance to everything we wanted to see. The room was nice. It was a bit noisy from the street and docks outside, but nothing unacceptable.

This structure has been a few different hotel brands in its history. The current branding and status as an "Autograph Hotel" are all pretty fitting. They are currently building out two restaurants, but the rest of the hotel has been charmingly updated. The staff are wonderful and helpful if I needed them and as a coffee lover, plenty of good coffee options in the room or lobby. If you are Bonvoy Platinum or higher the complimentary breakfast is honored at Choptank. It is the BEST complimentary breakfast I've been offered by a Marriott property. There are three options, large portions, and tasted so good! I even went back in the evening with colleagues one evening to have dinner there.