Element Hotels in Charlotte

One of the newest properties in the Marriot Bonvoy collection in Charlotte, this one has quite a bit to like and a few things that let it down. I want to give it 3.5 stars but rounded up as its better than other mid-tier Marriot properties in town. Positives - Good location near the convention center and within a 10 minute walk of most things downtown - Next to a really massive Wholefoods. The room has a microwave and mini-kitchen with fridge so if you want to eat in, you can do so in comfort. - OK gym, a bit light on machines but lots of treadmills - Free breakfast, which is on the good end of free hotel breakfasts - Good staff, especially the front desk and bar. - It's relatively new! No weird musty smells like the aLoft, no wifi dead spots like the Sharaton, no funky entrances like the Courtyard. Negatives - IF you are a tea drinker, this place does two things wrong. First, they put out hot water in the same urns they put coffee out in. So your tea has that awful coffee mixed with tea flavor that will be familiar to United frequent-fliers. Second, they ran out of black tea. Like no English Breakfast, or Irish, or Assam, or Cylon. They did scrape up an earl gray tea bag. - Random lights in the room. The microwave clock shines like a lighthouse across the room. And there is a smoke detector/sensor in the ceiling that flashes like a stroke light. If you prefer dark rooms, bring something to put over your eyes - The rooms on the street side are kind of loud with traffic, which starts early.