Let me start out with the only negative thing I could say about this hotel, and it's the one thing no one at the Stamford Marriott could control: traffic noise. I had a very hard time with the relentless drone from I-95, and even with the most distant room on the highest floor, I had many sleepless and restless moments here. (My son, 11yo, did not share my discomfort, and slept soundly every night.) I rarely complain about noise like this, but it was pretty bad. Consistent with my high praise for every other moment in this hotel, however, the front desk manager was sympathetic and professional about the traffic ("we ARE located on a busy interstate") and that approach really worked for me, even at 5 am when I felt I WAS one of the commuters below headed into NYC to begin my day. It always amazes me how far the attitude of those in charge can go to overcome even the biggest negatives of any property.

Beyond the one immutable (negative) feature of this property were all the staff members who made this hotel the amazing experience it was for us for four days in January 2012. This was not a vacation, we had appointments in Stamford, and you might wonder how just another Marriott frequented primarily by business travelers could be an "amazing experience" when just being clean and efficient would probably be enough to satisfy most of its clientele. Well this is not hyperbole, trust me, it's the difference between having your expectations met (which can be enough sometimes) and being surprised at every turn by the power of the staff to literally "make your day" over and over again.

From the moment we pulled into this property, we enjoyed sincere and friendly interactions with every single Marriott employee we encountered. No exceptions. The valet staff (Ben) turned a simple chore into a welcoming and accommodating experience, where no request was too inconvenient and every interaction was another chance to do something nice for us. The front desk staff were uniformly genuine and helpful, never too busy and always friendly. Staff in the bar were the same even late at night, always eager to please and happy to see us as if we were their most important customers all day. Breakfast in the restaurant was the same pleasure -- from the hosts to the waiters to the servers, all were friendly, relaxed and genuine. Even the bellmen were amazing, asking (unsolicited) about our plans for the day, offering helpful suggestions and later making sure our experiences met our expectations. Everywhere we went, we were made to feel like we were the most important guests who ever walked through the doors.

I have to call out the Concierge Lounge here because of the bad experiences we've had in other Marriotts (like the Marquis in NYC) where uneven and overwhelmed staff and facilities have made us feel more like an imposition than a loyal client. We deemed this Concierge Lounge the "best ever." I know this may sound like an exaggeration given the modesty of this space, but the praise is well-earned by the friendly and gracious staff that takes such pride in welcoming the loyal Marriott fans who take refuge here from the relentless demands and impersonal "sameness" of business travel. On the evening shift, no one could ever top the friendly, warm and (again) genuine presence of Lou, who greets each visitor by their first name because he makes it his responsibility to see that everyone feels important enough to have their needs and wishes recognized and met.

Are these simple, mundane and (some might say) pedantic interactions with hotel staff in a small town like Stamford important in the grand scheme of things? You bet they are. When an ordinary business trip becomes a pleasure you hardly expected, and when a week later you still remember the names and smiles of people who parked your car or served your pancakes or poured your wine or asked about your day, you gotta know this hotel has something special going for it. That something special -- this property's greatest asset -- is its people.

Sure, the staff can't deaden the traffic noise and a lot of busy travelers don't care whether a valet smiles at you or not, as long as he delivers your car when you need it. But for us, these staff members put the traffic and the demands of our trip in perspective and they made us feel better about being on the road again in yet another Marriott in yet another city. All in all, that's a pretty high calling, one that Marriott would be well-advised to reward and to replicate. Thanks, Stamford, for a comfortable and (unexpectedly) memorable stay!