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Sitting in the heart of the Balkans is the intriguing city of Sarajevo, capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Sarajevo is a budget friendly destination, even more so than Lisbon. It offers a wide range of affordable accommodation options. Chain hotels include Courtyard by Marriott, Residence Inn by Marriott, Ibis Styles and Swissôtel, to name a few.
Motivated to maintain my Marriott Platinum elite status, I booked a five-night stay at the Courtyard by Marriott. The member flexible rate was 135 € per night for a standard room. If redeeming points, you can expect rates to be between 13,000 and 25,000 Bonvoy points per night. I used a corporate rate and total cost was 530 € for the stay, averaging 106 € per night.
Did my status chasing lead me to the wrong choice?
Courtyard Sarajevo – Arrival and Check-in
We landed in Sarajevo and I called up a Žuti taksi (yellow taxi) the old fashioned way. No rideshare option was available in Bosnia! The Courtyard Sarajevo does offer a 24/7 airport shuttle service, at a cost of 19.43 € one-way. It is an option but I found it was cheaper to call a taxi.
Just over 15 minutes later, we reached the city centre and pulled up to the Courtyard Sarajevo. The hotel is very close to a couple of shopping centres, such as the Sarajevo City Center, along with restaurants and cafés. The hotel is right by the Miljacka River, which leads to Stari Grad (the Old Town), around a 15 minute walk.
Within Stari Grad is Baščaršija, Sarajevo’s historical centre, founded in the 15th century. It’s a must-visit and what I enjoyed most was the vibrant mix of locals and tourists. This is the place to savour Bosnian classics, like flaky burek pastries or hearty Ćevapi kebab, sip Bosnian coffee, browse the bazaar and visit interesting landmarks, like the Sebilj Fountain.
Sebilj Fountain, Sarajevo
The Courtyard Sarajevo opened its doors in 2015 and offers 130 rooms, including suites. We arrived in the afternoon and a friendly front desk associate quickly checked us in. He notified us that we’d been upgraded into a Business guest room.
The hotel’s design is simple and modern. The lobby area is fully equipped with plenty of seating, and just beside it is the S One Restaurant and Bar, overlooking the Miljacka River. Opposite the seating area is the reception desk.
Courtyard Sarajevo – Reception
Lobby
Courtyard Sarajevo – Lobby
Courtyard Sarajevo – Business King Room
We took the elevator to the 6th floor, where we stepped into a large seating area facing the elevators.
Courtyard Sarajevo – 6th Floor Seating Area
Just past it, we entered our assigned room, 608. I was pleasantly surprised by how spacious it was.
Immediately to the right was the bathroom, stocked with oversized bath products that are becoming standard across hotels. While there was no rain shower, at least they had a heated towel warmer.
Bathroom
The bedroom was thoughtfully designed, with a comfortable king size bed, a TV, a round desk tucked into the corner, and a long chaise perfect for lounging. Amenities included a coffee machine, a kettle, and two glass bottles of water, which they replenished daily during our stay.
Courtyard Sarajevo – Room with a view
Spacious bedroom
Courtyard Sarajevo – Bedroom
Coffee time
H2O
The room had several power options, including a USB-C outlet and a wireless charging pad. I found the wireless charger was quite slow at charging my phone, so I didn’t bother using it for the rest of our stay. I was glad we were on a high floor and avoided the street noise.
Wireless Charger
When we returned from exploring Stari Grad on our first afternoon, we found a welcome amenity of an assortment of cakes and a note thanking me for my loyalty. I didn’t expect this, given it’s a Courtyard, but then I remembered I wasn’t in North America 😉
Courtyard Sarajevo – Welcome Amenity
Overall, the room was comfortable, clean, spacious and I especially enjoyed the scenic view overlooking the bridge, Miljacka River and the surrounding hills.
Room with a view
Courtyard Sarajevo – Breakfast
The Courtyard Sarajevo offers a full breakfast benefit for Marriott Bonvoy members with Platinum elite status or higher. Having stayed at Courtyards in Canada, breakfasts were often continental, with a limited variety and lacked quality. This was not the case here.
Courtyard Sarajevo – S One Restaurant
S One Restaurant, located on the main floor is open all day from 6:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. We began our mornings here with a filling breakfast. The buffet features a wide spread including fresh veggies, fruits, rotating hot dishes and more. They also had a coffee machine to select your caffeine beverage of choice and included disposable cups so you can take your coffee to go.
S One Restaurant
Buffet
Variety of dishes
Coffee and tea
Tables had a card noting that guests could order eggs cooked to their liking. This card was conspicuously missing during our first couple of mornings. I presume this was because they had a big tour group staying at the property at the time and they didn’t have the capacity to fulfill custom egg orders for so many guests.
Eggs Menu Card
The breakfast surpassed my expectations. The eggs were delicious with rich orangey yolk that you wouldn’t find in Canada even with organic eggs. There was also a nice selection of cheese, cold cuts, dried fruit, loose leaf tea, and whole wheat and sesame bread.
Courtyard Sarajevo – Facilities
As is common with Courtyards, the hotel has The Market selling snacks and beverages to go, open 24/7 in the lobby area. For dining, S One Restaurant serves international cuisine throughout the day. On the rooftop is S One Sky Lounge, offering cocktails and drinks with a view. They also offered room service, available 24/7.
Courtyard Sarajevo – S One Restaurant
Sky Lounge
Sky Lounge with a View
The hotel also features a fitness centre that is well-equipped with cardio machines and free weights. Although it was conveniently located on the same floor as my room, I didn’t end up using it. My feet were already worn out from exploring Sarajevo on foot!
Courtyard Sarajevo – Fitness Centre
Takeaway
Staying at a Marriott Bonvoy property was an easy decision, but I deliberated between the Residence Inn and the Courtyard. Both are located in the city centre, though the Residence Inn is slightly closer to the Old Town. They’re cash and points rates are also comparable.
Ultimately, I chose the Courtyard since I wasn’t travelling with a big group, and I generally prefer their style. Courtyards also earn 10x points per USD spent, compared to the Residence Inns’ 5x. While I can’t comment on the Residence Inn Sarajevo, I felt like I made the right choice.
The Courtyard Sarajevo offers incredible value, with an impressive breakfast for Marriott elite members. The staff were friendly and helpful and even assisted me by calling the train station to confirm the schedule for our next destination. I wouldn’t hesitate to stay here again, should my travels bring me back to beautiful Sarajevo.
