***This Fairfield Inn was a decent enough hotel, but the bathroom was a little small and the A/C unit did not get the room cool enough; I would definitely rather opt for a Courtyard by Marriott if the price was not too much of a difference***
This was my first ever stay at a Fairfield Inn. I figured it was going to be a drop-off from a Courtyard by Marriott, but the drop-off was much more noticeable than I was expecting. In many ways, Fairfield Inn (at least this location in a suburb of Cleveland) was comparable to a Courtyard by Marriott. This hotel offered free parking and free wi-fi. The fitness center was 24 hours. Room size was relatively similar. The staff was friendly and good.
There were differences though. The bathroom towels were not that great--some of them were quite thin and almost see through in some parts. While the room sizes were comparable, the bathroom at this location was small; the sink counter was not that big so it was not a good space to hold carry-on toiletries.
Beds were similar in comfort to Courtyard Marriotts (I think there is a noticeable difference if you opt for a regular Marriott). Pillows were not as good though. The biggest issue, however, was the A/C unit. Though the A/C unit went down to 60 degrees, the room never really got cool enough (considering that this was during a hot summer week, it was bothersome). The A/C unit was also pretty far from the bed. A/C was also an issue at the Fairfield Inn I recently stayed at near Pittsburgh so this might be an issue with all Fairfield Inns.
I am not sure how new the property is, but the hallways had kind of a musty, unpleasant smell.
Weekday rates were not too pricey. I imagine weekend rates are lower.
As mentioned, service was friendly and good.
I was not impressed with my first visit to a Fairfield Inn. I would consider giving them another shot in the future if there was a significant price savings over a Courtyard by Marriott. If the prices are similar though, I imagine most Courtyard Marriotts would be a significantly better choice.
Parking was complimentary and easy to find though there was a lot of construction going on, which made entering and exiting a little difficult. By the way, they seem to tout their water slide here (pictures are available on Yelp).