Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Aberdeen

The rooms are clean and roomy, and check in is usually quick. To use the pool, you have to go to the front desk. The gym has treadmills, elliptical machines, and at least one recumbent bike, though there isn’t much lifting equipment.

I know the hospitality I should get as a hotel guest and loyal Marriott customer, and when I’m unhappy with a room, I expect the hotel to accommodate a request to move. After traveling all morning, I got to my room and immediately took a shower, only to find the drain plug broken, the water draining slowly, and the metal bent up and an obvious hazard. I packed my things and asked the front desk for another room. Jim said he’d send an engineer to fix the tub. I said that was fine, but I needed a different room now. He ignored that and said he’d first send someone to verify the problem, as if I were making it up. I gave up and requested a refund so I could stay elsewhere. When I told him I had a low tolerance for shitty service, he replied, “I don’t have to deal with shitty customers,” then justified that response as appropriate to my direct feedback, even though I was the one inconvenienced by a bad room and poor problem resolution. His sloppy appearance, lazy demeanor, and unprofessional energy were apparent when I first arrived. He only perked up a little after finding my reservation. I got through check in despite the subpar service, but Jim is a terrible representative of the brand and needs serious hospitality training.

We make a point of staying here whenever we drive from New England to Florida. The rooms are consistently spotless, and the beds are so comfortable. Angel at the front desk was especially friendly and helpful. We also enjoyed Mamie’s, a local restaurant with delicious comfort food. The pot roast dinner and spaghetti and meatballs were especially good, with generous portions.

The room was clean, and the front desk was very nice. Breakfast was peaceful and quiet, though my first floor room beside the lobby was a little noisy. I’d give it five stars if the pillows had more support. They squish down to nothing, so I had to use four.