Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Dallas Cedar Hill

We were there 10/17-10/19 in room 102. There were a few restaurants and shops within walking distance, including Walmart and Hooters, where we ate. I don’t know the area and we didn’t have a car. The staff were nice and did what they could, but maintenance and management don’t work weekends. When I reported the bugs, the person on duty came and sprayed Raid everywhere. It was reassuring that he seemed as disturbed as we were, though breathing the spray felt like a small price for peace of mind. At checkout they discounted the room, and after I got home I spoke with management and requested a full refund. The Assistant Manager wasn’t as apologetic as I’d hoped, but did initiate a full refund. I appreciate the customer service, but wouldn’t book again because the room was so bad and the hotel isn’t well maintained. I always check for bed bugs and general cleanliness. I didn’t find bed bugs, but there were lots of worm-like bugs and a pair of things that looked like roach legs under the AC by the window and behind the bed. They could have been another kind of bug we saw outside, but it was disturbing. A bathroom tile was coming off, there was rust under the tub overflow, and the wallpaper was bubbling. There was trash beside the microwave. The curtains had water damage, and when it rained, I saw water coming through a crack in the drywall over the window. Staff only brought towels to soak it up. Luckily we had nothing on the windowsill. There were towels in windows along that whole side of the building, including by the dining and lobby area, so it seems there may be cracks all along it. The beds weren’t comfortable: three pillows on each were too soft, and the mattress was hard and low. The TV remote was missing, one reading lamp was missing or broken, and the AC gave off a faint damp smell.

Carl, the young man working overnight, was really nice and tried hard to help us. Our original room smelled like someone had had sex in it, and the bathroom was still dirty with hair inside. The room was filthy and had an odor the first night. The other rooms Carl tried to accommodate us with were nasty too. We need better housekeeping. Krystal, the assistant general manager, was really rude, as was her manager Mark. I was told one thing and then something else happened. Even after I told Krystal and Mark about the first night, they didn’t comp the room. We decided to leave, but they’re still trying to charge my card for tonight. This is by far the worst Fairfield Inn I’ve stayed at. It needs better management, and I’ll never stay here again.

Two giant flying cockroaches were in my room in November. I asked right away to change rooms, and the staff acted as if this were normal. Then another $280 hold appeared for the room change, even though there was already a $1000 hold. This hotel is infested, and I’m glad I’m done with this location. On all three of my stays, the system put a charge on my credit card a couple of days after check-in. The holds eventually came off, but it’s frustrating, especially after I’d paid the incidental amount at check-in. They refused to do anything about the system problem. The last time, in November, was the final straw. At check-in the front desk person, Alexis, put a $1000 security hold on my Marriott card. That’s ridiculous and unheard of. I’d been there for 12 nights just a month earlier and the hold was $150. I’ve stayed at many Marriott properties and never had a $1000 hold. Alexis couldn’t explain why. The system and the process both have problems. A few days after check-in, my card was also charged $30 and then $280. Those amounts eventually came off, but I’ve never had this happen at another hotel. I complained to Marriott Consumer Affairs and got a response from the hotel. This is by far the worst Marriott property I’ve stayed at, and I won’t be back.

We’d paid and booked our rooms ahead, but when we went to check in, the guy at the front desk said they’d given them to someone else. They offered to downgrade us to a motel and wouldn’t even cover the motel cost.