Fairfield Inn by Marriott Charlotte Northlake

The location worked well for the NASCAR race in early October, but the hotel is pretty run down. We were in room 212. Breakfast was okay, nothing special, and the pillows were very thin, only three to a bed, and clearly had seen better days. The AC worked great, but the room needs improvement. I found blood-stained sheets, dirt behind the bed, and mold by the window next to the outlet I used for my phone beside the AC unit. Parts of the bathroom were run down too. The overall cleanliness was disgusting. You’d be better off spending a little more to stay somewhere else.

The front entrance looked welcoming and the staff were nice, but the room was a different story. The bathroom ceiling had mold, the mattress looked old, and the door across from my room seemed broken and wouldn’t lock. I booked through Priceline under the Fairfield brand and expected this location to be okay, though it looks like it may have been bought out. I wouldn’t recommend it for cleanliness. If you can, spend a few extra dollars at a place down the street.

The bed and bathroom were clean, and housekeeping even folded the toilet paper into a flower, which was a nice touch. For a business trip, the location worked well for me, close to the highways I needed, food, and gas. But the three-star rating feels like a stretch. Two stars seems more fitting. The rooms feel stuck in the late ’80s or early ’90s, and the walls are thin. I could hear traffic, trucks, motorcycles, people in the next room, and noise from the pool behind the hotel. If you’re a light sleeper, choose your room carefully. I also wasn’t told at check-in that painting was happening at 7 p.m. Unoccupied rooms were left open while painting was still underway, and the smell came into the hall. The curtains were shredded, and the “cuck chair” was stained. Don’t be misled by the rating. The review photos seem accurate, while the pictures online look like stock Marriott Property shots. May The Odds Be Ever In Your Favor.

The location worked really well for our concert trip, between the airport and the venue, and we felt safe during our four nights in Charlotte. The hotel is older, but it was clean, the bedding was comfortable, and the man at the desk was accommodating when we arrived early. He first put us in a room where popcorn ceiling bits were scattered across the floor and TV area, then moved us to another room right away. That second room had just been cleaned, and the powdery fragrance was so strong it started making my throat sore. We went out for dinner, and by the time we got back the air had cleared quite a bit. Our room wasn’t cleaned during the stay. We hang towels to reuse them, but it would have helped to know what to expect. Staff brought clean towels when we asked, though the extra toilet paper we requested when we were nearly out never arrived. We got by with what was left, and I hope the next guest gets a fresh roll. It wasn’t a bad first stay in Charlotte, but next time I think I’d pay a little more to stay somewhere else, maybe outside the city. The highway system is easy enough to navigate.