Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Chattanooga South/East Ridge

We found this Fairfield Marriott in Chattanooga a great halfway stop on our trip. The rooms were spacious enough for our whole family, and the hotel was very clean. It had everything we needed: a good price, easy check-in, free parking, an indoor pool and hot tub, plus free breakfast. We couldn’t have asked for more. Thanks for a wonderful stay, we’ll make this a regular stop on the way to Florida.

After nine hours of driving from Florida to the edge of Tennessee, we needed somewhere to sleep, so we stopped by without a reservation. The staff greeted us, checked for a room, and got us settled. Simple and easy. The night cost $180. There are plenty of food choices nearby. Cracker Barrel is across the street within walking distance, and there’s a Chick Fil A and a StarBucks about a mile away. Cracker Barrel’s food is consistent, and you can’t go wrong with pancakes in the morning. The hotel does have free breakfast, but I wasn’t a fan of the soggy eggs, so I wouldn’t eat there again.

Check-in was the quickest and easiest I’ve had. Everything looked very clean, from the rooms to the parking lot, with no litter around. The hot tub was great, though I wish it stayed open past 11pm, until 12 instead. Breakfast was a little light, but the scrambled eggs were very good. I’ll definitely stay here again.

We still had an hour before checkout, but the front desk lady wouldn’t let my kids use the pool. I’d left my card at the desk while packing and forgot it was needed to get in. When I went back four minutes later to ask if I could use it to take them in, she said she’d already checked us out and claimed she didn’t have a pool key. My autistic son was heartbroken and my daughter cried, after I’d promised all morning they could swim before we left. The clerk was right there, and the lady didn’t bat an eye. She could have worked something out but refused. Terrible customer service, and we won’t be back or use any Fairfield. This is what happens when a corporate mindset replaces practical customer service skills. Sunday February 15th 2025 10:45 a.m. Thanks! -Brian room 234