Fairfield Inn Suites South Bend Mishawaka

We arrived within half an hour of check-in, but they refused to honor our third-party booking. I’d received confirmations from both the booking site and Fairfield Inn, and had called the day before to confirm. The clerk said there was no problem then, but at the hotel they insisted it was my responsibility to know they didn’t accept third-party reservations. I repeated what had happened and asked to speak with the person who confirmed it, but nobody cared about the details. After about 20 minutes, with other guests watching, the manager offered to call other Marriott properties. The only room offered was at a premium rate. They told me to seek a refund from the third party and said they’d confirm that the hotel had canceled on us, but when the third party contacted them, they didn’t say that and refused to refund us. Do not book here.

The pool is a nice feature, but it was closed for maintenance while we were there, so check ahead if you’re counting on it. Fairfield is also close to Notre Dame, handy for visiting campus, seeing a game, or exploring nearby. There are lots of restaurants around, too. The staff were incredibly accommodating and made us feel at home as soon as we arrived.

I eventually got to keep my booking, but only after a horrible call with the manager. I booked through a third party and confirmed the day before, then she yelled at me and said she didn’t have to honor it. By the end of the scolding I was crying, and sarcastically thanked her for being so hospitable. She then honored the booking but told me to leave first thing in the morning. It felt like she thought she was doing me a favor by letting me pay to stay. She said they had enough club members and didn’t need third-party bookings. I’ll never return, and strongly advise others to stay away.

The kids had a great time in the pool, and we’ll be back. Our room was clean, the hotel smelled lovely, and breakfast was great. Everyone on staff was polite and welcoming, with great hospitality.