Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott McAllen Airport

We left without spending the night because the room felt unsafe for my health, and the service made the whole situation worse. At check-in, the front desk woman seemed annoyed we were there. Our first-floor room beside the indoor pool was damp and musty, with heavy, almost wet-feeling air. We hoped it would clear while we were out, but when we got back late, the mold smell was overwhelming and the bed felt wet. I started coughing and had an asthma attack soon after getting in. I called to ask about switching rooms. While I was coughing, the employee cut me off and kept saying to call in the morning, claiming there were no rooms and maybe none would be available the next day. My fiancé and I got dressed and went down. The employee’s tone changed then, and he apologized. When we explained my asthma was getting worse, he said his own asthma flares up from working there and that the indoor pool causes ongoing problems. We hadn’t been told when booking that construction was underway. We said we couldn’t stay, and we didn’t ask for that night’s charge back. We only wanted a refund for the five remaining days. Staff blamed Hotels.com and said the refund had to go through them, but Hotels.com was ready to process it right away. The hotel wouldn’t approve it. The next morning, even after Hotels.com supported us, we got an email saying the hotel wouldn’t confirm the refund. It was approved only after we said we’d escalate the matter. The damp, moldy room, undisclosed construction, dismissive response, and health risk made this unacceptable. If you have asthma or allergies, or expect basic cleanliness and honest service, don’t stay here.

The room itself was fine, but we won’t book here again. We only learned at check-in that the kitchen was closed, and apparently breakfast meant either a bag that nobody offered us or going next door. We had questions about that option, but there was no one at the desk at night or in the morning to ask. Had we known about the kitchen, we’d have chosen another place.

When I left, my allergies cleared up, which makes me wonder about the room. It smelled like mold and cigarette smoke. I tried calling the lobby three times for help with the TV, but the room phone either wasn’t working or nobody answered. The toilet also overflowed when I flushed, just as someone upstairs flushed theirs.

I’m in McAllen, TX for work for a few months and have been staying here. The rooms and hotel are kept very clean, and every staff member I’ve met has been kind and really helpful. Marriott is where I usually stay when I travel for work.