Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Lakeland Plant City

The biggest problem was the lack of hot water, reportedly because of renovations. Nobody mentioned this before I booked, at check-in, or in the listing. I found out after arriving. Hot water is a basic need, and charging the full rate without disclosing that it wasn't available felt misleading. When I raised it, there was no apology, warning, offer to move me, or compensation, just excuses and indifference. It seemed clear the staff already knew. I was also charged more than we had agreed, without my authorization or a clear explanation. Staff couldn't justify the extra charges or showed any urgency about fixing them. On top of that, employees were rude and dismissive whenever I brought up concerns. I felt brushed off instead of helped, with no accountability or empathy. The whole stay was stressful and uncomfortable. Between the undisclosed renovation impacts, the billing issue, and the way staff treated me, I found the hotel careless and deceptive. I don't recommend staying here. Ask detailed questions before booking and watch your bank statement afterward. Management needs to address transparency, service, and billing.

The main issue was the elevator. There was only one, and it was acting up when we arrived. During the busy checkout period the next morning, it was out of service for repairs. My wife is handicapped and stairs cause her considerable pain. If we'd been told the elevator work was scheduled, we could have asked for a first-floor room or checked out earlier. Watching elderly guests carry suitcases down the stairs was awful. We were there for the Sun N Fun airshow. The room was otherwise fine, though it had a strange smell, the warped bathroom door wouldn't close, and the sink had very low pressure. The shower worked fine. It was a horrible stay.

The staff were nice, but that didn't make the stay worthwhile. The fitness room was closed, the hallways reeked of strong chemicals that gave me constant headaches, and demolition work on some floors meant drilling and other noise. If you're trying to work in your room or come back to rest, forget it. They charged their regular rates through all of this. I'd check that construction is finished before booking in mid-November. Maybe it'll be a different story afterward, but I wouldn't stay during the work.

The room upgrade was called complimentary, but even the suite felt small for the price, and the bathroom vanity was smaller still. A suite usually means more people, so that didn't make sense. There should also be outlets on both sides of the bed for phones or CPAP machines. The hot water barely got warm. Breakfast was appreciated, though I wondered why they never serve bacon on weekends. Halfway through the stay, our key cards stopped working and we had to go back to the desk. We booked because our family chose this hotel for wedding guests. During construction, they should have lowered rates and told guests in advance. The blocked front entrance was a major hassle, check-in took far too long, and the construction noise was annoying. Then our AC wouldn't cool the room. The person sent to look at it couldn't speak English, tried to communicate, and left without coming back. We returned to the desk and got the suite instead. At least its AC worked. The rooms and shortcuts we saw didn't meet Marriott standards. We were very disappointed with this property.