Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites Roswell

The front desk guy was nice, but this wasn’t what I expected from Marriott for $140. We could hear a lot of road noise since the hotel is only about 50 feet from the main road. The pillows were awful, and there wasn’t even a cup for water. We found another guest’s discarded underwear under a chair. The room smelled like cat urine or mold, I couldn’t tell which. I’m a dog person. The elevator wasn’t working either.

We stopped in Roswell during a vacation trip over Christmas and booked a room so we could visit some UFO tourist spots. The hotel was handy for the main roads, intersections, and shops, though lots of places were closed for the holiday. Sara's Mediterranean Café & Grill was open for Christmas dinner and the food was excellent. McDonald's seemed to be the only other place open. The room was clean and pretty standard for a Fairfield, and the heater worked well, but there was a slight musty smell. The bathroom had a few problems: the hot water got hotter later in the evening, so maybe it hadn’t been turned on at first; the toilet flushed twice each time we pressed it; and the shower door kept sliding open, letting water spread across the floor. We had to wait a long time to check in because the lobby attendant wasn’t there when another guest and I arrived. Maybe he was busy or in the restroom, but it was Christmas and staffing may have been limited. They automatically billed me $13 for overnight parking without asking whether I wanted to pay or telling me the price. That seems absurd for Roswell. I’d park off the lot to save the money.

The breakfast was included and had a nice range of choices. It was also handy having a restaurant right in the hotel. One of the nicest places I’ve stayed in a while.

I usually pick Marriott because I earn points with their credit card and their hotels are generally clean and nice. This room was clean, quiet, and comfortable, but a couple of things really disappointed me. The shower door wouldn’t stay shut and slowly slid open, spraying water onto the bathroom floor. I wedged it closed with a washcloth. Worse, the room door didn’t lock, so anyone could enter without a key. While I was inside, I could use the latch to stop it opening all the way, but when I went out, the room and my belongings were accessible. I told the front desk about both problems and hope they fix them for the next guest.