Fairfield Inn Tuscaloosa by Marriott

The staff were friendly and made it feel like a hotel that really cares. Everything was very clean, and even on the first floor we had a quiet, restful night. Our room was comfortable and spacious, with a desk and chair, an under-desk stool, and another chair. The indoor pool is beautiful. Breakfast had lots of choices, including fresh bacon, sausage, scrambled eggs, omelets, iced coffee, and plenty of creamers. It’s in a quiet, convenient area with many places to eat nearby. Many thanks, this felt like a best-kept secret.

I’ve stayed at a Fairfield Inn one week a month for two years, and this was the first stay that wasn’t amazing. I’ve never felt compelled to leave a review before, but this place was awful. The night desk clerk didn’t seem to know what she was doing and laughed when we had to buy our own hair dryer because she couldn’t provide one, even though it was advertised. Our first room smelled bad, was dirty, and had an overflowing toilet. The second smelled even worse, and there was painted tape covering a hole in the bathroom ceiling. On the second day, our beds and clothes were damp and smelled musty, like mold. The manager said she would do something about our stay, but didn’t, and hasn’t contacted us about any compensation for this disaster. My daughter will be going to school at the University of Alabama, but I’ll never stay here again. I’ll tell everyone I meet how awful it was.

A handy spot off the highway, with friendly front desk staff. The rooms are a decent size and the beds comfortable enough. For what it is, it’s a good 2-star hotel.

The rooms were okay, though the first floor was loud. Our work group arrived after midnight, and at check-in we confirmed that a 2 p.m. late checkout had been approved for all our rooms. In the morning, housekeeping knocked and we reminded them about the approval. A few minutes later, three employees came to my room and said they could no longer accommodate it and that I needed to leave. They said we didn't have enough “status” in their rewards program for late checkout. They wouldn't honor what we'd been told at check-in, and said all of us had to vacate our rooms. They were rude and treated our group like an inconvenience. I stay more than 100 nights a year in different hotels, and this was extremely disrespectful management. I wish them luck running the business that way, but I'd advise people to look at another Marriot or preferably a Hilton in the Tuscaloosa area.