Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Virginia Beach Town Center

Breakfast was the highlight, with loads of options, and the pool and workout area were well kept. There are lots of amenities nearby, and it’s a short drive to the beach or sports center. I had an amazing stay and would book again. The king bed was a little firm, though that may just be personal preference, and the upper floor hallway, on the fourth floor, was muggy and hot. Parking around the hotel is limited, but the garage right next to it seemed to have EvoConnect EV charging spaces.

The room was the best part: lots of space and outlets and USB ports everywhere. It had two TVs separated by a floor-to-ceiling divider, which helped define the space, plus a non-cloth couch I was comfortable sitting on. The bathroom was pristine, though the shower setup was awkward. The temperature control sits where the door swings, and the shower head barely swivels, so keeping water off the tile takes effort. The door’s privacy latch was bent and nearly useless. Breakfast was better than expected, with a generous spread, attentive staff, and plenty of room. Check-in through the Marriott app was smooth. The open lobby, wide hallways, and bright, fresh feel made the property different from the average SpringHill or Fairfield. I don’t know when it was built, but it felt like a new hotel. This is the first Fairfield where I felt I got more than I paid for, and it’s my new favorite Marriott option around Virginia Beach and Norfolk. Town Center might technically be walkable, but realistically I’d take an Uber or Lyft. We checked in late, and Chicho’s Pizza was still open, which was clutch.

Apart from the Thanksgiving breakfast incident, everything else was pleasantly perfect. Ezra, manager Thomas, and house man Gene were great. Breakfast was very busy when we came down from the elevators. One of my children was already overwhelmed and anxious, and was rushing to pick up a muffin by hand so we could get back upstairs quickly. Front desk manager Sharon yelled at her, then clamped the tongs in her face and told her to use them. She kept going on about it in front of a lobby full of guests, even after I tried to calm things down. I could still hear Sharon yelling in the back and telling the breakfast attendant to throw all the food away because “them kids mother just lettin them touch all the food.” My kids were close to tears, so I had them wait at the end while I made my plate. Miss Patel then came out making a scene and following Sharon’s lead. When she tried to address my children, I stepped in and said that if there was an issue, they should speak to me. I took the kids upstairs as soon as I could with breakfast. They both broke down crying, and I started crying too, frustrated by how they felt. I went back down for utensils, napkins, butter, and other things. Miss Patel tried to apologize, but I said I had nothing more to say. She kept making excuses for how they’d treated my children and me, still with an attitude. I said I work in customer service and hotels myself, and she shifted her tone and started asking which hotel I worked at and for how long. By then I was done. I told her that if either of them acted that way during busy hours every day, they shouldn’t work in customer service or hospitality. They were rude and out of line, especially Sharon. Finding out she was a manager left me disgusted. The whole breakfast experience was completely uncalled for.

The location is self-explanatory, and I rated service highly because a housekeeper let me into the ice machine area after I’d left my key in the room. The hotel looks nice inside and out, but the toilet needed cleaning under the rim. I noticed it after my shower, and no, I hadn’t used it for defecation. Noise was unacceptable: doors slammed, footsteps and talking came through from upstairs, and people talked in the hallway. I asked for a late checkout and was turned down immediately, almost like a programmed answer, though perhaps the front desk worker had several requests to handle. The building seems poorly built or made with cheap materials.