Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Boston Waltham

Our room faced the eight-lane highway, which is about 50 feet from the hotel, and the traffic noise was ridiculous. We barely slept. If I stayed again, I’d choose a room on the other side. The hotel has been recently renovated, but room service didn't come by until 5:00 pm. We’d left at 10:00 am, finished our daytime activities, and were already back in the room by then, so we turned them away.

The windows were large, and I ended up enjoying the view. It was industrial, but the sunset was great. We didn’t have breakfast this time, though they do have complimentary continental breakfast in the morning. The pool looked fun, but we skipped it. On a random Saturday night it was incredibly busy. I also liked the automatic shades once I figured out how to use them, lol. From the outside I hadn't expected much, since the building looks like a corporate office with minimal signage, but it turned out to be a great hotel.

The room felt cold and boxed in, with nothing but gray everywhere. It wasn't the size that made it feel confined. Road noise was incredibly loud all night, and I had to sleep with a pillow over my ears. The location was ideal for my business trip and convenient for where I needed to go, but the service and room comfort would keep me from staying again. Check-in was disappointing. The payment system was down, and I understand that technology problems happen, but the front desk agent seemed frantic and unsure how to handle it or help the guests waiting. It took about 30 minutes for a manager to step in and offer a solution.

Everything about this hotel has me very pleased. It's listed as three star, but I think this place should definitely be upgraded. It all feels more like a 4 star hotel.