Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites Athens-University Area — Hotel in Athens-Clarke County Unified Government

I stayed at this hotel for 5 nights during a recent business trip to engage in meetings with UGA faculty members. The hotel is relatively new and in good shape physically. My room was a king bed room on a high floor, and was a good size for 1 or 2 people. There were plenty of towels provided, and the shower included shampoo/conditioner/shower gel in large bottles, and soap was provided at the sink. I loved the shower, which was large and had a clear plastic barrier as opposed to a curtain, and it was set up in a way that it was easy to use. It would have been nice to have access to lotion, but luckily I brought my own. Bed was comfortable and pillows were okay. My only concern was that there was a lot of noise from the street, and window soundproofing wasn't great. I sleep with ear plugs so it didn't affect my sleep, but you might want to consider a noise machine or ear plugs for your stay if you are sensitive to noise.||The breakfast was good for this type of hotel, with a few hot options - typically scrambled eggs or a cheese omelette, an egg soufflé option, some sort of breakfast meat which varied (bacon/sausage/Canadian bacon), and an egg sandwich which varied. Additionally, there were grits (with shredded cheese - thank you!), hot oatmeal, and the typical waffle maker to make your own waffles. Additional cold selections included fresh fruits, hard boiled eggs, cereals, and toast/bagels/etc. There was a machine with a few juices, as well as coffee/tea. It was a good start to the day. During my stay there were plenty of places to sit and the breakfast area never felt crowded.||When I first arrived I was a little put off by the location, which is a bit of an industrial area and there is a probation building across the street, and some homeless folks out and about on the drive in. However, it wound up being fine - as a woman traveling alone I always felt safe, and was able to walk to the Walgreens and frozen custard places nextdoor without worry. There are also some restaurants walkable or nearby. The parking garage had plenty of spots. The hotel is not far from a Target and Costco, both of which I wound up visiting during my stay. ||One of the best parts of staying here was the staff. Everyone I encountered was so kind and helpful, from the front desk staff and management to the folks working in the breakfast area and housekeeping. I stayed when Hurricane Helene was active, and wasn't sure what the situation would be on the intended day of checkout. Staff were so kind in reassuring me that I could have a late checkout if needed or stay an extra night without a problem. This was so reassuring as I navigated this stressful situation. I'm so grateful that this was my hotel choice while I was in Athens, and I would absolutely choose it again...

No one has reviewed this hotel lately so I feel I need to. This Fairfield is awesome!! First off, there is a wonderful young lady name Kushi who works in the evening. I hope I spelled her name correctly. She is so welcoming. I came in this evening and she greeted me by name and asked me how my day was going. I had a terribly long 12 hour day at the hospital and that was just the friendliness I needed. If anyone from Marriott reads this, please give her a raise. When I checked in yesterday, after traveling and working all day, she anticipated my needs and got me into the perfect room. I was sooooo grateful. With my job, I’ve stayed at a lot of hotels. Her attention to customer service is remarkable and deserves the highest of praise. I’m staying for 9 nights straight and then home for four then back and forth again two more times. By mid February, I will have stayed at this hotel 27 days. So far, I love this place. This room is updated and absolutely perfect for my needs. All of the rooms have a microwave and a refrigerator. The bathrooms are updated and very clean and nice. Between the room and Kushi making all my interactions with the front desk such a joy, I feel like I’m at my home away from home.

I had breakfast this morning. It was included with the room and for a “Fairfield Breakfast” it was better than most. There was more hot selections than I’ve ever seen and everything was fresh. If you’re expecting the Wynn Buffet, it’s not that but compared to other Fairfields, it’s top notch.

The pool and workout center look great. Haven’t tried them yet. The whole place is very clean. The parking is great. There are a lot of choices for food in the area and there is Kroger across the street...

The location and staff are OK, especially Daniel (the maintenance man, who was as friendly and as helpful as he could be). The cleanliness of my room and how it was handled once reported, was less than a zero-rating.

We checked into the hotel in the evening, it was not until the following morning that I took a shower and noticed vomit on the back of the bathroom door handle, the shower curtain, and the bathtub floor. We reported this to the front desk (in person), asked that the room and bathroom (+ new shower curtain) be done while we were out for the day. We returned several hours later to find that our door was unlocked (deadbolt blocking the door closing), the shower curtain was replaced, and the room and bathroom were not cleaned (so much for a "COVID clean"). I went back to the front desk (in person) to discuss this with them, explaining this is not about the money, it is about the cleanliness. They were overall dumbfounded, then called me and comped 1 of 4 nights for me. As I appreciated this, I asked to speak with the manager and gave the front desk my number. They said they texted the manager and I waited... Still at the time of writing this, no call. That shows huge disrespect, no care, and poor management...