Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites Melbourne West/Palm Bay — Hotel in West Melbourne

To start, I used this hotel several years ago with a group I brought in for an event I was hosting in the area. It was new and great. Haven’t stayed there since. This past weekend, I decided to do a quick trip home and chose this hotel instead of my normal hotel across the street (Woodspring Suites ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️).

At check in, I noticed a sign mentioning a hold on our card for using a debit. No big deal, I know some hotels do so, though it’s been years since I’ve had to. I asked the lady checking us in and she giggled and literally said, “Oh. That’s not an issue. We don’t even do that anymore. We never put a hold onto customers cards. I don’t even know why that’s there.” To which my response was, “Maybe someone should take it down.”

After we got to our room, I decided to take a shower as we were rushing to meet friends for dinner. As I entered the shower I noticed numerous hairs stuck to the side of the shower wall. Coming from a cleaning background, I understand one or two, but this was at least 10-20. No lie. I was in too much of a rush to be concerned immediately, and the rest of the room seemed clean enough. I wasn’t expecting perfection as it’s a Fairfield Inn and staffing is an issue to find good help.

Later at night as I proceeded to turn down my comforter to lay down, I noticed there was sand, and a couple of dirt smudges on the sheets. Again, I was tired and not in the mood to make an issue out of it. I checked the other bed and it seemed fine, so I slept in that one.

The evening staff were extremely nice and polite. I decided I would just stay quiet and move forward with just not staying there again unless absolutely needed.

When I received my bill, I noticed it was $133.00 as expected. No issue. Then, balancing out my account from the weekend trip, I notice there is a charge for $160.00. I called the hotel to check why and was immediately challenged and confronted with a rude and quite arrogant male. He proceeded to explain to me the reason for the excess charge, which I already assumed by this point. I let him speak and then explained how the other employee stated the extra hold would not be placed. Without even telling him my name, he said he was looking at my account at that moment and seen who checked me in. Apologized for her saying what she did, and said I expect that from her.

Then he proceeded to tell me EVERY SINGLE HOTEL IN THE WORLD places that hold on cards. I corrected him and said, no they don’t. Now mind you, I spent 9 years traveling across the USA, Canada, and Europe 37 weeks a year staying in hotels every week. The higher rated hotels like that Carlton, W, and compatible might add that hold, but I would say the vast majority did not. The man on the phone proceeded to argue with me saying he travels all over as well and has never been to a hotel that doesn’t. Then he said “Yes, they do. Prove me wrong.” That was the final draw. I was completely done at this point.

Between the cleanliness (or lack there of) and attitude of the front staff mentioned above, I will refuse to book this hotel again. I will continue to book quick trips at the competing hotel across the street for my short trips, and the oceanfront hotels for my vacation trips to Melbourne.

I am currently on hold with the corporate office to explain to them about this employees arrogance and unprofessional conduct on the phone. Hopefully the call was recorded and corporate will be able to listen to his condescending tone during that call.

To all those out there that know I write true, honest, and blunt reviews, watch yourself at this hotel. If you need to stay in the vicinity of this Fairfield Inn, choose WoodSpring Suites across the street. I never had an issue staying with them ever… AND THEY DO NOT BLOCK EXCESS FUNDS ON YOUR CARD! Maybe someone can show this male front desk...

Do Not stay here if you are a travel team or traveling with a group of kids!!! **We are not the 1st to have had this experience! Unfortunately,  we had booked before we saw the negative review by another team. We visited this hotel this summer traveling with our baseball team. Our team has no idea why Brenda  offered this hotel for our stay, when clearly it was not a kid friendly hotel. We booked about 12 rooms months ahead of time, and clearly stated it was a family baseball travel team that would be staying here. We have experienced traveling together as a team for  years now and had never had such poor treatment before. Rules or waivers should have been given to one adult per guest room prior to our booking , not to just one parent to sign  on behalf of the entire team, and after the fact that we had checked in and had begun to experience negative actions by the hotel. In the past , if we received such a waiver, it was prior to a booking and especially before check in. Not while you are already a guest and can not cancel your stay without penalty. Our bad experience had to do mainly with how poorly the staff resolved issues, making us feel unwelcomed at this hotel. We had no where to congregate and enjoy the evening with friends. Past 10pm, we could not be in the lobby nor in the dining/conference area, we could not be outside in the pool area whether you were in or out of the pool. We are families traveling with our children for vacation and baseball tournaments. After a day at the park , we wanted to enjoy time together,  dinner , and conversations together, but we could not do this here. One factor when traveling as a team , we must accommodate budgets, which is a reason why we stayed here. To keep costs down, our team  likes to gather and bring food to eat together or celebrate, and at this hotel we were either rushed out of the common area or could not stay past 10pm. That's not so easy when you have teenage boys excited about winning games, celebrating birthdays and vacationing together. We parents really tried to make it work for our boys, but this hotel is not where you want to bring your team . We spent our nights in the parking lot gathering, while our kids played organized games outside. The police were called on us more than once either by hotel staff  or guests, but the police patrolled and never came to break our gathering outside nor did they find the boys to be doing anything wrong. They allowed us to continue congregating outside, as this hotel did not allow us inside other than in our rooms. How demeaning to all of us who are guests of this hotel, to resort to gathering in a parking lot. Many parents like myself were upset and we tried speaking to Brenda who booked this stay for us, but she was only to be found a day or 2 before we left from our week stay, and was there at the times we were not , due to our boys' games. Brenda had an unpleasant call with our team mom, blaming us as a whole for not abiding by rules , she never took ownership for offering us the wrong hotel for such a large party, or for failing to  give each guest room a rules waiver to be signed prior to booking. **Don't know why this hotel offers conferences , or wedding party stay; it clearly does not have the space for gathering and the conference room holds apx 10. Most importantly, the hotel staff does not welcome big groups! This is more of a quickie off the highway stay. **Bathrooms are also not the best. We spotted corroded shower head, mold in shower grout, black mold spots on...

Do Not stay here if you are a travel team or traveling with a group of kids!!! | *We are not the 1st to have had this experience! Unfortunately,  we had booked before we saw the negative review by another team. |  We visited this hotel this summer traveling with our baseball team. Our team has no idea why Brenda  offered this hotel for our stay, when clearly it was not a kid friendly hotel. We booked about 12 rooms months ahead of time, and clearly stated it was a family baseball travel team that would be staying here. We have experienced traveling together as a team for  years now and had never had such poor treatment before. Rules or waivers should have been given to one adult per guest room prior to our booking , not to just one parent to sign  on behalf of the entire team, and after the fact that we had checked in and had begun to experience negative actions by the hotel. In the past , if we received such a waiver, it was prior to a booking and especially before check in. Not while you are already a guest and can not cancel your stay without penalty. |  Our bad experience had to do mainly with how poorly the staff resolved our issues, making us feel unwelcomed at this hotel. We had no where to congregate and enjoy the evening with friends. Past 10pm, we could not be in the lobby nor in the dining/conference area, we could not be outside in the pool area whether you were in or out of the pool. We are families traveling with our children for vacation and baseball tournaments. After a day at the park , we wanted to enjoy time together,  dinner , and conversations together, but we could not do this here. |  One factor when traveling as a team , we must accommodate budgets, which is a reason why we stayed here. To keep costs down, our team  likes to gather and bring food to eat together or celebrate, and at this hotel we were either rushed out of the common area or could not stay past 10pm. That's not so easy when you have teenage boys excited about winning games, celebrating birthdays and vacationing together. |  We parents really tried to make it work for our boys, but this hotel is not where you want to bring your team . We spent our nights in the parking lot gathering, while our kids played organized games outside. The police were called on us more than once either by hotel staff  or guests, but the police patrolled and never came to break our gathering outside nor did they find the boys to be doing anything wrong. They allowed us to continue congregating outside, as this hotel did not allow us inside other than in our rooms. How demeaning to all of us who are guests of this hotel, to resort to gathering in a parking lot. |  Many parents like myself were upset and we tried speaking to Brenda who booked this stay for us, but she was only to be found a day or 2 before we left from our week stay, and was there at the times we were not , due to our boys' games. Brenda had an unpleasant call with our team mom, blaming us as a whole for not abiding by rules , she never took ownership for offering us the wrong hotel for such a large party, or for failing to  give each guest room a rules waiver to be signed prior to booking. |  *Don't know why this hotel offers conferences , or wedding party stay; it clearly does not have the space for gathering and the conference room holds apx 10. Most importantly, the hotel staff does not welcome big groups! This is more of a quickie off the...