Fairfield Inn Asheville Airport – a basic hotel that was definitely worth the cost.
Written: Nov 16 '06
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Pros: near airport/restaurant, most of the staff, free business center, low room rate, indoor pool
Cons: one of the staffers who was sexist
The Bottom Line: It was inexpensive, near an airport, yet quiet and close to things to do. Who could ask for anything more?!
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| HJS33's Full Review: Fairfield Inn by Marriott Asheville |
31 Airport Park Road
Fletcher, NC 28732
Phone: 828-684-1144
Fax: 828-684-3377
Toll Free No.: 1-800-228-2800
Check In: 3 pm
Check Out: 12 pm
107 rooms, 3 meeting rooms
www.marriott.com
Background
Going to Asheville, NC was not high on my priority list. I did not know much about the city, and plans for my next vacation did not involve going anywhere in the U.S. But, one of the beautiful things about attending a wedding is that you often get to check out a new area you have never been to. This is what brought us to the area. My cousin lives near Asheville, NC and got married on Labor Day weekend.
Once I started reading up on the area on a few websites and chatting with various folks that have been to Asheville, I realized that we were in for a treat. I heard nothing but compliments about how beautiful it was. Overall, it was a nice weekend trip, although I do think we could have used a bit more time to explore, and if I could do it all again, I would have scheduled more time so we could see the Biltmore Estates.
The choice to stay at the Fairfield Asheville Airport was made mostly because I did not know the area very well, and when I did a search from my cousin’s house, this did not seem to be terribly far away. Also, I knew that we could get to and from the airport easily even if we chose not to rent a car. And finally, I knew that all Marriott hotels now guarantee non-smoking rooms. Getting a non-smoking room is extremely important to me.
Location
I could not believe how close the hotel was to the airport. It is literally across the street. At first I thought this might be a problem, because I assumed there would be a lot of noise from the planes, but Asheville airport is a relatively small airport, and noise was not a problem at all (and I’m a pretty light sleeper).
Not only is it convenient to the airport, but there is a place to eat that is a very short walk away. It is a cafeteria called J&B Cafeteria, and it is literally right next door. There is also a convenient store and a barbeque joint that somewhat nearby, but you do need to walk a bit more.
Although there are a few places that are somewhat nearby, I would suggest exploring a bit, as there are many places to eat in and around the Asheville area. I was particularly fond of a place called Tijuana Junction, which was maybe a mile down the road, so yes, you have to drive there from the hotel. It looks iffy from the outside, but the food is great, the service was wonderful and the portions plentiful, but I digress.
Check In/Check Out and First Impressions
Not a problem with check in or check out. The only problem was my first impression of the hotel, which was tainted by a sexist young clerk who worked behind the front desk. Let’s just say that what started out as a joke between me and my husband about having different last names was heard and commented on by the clerk, and believe me, his comment was not appropriate nor was it welcome. If I was not so shocked by the comment, I probably would have said something, but both my husband and I were flabbergasted that he had the gall to say anything at all.
BUT, once I was able to let this go and look at the check in process itself, the process was very quick and easy. We received our key, but it was not the standard keycard that you insert into the door, it was a funky little electronic key. I like the idea of it, but something this small does make me nervous that I might actually misplace it amongst my change.
I liked the lobby of the hotel. It was simple, yet welcoming and not pretentious. The desk is to your left and the sitting area and kitchen area are to your right. Then, as you walk a little further along, there is a little sitting area that I found to be pretty comfortable.
Also, when we got off the elevator to go to our room, there was a nice lounge right outside the elevator door. This is also where the vending machines were located. Brilliant set up if you ask me; no one gets stuck with the hotel room right outside the elevator.
The Room
We had a basic room with a king bed. The decoration of the room was nothing memorable, but we did had a lot of the standard amenities inside, including a TV w/ basic cable, a business desk (with internet access), coffee maker, full length mirror, a chair and ottoman to lounge on, etc. I thought we would get a paper delivered to the room, but that wasn’t the case. It did not matter, because we were able to grab one in the lobby. I was also surprised that there was not a lot of drawer space, which would have been an issue if we were staying for a longer time. Although we did not have a fantastic view from our room (it was of the top of the building and the glass top of the pool), we were surprised by how large it was and how much sunlight streamed through the one window.
The bathroom was yellow (not my favorite color), but it was fine for our needs. The shower pressure was good, although – here is a little warning – the shower is slippery! I still cannot believe they did not have any shower flowers or something on the floor of the shower so a person does not slip. The counter was a nice size with a big mirror, which was great, but I was also surprised that all they had to offer on the counter was soap and shampoo, especially since you were not able to carry on any liquids at the time we traveled, and a lot of travelers were without these items.
Amenities/Extras
One of the amenities that we took advantage of was a free shuttle to and from the airport. You may not think that you need this since you are literally across from the airport, but the road you need to cross is a busy one and far too dangerous to walk across. We never seemed to have a problem getting the shuttle, and we used it multiple times.
Should you decide to have a car, parking is free.
Also, they offer free continental breakfast. I have to admit, I was pleasantly surprised at how much food they offer. They had waffles, and you make them yourself in a waffle iron. They also offered an egg, cheese and bacon sandwich (Jimmy Dean breakfast sandwiches I believe) that you microwave for a short period of time, which was surprisingly good. You can also have cereal, yogurt, English muffin, toast, etc. Then there are choices of juice and, of course, coffee. The breakfast is served until 10am (and I believe it starts at 7am).
They also have a business center, which is very small, but free. There is 1 computer, and you are supposed to have a 15 minute time limit so that others can use the computer. I used the computer multiple times. I also walked by many times and never saw anyone else in there, nor were there people waiting for someone to be done, which is surprising considering it was Labor Day weekend. Besides the computer, they also have a copier, fax machine and printer (all in one machine). I did not need anything but explorer, my airline website, and the ability to print out our online boarding passes, so I was all set with what was there.
Also, should you feel the need to workout, there is a 24 hour gym. I never used it, but it looked nice. There were 2 treadmills, TVs, an elliptical machine and a stairclimber.
They also have an indoor pool. Although a bit on the small side, it was great to have this considering the size of the hotel. The pool closes at 10pm.
Area Attractions
There are a lot of things in the area to do, but the main ones I had an interest in were the Biltmore Estates and Historic Downtown Asheville. Unfortunately, time just was not on our side, and we were unable to check out either of these. We thought we could just swing by the Biltmore Estates, but it turns out that it has a fairly expensive admission fee and looks much bigger than we ever anticipated. Poor planning on our part. Apparently there is also a National Forest nearby, as well as some botanical gardens, etc. There is lots of information available in the hotel, or you can read the MANY advertisements in the airport or pick up fliers.
Overall
It is hard to beat a $94 room rate these days, especially at a great location in a beautiful area. I would definitely stay here again.
Thanks to all who read/rate.
Heidi (hjs33)
Recommended:
Yes
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HJS33
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Location: West Bloomfield, MI
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