Checked In: Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott – Manhattan, New York

Hey Friends!

If you didn’t know, I recently visited New York for the *first* time in late October. This was basically my birthday trip to myself and I was accompanied by my sister. Prior to the trip, we spent a lot of time on Booking trying to find the perfect hotel which also wasn’t overly priced. As you know, New York is expensive, so if we could save on our room in order to spend on other experiences then that was the plan. In the end we had about six options to choose from then finally we settled on Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott in Midtown Manhattan. Let’s get into the review and what were our deciding factors!

Location

Fairfield Inn & Suites has multiple locations around New York City, however the one we opted for was the location in Midtown Manhattan. The location was one of our MAJOR deciding factors when choosing a hotel. It is advertised to be located near to Penn Station (which is where we arrived at from JFK), but once arriving at the hotel we realized it was a crosswalk away from Moynihan Train Hall. What made this even better was that Moynihan is connected to Penn Station which made this easy to get around.

Checking In/Out

As standard, check in is at 4:00 p.m. However, we got into the city earlier in the day in order to get a start on our itinerary. Given the room was not available as yet and we also did not want to pay an early check-in fee, we were granted permission to leave our bags while we went out to explore. Prior to that the check-in process was extremely smooth and I only had to provide a form of ID for verification. When we got back to the hotel at 4:00 p.m., we were given our room keys and a brief explanation of all the amenities offered as well as meal times.

Check out time is at 12:00 p.m. Luckily we were able to check out and leave our suitcases in a secure area while we went out to do more activities. We got back to the hotel a little after 6:00 p.m. and was able to collect our bags and walk across to Moynihan Train Hall in order to catch the NJ Transit for our next adventure.

Room Tour

We were on the eight floor and had great expectations given the decor and ambiance in the lobby area. As we entered the room our excitement from being in New York City grew and I immediately wanted to extend my stay. I’ve always heard of rooms in NY being tiny given how large the population is. However, the hotel room was spacious for two people. We got a king sized bed because I believe that’s what was available at the time and we also got a “city” view from our window (It would have been better if it was in the other direction).

The room came with your expected furnishings (safe, iron, ironing board, coffee maker, desk and chair), the only things missing were a microwave and a fridge (it was in the lobby). There was also a flat screen TV which had a channel sharing general information about the hotel and the services offered. It had cable, Netflix as well as HBO. Several things in the room stood out to me, such as the bed and its comfy sheets, walk in shower with large shower head, and the lighting in the rooms/bathroom.

Hotel Amenities/Services

Dining

Continental breakfast which was served buffet style was included in our stay which we decided to give a try on the second day. It was something to give us some energy before our adventures but that’s it. They had you usual breakfast sausages, eggs, bagel, toast, cereal, yogurt and fruits. If you’re looking for pancakes and waffles, it would be best to check out one of the many restaurants in NYC. In the nights, they serves tapas at their rooftop bar, but unfortunately we didn’t get a chance to check that out.

Rates

The most important factor in choosing your stay, how much will it cost you? Is it within your budget. We saw rates from USD $150 – $400+ but it was also dependent on location. I definitely wanted something less than $300 a night as I knew we would hardly be in the hotel but comfort was also a KEY factor. I’m also a part of Booking rewards program therefore I was able to receive 10% off my stay.

During this period, or rather the rate I was able to receive was USD $250 per night for two persons. I was also able to reserve the room without pre-payment until a later date which they charged for one night and then the remaining once I arrived. Just to note there are additional fees added on (sales tax, hotel occupancy fee etc.)

Hotel Experience

Honestly, it was a great experience and if this trip wasn’t so focused on sight seeing I would have made more of an effort to check out more of the hotel i.e. the Rooftop. They have a rooftop bar/lounge with happy hour daily which unfortunately we never made it too, but the pictures look great.

The customer service was A1 as everyone was friendly and always inquired as to whether anything additional was needed. They also had a city map and listing of activities to do when in NYC which was helpful. Even though we had our own itinerary, looking on a physical map and scratching off the sites was enjoyable.

Fairfield Inn was a great affordable option. The room was comfortable, the bed was glorious and the bathroom was nice. It was in a central location, making getting around smooth for our first time in NYC.

Asha

Located Nearby

• Moynihan Train Hall (which includes restaurants and shopping areas)
• Empire State Building
• Madison Square Garden (there was actually a hockey game on one of the nights, so outside was packed!)
• Hudson Yards (The Vessel, Edge, City Climb)
• Times Square
• Chelsea Park

More Information

Website: Marriott.com

Address: 325 West 33rd Street
Hell’s Kitchen
New York
NY 10001
United States

Until next time,