Small boutique hotels are my love language. I usually steer clear of the cookie cutter hotel, but these covid times are changing us all. This was our first trip to a hotel since a pandemic swept across our globe and my highest priority was safety.
I wanted to bring the kids to western Mass to experience the beauty of the Berkshires in Autumn. When searching for Great Barrington MA hotels, I landed on the Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott.
Great Barrington makes a perfect home base for exploring the Berkshires because it is a pretty central location near most of the main attractions and has a great downtown with shops and restaurants.
The Fairfield Inn & Suites had great reviews and I trusted that Marriott would have high standards for cleaning and sanitizing. They had several protocols in place to keep everyone safe, which kept me worry free and able to really enjoy my time with the kiddos.
Here is what we loved the most about the Fairfield Inn & Suites:
1. The large rooms-
We had two queen beds, a sitting area and a work space. It was perfect for a large family. The spacious bathroom had a tub for the kids.
2. The indoor pool & hot tub-
In order to safely use the pool area, we had to make a reservation. Our family had the pool for 45 minutes and then they would clean the area for 15 minutes before the next reservation. It was really nice having the pool all to ourselves and it was never hard to get a reservation.
3. Free breakfast-
It really is nice having breakfast included and it’s just one less thing to worry about. During our visit, the breakfast was “grab & go” style. We had three meals to choose from and we brought it back to our room to eat.
4. Cleaning protocols-
We felt really safe since masks were required in public areas and rooms were properly sanitized. House keeping stayed out of our room but would drop off more towels as needed. There were also hand sanitizer stations throughout the hotel.
5. Great hospitality-
The staff was so kind. When I checked in, the man booked us into a room on the first floor near the pool since I had kids and he figured it would be helpful. He was right.
6. The corner market-
Beside the reception area is a “corner market” that sells snacks and drinks. I don’t know what it is, but my kids just love walking down for a snack.
7. The arcade-
This is one activity I didn’t think I would allow my children to do since it involves so much touching, but again, you just notify the desk when you want to use it and they regulate how many people use it at a time while keeping up with sanitizing.
I had some antibacterial wipes, so just gave all the buttons a quick wipe down before they played.
I explained to my kids that arcade games are always a rip off and not to be upset if they don’t win anything… just as my three year old won a pink unicorn stuffie which basically made the entire trip. (insert shrug emoji).
8. The gym-
bwahahaha like I exercised on vacation. But if you are into that sort of thing, it is there.
9. Free high speed WIFI-
If you are there for business or your kids have devises that rely on good WIFI, you will have it.
10. Proximity to The Marketplace–
This family-friendly, casual restaurant was so handy to have right across the street. They served everything from breakfast to soups & salads to yummy pastries. It made life easy to be able to grab dinner on the way back to the hotel. Everything was delicious!
11. The late check-out times-
I feel like check ins are getting later and check outs are getting earlier. One of our last hotels we visited had a 4:00 check in and a 10:00 AM check out. That’s not even 24 hours!
I was so relieved to hear that we didn’t have to check out until noon. Plus as long as the room is available, they usually work with you on a late check out if you need more time.
We had such a great time at The Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott that my kids literally refused to leave. We were only suppose to stay one night and they begged and begged until I caved and extended the trip. It couldn’t have been easier. I just mentioned it to the front desk as we went by and they said we were all set.
These days, easy is good. I might be veering back to chain hotels where we know the high quality experience to expect. If you are looking for Great Barrington MA hotels, look no further than the Fairfield Inn.
To book your stay at the Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott in Great Barrington/ Lenox, just click here.
The Basics
Phone +1 413-644-3200
Address: 249 Stockbridge Road, Route 7, Great Barrington, Massachusetts 01230
Check in: 3:00
Check out: 12:00
Pin for later-
