I have been travelling to Denver for years. Work and personal. I have seen first-hand how the surrounding airport properties, hotels, dining, business parks, have exploded. Especially on Tower Road. And with that comes competition. And Marriott is investing fully in the area with a whole range of their brands.

I chose this Marriott property based on location and price because my stay there was very limited. Just a single night for an early morning flight. My check-in experience was fine. Polite, courteous. No wait. I literally put my bag and backpack in the room and headed out for dinner. I did turn off the AC and opened my window but did so with my shoes still on. This is important.

When I returned to my room, I kicked off my socks and shoes and walked over to the desk to do some work on my laptop. That’s when I first felt the squish of wet carpeting. And it wasn’t limited to near the HVAC unit. It went well into the room and in between the two queen beds. It was obvious the HVAC had a leak. And it was not just while I was gone for 45 minutes for carry-out.

I returned to the front desk and explained the situation and received a new room. Great. Thanks.

That’s when I encountered the other issue I had with the property. As more and more states embrace the legalization of marijuana, medicinal, recreational or both, that adds a layer of complexity to “no smoking” areas. Like in hotel rooms. The signage is clearly geared toward the traditional cigarette smoking. Well, the first-floor corridor I walked through to get to the stairs was wretched with the smell of pot. My new room on the third floor was on the opposite side of my original room. I moved from 304 to 330. That walk took me through the Cheech and Chong gauntlet.

I acknowledge I did not bring this up to the front desk. When I received my new key, she was very busy and had no help. I am keen to see how hotels in states that permit the use of marijuana will address this new type of smoking. I can only imagine what some of the rooms smelled like given what the hallway smelled like. And would they fine those individuals. Given the number of Marriott properties on Tower Road, this Fairfield will not be my first choice in the future.

Small narrow low ceiling hallways, the laundry room was an open door on the main ground floor going west from the lobby so you were forced to maneuver your luggage around large carts filled with dirty sheets. The room was of adequate size, the bed was reasonably comfortable, but the TV was tiny. The breakfast buffet was a joke. There was a tour bus there and the staff was obviously unprepared for that huge amount of people at 1 time. There was no coffee and creamer, even after they were repeatedly told of that fact. The eggs were cold and terrible, no bacon only cold whatever sausage it was. My wife tried the waffles and spit it out after 1 bite. We ended up eating in the airport. Like I said, not up to usual Marriott standards.