Escape to Alexandria: Fairfield Inn & Suites Awaits!
Escape to Alexandria: Fairfield Inn & Suites Awaits! (A Messy, Honest, and Slightly Over-the-Top Review)
Okay, folks, buckle up! This isn't your typical, perfectly polished hotel review. This is experience, and we're diving headfirst into the Fairfield Inn & Suites in Alexandria. Consider this your digital room service, delivered with a side of unapologetic opinion.
First Impressions & "Ugh, that escalator" (Accessibility & Getting Around)
Let's be real, Alexandria's got charm, but sometimes…the logistics can be a headache. Finding the Fairfield was easy – sign me up for that free car park! – but dealing with the actual getting around inside? A bit hit-or-miss. The elevator was a godsend (thank goodness, because stairs are my sworn enemy). But…the lack of automatic doors in some areas? Annoying. And this might be odd, but it truly does matter: Are the walkways flat with no steps? I'm not always in my best shape. If you're mobility-challenged, call ahead and double-check the wheelchair-accessible situation. They're good, but not perfect – which is, you know, life.
The Room: My Personal Sanctuary (Available in All Rooms)
Alright, stepping into the room was like exhaling after holding my breath. Pure bliss. Air conditioning? Check. Blackout curtains? Double-check! (Sleep is sacred.) The bed? Oh, the bed. Extra long! So, so comfy. Now, I love a hotel with attention to detail, and Fairfield mostly delivers. The coffee maker woke me up in the most gentle way—I loved that there were complementary tea, but the thing I loved even more was the in-room safe: I didn't have to take my passport and important documents through the entire building every time that I went outside. The room also had a desk to catch up on work, and a laptop workspace, which made my job a bit easier. The bathroom was clean, and the shower was a treat after a long day. The Wi-Fi? Free and reliable, thank god. And here is what I would say about a few of the additional features - and a few things that still make me shudder:
- Additional toilet? Not in my room.
- Alarm clock? Yes, but seriously, who uses those anymore? (Unless you’re me, and you depend on it to not be late.)
- Bathrobes? Oh, yes! I practically lived in it.
- Bathroom phone? Yes!
- Bathtub? Nope! Only a shower.
- Carpeting? Yes, I'm not a huge fan, especially since the carpet made me do a sneeze.
- Closet? Spacious and had a place for almost all of my clothes.
- Coffee/tea maker? Yes, and I used it religiously.
- Complimentary tea? Yes, and I may or may not have snuck a few extra tea bags for the road.
- Daily housekeeping? Awesome; I am super gross.
- Desk? Perfect for catching up on emails while watching the TV.
- Extra long bed? Yes, a total win!
- Free bottled water? A lifesaver!
- Hair dryer? Yes, and it didn’t suck!
- High floor? Nope, but I didn't care one bit.
- In-room safe box? Definitely used.
- Internet access – LAN? Yes, I didn't even know what that was.
- Internet access – wireless? Yes, so easy,
- Ironing facilities? There was so much better than the other hotel where I stayed!
- Laptop workspace? Perfect, I had zero issues!
- Linens? Super clean and cozy.
- Mini bar? Nope.
- Mirror? Large and in charge!
- Non-smoking? Yes. (Thank goodness.)
- On-demand movies? Yes!
- Private bathroom? Yes.
- Reading light? Yes, for those late-night reading sessions.
- Refrigerator? Yup.
- Satellite/cable channels? Yes, and I found some awesome stuff!
- Scale? Nope, thank god.
- Seating area? Comfy enough.
- Separate shower/bathtub? Nope, just a shower.
- Shower? Amazing, I showered twice a day!
- Slippers? Nope.
- Smoke detector? Always appreciated!
- Socket near the bed? Yes!
- Sofa? No sofa.
- Soundproofing? Pretty good. The screaming kids in the hallway, however, were not so soundproofed.
- Telephone? Yes.
- Toiletries? Stocked.
- Towels? Plentiful!
- Umbrella? Nope.
- Visual alarm? I didn't see one.
- Wake-up service? I used it - and actually loved it!
- Wi-Fi [free]? Yes, and again, thank you!
- Window that opens? Absolutely not.
Food, Glorious Food (Dining, Drinking, and Snacking)
Okay, food. This is where things get… interesting. Breakfast was included, a buffet-style affair with the usual suspects: eggs, bacon, those weird little sausages that always look suspicious. I wasn't impressed. It was fine, but, come on, something should at least feel a little more…local? They have these little plastic-wrapped muffins, which is not my jam. However, I did love that the breakfast was served promptly: and the staff took great care to refill the food items as they ran out. There's a coffee shop, which is essential in my book. Didn't see a "Vegetarian restaurant," but there are restaurants around, so I'm not heartbroken. Room service (24-hour!) is a lifesaver, though I confess, I didn't actually use it.
- A la carte in restaurant? Yes, they provide one.
- Asian breakfast? Nope.
- Asian cuisine in restaurant? Nope.
- Bar? No.
- Bottle of water? Yes, thank you!
- Breakfast [buffet]? Yup, and pretty average.
- Breakfast service? Yes.
- Coffee/tea in restaurant? Yes.
- Desserts in restaurant? Yes, but I barely touched them.
- Happy hour? Nope.
- International cuisine in restaurant? Kinda, I guess, since the menu was very simple.
- Poolside bar? Nope.
- Restaurants? Yes, but not inside the hotel.
- Room service [24-hour]? Yes indeed.
- Salad in restaurant? Yes, but I was missing my favorite salad.
- Snack bar? No.
- Soup in restaurant? Yes.
- Vegetarian restaurant? No.
- Western breakfast? Yes.
- Western cuisine in restaurant? Yes.
Things to Do (And Ways to Relax)
Okay, the "ways to relax" bit… that's a bit of a letdown. No spa. No sauna. No steam room. There's a pool, which looked okay from afar. A view? Not really. So, if you're looking for a luxurious spa getaway, this isn't it. I wanted a pool with a view, but I guess not. However, there's a Fitness center, which you can also call a Gym/fitness!
- Body scrub? No, sadly.
- Body wrap? Nope.
- Fitness center? Yes.
- Foot bath? No.
- Gym/fitness? Yes.
- Massage? Nope.
- Pool with view? Nope.
- Sauna? No.
- Spa? Nope.
- Spa/sauna? Nope.
- Steamroom? No.
- Swimming pool? Yes.
- Swimming pool [outdoor]? Yes.
Cleanliness & Safety: The Important Stuff
Okay, I'm a bit of a germaphobe, so this section is important, and Fairfield gets a gold star (that is, most of the time). Rooms were clean. The staff wore masks (thank you!). Hand sanitizer everywhere. I noticed they were doing a good job of daily disinfection in common areas. I felt safe, which is a huge plus. They had anti-viral cleaning products, which is a relief, and they were removing shared stationery, so I didn't have to fear for my life.
- Anti-viral cleaning products? Yes.
- Cashless payment service? Yes, thank god, it's
Alright, alright, buckle up buttercups. We're diving headfirst into the maelstrom of… a trip to the Fairfield Inn & Suites Alexandria, Louisiana. Not exactly a trip to the moon, but hey, every adventure has its… charm (said with significant hesitation). Here's how I think this is going to go down. Prepare yourselves, because this isn’t your grandma’s perfectly-ironed itinerary.
Day 1: Arrival and the Art of Mild Disappointment
- 1:00 PM: The Drive (or the Great Escape From My Couch) – Okay, "drive" is an optimistic way of putting it. It’s more like a slow crawl out of my city, fueled by lukewarm coffee and the desperate hope that I remembered to pack deodorant. The car? Let’s just say it's seen better days. I swear, one of these days, the dashboard is going to sprout a tumbleweed.
- 3:00 PM: Check-In (and the Quest for the Least Creepy Room) – Arrive at the Fairfield Inn. Praying it's not located directly next to a swamp (Louisiana, you never know!). Fingers crossed for a room that doesn't smell faintly of stale chlorine and regret. Seriously, I'm like a bloodhound with a nose for questionable housekeeping.
- 3:30 PM: Room Reconnaissance – Okay, the room. It’s… fine. Beige. Beige, beige, beige. The bedspread looks like it's survived a nuclear winter. Bathroom? Clean enough, I think. The air conditioning is blasting, which is good because I'm pretty sure I'm already sweating from the stress of being away from my couch. I need to find the local bar, fast.
- 4:00 PM: The Unavoidable Trip to the Gym – Yeah, right. I told myself I would hit the gym. I even packed my workout clothes(which I may or may not use), but instead, I'm going to do the thing I do best: procrastinate.
- 6:00 PM: Dinner Dilemma – Alright, dinner. The hotel's "restaurant suggestion" guide is as enticing as a root canal. I think I'll head out and find a local-yocal diner and get some true local food and hopefully make a friend with the waitress.
- 7:30 PM: Channel Surfing (and the Existential Dread of Free Cable) – Okay, the point of travel is to do things. But… the free cable is so tempting. I'm pretty sure I can watch every episode of… well, something mind-numbing. This is the problem with hotel rooms! They’re designed to trap you and induce an existential crisis.
- 9:00 PM: Bedtime and the Haunted Sheets – Lights out. Praying for a good night's sleep, but I'm already anticipating a night filled with weird hotel dreams and the distinct feeling that something is lurking under the bed. Send help (and a bigger blanket).
Day 2: Adventures? Maybe. Probably Food.
- 7:00 AM: The Free Continental Breakfast Apocalypse – Ah, breakfast. The thing that either makes or breaks a hotel experience. I brace myself and make a run for whatever sad pastries are on display.
- 8:00 AM: The Riverfront or… The Internet - Time to decide whether I'll actually go see the river or browse the internet for hours. I'm going to go on a walk, I swear. The riverfront sounds pleasant.
- 10:00 AM: Exploring the City (or at Least, Pretending To) – Okay, time to get out and see the sights… or at least drive around and look at the sights. Alexandria, Louisiana, here I come! The actual historical sites are a must.
- 12:00 PM: Lunch – Something quick, something cheap, something that won't require too much social interaction. Maybe a dive bar?
- 1:30 PM: The Hotel Pool (Or the Great Avoidance) – The hotel pool looms. I promised myself I would use it. Maybe I will. Maybe I won't. More likely, I'll just watch it from a safe distance, judging everyone’s questionable swim attire.
- 3:00 PM: The Local Charm – Maybe, just maybe, I'll actually find something charming or interesting. I'll keep an eye out. I have to be optimistic, right?
- 5:00 PM: Another Dinner Dilemma and the Search for a Good Meal - I am going to make friends with the wait staff at this point. I'm going to ask them for recommendations. I. Need. Good. Food.
- 7:00 PM: The Evening Ritual of Mild Panic – The panic will start to set in, the fear that I'm missing some amazing experience. I'm going to have to calm down.
- 9:00 PM: Bedtime - Do not disturb this time, I need to sleep and rest up for whatever is coming up.
Day 3: Departure (and the Lingering Smell of Hotel Soap)
- 7:00 AM: Farewell Breakfast – The last hurrah! Embrace the dubious glory of the continental breakfast one last time. Swallow with a lump in my throat as I ponder the fact that I'm leaving and will have to go back home.
- 8:00 AM: Check-out and the Great Escape – The final moments. Grab my bags, and get out.
- 9:00 AM: The Drive Home – Driving home and contemplating whether I will ever travel again.
So that's it. A brutally honest itinerary. Wish me luck, I'm gonna need it. And if you see a slightly disheveled person wandering around Alexandria looking completely lost, it's probably me. Come say "hi". I probably need a hug.
GrandStay Parkers Prairie: Your Perfect MN Getaway Awaits!
Escape to Alexandria: Fairfield Inn & Suites Awaits! (But, Like, Is It *Really* an Escape?)
Okay, Seriously... Is this Place *Good*? Like, Worth the Trip?
Alright, let's get real. "Good" is a spectrum, right? Look, the Fairfield Inn & Suites in Alexandria? It's... fine. It's not going to win any design awards. My initial thought, after the drive, which, let's be honest, was the *real* adventure considering traffic? "Pleasantly beige." Yup. That's the vibe. Beige everything. But! The beds? Decent. I actually slept. This is pivotal, by the way, because I'd spent the previous two nights battling rogue pigeons in my apartment who apparently thought my balcony was a vacation spot.
So, yeah. Worth the trip? Depends what you're *escaping* from. If you're escaping crazy pigeons, absolutely. If you're expecting a Michelin-star experience? Wrong place. But for a solid, clean, and reasonably priced base camp for exploring Alexandria? Yeah, it does the trick (and the free breakfast is a lifesaver for my morning grumpiness, more on that later!)
The Free Breakfast – Is It Actually Edible? I've Had Some *Nightmares* in Hotel Breakfast Buffets Before.
Oh, the free breakfast…Ah, the breakfast. Okay, buckle up, because this is a rollercoaster of expectations and reality. I went in armed with years of hotel buffet trauma. You know the drill: Rubber eggs, suspiciously orange juice, and lukewarm coffee that tastes vaguely of despair.
But, and this is a big but, this one wasn't *that* bad. They had the usual suspects: Scrambled eggs (which, let's be honest, I'm always a little wary of), sausage links (iffy, but maybe with enough hot sauce...) and, bless their hearts, waffles! They *had* a waffle maker! Okay, I'll admit it, I made a waffle. And then another. And perhaps, just perhaps, a *third*. Listen, I'm not proud. But they were warm, crispy on the outside, and the little individual packs of syrup made me feel like a kid again. My inner child was *thriving*. The coffee? Okay. Coffee-ish. But passable with a healthy dose of cream. Basically, It was a manageable, not world breaking, but it works for a quick bite.
My advice? Temper your expectations. It's not gourmet. But it's free. It's waffles. And sometimes, that's all you need to face the day, especially after a night of questionable hotel air conditioning.
What's the deal with the location? Is it actually... Alexandria? Or some kind of Alexandria-adjacent imposter?
Okay, so, location, location, location! That's what they always say. And…it's in Alexandria proper. (Phew.) I did a quick Google Maps check the moment I arrived, just to be sure. I have trust issues, especially with hotels advertising something and delivering another. It's close to the Old Town, so you're not completely stranded. But… it’s not *right* in the thick of it, if you know what I mean. You'll likely be driving or taking a rideshare to get to the cute shops and historic sites.
The upside? Less noise, less chaos. And plenty of parking. Believe me, after battling the city traffic, the thought of free parking at my hotel was a blissful relief. But if you’re the type who wants to stumble out of the hotel and right into a bustling cafe scene, this might not be ideal. Do your research on what you want to see close to your stay. But, yes, it's technically in Alexandria. Don't worry, you're not being hoodwinked.
Is the Pool Any Good? And Should I Pack a Swimsuit?
Alright, the pool. Now, I didn't *personally* go in the pool. That's the truth. I *saw* the pool. I took a peek from my room window. It looked…clean. Actually, maybe I'll be honest, my immediate reaction was, "Huh. It's smaller than I expected." I was expecting a sprawling resort-style water oasis, you know? But it's not. It's a pool. A perfectly functional, likely chlorine-smelling pool.
So, should you pack a swimsuit? Depends on you. If you're the type who *loves* a hotel pool, go for it. If you're like me and find the idea slightly intimidating (the public bathing thing, you know?), maybe skip it. Maybe think about it. Maybe pack it “just in case.” And in the end, you might, just might, regret not getting in. You know you've said it before, "Next time, I'll swim!" Only you'll have to come back again to actually fulfill it and it's a big deal.
My advice? Pack the suit. Better to have it and not need it than to be stuck poolside, tormented by the thought of what could have been. (And maybe bring a towel too. Just a thought.)
Okay, Let's Get Down to Brass Tacks: The Room. What's It *Really* Like?
The room. Ah, the sacred space. Okay. Here's the deal. My particular room was… well, let's call it "efficient." Think "standard hotel room," and you're not far off the mark. It wasn't huge. Beds are comfy, but don’t expect a king-sized everything. Everything was clean. Everything worked. The TV had a decent selection of channels. Nothing spectacular.
Here's a random observation: the lighting situation. A bit…intense. Like, fluorescent-level bright in the bathroom. But hey, at least you could see what you were doing! The air conditioning? Took a while to get cranked up, but eventually, it did its job. The view from the window? Pretty uneventful. I looked out onto… another hotel room. (The thrill!)
The point is, it was comfortable enough for my needs. It was a place to crash, to recharge, to escape the chaos of the day (and the pigeons). It wasn't a luxury suite, but it wasn't a roach motel either. It did the job. And hey, sometimes, "doing the job" is all you really need. Don’t expect to post Instagram-worthy pics of your room (unless you're into the "beige and functional" aesthetic). But you won't spend all night thinking about the room, for sure. You'll be fine. I was.
What About the Staff? Were They Helpful or Just Going Through the Motions?
The staff. Okay, this is where things get interesting. I'm a sucker for good service, folks. Unfortunately, the staff was more "functionally polite" than "warm and fuzzy." They weren't *rude*, mind you.Hotel Price Compare
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