All good things must come to an end

My favorite Marriot hotel in Surabaya

It might seem strange to say that my favorite hotel in Surabaya is also the least expensive and the least fancy. Fairfield However, least fancy doesn't mean it isn't a solid hotel with excellent staff. If I look at the other Marriott branded hotels in Surabaya:

• The aloft is much newer and has a more energetic vibe
• The Four Points Tunjungan had a more expansive breakfast buffet and better for working
• The JW Marriot has more elegance and refinement
• The Sheraton had a WOW factor when you enter the hotel

The Fairfield is just a very good hotel and meeting center. It isn't connected to a gigantic mall. It doesn't have its own organic garden. There aren't any executive lounges or presidential suites (at least that I know of) but it fit what I needed for a very reasonable price.

How about some pictures?

A very comfy king sized bed.

The #1 priority of a hotel is a good night sleep. The bed here is top quality as all the Marriott hotels are. For the sleeping portion of the trip this hotel is right on par with all its more expensive cousins. In fact the ability to control all the lights from your bedside is better than a couple of them.

A functional wardrobe

Sure it looks more plain that the other wardrobes and storage places in other hotels but here is the thing. There is efficiency in simplicity. Dedicated hangers, area for shoes and place up top to throw my backpack. Feels more useful and more like home. Nice when I was spending 5 days in one hotel.

Simple washroom.

It is a quality toilet and sink. There is sufficient space for stuff by the sink. It doesn't have marble trim' No phone by the toilet and no marble over the toilet paper. However, there isn't enough counterspace by the sink to make things look cluttered. The waste basket is easy to find and in other hotels it was hidden or not even there. But here are a couple benefits you might not realize.

That big soap dispenser is really handy. Other places gave bar soap which seems like such a waste. I prefer the bottle. Also the hand towel is right where it needs to be, other places had too many towel or odd places. Not a deal breaker but this just felt easier.

Only thing I kind of missed? No lotion (because my hands have an issue that makes lotion a medical necessity) and no mouthwash (dieting makes my breath a special kind of bad).

The shower is almost like the other ones

What does it not have? No bathtub. No overhead "rain" feature. It just had the standard adjustable showerhead with a few different pulse settings. Most of the time that's exactly what I use.

So why do I saw it is almost like other Marriott hotels? Because this one has similar shower pressure BUT the water temperature gets to desired warmth much much faster and stays there much better. To me that means something more important than fancy rain from above.

The personal touch

Having a welcome plate in your room on arrival? Nice touch. Having a personalized swan? another nice touch. More than that though from the front desk, to the housekeeping, to the kitchen staff everyone here does their very best to make sure things go smoothly and that my name is remembered. That's a really nice touch

The personal fit

However at the end of the day this hotel wins because it is a great personal fit.

I came here to avoid distractions and to focus on losing weight, getting fit, program and post on Hive. Having a nice breakfast prepared every morning helps me stick to one meal a day.

Having a gym downstairs means I have absolutely no reason why I shouldn't exercise.

and it seems a little odd to say. Being on a busy road with no fast food restaurants and a decent walk to the market means I'm not so tempted to cheat on my diet. It is kind of central which is good but also a little far from malls which is also good in a weird way.

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You could spend less money for the same location

If you were to look on a map you would find that this hotel is nestled right between two much less expensive hotels. Only 50m away is the Life Hotel. Cost is only 199K vs this hotel which is roughly 660K. Why spend triple, right?

Here is the thing.

By Marriott standards it is on the lower tier. However, it is still a cut above a regular hotel.

Don't misunderstand I really enjoyed the less expensive hotel but...

At the Fairfield

• The buffet breakfast has numerous healthy choices
• There is enough space in the room for me to do stretches, body weight exercises, and balancing exercises.
• The internet is much much faster
• There is a great big window whereas the cheaper one had no window at all.
• The bed is a cut above a less expensive hotel.
• There are many staff to take care of things and the majority have good English skills. Here that means something
• 24 hour security at the door and security cameras for safety.
• On site spa
• On site pool
• On site gym (huge for me)
• Multiple towels (the cheaper hotel, one towel)
• Multiple room keys (the cheaper hotel, one key, deposit required, required to access electricity in the room).

The list is extensive. As a Marriott Platinum member meant that this hotel fit my needs much better than a less expensive one only 50m away. However, if your needs were more modest? There are many other more budget friendly hotels.

Final thoughts?

For me this place has begun to feel like home. Sure there are little quirks. The elevator room key floor validation doesn't work. The buffet is really good at giving knives and forks but finding spoons is a little interesting. There is no way to connect the TV to my computer as the HDMI ports are locked away from use.

Now I should point out that I've stayed on different floors and different rooms and each has its little quirks. On the city side it faces a mosque. On that side you will hear the 4am morning prayers. On the one side it is nice to have a morning wake up call and call to prayer but if you want to sleep in? Not as idea. The pool side. Quieter in the morning but you don't get the nice city view. In addition some floors have been renovated which means shinier tile floors. They are bright and cheery but not as good for morning stretches. Other floors have (ahem) colourful carpet. Brightly and interestingly coloured carpet which is in serviceable not pristine condition. The carpet is nice for me to do stretches on however, others may not like the aesthetic.

Oh... and if you look very closely there is a clothesline in the bathroom. If you go swimming and need to dry your swimsuit .. or if you find out that the local laundry won't wash underwear :) .. that clothesline is actually very useful. The JW had one, none of the other hotels did. Just a little perk.

Overall though?

If you want a very good, competent hotel, with many amenities and pretty good value? This hotel has a lot to offer.

One final tidbit.

If you get lucky there are a few special rooms ;)
As I said, no luxury suites... but if you are on the pool side, on the east side of the building, and on every second floor... the rooms have a big view window and a smaller side window which allows in the morning light. Usually the blackout curtains keep you from seeing the sunrise but in those few special rooms you get a little extra treat.