Are Mid-Priced Chain Hotels the Same? Sebastopol's Fairfield Inn Offers Evidence to the Contrary

Comfy and homey lobby at the Fairfield Inn & Suites in Sebastopol.

I used to work with an editor who insisted that chain hotels, with the exception of certain upscale brands, were undeserving of full reviews in guidebooks – she argued that if you’ve seen one Courtyard by Marriott or Hampton Inn or Super 8, you’ve seen them all. I’ll grant you that writing about a Holiday Inn Express is typically less interesting than describing an architecturally stunning chateau or a cushy resort perched on an ocean bluff, but I’d also argue that not all mid-range chain hotels are alike, and most travel media do readers a disservice by rarely writing about these properties with a critical eye. Even among predictable brands whose properties all tend to look similar, disparities in upkeep, setting, and amenities often create significant differences in quality and value. And for all the times I’ve scrolled down a long list of seemingly identical cookie-cutter hotels while booking a room on Orbitz or Expedia, I’ve often wished for advice to help distinguish among them.

With that in mind, here are my thoughts on one value-priced chain in Sonoma County that I think stands out among many of its competitors: the Fairfield Inn & Suites, which is in a pleasant, semi-suburban neighborhood along Hwy. 116, less than a mile south of Sebastopol.

I stopped by here last year on a whim – I was just driving by and liked the hotel’s location. Many Sonoma County properties in this price range are just off the U.S. 101 freeway, which is convenient but sometimes noisy and lacking curb appeal. I looked around inside, took a look at one of the airy and contemporary rooms, and noted the well-kept 24-hour gym as well as the pool and hot tub out back. The staff was friendly and accommodating (I never announced myself as a writer). The 82 rooms – which underwent a $2.5 million overhaul in 2009 – have 32-inch flat-screen TVs, coffeemakers, work desks, small refrigerators, free Wi-Fi, and perfectly bright and attractive bathrooms, and a full breakfast is included.

Curious about the rates (generally between $110 and $150, but like many hotels in this part of the world, they vary greatly according to seasonal demand), I later checked out the hotel’s website and was surprised to find a page dedicated specifically to gay travel around the area, with details on Sonoma Gay Pride, the gay scene in the Russian River (Guerneville is just 15 miles away), and a listing of nearby GLBT events. It’s one of the better gay-travel sections I’ve seen on a hotel’s website, and this impressed me, given that this is a mainstream chain hotel. If nothing else, it sends a message that the hotel very clearly and enthusiastically considers the gay and lesbian community to be an important market. Regardless of whether or not this matters to you, the Fairfield Inn – which one of Marriott’s mid-range brands – is a reliably comfortable and appealing lodging option in a cool little town. It’s also a handy base for winery-hopping, road-tripping to the coast or through the redwood groves, and exploring the bustling towns along the 101 corridor.