Houma's Hidden Gem: Fairfield Inn & Suites Southeast Review!
Okay, buckle up, buttercups! This isn't your average, dry hotel review. We're diving deep into the Fairfield Inn & Suites Southeast in Houma, Louisiana, and I'm bringing the mess, the truth, and the slightly manic energy of a caffeine-fueled tourist. Let's do this!
Houma's Hidden Gem? Fairfield Inn & Suites Southeast Review - Buckle Up!
So, first of all, Houma, Louisiana? Let's be honest, it's not exactly Paris. But hey, that’s part of the charm! And finding a comfortable, clean, and relatively sane place to crash after a swamp tour is gold. The Fairfield Inn & Suites Southeast, right off the highway, seemed to fit the bill.
Accessibility – Did They Get It Right?
Okay, so accessibility. HUGE. I’m always looking for this, even if I don't need it myself. (You never know, future self, you hear me?) They do have facilities for disabled guests, which is a good start. The elevator was a godsend, because, well, stairs are no fun after a day of watching alligators stare at you. I didn’t personally check a specific accessible room, but just the presence of an elevator and ramp access to common areas (like the lobby and… well, everything important) gets a thumbs up. Worth checking if you need the specific features. I saw no signs of a bad surprise.
On-Site Eating & Drinking – Fueling the Bayou Adventure!
No actual on-site restaurants or lounges. Bummer. You've gotta venture out for a real meal and drinks. But the consolation is, they have a breakfast service. Here’s where things got interesting…
Dining, Drinking, and Snacking – The Breakfast Saga
- Breakfast [buffet]: Ah, the lifeblood of the weary traveler. And, I’m not gonna lie, the Fairfield's breakfast buffet was…serviceable. Let me paint you a picture. Imagine a slightly-below-average Denny's breakfast, but free and with more plastic. The scrambled eggs were…an experience. Let's just leave it at that. The sausage though, that held its own. And the coffee? Strong enough to jumpstart a semi-truck. The coffee was, dare I say it, the highlight! Free coffee in the mornings, even if you’re not a fan of eggs or sausage, is a massive win.
- Breakfast takeaway service: A nice option, especially if you are running late.
- A la carte in restaurant, Buffet in restaurant, coffee/tea in restaurant, coffee shop, international cuisine in restaurant, western breakfast, western cuisine in restaurant: Since there’s no actual restaurant on-site, it is like this section doesn't really exist.
- Snack bar: They have a small, not-great, snack bar. It’s good to get a mid-morning Snickers bar, though!
Cleanliness and Safety – Germs, Be Gone (Hopefully!)
This is crucial these days, right? I felt pretty safe here. They claim to use anti-viral cleaning products. And they had prominent signs about daily disinfection in common areas. The room itself? Seemed clean. No surprise dust bunnies or suspicious stains. They also provide hand sanitizer dispensers, every twenty feet! Staff trained in safety protocol. Seemed friendly and helpful, but also seemed to be playing it safe, so good on 'em. My room was sanitized! I have to say, this was important to me, and they seemed like they were making an effort. I also saw individually-wrapped food options at breakfast. And cashless payment service is a good idea, who wants to deal with cash anyways?
Internet Access – Gotta Stay Connected (Or Pretend To!)
- Free Wi-Fi in all rooms!: Bless you, Fairfield! Seriously. Crucial for work, streaming, or just pretending to be busy while secretly looking at memes.
- Internet: It was…functional. It didn’t set the world on fire, but hey, I could Facebook.
- Internet [LAN]: No. Forget about your ethernet cable, folks.
- Internet services, Wi-Fi in public areas: Wifi was also available in the public areas.
Things to Do, Ways to Relax – Beyond the Bayou! (Or In It?)
- Swimming pool: The outdoor pool looked inviting, but I admit, I didn’t jump in. It was the middle of Louisiana humidity, and honestly, I’d had enough of the swamp. Looked clean, though, and had a nice view of… the parking lot. Hey, sometimes you gotta take what they give you.
- Fitness center, Gym/fitness: I peeked in the gym. Looked… basic. Treadmill, elliptical, some free weights. If you really need to work out, it'll do. But don't expect a luxury experience.
Around the Room – My Little Home Away From Home
Now, let's get into the nitty-gritty of my actual room.
- Air conditioning: Thank GOD for the AC. Seriously. Louisiana in summer is a beast. The AC was effective, though, and I slept like a baby.
- Air conditioning in public area: A great plus! No walking from the hotel and baking in the sun
- Alarm clock, Bathrobes, Bathroom phone, Blackout curtains: Standard, functional.
- Bathtub: I love a bathtub. So I can unwind.
- Coffee/tea maker, Complimentary tea, Coffee/tea maker Essential.
- Desk: Decent workspace for a quick email check.
- Extra long bed: This was great! I'm tall, and often I get legs hanging off the bed, but not this time.
- Hair dryer, High floor: Didn’t need the hairdryer, but it was there.
- In-room safe box: Meh, never used it.
- Internet access – wireless: See above.
- Ironing facilities: Crucial travel item!
- Laptop workspace: Same as the desk.
- Mini bar: Not stocked.
- Private bathroom: Adequate.
- Reading light: Helpful.
- Refrigerator: Yay for keeping my drinks cold!
- Satellite/cable channels: Basic cable.
- Seating area, Shower, Slippers, Smoke detector, Socket near the bed, Sofa: All functional.
- Soundproofing: Not perfect, but decent.
- Telephone: Did not use.
- Toiletries, Towels: Standard.
- Wake-up service, Wi-Fi [free]: See above.
- Window that opens: Yes! I like a window you can open for fresh air.
Services and Conveniences – The Extras
- Air conditioning in public area: A must in Louisiana!
- Cash withdrawal: Always a plus.
- Concierge: No concierge service.
- Daily housekeeping: My room was always clean and tidy, and the staff was very pleasant.
- Doorman: Nope.
- Dry cleaning: No.
- Elevator: Yes! See above.
- Facilities for disabled guests: Yes, as mentioned.
- Ironing service: They also have ironing service here, but just be aware they won't have staff to assist.
- Laundry service: Yep.
- Luggage storage: Yes.
- Safety deposit boxes: Yes.
**For the Kids: **
- Family/child friendly: I didn't see much in the way of kid-specific amenities. This is not a Disney resort.
- Babysitting service: No.
- Kids meal: No.
- The rest: (CCTV in common areas, CCTV outside property, Exterior corridor) Standard stuff.
Getting Around – Location, Location, Location
- Airport transfer: No.
- Car park [free of charge], Car park [on-site]: Free parking is always a win!
- Taxi service: No, but you can use Uber or Lyft.
Other Stuff I Noticed… And Didn’t Notice
- Pets allowed unavailable: No furry friends allowed.
- Smoking area: There was a designated area.
- Couple's room: Not sure.
- Additional toilet: No.
- Room decorations: Basic.
- Safe dining setup: Yes, they were doing their best.
- Meetings, Meeting stationery, On-site event hosting, Outdoor venue for special events, Audio-visual equipment for special events, Projector/LED display, Seminars: Unlikely.
- Business facilities, Xerox/fax in business center: No.
The Verdict: Would I Stay Again?
Look, let’s be real. The Fairfield Inn is a solid choice for Houma. It's clean, it's comfortable, it's got the basics down. If you
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Okay, buckle up, buttercups. This isn't your grandma's itinerary. This is the Fairfield Inn & Suites Houma Southeast, Louisiana, realness. Get ready for some swamp-infused chaos.
The Muddy Waters of My Brain's "Itinerary" (AKA: Mostly Guesswork with a Side of Panic)
Day 1: Arrival and Immediate (But Mostly Ill-Considered) Swamp Fever
- 1:00 PM: Airplane lands. Ugh, travel. Hate travel. Already fantasizing about the hotel bed. And, specifically, whether or not the hotel's complimentary shampoo is worth smuggling home. (Spoiler alert: it never is, but I always try.) Also, praying the luggage made it. My lucky socks are riding on this.
- 1:30 PM: Rental Car Shenanigans: The car rental guy looks like he hasn't slept since the dawn of time and his mustache is trying to kill it's self. The paperwork is a mountain of misery and the car smells vaguely of stale air freshener and regret. He is absolutely judging my map-reading skills as I bumble my way out of the airport parking lot. "Just follow the signs, ma'am," he practically sneered. Challenge accepted.
- 2:30 PM: Checking into Fairfield Inn & Suites. Okay, the lobby is nice. Clean, the complimentary coffee smells like… well, it smells like complimentary hotel coffee, which is better than it has any right to be. The front desk person actually seems happy and friendly. Points for Houma, already! I'm already debating if I should shower now or wait until the sun sets.
- 3:30 PM: The Swamp Tour (Attempt 1, maybe 2): "Okay, the internet said 'swamp tour' so 'swamp tour' it is! I'm going for the 'most authentic, gator-filled experience, no matter the cost' tour." This is the part where my brain goes wild. Should I wear the rain boots, or the new sneakers? Probably the sneakers. Don't want to look too much like a tourist, right? BIG MISTAKE. The guide is a salty local, and his swamp boat is older than sliced bread. We see a few birds, some murky water, and, eventually, a tiny gator hiding in the reeds. My excitement level? Submerged. He says, very dramatically, "That gator is a baby, it's just a baby." Okay, I see the baby gator but I'm pretty sure I have more excitement for the possibility of seeing a gator than I do for viewing it. My phone dies right when the sun starts to set. The tour ends. I didn't get to see a big gator, but I bet the guy who owns the boat is a good storyteller.
- 6:00 PM: Dinner - "The Taste of Houma, or What I could Scrounge Up." Because, let's be real: I'm starving. Google maps will suggest a "locally famous seafood shack" or something. Probably. Maybe. I'm guessing it'll have that Louisiana vibe, the kind that makes you order way too much, and you won't regret it for a single second. Maybe Po' Boys, maybe Jambalaya. Or maybe I'll just cave and get a pizza delivered to my room. Judge me. I dare you.
- 8:00 PM: Hotel Room Delirium and Bedtime Rituals. Back at the hotel. Finally. I can feel the relief like a warm hug. Okay, now the big decisions. Shower first? Or collapse on the bed and watch hotel TV? Probably the latter. (The TV is my comfort blanket of choice). Okay, there is one thing I do not want for the evening. I do not want to run into someone I know. This has happened to me before and I didn't shower, and looked like a total mess. What are the odds? Well, it's Houma, so the odds are high. I will shower. That's a mistake. But I will. After settling in I'll take inventory of the complimentary hotel toiletries. I spend an inordinate amount of time rating the shampoo. Then, sleep. Sleep is the goal
Day 2: Bayou Adventures and Existential Seafood Questions
- 8:00 AM: Breakfast - Fairfield's Free Breakfast (Contingency Plan: Dunkin' Donuts). This morning will hinge on the buffet. Hope springs eternal. Hoping for waffles, those little sausage patties, and maybe some weirdly delicious fruit cocktail that's been sitting out too long. If it's a bust, Dunkin' Donuts is the backup plan. Their coffee will save me from myself.
- 9:00 AM: Bayou Black Scenic Drive (and the Ghosts of Roadside Attractions Past). Okay, I'm a sucker for a scenic route. The idea is to drive slowly, windows down, trying to soak up the "ambiance" of the Louisiana bayou. I'll probably end up lost at least once, but that's part of the fun (right?). Maybe I'll spot a legendary roadside attraction: a giant, rusty alligator statue, perhaps.
- 12:00 PM: Lunch - Seafood, Seafood, and More Seafood! (and the Question of Oysters) This is serious business. I might try to find a local restaurant that is a little less the tourist trap of the first day. I’m going to dive headfirst into the oysters. Raw? Fried? Charbroiled? This is where the emotional roller coaster begins. I’ll order a plate, then regret it, but then I’ll devour them anyway. And I’ll totally feel the aftermath of the oyster experience.
- 2:00 PM: Downtown Houma Exploration (and the Quest for a Bookstore). Maybe there is a charming, slightly ramshackle downtown area. Hoping for quirky shops, interesting little museums, and, most importantly, a used bookstore! I have to find a good book. It's what I do.
- 4:00 PM: Hotel Pool (or the Existential Dread of Public Swimwear). It seems like a decent time to hit the pool. But I can't shake the idea about the swimsuit. It's more of a challenge than I want. The public will see me in my swimsuit! The pool is probably crowded with kids. Maybe I should make an excuse? But it's probably the best thing for me to do right now. Here goes nothing.
- 6:00 PM: Dinner and drinks (with the ghosts of meals past): Now back to the existential questions. Where should I go for dinner? I have to find a restaurant that's really good. I don’t want to be disappointed! I will go there. I am still debating on getting oysters. If I dare, I have to get a different kind of oysters. I will have to be brave.
- 8:00 PM: Late-Night Hotel Thoughts and the Sweet Embrace of Sleep. Back at the hotel, I’m gonna crash. I will probably watch TV. I’m feeling so lazy. Tomorrow I leave!
Day 3: Departure and the Relentless March of Time
- 8:00 AM: Farewell Breakfast (And the Sadness of Leaving). Okay, the free breakfast again. This time, the goal is to eat every waffle (if the waffle maker works). I can't help but feel a pang of sadness, even though I'm ready to go home.
- 9:00 AM: Last-Minute Souvenir Sweep (For the People I Pretend to Like). I gotta get some gifts. I have to make a mad dash to find the perfect souvenir. Is a fridge magnet too cliché? Too expensive? Too something?
- 10:00 AM: Check Out (and the Dread of the Rental Car). Oh, the Car. The actual, physical reality of that car. Hopefully, I return it on time and without adding a dent. Fingers crossed. I will try to be polite.
- 11:00 AM: Airport and the Inevitable Meltdown. That airport is a battleground of stress. I’ll make a beeline for the gate, and pray that the flight's not delayed. I'll also try to maintain some semblance of sanity.
- 1:00 PM: Airplane Taking off. Whew. Bye, bye, Houma! And to everything I just ate, and all the people I met. I'm never coming back. Okay, maybe. I'm already thinking about the next trip. I promise I'll pack better socks.
This is a rough draft, of course. It's a starting point. Adapt. Improvise. Embrace the chaos. That's the beauty of travel, right? It's messy, unpredictable, and often hilarious. And you know what? That's perfectly okay. Embrace the mess. Enjoy the ride. And try not to get eaten by a gator. (Probably impossible.)
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Fairfield Inn & Suites Houma Southeast: The Real Deal (and Maybe Some Scratches on the Paint) FAQs!
Okay, so you're thinking about the Fairfield Inn & Suites Houma Southeast, huh? Look, I've been there. More than once. And let me tell you, it's not like the brochure. It's…well, it's Houma. So, let's get real. Here are some questions you probably have, answered in my totally unfiltered, probably-too-honest style:
1. Is this place actually *good*? Like, is it worth my money?
Alright, so "good" is relative, right? This isn't the Ritz. But for what you're paying in Houma, absolutely. Considering the other motels in the area are very lackluster, it is great, if not the best. It's clean-ish, the staff is usually friendly, and the breakfast…well, we’ll get to the breakfast. Let's just say, it's edible. And after a long day of swamp tours or whatever reason you're in Houma, a clean(ish) room and a decent cup of coffee are a major win. Plus, I got a great deal on a weekend once, and it only cost me the equivalent of a really good seafood lunch. So, yeah, considering the surroundings and the price, I'd say it’s worth it. Most of the time.
2. What's the deal with the breakfast? I'm a breakfast snob. (Help.)
Okay, breakfast. This is where things get…interesting. The "free" breakfast usually involves waffles (the kind you make yourself, which is always a gamble), some sad pre-packaged pastries, maybe some scrambled eggs that look a little suspiciously yellow, and enough coffee to jumpstart a small car. One time, the waffle maker was out of order. Out. Of. Order. The panic! The chaos! I swear, I saw a grown man almost weep. Another time, the sausage patties were so…unappetizing… I swear, they were trying to escape and roll off the serving tray. My suggestion? Temper your expectations. Grab a waffle. Load it up with syrup. And pray. Or, you know, go get a proper breakfast at a local place. There's a *really* good donut shop in the area, though I forgot the name, but you shouldn't miss it. Seriously.
3. How are the rooms? Are they clean? Are they spacious?
The rooms are…fine. Clean-ish is the operative word here. Look, I’m not expecting sterileness, okay? But I *do* expect the bed to be made and the bathroom not to look like a crime scene (that's happened at other hotels, and frankly, I'm still traumatized). Generally, the rooms are clean. They're certainly not luxurious, but they're functional. And the beds are comfortable enough to collapse on after a day of…whatever you do in Houma. Spacious? Nope. Adequate. You'll have enough room to spread out a bit, but don't plan on throwing a dance party in there. You might luck out with a room on the side away from the highway, which is *much* quieter. That part is worth its weight in gold. Though, one time, I did find a mysterious stain on the carpet. I didn't investigate further. Ignorance is bliss, right?
4. Is the staff friendly? I need some Southern hospitality!
Ah, yes, Southern hospitality. The staff is hit or miss, but mostly a hit! On certain occasions, you'll get a staff member who seems genuinely happy to see you, like they're your long-lost cousin returning home. They’ll offer local recommendations (usually the swamp tours, because, well, it's Houma), and they'll make you feel welcome. On others, you might get the impression they're just trying to survive another shift. Overall, the staff is friendly enough. And honestly, after dealing with tourists all day, I can't blame them for not being overly effusive! And when they are friendly, it's *genuine*. Trust me, I've met enough fake-nice people to spot it a mile away. So, chances are you will be greeted with more than a smile, maybe even a bit of gossip...but that is Houma.
5. What about the amenities? Pool? Gym? I need to stay active.
Okay, the amenities are…there. There's a pool. It's outdoors. It's usually clean. I've seen kids having a blast in there, and I've even taken a dip myself. Don't expect anything fancy. Just a basic rectangular pool. The gym exists! It's small. It has a treadmill, a couple of weights, and maybe a bench. I've never actually used it. I'm more of a "sit by the pool and drink sweet tea" kind of person. There's also Wi-Fi, which, let's be honest, is a must these days. It works…most of the time. On a particularly busy weekend, the Wi-Fi died on me. The horror! The digital withdrawal! My point: Manage your expectations. It's a solid offering for a hotel, just don’t expect the world.
6. Is it noisy? I’m a light sleeper.
This can be a bit of a gamble. The hotel is located near a highway, so rooms facing the road can get a bit noisy, especially at night with trucks and engines. However, this varies. If you are a light sleeper, ask for a room on the back side of the hotel. The walls also aren’t exactly soundproof. You might hear the occasional door slam, or maybe even someone's drunken ramblings at 2 am. This happened to me on a trip! I had to bang on the wall and yell at them to be quiet, but it worked. Overall, it depends on your tolerance for noise and your luck of the draw. Bring earplugs! Always bring earplugs.
7. Is it close to…things? Attractions, restaurants, that sort of thing?
The location is…average. It's not right in the heart of everything, but it's not a total trek to get to the main attractions. You’ll need a car. There are some restaurants nearby (chain restaurants, mostly), and you can drive to some of the local spots. The swamp tours are a short drive away. Basically, everything in Houma is a short drive away, because, well, it's Houma. It'sStay And Relax
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