If you click on the links in this post, we may earn money from the companies mentioned in this post, at no extra cost to you. You can read the full disclaimer here.
If you’re looking for a good, affordable hotel in Durham, North Carolina, then check out Fairfield Inn & Suites Durham Southpoint.
Now, Fairfield Inn by Marriott is a chain my family really likes staying in. We’ve stayed in a number of Fairfield Inns all across America.
But I have to say, this hotel was a bit nicer than most Fairfield Inns. This isn’t to say other Fairfield Inn locations aren’t nice. But this location was even more attractive.
Hotel Aesthetics
It was attractive on the outside.
But it was attractive on the inside as well. The breakfast area is nice and open. It has an atrium-style lobby so you can look down at the first floor from any of the floors. And I really love the mural they have over the elevator. It is really nice to look at when you eat breakfast (more about the free breakfast later).
Location
The location of Fairfield Inn & Suites Durham Southpoint was one of the biggest draws of this hotel for my family. First of all, it is right off I-40. This is really convenient, no matter what the purpose of your stay is. But it’s also convenient if you are taking a road trip and you just need a place to stay for the night. And for my family, it is about halfway between our home and Williamsburg, a place we really love visiting. It helps break up the trip and make the driving less if we are spending the weekend in Williamsburg.
But it is not just a great location if you are looking for a hotel that is right off I-40. Another big reason my family like the location is its proximity to The Streets at Southpoint shopping mall.
My family really liked the mall. It is a nice, upscale mall with great top-end stores like Nordstrom’s. It has some of my favorite stores, like Macy’s and BoxLunch. And there are a lot of great restaurants around the mall, like California Pizza Kitchen.
And speaking of restaurants, there are a lot of restaurants within walking distance of the hotel. For example, the hotel is right next to Chick-fil-a, which is really convenient.
The hotel is also convenient to other Triangle area attractions, like Duke University. In fact, when we were staying there, Duke was hosting Stanford in a Super Regional for softball and there were fans staying in the hotel.
Although it is actually a bit closer to UNC. It is within fifteen minutes of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Kenan Memorial Stadium if you want to catch a Tar Heel football game.
Pool
Another great feature of this hotel is the pool. I really like that not only does the hotel have a pool, but it is an indoor pool.
An indoor pool is such a great feature. Especially for a hotel in Durham, where it is not always hot enough to use an outdoor pool.
Now, not to nitpick, but it isn’t the largest pool. It also does not have a hot tub. But I still really like that it has a pool.
Room
The room was super cute and attractive.
We got a two queen bed guestroom. I liked that this was an option as other hotels in the area offered double beds rather than queen beds. I will say, though, that while the beds were comfortable, they weren’t the most comfortable beds my family has ever slept in.
I will also say it is not the largest room. It is not super small or anything. But there’s not a lot of room for your luggage.
The TV, while nice, is not the largest TV. It is a smart TV though so you can say watch Netflix or YouTube from your TV without having to plug in an Amazon Firestick or anything. So that is a plus.
Also, there are no USB ports throughout the room. So that is something you should know if you plan on charging your phone or any of your devices from a USB port. You might want to bring a USB port charging tower like this one.
Breakfast
I really love that the hotel offers a free breakfast. That really makes the whole hotel stay even more affordable. And there is plenty of seating so you can enjoy the breakfast.
Having said this, though, I would say the free breakfast was decent but not anything overly spectacular. I’ve certainly had breakfasts with more options. There weren’t a whole lot of options as far as what to eat. There were a few hot items, fruit, and a few pastries and cereal.
Oh, and the plus side, they had more than one waffle maker. I really like having multiple waffle makers because it means you are a lot less likely to end up in a long line for the waffle maker. It also means if you are making waffles for yourself and a family member like say your kids, you can (depending on if the waffle maker is free) make more than one at the same time, which of course saves you time.
Other Amenities
Another great feature of Fairfield Inn & Suites Durham Southpoint is their fitness center. There is plenty of exercise equipment so you can keep up your exercise routine while you’re on vacation.
They also have a business center in the lobby with a computer and printer in case you need to print something off during your stay.
They also have a bar that is open from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM on Tuesday through Saturday.
Conclusion
Fairfield Inn & Suites Durham Southpoint is a great choice if you are looking for an affordable hotel that is right off I-40 near a lot of restaurants and top attractions (like Duke and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) with an indoor pool. Not only is the nightly rate not too expensive but they also give you a free breakfast. Now, you are not going to get the biggest rooms or a room with a big TV or anything. But for the price, it is more than worth it.
Especially if you book your hotel room here. Then you can really save money!
