Hotel Hi-Ho is a Fairfield, CT landmark located right next to the Merritt Parkway since 1960. Once a motel, the new and improved (and recently restored from top to bottom) Hotel Hi-Ho is now a “smart” hotel and one of the first in CT to offer guests a completely virtual customer service experience.
This is #NotYourDadsHiHo! We were excited to check out their renovations because it’s a hotel Lora has driven by all her life growing up in Connecticut, and I, many a time. We also had the most amazing meal at Barcelona Wine Bar conveniently located downstairs. Who doesn’t love a hotel that you don’t have to leave unless you want to?!
Hotel Hi-Ho “Now”
Motel Hi-Ho “Then”
Who needs humans?
Like a good “smart” hotel, it’s tech savvy. If you don’t want to wait in a lobby and would rather just go straight to your room to start enjoying your stay asap, then self-service check-in is for you. So easy. We got an email the morning of our stay prompting us to click through a couple of screens to confirm our reservation. Just as check-in time approached, we received a text with our door code to get into our room. No special app needed!
We parked, found our room, keyed in our code, and voilà, we were checking out our groovy and modern room in no time!
Sometimes you need a human…
It should be mentioned, if humans are more your thing, and you like to know they are on hand if you need them…well don’t worry, guests can reach a Hotel Hi-Ho employee 24/7 via phone. Any assistance, question about the room, or a request for a dinner recommendation is just a phone call away.
Comfy queens and cute accents!
Our room had all the qualities of a good boutique hotel. Unique and tasteful decor being key. Rooms are modern and minimalist, and most importantly, comfortable. The room had Wifi, a smart TV with Roku streaming device, a Nespresso coffee machine, and two comfortable queen sized beds. The bathroom was kitted out with fluffy white towels, robes, and Paya bath amenities.
#HotelViews
With Barcelona Wine Bar below and the Merritt Parkway beyond the trees, one might think we’d be in for a sleepless night. Oh, and did I mention it was Cinco de Mayo?! In actual fact, our room was so quiet and we slept like baby logs.
Evening activities
Option 1 – The “we don’t want to leave the hotel” option…
If you love good eats and drinks and some fab outdoor Mediterranean dining, then look no further than Barcelona Restaurant & Wine Bar located on-site. We could see our room from our table! The two of us very much enjoyed our evening feast of Spanish tapas and a cocktail or two under our tent and next to a heat lamp! We doubly loved only having to take roughly 75 steps from table to room where we could put our stretchy pants on!
There’s plenty of inside seating as well, but we loved being outside under one of their canopied tables.
Option 2 – The “we don’t even want to leave the room” option…
Pick up a bottle of wine or microbrew from the Wine Zone that’s also conveniently located on-site! Order a bunch of delicious tapas from Barcelona downstairs. Log in to your Netflix account using the Roku device and find something to binge-watch. Eat and drink. Watch. Is there any better evening in?
Breakfast time already?
After our good night’s sleep, we were happy to have a quick refuel at the complimentary breakfast bar in the lounge on the upstairs floor. Organic local coffee was enjoyed outside on the patio, with a pastry and cream cheese bagel. We would work out when we got home, we promised ourselves (and did)!
Bev extra loved…
The cool history and the easy to access location (literally on the intersection to everywhere)…and duh, Barcelona tapas and cocktails!
Lora extra loved…
Everything Bev said, plus finally getting to stay here and after seeing it often since I was little, it was fun to check it out. Loved the modern touches and ease of everything!
Thanks to Hotel Hi-Ho for the stay! All opinions are our own.
Dark secret from the 70’s.
HiHo had a pool where the dining patio is now.
Wild boys like me would sneak in at night and jump into the pool from the second floor balcony just under the HI-HO sign.