Should You Stay at Marriott Manor Club at Ford’s Colony? A Williamsburg Extended-Stay Hotel Review

The Marriott Manor Club at Ford’s Colony is a Williamsburg extended-stay hotel that is part of the Marriott Vacation Club brand. It is one of the best extended-stay hotels in Williamsburg Virginia. Marriott Manor Club at Ford’s Colony reviews are very favorable on TripAdvisor too! It is ranked as one of the top properties in the Williamsburg area. The extended-stay hotel is a Category 6 Level Marriott Rewards property.

LOCATION

This beautiful extended stay hotel in Williamsburg is tucked away in a private residential community. It is situated near the Ford’s Colony Country Club on well-manicured, sprawling grounds. It is about 14 miles off Williamsburg’s main highway, Route I-64.

AMENITIES

As an extended-stay hotel, the Marriott Manor Club at Ford’s Colony offers a huge list of amenities and conveniences. The Activities Center has a lot to offer and is located in the basement level of the Governor’s Manor right next to the Main Clubhouse/Registration building:

Fitness Options:

A fully-equipped fitness center with treadmills, elliptical machines, recumbent bikes, a Life Fitness multi-use strength machine with touch screen workout programs, an assortment of free weights, bands, medicine balls, a bench, and mats. Cardio equipment has individual television screens. Plus, complimentary earbuds and towels are provided!

An indoor and outdoor pool with depths ranging from 3 to 5 feet are both located behind the Main Clubhouse along with an indoor and outdoor hot tub.

There are showers stocked with soap, a private changing area, lockers, and saunas in the bathrooms in case you haven’t checked in yet and want to take a dip.

There is also another seasonal outdoor pool and splash pads for kids to play in across the street from where the Clubhouse is located in the Commons area of rooms.

The fitness center and pools are open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Three different walking trails with lengths of 3,4, and 6 miles within Ford’s Colony. Maps are available at the front desk.

Tennis and basketball courts. Tennis racquets and balls are available for a fee at the activity center.

Bikes and golf clubs can also be rented from the activity center.

The Activities Center also runs morning walks, golf outings, and aqua fitness classes. Check the resort activities schedule that you receive at check-in for dates/times.

Entertainment Options:

Daily activities include crafts, educational and historical classes, kids and family activities in addition to wine and liquor tastings.

The Activity Center is open from 8 am to 11 pm. It includes a small video game area, board games, table games, ping pong, a pool table, play area for toddlers, coloring station, and 3 screen video game area with a selection of PlayStation, Xbox, and Wii games.

Every night, there is a featured movie in Showtime Theatre located right next to the Activity Center.DVDs can also be rented from the Activity Center for a small fee.

Shuffleboard, horseshoes, a children’s playground, another outdoor pool, and seasonal splash pads are located across the street from the Main Clubhouse/Registration building between the Commons buildings. The Tennis and Sports Court are also located in this area.

Additional Amenities:

High-end BBQ grills and bike racks are sprinkled around the property. There is also a fire pit located behind the Main Clubhouse.

Complimentary WiFi is available throughout the property. Your login is tied to your reservations.

Villas have laundry facilities within the units. Guest rooms have access to complimentary washer and dryers located on the ground floor of the Commons buildings. Laundry detergent is provided in all rooms.

HOTEL ROOM DETAILS

Standard guestrooms at the Marriott Manor Club are located on the Commons side of the resort. They feature a king-size bed and a queen-size sleeper sofa. In the room, there is also a two-person dinette table that our kids used for breakfast, a mini-refrigerator, microwave, and coffee pot. This worked well for our elementary school-aged children.

One ore two-bedroom villas are perfect for larger families or longer stays! They are spacious and well-decorated with modern, yet colonial-style touches. All villas have a full kitchen that opens into a dining and living room area complete with a fireplace. Bathrooms feature oversized soaking tubs as well as a separate shower.

One-bedroom villas have one king bed suite rooms and a sleeper sofa. Two-bedroom villas have two king bed suite rooms and two bathrooms.

DINING

The Marriott Manor Club at Ford’s Colony offers several dining choices. For quick meals, there is a MarketPlace Express located in the Main Clubhouse that offers drinks, food, and snacks. It is accessible 24 hours a day. The Splash Grille & Pool Bar located at the Commons pool area is open seasonally. This was not open during our stay.

For more formal dining, Bistro 1699 is the on-site restaurant. Check the front desk for hours and a menu. Offerings include appetizers, salads, sandwiches, burgers, and pizza. The Bistro has happy hour specials as well. Check with the front desk for days/times. The restaurant was closed for renovations during our stay, but the restaurant service was temporarily operating out of the Colonial Room next to the Activity Center.

LOCAL ATTRACTIONS

There are several historical sites and museums nearby including Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestown Settlement, and Yorktown Victory Center.

Busch Gardens Williamsburg and Water Country USA top the list for entertainment options. Kimball Theatre also hosts a variety of William & Mary student performances and other special events.

Shopping lovers will enjoy the Williamsburg Premium Outlets or the quaint shops and restaurants at Merchant’s Square.

Yankee Candle Village is one of our favorite shopping venues! The store is far more than just candles. There are about a dozen rooms to walk through that offer all kinds of gifts, housewares, cooking items, kids toys, and a lot more! You can buy fudge, ice cream, Popcornopolis, and Build-a-Bear plushes. Plus, you can make your own candles. Santa is also in-house year-round!

PROS & CONS OF STAYING AT MARRIOTT MANOR CLUB

Pros:

This hotel offers a ton of amenities and features, including an indoor pool, fitness center, and activity center that are especially good for bad weather days. The daily activities, classes, and movie theater are unique benefits compared to other area hotels. It is family-friendly and a great pick for those with an active lifestyle that enjoy fitness and recreational activities.

The property offers a lot of options for families of all sizes and long-term stays. The grounds are very well-kept and the facilities are top-notch. The on-site laundry facilities are also a big plus if you will be staying for a while.

It was also a pleasant surprise to receive an email from a Pre-Arrival Specialist that included helpful details to plan our stay. It also included a downloadable map to help us find the reception/check-in center and a copy of the room layout.

Cons:

Since this property is part of the Marriott Vacation Club brand, checkout is at 10 a.m. with no exceptions. Marriott Rewards Elite Status Priority Late Checkout is not available at Marriott Vacation Club properties. Also note that while there was a coffeemaker with coffee pouches in-room, there was no complimentary coffee available in the lobby. like at other Marriott hotels.

If the primary reason for your stay in Williamsburg is sightseeing or theme parks and you won’t have much downtime to enjoy the hotel’s recreational options, it may be more convenient to stay at a different property closer to the attractions. This extended-stay hotel is a bit off the beaten path.

If your room is located in the Commons area, it is a long walk or short drive across the street to the Main Clubhouse where the activities center, indoor pool, and restaurant are located.

Breakfast was not included at this resort and the restaurant was not open for breakfast. We were aware of this in advance and took food with us. The only other option on-site is to grab muffins and coffee at the MarketPlace Express in the Clubhouse.

DIRECTION TIP IF YOU GO

Use Ford’s Colony Drive, Williamsburg, VA. 23188 for your GPS. This will bring you to a traffic circle where you will take the 3rd right off the circle. Follow the signs to the Main Clubhouse/Registration building. We ended up at the country club by accident!

If you are planning a family vacation, Marriott Manor Club at Ford’s Colony is one of the best-extended stay hotels in Williamsburg Virginia. It offers a host of amenities and included activities.

Note that we stayed at this property prior to the Coronavirus Pandemic. Some amenities may not be available or may have changed due to COVID-19. Marriott International has posted strict policies and updates regarding their response to the virus. For latest Property & Destination updates for Marriot Manor Club at Ford’s Colony, click here.

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