When we opened the door to our first room (#104) a very strong odor similar to human or animal urine greeted us. After a call to the front desk we were asked to come back to the front desk so that we could be assigned a different room. So, even though there were 4 of us, we hauled our luggage back to the lobby. No apologies or explanations were offered. We were given key cards to another room just a few doors down from the first room (#113 I think) the staff couldn't just bring us new key cards?
Aside from this initial episode we had to return to the front desk no less than 5 times in the brief period of our stay due to being locked out of our room, or pool, or even the building itself (thankfully there were 4 of us and we all had cell phones to help each other out). Again, not once was any apology offered for any inconvenience suffered on our part.
When I personally went to the front desk to ask what the issue was I was told that somebody must have entered "incorrect information" about our dates of stay into the system. It wasn't until after that when I spoke with other guests in the hotel and realized I wasn't the only one with this key card problem. It was interesting to see how the guests banded together, opening doors for each other so that this obstacle could be overcome. Even if they really didn't know what was going on with the cards couldn't they just tell us the truth and at least apologize???
And finally I also had a problem at checkout time. I had booked my stay thru Orbitz online and I also had a coupon for half off the second night. The day before my arrival I called the hotel directly to verify that the coupon would be honored and was told simply to bring it with at check in and it would be no problem. It was a problem. They waited until I was checking out to inform me that it would not in fact not be honored due to some term on the coupon called "rack rate".
The woman behind the desk re-read the coupon to me and seemed somewhat puzzled that I didn't understand common hotel industry terminology. I have stayed at many Holiday Inns over the years because I have come to trust them and the service provided. Let me just say that my stay at this particular Holiday Inn was no holiday for me.
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