Holiday Inn & Suites Winnipeg Downtown by IHG

The room was the one good part: it was nice, tidy, and clean. The housekeeping staff deserves a raise for managing that. Almost everything else was disgusting, and as a loyal IHG member and cardholder, with stays across the US, Canada, and Europe, this was easily the worst IHG hotel I've been to. Before our stay, we were told one elevator was broken, which we understood. They didn't mention that the other one was glitchy too, bouncing between floors and only showing up sometimes. We were on floor 11, and those stairs got old fast. The stairwell itself was gross, with empty twisted tea cans and wrappers left around. The lobby had grime and trash in the corners, smelled strongly of smoke, and the same group lingered there and hollered at guests all day. We had the same uncomfortable encounter with them four or five times over our two day stay. The entry was strewn with mysterious spills, garbage, and cigarette butts. When the elevator did arrive, it was filthy too, with grime, bodily fluids on the floor, trash, and a heavy smoke smell. The location was nice and convenient, but the hotel felt extremely unsanitary. I'd absolutely tell people to find another place to stay in Winnipeg. Sad to say as an IHG lover.

We came down for the Grey Cup and were pleased with the stay. The room was nice and roomy, the location worked well, and everyone we spoke with was welcoming and friendly. Special thanks to Chris Pangillinan. Great job by the staff, and I'd recommend this hotel.

We paid nearly $400 for two nights, January 2-4, 2026, but left before staying and are still out the full amount. Expedia has tried several times to reach the hotel about a refund, and the property has not responded. When we told the front desk we couldn't stay, we got an apology and were told to contact Expedia, with no effort to resolve the problems or keep our booking. I would not recommend this place under any circumstances. The biggest concern was safety. The stairwell doors needed a key card to get out, but none of ours worked. We were stuck in a dirty, windowless stairwell while hearing yelling and fighting nearby. We called the front desk repeatedly, but got voicemail or were disconnected. Someone eventually heard us banging and let us out, saying, “the keys don’t work in the stairwell.” Guests need to be told this, and being locked in with no working key access or reachable desk is a serious safety and emergency response failure. We arrived around 5:00 p.m. after a 10-hour drive. The lobby was loud and dirty, and the people there made it feel unsafe, but we tried to give the hotel the benefit of the doubt and check in. Since there was no hotel parking on site, a friend stayed in the car while the rest of us went in. We were told the adjacent university parkade cost $22 a day and to use the lobby elevators to reach it on the third floor. Those elevators were repeatedly overcrowded. When we got into one, it was filthy and smelled strongly of urine. On the second floor we saw a spilled drink container partly covered by a towel, which seemed to explain the smell. Upstairs, we found only guest rooms and no parking signs. After looking both ways, we tried a stairwell, then got trapped. Once someone let us out, we returned to the desk. Staff sent us in a different direction toward the parkade, along a long, poorly lit hallway that already felt unsafe after what had happened. We checked the room before deciding whether to stay. It seemed passable at first, but smelled strongly of marijuana, noise came through the walls, and there was hair and visible staining on the sheets. That was when we decided we couldn't stay. Our experience was unacceptable from start to finish. I hope hotel management or Holiday Inn/IHG corporate leadership contacts us directly to address this and provide appropriate reimbursement.

We had no noise from the hallway or the neighboring rooms, and our room was spotless. Street noise overnight was a little disruptive, though I realize the hotel can't just fix that right away. The staff were so welcoming and pleasant. I booked a queen room and emailed ahead to ask if they might add a small surprise for my boyfriend's 40th birthday. They upgraded us to a King Suite and arranged a beautiful display for us to see when we came back from a Jets game. It was such a lovely gesture, and I'd absolutely book here again next time we're in town for a game. Best hotel customer service experience I've had.