Holiday Inn Express Aberdeen Airport by IHG

The front desk team at Holiday Inn Aberdeen Airport made a really good first impression. They were friendly, professional and welcoming, and the hotel itself was clean and well presented. But the restaurant experience ended up overshadowing that completely. I asked for my steak medium rare and even said, “the rarer the better.” What came out was a dry triangular lump, pink only in the very middle and overcooked around the outside. I told the waitress it wasn’t right, so she took it away. The manager then said the cooking was “at the chef’s discretion” and that I should have asked for it rare. I didn’t want to take it any further, so I took the plate back and said, “just leave it.” She said she “didn’t like my tone,” then asked if I wanted it redone. Her attitude was rubbish. I tried eating the juicier centre, but left most of it. It was, without exaggeration, the worst steak I’ve ever been served. I used to be a manager at Holiday Inn Express, so I was genuinely shocked by how this was dealt with. There was no ownership or real apology, just defensiveness and attitude. We cancelled dessert, not wanting to risk more disappointment, and the waiting staff replied with a dismissive “cool.” That one word summed up the service for me. When I was leaving, the bill wasn’t itemized. I was given just a total and told to sign, along with a sarcastic thank you. I stopped speaking because I didn’t trust myself to say anything else. The way the bill was handled only added to the lack of professionalism. A simple problem could have been sorted out with an apology, but instead it turned into an argument. Mistakes happen in hospitality; how they’re handled says a lot. The hotel and front desk had set a very different tone, which makes the restaurant experience and the attitude we met all the more disappointing.

The room was nice and the bed was comfy. We stayed overnight for a gig, and PnJ arena was close enough to walk to. Bar service was a little slow, though the receptionists were very good.

The young woman who checked me in gave me a lovely, professional welcome, and it’s a nice enough hotel otherwise. I use it for its location and because it’s part of IHG, but the rooms have been cold. The heating has caused problems on previous stays too. When I try to turn it up, a central system seems to override it quickly. A receptionist once told me it could be controlled remotely from reception. My last complaint didn’t go well, so I didn’t bother raising it on this visit. That’s why I’m mentioning it here.

We really enjoyed our stay and will definitely come back. The staff were lovely, the rooms were clean and comfortable, and the food was nice. It was quiet too, even with the airport right beside it.