Holiday Inn Rochester-Chatham

The slow check-in queue around 3:30pm was the main drawback, and it took a while to move. Otherwise, this was a good hotel for our one-night visit to Rochester. It’s about a 10-15 minute drive into town, and getting an Uber was easy. Staff were friendly and knowledgeable, the room was perfectly nice, and the bed and shower were both good. Breakfast was tasty and fairly priced. The pool area, sauna and steam room were decent, though the hot tub wasn’t available during our stay. The gym is very small.

We had a large group here for three days, and Azar gave us particularly professional, helpful service at the bar and with the food. The restaurant is decent and the service was very good. Parking is easy, supermarkets are nearby, and being away from a high street means the hotel is closer to the motorway. I’d stay here for Azar’s hospitality alone.

The reception and restaurant teams made my weekend at the Holiday Inn Rochester Chatham comfortable, and their service was exceptional. The stay ended very badly at checkout on 17 Nov, though. Catalina, a housekeeping staff member, was hostile and rude. She said I had “2 minutes to leave the room and she couldnt wait at all,” then told me I was “wasting her time” when I mentioned her tone. I’ve never had such poor customer service at an IHG hotel; her conduct was shocking and overshadowed the rest of the team’s kindness. This happened in room 118. I hope central management investigates, as this behaviour doesn’t meet the Holiday Inn brand’s standards.

Traffic from the busy dual carriageway beside the hotel was audible through the evening, which was the one downside. Otherwise, I had a very pleasant stay and would gladly come back. The room was clean, spacious and nice, the bed was comfortable, and I slept well. Izabel was especially friendly and attentive, taking time to chat and making me feel welcome. The staff were excellent.