Holiday Inn Express & Suites Albuquerque East by IHG

The staff at the desk were super friendly, and check-in was easy. Parking felt safe, with the gates locked from 9p-4a. We got there just after breakfast ended at 930, but managed to take cinnamon rolls with us. Shower pressure was a bit low, though not too bad. The location is convenient right off I-40. Keep going down the service road past the wal-mart and you'll run right into it.

We spent one pleasant night here. The staff were courteous and kind, and the clean room had everything stocked as expected, with little visible wear and tear. The USB ports wouldn't charge our devices, but a plug-in charger fixed that easily. Breakfast was free, with a pancake machine, bread, fruit, yogurt, cheese omelette, turkey sausage, and bacon. There was also free coffee and hot water available around the clock. I appreciated the small trays for carrying breakfast upstairs. We didn't get to try the fitness center or pool, but the fitness center was open 24/7 and the pool ran 10-10. The location was decent, near the highway, food options, and a Walmart. The lot closes after hours, so you have to buzz the front desk at the gate to get in. That wasn't a problem, just unexpected.

For the price, there's a lot to like here. The room was nice and clean, and the cleaning staff did a great job. Free parking was a bonus. Breakfast was included with plenty of choices, and the water refill stations and coffee machine came in handy. There was a microwave in the room, plus extra cutlery that made outside food orders easier. Walmart is right next door, so even small things are easy to pick up. The highway noise didn't bother me as much as it seems to bother some other guests.

The street noise was bad, and I had a worse-than-ever experience with a hotel checkout host. The signage around the hotel was hard to follow, and when I told the man at the counter, he didn't seem to care that another customer and I had trouble. He then offered to show me around the hotel to point out the signs, but laughed at me as I went by, mocking me. I yelled an expletive at him over his unprofessional behavior. He followed me outside while recording me, which felt intimidating. He could have simply said he'd bring the issue up.