Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites, Carlisle-Harrisburg Area by IHG

I came for a peaceful getaway because I wanted to use the pool and hot tub, but both were unavailable due to maintenance. The room was dirty, including the tables and bathroom floor, and the TV signal was poor. I should have spent a little more for a better place.

I had three different rooms over a week's stay, and every bathroom smelled like sewage. The showers were disgusting and looked like they’d been pieced together by an unqualified handyman. Stains, scuffs, and peeling paint were all over the hotel walls. The carpets in the rooms and hallways looked awful, and the place smelled moldy and stale. It felt very unsanitary, so I checked out and switched hotels. When I raised issues during my stay, the hotel workers were very rude.

The bed was comfortable and the TV worked, but that was about all I can say in the hotel’s favor. The room was a little better than the filthy hallways, though it still had stains on the carpet and furniture. The place looks about 20 years old and hasn’t been updated. As an IGH Rewards Member, I usually choose Holiday Inn Express for its clean, well-kept rooms, better service, and nice breakfast. This was BY FAR the worst hotel I’ve stayed in. I normally look forward to the breakfast, but the food seemed like the lowest quality they could find, and much of it wasn’t really edible. The pancake machine was broken, and none of the hot items were good except the hashbrowns. When the carton of milk is the best part, that’s bad. I very rarely leave bad reviews, but this place was terrible. DO NOT stay at this Holiday Inn Express!

I travel regularly for work and stay at Holiday Inn Express hotels across the Midwest and Northeast. This is easily the worst I’ve stayed at, possibly the worst hotel period. I’d strongly suggest the other Holiday Inn Express across town. The first room had no working heat and a door that wouldn’t latch. After I explained it downstairs, I got the room next door, where both worked. But the table and showerhead there were frankly disgusting, and the tub filled with water quickly because it wouldn’t drain. The halls were dirty, and there was no inspection certificate or note in the elevator. They put out moldy cinnamon rolls, and when I realized I’d left my razor at home, the front desk refused to bring up a complimentary one. They told me to wait for housekeeping at 9:30 AM, which I couldn’t do, so I made do with what I had. That was despite a placard in the room saying they’d bring complimentary toiletries, including razors, right away. What a disappointment. It seems they do little room maintenance beyond changing towels and sheets.