Holiday Inn Express Carpinteria

I've usually had clean, trouble-free stays at Holiday Inns. This one seemed nice too, but there was no hot water, so I had to take a cold shower. It was very unpleasant.

If you're a light sleeper, ask for a room away from the freeway. The rooms on that side are right next to it, and you can hear cars and semis all night. The staff were great, and we had a good stay otherwise. There are plenty of grassy areas for walking our dogs, and both the room and dining area were very clean. The small fridge and microwave were useful too. The pancake machine wasn't working. I'd consider this place again if I'm in the area.

We had to cancel our reservation because of a health issue. Even though I paid for cancellation insurance, they charged me for the full reservation. On the second day, they called to say they weren't refusing any money, but wanted to offer the suite I'd paid for all three nights to a new guest that day. I'm very upset about how this was handled.

The room was nice and spacious, but a couple of false fire alarms went off during the night. I couldn't risk another sleepless night, so I moved to a different hotel.