Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites Raleigh / Cary by IHG

I wouldn’t stay here again. Breakfast costs $13 + tax for powdered eggs, which is crazy when it’s nothing special compared with the usual free continental breakfast at other Holiday Inn locations. For the same price, places nearby offer just as much or better. Sonesta, for example, is $10 less a night and has a full kitchen and a giant living room with a 55" or bigger TV. There were plenty of problems: a dirty shower curtain with toothpaste and hair from the previous guest, a loose bathroom outlet that meant the hair dryer never worked right, and a very loud air conditioner that woke me up multiple times. The TV was tiny, without movie channels or modern options, and the internet was slow. There were no lights by the bed for reading, only 1 elevator worked continuously, and the towels were scratchy and smelled terrible, so I was glad I brought my own. The fridge was smaller than most and couldn’t hold leftovers. The lobby trash was always overflowing, and the water-damaged bathroom walls and door hadn’t been fixed or even painted over. It felt like they’d stopped caring. The only reason I gave Service 2 stars was Harvey’s customer service. The other people were rude, seemed too busy, or didn’t seem to care. Read the other bad reviews, too, since they mention similar problems with the elevators and noisy air conditioning.

On November 14-2025 10:40pm, I arrived to check in with our IHG account and was refused help because the front desk agent said my name wasn’t on the reservation. I showed my husband’s military ID and explained that I’m his spouse. My husband then called IHG, and their representative contacted the hotel twice to have my name added. The front desk agent hung up on the second call. I joined a three-way call with my husband and the IHG representative. The agent ignored the conversation, kept typing without acknowledging us, then said he would not check me in under any circumstances and threatened to cancel the whole reservation. I’ve never been treated so disrespectfully by hotel staff. It was unprofessional and completely unacceptable, the opposite of the hospitality and customer care IHG is known for.

The location was good, with lots of stores and restaurants close by, and the highway nearby too. My stay was pleasant overall. The building is older, which shows in the worn wall molding and bathroom baseboards, but it was fairly clean and well kept. The tub was very small. They have a bar, breakfast, and dinner options after 5pm. The pool was closed while the ceiling was being painted. The exercise room was open, but overlooked: trash stayed on the floor for 2 days, the water container wasn’t filled for 2 days, and one clean workout towel sat at the bottom of the rack the whole time. One thing for the staff: if you call a guest to move a vehicle for a non-emergency, please give them time. You don’t know what they’re doing in their room. Calling again within 10 minutes wasn’t necessary. I moved the car, then waited 15 minutes to see what the big issue was, and didn’t see any worker come out for the non-emergency reason.

The rooms were nice and roomy, and so was the bathroom. Still, for what the room costs, I’d expect breakfast to be included. They charge $13.99 per person for a breakfast that’s nothing special, just the usual continental spread you’d get free at other Holiday Inn hotels. That’s why I’d rate the stay four out of five.