Holiday Inn Express & Suites Charlotte - Ballantyne by IHG

Housekeeping seemed to be working nonstop, and the place was spotless from top to bottom. The lobby coffee and tea station was stocked around the clock, and the front desk team were friendly and welcoming. Wi-Fi was fast and dependable, and the large TV had plenty to watch. The room was cozy and comfortable during a very cold week, with a soft bed, crisp clean linens, and lots of hot water. The hotel was nicely decorated for the holidays, too. It’s listed as a two-star place, but I think that should be revised to four stars. Highly recommend.

I came for a quiet NYE break and got the relaxing stay I wanted. The location is convenient, and the service made a good impression right away. The front desk welcomed me warmly and gave me a goodie bag, which was a nice touch. The room was nice, though the shower could’ve been cleaner and I wish the TV had Netflix or something beyond cable. Neither issue felt big enough to raise with anyone. They had breakfast, but I went back to my room when I saw other people there. People scare me. I found this place on Groupon, and I’m definitely coming back. I took pictures, though they don’t really do the room justice.

The break-ins turned what should have been a family weekend into a financially and emotionally upsetting ordeal. I stayed January 16-18 for a youth hockey stay-to-play tournament, expecting a routine, secure visit at a property in an area promoted as a premier place outside Charlotte. My vehicle was broken into in the hotel lot: the window was shattered, belongings were stolen, and interior components were damaged. Around fifteen other guests had similar break-ins, according to what we experienced, and the local police department later confirmed this was not an isolated incident. I’m now facing more than $2,500 in repairs. The response afterward was just as troubling. There was no visible urgency, clear communication, or meaningful reassurance about guest safety. Many steps happened only after other guests and I pushed for them. Parents asked to use an unused conference room so the children could eat dinner together and the adults could watch the NFL playoffs and decompress. We were told it was reserved for meetings, not the tournament, and met with resistance despite the circumstances. No one gave us clear assurances about added security or explained how safety would be handled going forward. I ended up paying cash out of pocket for another room so parents could regroup privately. At checkout, that same amount showed up as a charge on my room, which raises serious concerns for me about billing transparency and internal controls. I also only discovered while writing this that the stay hadn’t been credited to my IHG account and I received no points, despite being a member and booking a qualifying stay. That added to my sense that the reservation was handled carelessly at the front desk. Our team won the tournament, but the hotel experience overshadowed that. I won’t return, and I’m reconsidering staying at IHG properties more broadly. Guest safety is a basic obligation, and in my experience it wasn’t met before, during, or after a serious criminal event. This reflects a failure of security, leadership, preparation, and accountability.

The room was immaculate, and the beds were comfortable. Each person had two pillows, with the cases labeled soft and firm. The 24-hour coffee downstairs was great, freshly ground for each cup. The male host was wonderful. I called in advance with questions, and he was friendly and helpful. He even remembered we’d visited Carowinds that day and asked how it went. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay.