Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Buffalo-Airport by IHG

What made the stay memorable was how kindly and quickly the staff handled a problem with my first room. It wasn’t fully cleaned, especially the shower, so I went to the desk to ask for supplies to wipe it down myself. Lucy came up to inspect it, got down on her hands and knees to clean, and then noticed other things that didn’t meet Holiday Inn’s standards. She arranged a quick move to another room, made notes about who had cleaned the first one so the issue could be corrected, and they upgraded me in a way and added extra points to my account. I felt heard and cared for. I’d still recommend the hotel, even with that first-room issue, because of the respectful response. The room I moved into was comfortable, and the people made the difference. The hotel had just put up its Christmas decorations when I arrived, and it looked cozy and welcoming. A smiling woman greeted me with a warm hug as I admired them. I believe her name was Lucy, and I understand she oversees housekeeping. She also took my picture by the tree and made sure I was looked after during check-in. Breakfast the next morning was clean, organized, and delicious. The woman running it was sweet and friendly, despite having a difficult morning herself: her car door had frozen and she had to take a taxi to work. She kept smiling, served everyone gladly, and told me about Buffalo and the snow, and how to prepare since it was my first visit. After a long time traveling, those ladies made Buffalo feel like home. I’d absolutely stay here again.

The room we had was on the first floor, where it’s quite open to the lobby, so we could hear everything going on. The rooms are spacious, nicely updated, and have everything you need. One more thing about the parking package: skip it if you have the first flight of the day and plan to check bags, since the shuttle doesn’t start until 4am.

The fitness room was nice, and the pool temperature was somewhere between warm and cold. Our room was large and clean, though the floor between the bed and the outside bathroom wall was wet. At check-in, they told us there’d be a to-go breakfast bag since we were leaving on the first airport shuttle at 4am, but there were no bags. It was just one night. If I needed an early flight from Buffalo, I’d stay here again.

I stayed about a week and a half with my toddler son. The hotel itself is decent, and whenever I had an issue with my room, it was handled appropriately. The front desk gentleman with glasses and a hat was especially kind, professional, and helpful. He made me feel welcome and looked after. But some other staff members were extremely disappointing and unprofessional. I became aware that people, particularly someone involved in breakfast service, were openly making judgmental and hurtful comments about me and my child. They suggested I was homeless and abusing my son because he sometimes cries. I also heard someone say, “I can’t wait until they leave.” There were remarks about him not having a coat when we were briefly in the lobby getting breakfast, and criticism of me taking two plates and making multiple trips. One plate was for me and the other for my two-year-old. I had to go back and forth because I was carrying him and couldn’t hold everything at once. I later learned these assumptions were being shared with other staff, too. Toddlers cry, and staff shouldn’t speculate about a child’s wellbeing or accuse a parent of abuse without facts or understanding. Kids may cry for many reasons, including developmental differences or special needs. It’s not okay to judge a family based on assumptions. I’m quiet and keep to myself. I was just trying to enjoy my stay, but instead felt uncomfortable, judged, and talked about every day. Assuming someone is homeless or abusing their child based on personal bias is unacceptable in a hospitality setting. The experience left me unhappy and disappointed. One front desk employee was excellent, but some staff clearly lacked professionalism, discretion, and respect, especially toward parents and children. I hope management takes this seriously. No guest should feel this way during a stay.