Holiday Inn Express Clanton by IHG

We always choose an Express and have consistently had clean rooms, comfortable beds, good sheets, and down alternative pillows. There's also a coffee station with coffee and tea, plus a microwave and small fridge.

The location is right off the interstate, behind Peach Park, and seemed safe. The lobby was clean and smelled great, and our room was tidy with good AC. Breakfast had a nice selection for a complimentary meal, and the area was clean too.

The kids had fun in the indoor pool, and we really enjoyed breakfast. There was also a cute park across the road.

The beds were comfortable, but almost everything else fell short. The room was small and cramped for the one night I stayed to rest from driving, and the TV was tiny. Free Wi-Fi was advertised, but it kept rejecting my email and password, and it took over ten minutes and several tries to connect. The hotel also had a strong, unpleasant smell as soon as we walked in, like an old vacuum or a wet animal. At first the bathroom looked clean and modern, with nice shelving by the mirror and Dove hand lotion, soap, shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. Then I got into the tub and saw several small hairs that definitely weren't mine. I wanted to shower, but couldn't figure out how to turn on the shower head. I tried the knobs, the head, and the water settings, but nothing worked. So I had to take a bath, and the tub bottom was scratchy and uncomfortable. I hoped to relax at the pool or perhaps a hot tub, but the pool area was crowded and I was short on time, so I didn't go in. From what I saw, there wasn't a hot tub either. I expected more from a Holiday Inn Express. Maybe this is just how things are in Alabama, though I'm from Illinois, but fighting with the shower and Wi-Fi made it hard to relax. The stay was a letdown.