Holiday Inn Columbia - Downtown by IHG

I spent several weeks here for work. The staff were really nice, and the rooms were great. There are several restaurants you can walk to, plus an on-site restaurant with a limited menu that's good when you don't feel like going out. The parking deck right beside the hotel was convenient.

I left more than four messages asking management to call me back, and spoke with staff six separate times for help or for a manager on duty who could actually do something. Nobody followed up. The lack of response seemed to run through the whole hotel and left me disappointed in both the staff and management. It felt like the opposite of Southern hospitality. I thought booking a recognized hotel brand would mean a certain level of professionalism, but that wasn't my experience. There are lots of other places to stay and spend your money. Save yourself the frustration and book somewhere else.

We came to Columbia for a Youth In Government school trip with more than 120 students, teachers, and chaperones. I was one of the chaperones, and the hotel staff handled all the moving parts of a group like ours really well. They were always friendly and helpful, and the rooms were spotless and cleaned every day. Well done, Holiday Inn Express Columbia Downtown. We're looking forward to next year's trip.

The hotel was clean and close enough to walk to good restaurants and cultural events. Staff were professional and friendly. When our room's coffee maker wasn't working right, they replaced it with a new one straight away. Breakfast was quite good too.