Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Cullman by IHG

The room was in remarkably good shape and very clean, and the staff made me feel welcome in the lobby and downstairs dining area while I waited. It wasn’t ready after 3, and the clerk said he’d call when it was, but I never got a call. I was with a large group that also had rooms, so I had to go ask whether mine was ready. Despite the wait, it turned out to be a great stay.

The employees were pleasant, and I think they’re doing the best they can with what corporate has provided. The hotel itself felt run-down and was very disappointing. Some hallway flooring sagged and creaked, while the pool and pancake machine were both marked out of order. In the room, the floor was sticky and the toilet barely worked. I’ve stayed at a dozen or more Holiday Inn Express hotels, and this felt like an entirely different, inferior chain. I’ve been in motels half the price that were cleaner and looked less worn.

I’m on the road all over the US and stay at Holiday Inn Express often, but this was my best stay by far. My room was spotless and the team was incredibly friendly. I was there in October, and Peggy’s fall decorations were amazing. I also really enjoyed talking with Peggy. She’s a 5-Star person and team member!

The location was nice, and I felt safe there. The room and hotel were nice too, and the bed was very comfortable. Service stood out: someone was always at the front desk, day or night, so check-in and checkout were quick. The toilet flushed well with good pressure, but the shower’s body wash was completely dry. Breakfast was good. I prefer bacon, which they had one morning; the rest of the week there were sausage links and patties, and those were good too. The A/C kept resetting to 74 degrees after a few hours overnight, so I kept waking up hot and having to adjust it again.