Holiday Inn Express Durham by IHG

The cinnamon rolls were a nice touch at breakfast, which also had fresh, well-stocked hot items, pastries, and fruit. The Holiday Inn Express Durham is conveniently placed near Duke, downtown, restaurants, and the highways, so it works well for business, school, or a quick weekend away. My room was spotless, well kept, and roomier than I expected. The bed and pillows were comfortable, the shower pressure was great, and there were plenty of outlets and strong Wi-Fi. Even with the hotel busy, it stayed quiet. The whole place felt clean, modern, and comfortable from the moment I arrived. Staff were welcoming and quick to help, which made everything easy. I’d stay here again.

After a long drive, this was a great place to unwind. We were 19 hours from home in east Texas, traveling around the country for Walmart remodels, and I was able to book easily in the app and let the front desk know we’d arrive late. Our room keys were ready when we got there, so check-in was quick. As rewards members, we also received waters and snacks. I like staying at IHG Hotels wherever we go. The rooms are consistently clean and enjoyable, and the beds are more comfortable than most I’ve slept in. I also appreciate the fridge, microwave, and digital charging stations. The TVs are a good size and updated flat screens, and the newer AC units and thermostats work efficiently. I can’t think of anything that needs improving here.

We stayed two nights, and I wouldn’t come back. The interstate is right by the exit, and you can hear most of the cars from the room. It’s also extremely overpriced, there’s a $50 incidental charge, and the parking lot is tiny. The main issue was the service. The breakfast lady was the only employee who seemed kind or happy to be there. I arrived around 9 p.m., and getting let in through the locked door and checked in was a whole ordeal. The employee seemed to have an earbud in and be talking to someone else. When I asked her name, she didn’t hear me. They do accept pets, but taking my dog out was unpleasant. There’s just a small patch of grass, and nobody had cleaned up after their dogs. There also wasn’t anywhere to put the bags after picking up, which I do. It didn’t feel safe there. When DoorDash brought my food, the night employee wouldn’t let the driver in. He handed her my order, and she left it on the counter without telling me. When I went down, she was gone and never came back while I was there, so she had no idea who picked it up. I have to return to the area for work, but I have other places to stay and won’t be choosing this one again.

The location was handy, close to grocery stores, restaurants like kickback jacks, and the job site I was working at. I shared a nicely sized room with my roommate during our 13-day stay. Service was very good, and housekeeping looked after the room every day until the last two days. I figure they may have taken a night off before we left, and they’d done a great job the rest of the time. Shirley, the breakfast lady, was very nice and did a great job each day. Her friend from Washington state was great too. There were also two men working on the ceiling and lights in the breakfast buffet area, so I think renovations may be going on. The gym’s water fountain didn’t work, which was unfortunate. When my toilet clogged, maintenance fixed it that same day, and I was very grateful.