Holiday Inn Express Tower Center by IHG

The hotel was clean and had holiday decorations, and those little treat bags were such a kind touch. The breakfast bar had so many choices that it was hard to pick, and honestly it was the best Holiday Express breakfast bar I’ve had so far. Being close to the freeway also made it easy to find and get around an unfamiliar area.

If you just need somewhere to sleep, this place is decent. The beds were okay and, for the most part, rooms were clean. Soap and shampoo in dispensers were a nice touch, and it was handy to have breakfast and coffee downstairs because there was only one coffee pod in the room. Service was good, especially from the hard-working ladies in the kitchen who did a great job with breakfast, though I didn’t come for breakfast. Staff were friendly enough and most spoke English. The hotel was noisy, smelled of weed, and needs remodeling. I could see they were working on it from all the debris and carpet in front of the building. There was nowhere to hang clothes, only two dresser drawers worked, and the refrigerator sort of worked.

The gym was a letdown: every machine was broken, and all three cardio machines were either out of order or so old they didn’t work. It looks like the hotel was bought and is being rebranded, and I got the feeling the owners were cutting every possible corner to save money. I’m only here for three days, so the stay hasn’t been that bad. Most Holiday Inn Express locations are exceptional, and maybe this one will improve someday. Check-in was fine, and I took a quick nap before going to the gym. On arrival, I had my luggage and realized I’d left a bag behind, so I left my suitcase where I was and walked back about 20 feet to get it. A TESLA pulled into the space between my suitcase and the hotel, blocking my path to the entrance. While I was waiting to check in, I found out the Tesla owner was the manager. He’d parked in the closest spot to the front door without caring that he’d cut off my route.

The recently renovated room had a very comfortable bed. Breakfast came with the stay and had plenty of options. It’s easy to get to Rt 18 and NJ Tpke, and I’d definitely recommend the hotel.