Holiday Inn Express Edgewood-Aberdeen-Bel Air by IHG

The room was comfortable and clean, and the staff were courteous. Free parking and breakfast were appreciated, and the price was reasonable, which made the stay convenient and budget friendly. The fitness room is a nice offering, but it could use more equipment and at least one mirror to make working out more practical and enjoyable.

This Holiday Inn has clearly seen better days. There were scuffs and missing paint in the room, and the bathtub leaked badly, though I just filled it back up. I had to cover the chaise with a towel and only sat in it once because it needed airing out and a generous spray of air freshener. On my last night, a skunky smell drifted into my room from another one, but it didn’t last long. Still, the location worked great for my trip home, close to lots of activity. The bacon at breakfast alone makes up for a lot. Would I stay again? Yes. Recommend it? Yes, but I’d tell people about my experience first.

That little exchange at check-in stuck with me. I tapped my phone to pay after Carl told me not to, because I didn't understand what he meant. The Google Pay charge went through, and then he pointed to the small sign on the reader and made a snide comment about whether we read. It left a bad impression for the whole stay. If the concern is people using the reader's RFID/NFC feature, Carl's boss could put a blocker over it instead of taping up a paper sign. They’re cheap and work better. Plenty of people, I'm sure, don't read.

Fortunately, a Red Roof Inn nearby took my son in and treated him with kindness. He'd arrived in Maryland after midnight for a rehearsal the next morning, and the dance company had booked him a room under the manager's name with my son's name on the reservation. At 19, he was turned away because of the hotel's age policy, which I can understand. But it was about 1:30 a.m., he was alone in an unfamiliar town, and nobody from the company was available to help. The front desk wouldn't even let him sit in the lobby. He was left stranded, and the response felt like the rules mattered more than basic decency. The Red Roof Inn's front desk person was a lifesaver. I won't recommend this hotel or brand. I have many, many social media followers, and I plan to share what happened. His name was clearly on the reservation, so please don't reply in a way that tries to cover up the mistake. I have the receipts.