Holiday Inn Florence by IHG

I’ve stayed here for quite a while, and it’s clean, quiet, and close to lots of things. There’s a restaurant in the lobby for breakfast and dinner, and the burgers at night are really good. The staff are the main reason I keep choosing this place over anywhere else. Everyone is so friendly and greets me when I walk in, from the front desk to housekeeping, and they’re always accommodating if I need something. I especially love the housekeeper on the third floor, though I wish I knew her name. Tierra, if that’s how you spell it, on first shift has been great since day one. We always chat for a minute when she’s working. I can’t say enough good things about this place. If I could live here, I would.

I’m disappointed that IHG let me down. I’ve stayed with IHG hotels often, and other locations have worked with my travel schedule as a day cab trucker by charging me once and extending checkout. This location wouldn't prorate the rate or make an accommodation. I called around 2 a.m., reached someone overseas through a middleman, and after I explained why I needed to check in then, they said I’d have to pay double and still check out at 11 a.m. Truckers have to stop for at least 10 hours before driving again. I took my business to Hilton instead, and they were happy to help and thanked me for being a driver and recognized how tough the job is and how important drivers are. I know there are some bad apples, but we’re not all bad. I hope every truck carrying your product makes it past this location.

Breakfast was good, though you need to book it with your room or pay at the table. My room had a slightly odd smell, and there was an old towel and a cleaning wipe in the bathroom. Nothing terrible overall, but there’s room to improve. The hotel itself is nice.

Very clean, and the price was fair. The pool stays open later than most. It was a little chilly in the pool room, but it was single digits outside, so I won't hold that against them.