Holiday Inn Express & Suites Fort Payne

The staff were really helpful, the place was clean, and breakfast was a highlight, with a full hot bar, oatmeal, cereal, muffins, toast, fruit, pancakes, and very fresh coffee. The bed was so comfortable I almost didn't want to get up, and even the fridges had been pulled out and cleaned behind. We stayed three nights and four days during the mid-January cold snap. Nothing was broken and we didn't find bugs in the room, aside from maybe one beetle in the window seal. You can get the occasional beetle or stink bug in a hotel, especially in Ft Payne, where they're awful everywhere right now. The parking lot had a few icy spots after all the rain, but they had salted it. The TV kept cutting in and out. It isn't the Ritz, but the friendly staff, cleanliness, and comfortable stay made it enjoyable.

The location is convenient, but I'd stay somewhere else if you can. The hotel feels like it's falling apart: our bathroom sink leaked and flooded the floor, and none of the tubs or sinks drained properly. The “fitness center” is just a closet with one piece of equipment. The front desk attendant was very kind and did as much as she could, but the owners need to knock the place down and start over.

Breakfast was okay, but I don't think I'd book this hotel again. Our shower was nearly unusable and felt unsafe. The doors barely moved and seemed unstable, with the outside handle completely missing and the inside one so loose it felt like it could fall off. I told the front desk the next morning. Also, there's no coffee in the room, and I really like having a cup as soon as I wake up.

For $160 a night, Room 309 was in rough shape. The carpet near the A/C was damp, there was mold in several spots, and the shower was dirty and wouldn't drain. There was no TV remote, and the room smelled like gas. Nobody answered when I called the front desk. Breakfast was nasty, and I wasn't sure how old the food was. Every dispenser in the hotel, including the first-floor bathroom, was out of soap or hand sanitizer. The guest ahead of me was friends with the check-in clerk and got a free room. Avoid this place.