Holiday Inn Express Fultondale

The room was clean apart from the floors, which could use a good scrub with a deck brush. I had the same staff member at check-in and check-out, and they were warm and welcoming. The hotel is in a suburban spot close to lots of amenities.

The breakfast was nice, but it wasn't worth losing a night's sleep over. Our first room smelled like urine, so we had to move. In the new room, the AC kept shutting off and began sparking, which I reported to the front desk. And the mattresses? Lumpy, hard, loud, and squeaky, like they haven't been replaced since the early 2000s. Every time you shift, they make a sound like a child's soul being ripped from their body. I'm stumped that the rooms get good reviews.

I had to drive back to Birmingham myself to get my medication bag, but I would have done that if the hotel had told me promptly that mailing it wasn't possible. I should have checked the room before I left, and I do appreciate that staff found the bag and eventually sent it. Still, the communication and urgency were extremely disappointing, given what was inside. I called as soon as I realized I'd left the bag behind. Staff confirmed they had it and said they could ship it if I emailed a prepaid label. I sent the label within minutes, fully paid, and made clear in the email that it contained prescription medications, including one that shouldn't be stopped abruptly. On Monday they confirmed receipt and said they'd send it off, but days went by without tracking updates. It wasn't until Friday, nearly a week later, that I got a call saying someone had tried taking it to UPS instead of USPS and the label wouldn't scan. I explained again that it was a prepaid USPS label. These were necessary medications, not toiletries or optional items.

No hot water, no semi parking, and the tub was clogged. The rooms look old and worn throughout, and I didn't feel safe in mine. The door lock let the door open 6-10 inches before stopping it, and the adjoining rooms made me uncomfortable. They need to remodel this mess. For the price, I'd never stay here again. A cold mess 😞