Holiday Inn Club Vacations Galveston Seaside Resort by IHG

The room was clean and nice, and using a wristband as the key was pretty cool. We also liked having easy beach access, even though we weren’t in the building right on the beach. That building situation was disappointing: the listing doesn’t say which rooms are in the beachfront building, and I chose this place for that reason. Still, we had a good experience and would stay here again.

There are lots of activities on site: a playground, basketball court, beach volleyball, shuffleboard, mini golf, tennis and a regular pool, with equipment provided at each area. I just wish there were a restaurant, since everything is very far away. The layout and access were confusing. The Google photos and videos show the separate building right on the beach, which is for SIGNATURE SERIES MEMBERs. The two-bedroom apartments across the street are still really nice, but it wasn’t clear where to check in at first. There’s a security guard in a booth just after you turn right into the property who can help. There’s no ramp, elevator or wheelchair access. My daughter was on crutches, and since our room was on the third floor, she had to use the stairs. At check-in, they charged a $115 security deposit, then sent us across the room to the “vacation station.” The fake salespeople there tried to act friendly so we’d sign up for a 90-minute presentation in exchange for a Landry’s card with $150 on it. I said no because I wasn’t getting up at 8:15 a.m. They warned they’d charge $75 if we didn’t show, so be clear at check-in that you’re not interested unless you want to go. It’s a hotel trying to sell timeshares.

We left early, fed up with the rudeness and the way the hotel handled a simple problem. What was meant to be a relaxing three-night family trip at Holiday Inn Club Galveston Sea Wall turned into a frustrating stay because of poor management and unhelpful lobby staff. We’d decided to add a night. Following the lobby staff’s instructions, I used the same online booking portal as before and paid for the extra night in full. While my family was at the pool, my wife went to the restroom. When she came back, her pool key didn’t work. At the front desk, Kenneda and another staff member wouldn’t simply reactivate it. Kenneda said we had to drive to the other side of the hotel, redo the whole stay, sign new paperwork and pay the resort fee again, even though we’d already paid for the extension as directed. We were there with our kid at the pool, and they expected us to stop family time and go through all that because of their system and miscommunication. Kenneda and her colleague were dismissive and showed no customer service. We packed up and left rather than keep dealing with them. It was extremely disappointing, and I wouldn’t recommend this property to anyone.

We brought the whole family and had a stay that exceeded our expectations. The units are well equipped for a comfortable visit, with kitchens, laundry and all the supplies we needed. Everything was super clean and organized, and the property is well maintained and conveniently close to the beach. There are elevators in the units, which is helpful for elderly people, too. The staff were super helpful and friendly, and the prices were reasonable and affordable. They also offer a membership that can get you good discounts. We love this place!