Holiday Inn Express & Suites Minneapolis – West End by IHG

The elevator broke this morning, which was a real problem since I’d been assigned a third-floor room despite the hotel being almost empty. My IHG app preferences request a ground-floor room, and I’m a Platinum member who regularly stays at these hotels. The pool was under renovation, breakfast was terrible, and they charged for parking. This stay was bad enough that I asked my company to stop booking rooms here.

The price was really good, and we’ve enjoyed our stay. We’re hoping to move here from out of state, and we’d stay again if this location is convenient for wherever we end up in the Twins metro. It’s also a central spot for getting around the city, with a decent-looking pool and a really good continental breakfast. Everyone was super friendly. There were a few room issues: the fridge didn’t work, the carpet was damaged and peeling, and the Smart TVs weren’t connected to the internet. We didn’t mention the carpet or fridge to staff because we’d already unpacked and didn’t want to switch rooms. We had a cooler anyway, and used our laptop with a cheap HDMI cable to watch on the TV. The lobby snacks are handy but really pricey, so I’d suggest picking up drinks and snacks at the nearby Cub.

The room had a strange smell, and I found the rug quite wet from water leaking out of the air conditioner. Most of the rest of the place seemed clean. The TVs were poor, and even after I was given the WiFi information, the internet barely worked. Some of the staff also weren’t very nice.

For our one-night stay, they billed me for a suite with two queen beds, but we were never given a suite. They said they’d correct the bill, but never did. I’ve spent a lot of time going back and forth by phone and email with the hotel and Expedia, and they keep sending me to each other. They also charged us for two nights even though I had booked just one. When I called about it, manager Torri claimed there was video and an eyewitness showing we stayed two nights. I have tollway and gas station receipts showing I returned to Chicago after the one night. I was charged twice separately, and then they said I had a two-day booking, which would normally be one bill. I’d warn anyone who still books here to be careful with their payment details. They didn’t give me a checkout receipt, but when I called to sort things out, Torri asked me for it, even though she knew I hadn’t been given one. Basically, she told me SOL. If you go ahead and stay, get a receipt at checkout.