Holiday Inn Express Grand Rapids Airport South

The area is quiet and feels safe, and the airport noise wasn’t too bad. The location still wasn’t ideal for me: it’s about 15 minutes from anything beyond gas stations and a Culver’s, and the parking lot is pretty rough. Inside, the building is in good shape, from the elevators and doors to the hallways. The rooms are cleaner, a little bigger, and in better condition than the ones at the Sheridan. The bed and pillows were very comfortable, the shower was good, and having a WHOLE DESK in my room was a big help. I’ve been happily eating the very good continental breakfast all week. The staff have been above average and very nice. Housekeeping missed my room today, which was a little annoying, though they cleaned it a few days ago.

The room was just right, and the hotel was very clean. The gym could use some work. I haven’t interacted much with staff, though the service seems good. Breakfast does the job, especially the great cinnamon rolls and pancake machine. The coffee itself isn’t very good, but the machine is cool.

The pool water was a little cold. I watched some guests in swimsuits step in, dip their feet, and get right back out. Since I often had the pool to myself, it felt like a big private pool. This hotel was relaxed about letting me swim past closing time, unlike TownePlace, where an employee always asked me to leave when closing time came. I’d stayed at another TownePlace Suites near the airport, across from a Holiday Inn Airport North, and that Holiday Inn was better. This Holiday Inn is rated 2-star, while the nearby TownePlace is 3-star, but I found this one cleaner, with a much larger room and no difference in breakfast. It also costs less. The hotel didn’t pay me for this review. In my opinion, it offers a better overall stay than TownePlace Suites despite the lower price.

The bathroom had some issues: the sink barely ran or drained, and the steel tub creaked like an old man. I’m guessing it wasn’t set properly on the floor when they installed it. There was no coffee machine in the room, either. The employees were great, and they let us check out a little later because of the weather. The beds were fine. Breakfast had a good, typical selection, though I barely remember the eggs. I loved the pancake machine, and the coffee machine too. Would I come back? Probably.