Holiday Inn Express - Harrisburg East by IHG

I checked in around 9:00 PM on Tuesday, May 26, for two nights, and the key card system still wasn't working when I left the next morning. I had to wait in a line, then staff escorted me to my room and let me in manually, which added about 15 minutes. They said I would need to use the deadbolt before shutting the door whenever I left, or return to the desk and wait for someone to escort me back in. Two guests waiting nearby said the problem had already been happening for at least two days. I understand maintenance issues occur, but leaving a major access and security problem unresolved for days created real safety concerns. The location was perfect, but the experience was extremely disappointing. A dog in a nearby room barked continuously from about 9:15 PM until I fell asleep around 1:00 AM, making it very hard to rest. The hotel is apparently pet friendly, which is fine, but the noise was a lot. I was charged about $119 per night, then saw rooms on the IHG website that same evening for about $66. As an IHG Platinum member, that was especially frustrating and made me wonder how non-members or occasional guests are treated. Around midnight I asked to cancel the second night and requested a refund for the first night, or at least a substantial rate adjustment given the problems and the nearly half-price public rate. In the morning, the front desk said I wouldn't be charged for the second night since I was checking out then, but I would need to talk to the General Manager after 5:00 PM about the previous night. The key system was still broken. I don't blame the employees, who were working hard and taking complaints because the owners or General Manager weren't prioritizing guest safety and security. Still, being told to call the General Manager after 5:00 PM usually sounds like “tough luck, buddy.” I'll update this based on whether management responds and makes a meaningful effort to address what happened.