Holiday Inn Express Jacksonville Beach by IHG

There was no hot water in the whole facility, and management and staff knew but didn’t tell guests when booking or at check-in. On our first night, around 8 p.m., we were told maintenance was working on it. We were traveling with two toddlers and waited, hoping it would be fixed. By 10 p.m. there was still no hot water. The next morning the front desk said we’d be moved to a room with hot water by noon. We spent the day at the beach and came back expecting the move. When we asked Carmen for the new key, she was rude and dismissive. She said we weren’t getting another room and had to stay put, and there was nothing she could do. She said maintenance had measured the water at only 87 degrees, which clearly isn’t hot, and even admitted they “never have hot water.” Carmen kept harassing us in the lobby, whispering about our family and calling us names. She also called our room while my daughters were napping to say that since we weren’t happy, we should leave. I told her I felt harassed and asked to speak with a manager, but nobody followed up. It was an awful stay and a terrible reflection on the hotel brand. I wouldn’t recommend it, especially for families.

The AC was so noisy, and there was a party in the room next door. We couldn’t sleep. When I called the front desk, the clerk said he couldn’t leave to deal with it and didn’t offer to call anyone. We eventually went down ourselves, and he finally agreed to move us. We were unhappy with the whole experience and don’t plan to return to any Holiday Inn Express.

I’ve chosen this Holiday Inn Express for years because it used to be reliable and convenient, but this visit was a major letdown. There were ants all over the room and bathroom, including on my cosmetic bag and contact lenses. A dog sat on the lobby couch while someone fed it food from the breakfast area, and several dogs barked for more than ten minutes before 8 a.m. The cleanliness and upkeep were poor throughout. Two duvets were ripped, there was hair in the bathroom, on multiple towels, and on the toilet and tub, and the halls and common areas needed vacuuming. The shower door didn’t seal, so water pooled on the floor and my husband slipped getting out. When I called the front desk about several problems, the person I spoke to was dismissive. I tried several times to speak with management and corporate, hoping the issues could be addressed. I was told they’d already spoken with me and that I’d accepted 20,000 IHG points to “close the case.” That’s not true. I never got a call or voicemail from anyone at IHG. This stay felt like a real decline in cleanliness, maintenance, and guest care. I hope they take it seriously, because I’d like to see the service and cleanliness that made me loyal return.

Both times I’ve been here, they’ve gotten my bill wrong. I feel they have no respect for military personnel and deliberately overcharge, doing whatever they can to squeeze out more money for a mid-level stay. Management is rude and unprofessional, and backs up representatives’ unprofessional behavior. They overcharge for a place that doesn’t even clean its carpets.