Holiday Inn Express & Suites Houston West - Katy by IHG

The one person who gave me genuinely good service was the woman at the breakfast bar. The rest of this first stay was a very disappointing mess. I arrived to find hair in the tub and a dirty bathroom, so I cleaned it myself and didn’t complain. After checking out, I saw my card had been charged twice. The desk told me the reservation they said had been canceled was billed as a no-show. That started with my original booking. I called the day before to check on it and was told it had been canceled, but no one could explain why. I asked for a supervisor to call me and never heard back, so I booked again online. At check-in, the staff didn’t know what had happened either. I said I was checking in under the new booking, not the supposedly canceled one, but later learned I’d still been charged for that first reservation. I was told three times that a manager would contact me, and none did. I also contacted customer support; after I explained the situation, the representative hung up. Management never resolved the issue, and the customer service was poorly handled.

The breakfast attendant was a gem, and the gentleman who checked us in was so nice. I also count on IHG hotels for consistent value and kind staff. There’s a good range of breakfast choices, a gym for a proper workout, and coffee with tasty creamers in the lobby. That coffee was exactly what I needed before heading to Magical Winter Lights after a long day. Holiday Inn Express has become my go-to. Even when I’m less than an hour from home, I’d rather stay the night than drive back because I enjoy the service and amenities.

We ended up disappointed and won’t stay at this location again. The front desk person at checkout didn’t seem to care, which didn’t help after a rough night. We had noise from outdoors and from the room above us until well past midnight. The air conditioner was loud even on a low fan setting, and we couldn’t get the room to a comfortable temperature. Water pressure and temperature were both underwhelming, too. At first we expected a very good stay, but that changed quickly. We were already tired from traveling and it was after 9 p.m., so we didn’t ask to switch rooms. We can’t give this place more than three stars.

The only problems we ran into were road noise from I-10 in our even-numbered room and one elevator being out of service. Otherwise, this was the best value lodging we’ve had in quite a while. The price was excellent, staff were consistently courteous and helpful, and breakfast was solid. There’s also a good fitness center and guest laundry machines.