Holiday Inn Express Long Island City E New York

Our flight was canceled because of a blizzard, and this was the only hotel with a room available. They checked us in and had a room ready as soon as we arrived. Even with breakfast limitations, there were good options, and there were plenty of snacks at very good prices. They also found us a restaurant that could deliver during the storm. The front desk man, I think his name was Freddy?, was kind and attentive. He kept things running smoothly while being the only staff member there during the storm. Thank you!

We liked the rooms and had no problems with them, and the view of NYC was brilliant. The hotel is out of the way, but the area seemed okay. For our first dinner, we were tired and didn’t want to go into the city, so we ate at the Irish pub about five minutes up the road. Breakfast seemed to be considered pretty good by the Americans we heard talking about it. There wasn’t much choice: toast, bagels and apples, while bananas seemed to be available only if you asked. We tried American biscuits and gravy, and there were sausages, cheese omelette and very popular, tasty cinnamon buns. The shuttle to Vernon-Jackson subway station was great, but the return pickup was pretty awful. It takes under 10 minutes to get to the station, and you’re meant to call reception for pickup. We often waited more than 20 minutes, and over 30 on our last night. I called when we arrived and was told the driver was on the way. After 20 minutes, I called again and heard there was traffic, though Waze said otherwise. This is only speculation, but I’m pretty sure he waited longer to give the receptionist a ride home. The receptionist forgot his keys and had to return to the hotel. That was probably the least professional part of the service. As a European, my impression is that Americans would call this a pretty good hotel. I’d stay again, but would probably take an Uber back from the station.

I had a peaceful, enjoyable stay and definitely plan to return. The hotel is close to Manhattan and right by the tunnel, with shuttles available. There’s self-parking in the building as well as free street parking. Jonathan at reception was especially welcoming and accommodating, and got me convenient rooms. The recently built property has great views on either side, and the rooms and amenities are modern, sleek and spacious enough. I enjoyed the breakfast buffet, which had a good selection.

The shuttle was especially handy. We called the front desk, and they advised us about pickup timing and arrangements. It goes to Vernon-Jackson, just 1-3 stops from Grand Central and Times Square. We got back from a Broadway show at 10pm without any trouble. The view was crazy good and made the trip back to Queens so worth it. John and Jonathan made a big difference with their friendly, helpful service. John shared useful tips for getting around like a local and checked in with us to see how things were going. Jonathan was also ready to help with any questions. Breakfast was filling, with pancakes, bagels, sausage, eggs and biscuits. We had a really pleasant stay at Holiday Inn Express Long Island City E. It exceeded our expectations, felt worth the price, and had lots of nice surprises.