Holiday Inn Express & Suites Pasadena - Los Angeles by IHG

I’ve never had a hotel interaction this unprofessional. After a last-minute cross-country trip for a family emergency, I arrived at LAX at 1:30 AM. More than 10 hotels had no rooms. I then called the Holiday Inn reservation line and got a confirmed reservation for 2/21, with my 4 00 AM arrival time clearly noted. I drove over 30 minutes to this property expecting to finally rest. At the front desk, Amber was dismissive and hostile from the start. Before properly checking my reservation, she said there were no more check-ins that night. When I explained I’d booked less than an hour earlier, she said she remembered the reservation coming through but that my card had declined and the booking had been cancelled. I hadn’t received any notification from my bank, and there was no decline, but for about five minutes she kept repeating this in front of other guests who were checking out. It was inaccurate, embarrassing, and offensive to say my card had been declined publicly before verifying who I was. When I asked her to pull up the reservation, she called out a different guest name and asked, “Troy right.” That wasn’t me. I showed her my phone and tried to explain how frustrating it was to have just made a confirmed booking and driven over 30 minutes in the middle of the night. She dismissed me and said, “I don't care what your reservation says, we do not have any rooms.” Even after finding my reservation, she said she couldn’t check me in because she’d run her end-of-day reports, and that I’d have to wait until 2/22, even though it was already 4 AM on 2/22. While I was at the desk, I called the reservation line. The representative confirmed my reservation was valid, that I was at the right property, and that there was a note saying I’d arrive by 4:30 AM. Amber still refused to help. Only when the representative offered me the complaint line did Amber say she’d “go check” whether a room was clean. Suddenly, there was one. To me, that suggested the problem wasn’t availability, but an unwillingness to help. I wasn’t in my room until around 5:30 AM. I paid $364 dollars for roughly five hours in the room after an exhausting cross-country flight for a family emergency. The hallways smelled strongly and unpleasantly, and the odor carried into the rooms. For $364 dollars and only a few hours’ rest, the property and service were unacceptable. As an IHG member, I know the brand’s expectations for hospitality, respect, and professionalism. This treatment didn’t align with IHG values or service standards. Repeating a claim about a declined card without verification, saying you don’t care about a confirmed reservation, and refusing assistance show a lack of respect for guests, IHG standards, and the company and brand she represents. There are cameras at the desk and throughout the property, so the interaction can be reviewed. The footage should show the dismissive behavior, the repeated card statements before verifying my identity, and the lack of professionalism. I expect this to be addressed immediately, along with a full refund.

A great fit for a business trip, with good rooms, amenities, parking, and a delicious continental breakfast. It’s also close to a lot of nice, convenient places. Even for a little getaway, there’s a nail salon, massage salon, and great food nearby. They allow dogs too. 10/10.

We had a comfortable weekend stay with friends. The hotel was clean, breakfast was complimentary, and the staff were friendly. Service was quick and smooth, and the mountain view from the lobby was amazing. Thanks for making it an enjoyable trip.

The biggest problem was the parking. There were only two handicap spots, and all the spaces seemed meant for small cars. People were parked crooked, making it impossible to fit a car, probably because the spots are so small. Poor design. It’s an okay place to sleep and rest. The front desk man was great at resolving a check-in issue at 200 am on 10-17-25, after something went wrong during a phone conversation with a woman at 944 am on 10-16-25. The hallway carpets were old, and the room TV was small, maybe 21 inches.