Holiday Inn Louisville Downtown by IHG

Check-in was quick and easy, and I think the staff member's name was Jackie. She noticed my wife's diamond elite status and was welcoming, professional, and very hospitable. The room was clean and cozy. Breakfast was fair, though I'd like more options. I enjoyed the stay and would recommend the location. I'll be back soon.

I recently stayed at Holiday Inn for work and enjoyed it. The room was clean and the staff were pleasant. I had a couple of booking problems, but the GM, Mr. Gibbs, was a big help and got everything sorted quickly.

The front desk staff were kind, but that was the one bright spot in a badly neglected stay. I had to switch rooms after finding roaches and seeing that my first room hadn't been vacuumed. Behind the curtains, part of the ceiling had fallen down. I was traveling with my one-year-old and picked the place because it called itself family-friendly. Maybe it could be, if it were clean, but it wasn't. Moving me to another floor and saying they'd talk to housekeeping didn't fix anything. There still wasn't vacuuming, toilet paper was taken away and not replaced, and dirty towels were left in place of the clean ones. They made the bed and fluffed the tissues, but those little touches didn't amount to cleaning. The housekeeping felt unprofessional and below even the basics. When I raised the issue again, they offered a breakfast voucher, which I turned down. The dining area was badly understaffed, and roughly 80% of the menu wasn't available. No pancakes, no waffles. Coffee and omelets seemed to be the only reliable choices. There were other problems everywhere. The hallway carpet looked like it hadn't been cleaned in ages. Room phones didn't work, so I had to go to the desk or call on my cell. My key card stopped working every day, which meant another trip to the front desk. Laundry was listed as an amenity, but staff said they couldn't access it, and the machines needed quarters that management didn't supply. I've stayed in several hotels on this trip, and this was easily the worst, a one-star experience. The property advertises things guests can't really use, and it feels like corners are being cut throughout. It came across as a bait-and-switch. Other reviews suggest ownership may apologize and say it's being addressed, but from my experience, management's cheapness has left staff and guests dealing with the consequences.

Adrian made the bar worth a stop all by himself. He knew the wine cellar, the bottles and the mixing options, and made me a drink suited to what I like, with very generous but legal pours. He also kept the conversation lively, sharing travel stories while showing real interest in our own trips and plans. I got useful suggestions from him for downtown events and hiking in the Smokies. Even if you only come to the hotel bar, Adrian makes it time well spent.