Holiday Inn Louisville East - Hurstbourne by IHG

The hallways could use some air freshener, since there's a slight odor as you walk through the building. But the staff made me feel so welcome that I'll be back. Chef Kerry, I think that's his name, is a wonderful cook and a warm, spirited person with great conversation. Ms. Angie was just as welcoming, with real wisdom and an easy way of talking. The young woman who checked us in was helpful and genuinely kind too, though I can't remember her name. She knows who she is. Thanks to everyone for being so accommodating.

The front desk team were professional, and Montez in particular was great, but this was the worst hotel I've taken my kids to. During our Christmas-week booking for six nights, the hallways smelled damp and musty, and fans were scattered around drying wet carpet. On the fourth night, my sons got sick with some kind of virus, which wasn't the hotel's fault. One of them vomited on the carpet, so staff moved us to another room. I took the boys to the ER and didn't get back until about 3 a.m. We spent much of the following day in the room while they slept. That night I saw bugs crawling on the sheets of my son's bed. I caught one alive on a towel and took it to the desk. Montez agreed it was a bed bug, apologized and moved us again. The next room smelled damp and musty too. Its blinds didn't work, the chair was peeling, and the carpet felt sticky. In the morning I asked about a refund. The desk clerk said the manager was away for the holidays and would call Monday. No call came. I messaged IHG on Facebook and was told the manager would email, but I got no email, call or refund. If a call was made, no message was left, and my spam blocker may have screened it. I'm not asking for the whole stay back, but I don't think I should pay for a room with bed bugs. When I followed up with IHG Corporate, they said the hotel reported calling me, identifying the insect as a stink bug rather than a bed bug, noting two earlier room moves because of vomit, and finding no bug during an inspection of the third room. I showed the food service manager my video and said the hotel seemed unusually empty. He said it usually was, and sent the video to the GM, who didn't respond. The bugs in the video were definitely not a stink bug. Do not stay here.

What made this weekend work was how welcoming people were. The GM let me use an office on Friday, then shared some of his stash of strong coffee pods with me and another mom when we ran out. Maintenance, the bartender and front desk staff were all kind and tried to help. When the lobby heat went out, they brought in a space heater. It barely helped, but the effort mattered. We'd read a lot of bad reviews before coming, and tournament rules and our team size left us little choice, so we were nervous. The outside didn't ease that feeling: the hotel is behind a worn, single-story row that looked like an old motel, with a sign saying “studio apts coming soon.” The back entrance wasn't inviting, and siding was missing from the awning. Inside, though, the lobby was big, with room for several groups, and the elevators were fast. Our fourth-floor hallway had an old, musky casino-like smell. The room was decent, clean enough, stocked with essentials, and the HVAC worked, almost too well because it made the room warm. The TVs had no signal at first, but that was fixed later. The pool was far enough from the lobby that the kids could splash and be loud without being told to stop being kids, which was a relief. Breakfast wasn't complimentary, a letdown on a busy tournament weekend. Coffee was free, and the restaurant dinner was surprisingly good. The hotel won't be perfect, brand new or smell like daisies, and I still showered at home and washed everything I brought, like I do wherever I stay. There's no place like home, but this one helped us get through a long weekend and made us feel heard and comfortable.

It's only the first day of our convention, but Montez at the front desk and Lance at the bar and restaurant have already made the stay great. Montez helped print a flyer, answered our questions and has been so nice. Lance was on top of everything, especially impressive since he seemed to be the only server. The breakfast buffet at $15 per person feels a bit steep, though I know some people eat more than one plate, so I'm not outraged.