Holiday Inn Toledo-Maumee (I-80/90) by IHG

I was pleasantly surprised by how nice the hotel was for the price. I booked through hotels.com for a crafting weekend and wanted to be near Holland. The parking lot was tidy and in good shape, with several entrances, and the staff at the front door were professional and let me check in 15 minutes early. My room had a coffee maker, a small fridge, and a microwave. I can’t remember the exact price, but it was affordable and competitive. There’s no free breakfast, though you can buy breakfast or dinner at the little bistro. It gets so echoey in there that you can barely hear yourself when groups are around. I visit Toledo now and then for different things.

The room was larger than a typical hotel room and had plenty of storage. The beds and pillows were very comfortable, and the staff were friendly. We got vouchers for the breakfast buffet in the hotel restaurant, but it was the usual hotel breakfast and not very good. Drinks were free, though you had to order them at the table through a waitress, so expect to tip for a beverage. Our waitress was so nice that tipping her was no problem. Still, the cleaning needed more attention. On the morning we left, my husband flipped back the blankets and a toenail clipping fell on the floor. None of us had cut our nails during the stay, which was pretty disturbing.

The bartender couldn’t say what drinks they had or could make, and the elevators were painfully slow. There were also a couple of dirty towels left in my bathroom from whoever stayed before me. Staff seemed dazed and confused whenever I asked a question. It’s a Holiday Inn, I guess, and the place felt like lipstick on a pig. If I’m working in this area again, I’d go to the Home2 Suites down the street.

The hotel itself was nice and clean, but I had a couple of issues. I booked through the hotel website and saw a total, then at check-in they told me there’d be a $50 incidental hold. It wasn’t a big deal, but it hadn’t been made clear when I booked. The pool was very small, too. We paid for the breakfast bar and didn’t think it was worth the money, though our server was friendly. She said we didn’t owe anything but that tips were appreciated. I’ve worked in food service and tip generously, but the comment made us feel almost obligated to leave one.