Crowne Plaza Memphis Downtown by IHG

The customer service, communication, and attention to detail were far below what I expect from a hotel, especially during a major marathon weekend. I stayed for the St. Jude Marathon weekend and wouldn't return or recommend this place. The room phone didn't work, so when I called the front desk, the agent would hang up on me. I had to go downstairs just to speak with staff. At checkout, the associate kept getting my room number wrong while I was trying to explain my concerns. I later emailed management to request a full refund for all the service failures. The general manager responded by depositing points I hadn't asked for. When I said I didn't want points and asked who could help, I was told to contact IHG Guest Relations if I “no longer wanted to deal with property management.” I followed up asking for clarification and got no reply. The problems started on arrival after several delayed flights and heavy rain. The shuttle driver was rude and impatient while I collected my luggage. The front desk agent enthusiastically promoted breakfast without mentioning it wasn't included; I later found out it cost $20-$25. My toilet was broken and unusable, and maintenance was delayed because the front desk gave them the wrong room number. That night, there was no hot water. The hotel texted to ask how they could improve my stay, but nobody answered my reply. My messages through Expedia also went unanswered. When I asked about getting to the airport, staff mentioned only a $25 shuttle or Uber. They didn't tell me the free public transit option was an eight-minute walk away. Either they didn't know basic local information or chose not to mention it, and neither reflects well on their service.

It was our first trip to America, and we loved Memphis. We found the room comfortable, and the beds were amazing. The hotel was brilliant, and reception was very helpful. The real stars were everyone on staff, from the cleaners and restaurant and bar teams to the shuttle bus drivers. They were professional, kind, bubbly, and chatty, and made our holiday perfect. Thank you all.

Both rooms we rented had problems, and paying a premium of $322 per room per night, plus daily parking for two cars, made it especially frustrating. The parking fee was supposed to come with security, but the barriers were broken or simply never used. In our room the door wouldn't close properly unless we shoved it, and there was rust around the light fixtures, chipped and bubbled paint in several spots, and chipped paint in the tub. I could keep going. When I complained to management during the stay, they offered one replacement room that was no better than the other two, plus $50. Afterward, I contacted the general manager, who offered 2,500 points, only about a quarter of what I paid for one night. She refused a refund and wouldn't take the issue to leadership. I've also contacted corporate and guest services, but they don't seem to care about the guest experience. This hotel is in shambles, which amazes me because I've had good experiences with this brand.

The front desk guy, Derek, I believe, was actually great and very professional. The rest of it was rough. The rooms smelled, and the parking gate never closed. They charge $75 for pets, and you have to pick up DoorDash from the lobby. It also seemed like some rooms were housing people in one of the oldest professions around. To top it off, there was a surprise $22 parking fee per vehicle, per night, apparently covered by the $50 incidentals charge.