Holiday Inn Express & Suites Phoenix - Mesa West

The staff were extremely friendly and helpful, and the hotel felt just like the good Holiday Inn Express properties we’ve stayed at around the country. We were surprised by the negative reviews. From the parking lot you can see a police station, and the hotel sits between two higher-end hotels on clean, attractive streets. My wife felt fine walking around the neighborhood by herself morning and evening. We asked the desk clerk about the bed bug report. She said they call a pest service to inspect rooms whenever they see a report, and that they never find anything.

The breakfast was simple but perfectly fine, with fresh, clean, organized food. The breakfast area itself was tidy and functional, though much smaller than some and short on seating. The building is older and has had some updating; the bathroom was smaller than usual. Still, the room was clean and quiet, with a comfortable bed. The woman at the front desk was wonderful, very welcoming, helpful, and accommodating, with such a sweet personality. Give her a raise immediately! A good choice if you're in the neighborhood.

The room was nice, the general manager was nice, and the bed was comfy. Breakfast tasted good, but the pancake bag needed replacing. The woman on breakfast staff replaced it after I told the front desk, but the machine kept asking questions about the bag and I couldn’t get it to work. The halls and elevator smelled disgusting every time we went somewhere. Also, none of the side doors let you in, so even going to the pool means walking all the way around.

This was easily the worst IHG property I’ve visited, and it reflects terribly on the IHG brand. There are bedbugs here, as mentioned in several reviews. The front desk worker seemed more interested in his phone, and the neighborhood felt deserted and sketchy. Management and staff need to recommit to keeping the place clean and treating customers well. Avoid at all costs.