Holiday Inn Phoenix-Mesa/Chandler by IHG

We’re staying here as a family while supporting our grandfather on hospice, so this has been a very emotional time. The hotel gave us some comfort and ease, and we’re deeply grateful for such a warm, cozy, genuinely kind place. At Holiday Inn Mesa, Arizona, check-in was calm and incredibly friendly. Raul, the kitchen manager, was delightful, kind, attentive, and accommodating. The whole staff made us feel welcome, and our rooms were clean and comfortable.

The bed was incredible. I’m a serious insomniac, but I fell asleep right away and slept like a dream. The room was simple, not fancy, but very clean, with a nice step-in shower, a motion-sensor bathroom light, and good lighting behind the mirror. I’d read reviews praising the beds before I came, and now I see why. I missed dinner at the cactus Cafe two nights in a row because I planned to eat late and didn’t know it closed early on “slow nights.” The little shop had snacks and drinks, so I didn’t go hungry, but I’d rather have tried the cafe. Staff gave me conflicting information about timings, closing days, and what was open. Everyone was nice and friendly, though; it was confusing to hear different answers. The buffet breakfast was nicely presented with a good selection, but it wasn’t very hot, including the bacon, which was tasty. The man who seemed to run breakfast was helpful and friendly. I didn’t get time to use the spa, but it and the pool looked lovely. The location just off i-60 was handy for getting around the East valley. My room faced a low roof cluttered with coolers, internet discs and wires, and mechanical equipment, so the view from there wasn’t much. Looking past it and i-60, though, I could see the beautiful Superstition Mountains. The surrounding area was clean, and housekeeping always seemed busy. There’s an ATM by the lobby elevator, brochures for entertainment, and a bar open every day except Sunday. I didn’t get to visit the bar. Prices seemed reasonable, and I’d stay again with a specific request for a room with a better view. I do recommend this Holiday Inn.

We arrived and settled in before realizing there was construction happening, with drilling and banging through the day and into the night. The next morning I got a notice that fire drills would sound from 8am-6pm the following day. No one let us know about either issue at check-in, and I would’ve picked a different hotel for my party, which included older people who are very sensitive sleepers. When I raised the noise with staff, they were dismissive and rude, and seemed not to care. Breakfast was uncomfortable too. Restaurant staff kept following us around and bothering us about vouchers and dishes, then brought a check even though breakfast was supposed to be free. I assume they wanted a tip. It was a buffet, with no table service; we just wanted to eat and visit, but felt like a bother.

The pool was so cold it was unusable, since it wasn’t heated. From Thursday on, large groups of kids on sports teams checked in for the weekend and kept running up and down the hall, making noise and disrupting things. They gathered in the hallway to eat too. Only one of the two elevators was working.