Holiday Inn Express Mystic

For a one-night visit, this was a pleasant stay. The hotel has most of the basics, and there’s a bus route nearby to New London. It’s also close to the tourist area, with Olde Mistick Village and the Aquarium within walking distance, restaurants nearby, and I-95 just up the street. I came with family, so I can’t comment on the price, but I might return if we don’t get another snowstorm. The rooms are open and spacious, the beds were very comfortable and clean, and complimentary breakfast is included. There’s a TV, microwave, and cooler in the room, plus ice machines, a small gym, pool, laundry room, and ATM in the building. A few annoyances: the hallways creak, some outlets are loose or only work in certain positions, and the cooler doesn’t really chill food unless it’s in the holder surrounded by ice. It also took me a while to figure out the window shades.

We’d absolutely stay here again, probably for longer next time. The location works perfectly for a quick Mystic trip, and our clean room had very comfortable beds. Breakfast offered several tasty choices and rich coffee, plus the entertaining automated pancake machine. Another guest had posted about the hot water and staff. We did find the hot water a little finicky and had to wait a few minutes for it to warm up. We also heard the guest’s loud conversation with the front desk in the lobby while we were eating breakfast. I’m sorry they were frustrated, but there are more appropriate ways to handle a problem than screaming and disrupting everyone. The desk staff member handled it gracefully. I don’t usually refer to another review, but thought management might appreciate a different perspective.

Breakfast was great, and the hotel is close to restaurants and attractions. Our room was lovely, with very comfortable beds. The first floor was noisy the first night because we could hear small children running around in the room above us. Once they left, it was quiet.

The hotel is nice and the customer service was 10/10. General manager Brandon was welcoming and very helpful during our stay, also a 10/10. But one late night we found a roach crawling on the counter by the microwave and fridge. We had no food there, and nothing left open. I reported it to Brandon, who said he’d take care of it and get someone on it right away. He offered to move us to another room. That incident is why I gave two stars. Without it, I’d highly recommend the hotel.