Holiday Inn Express San Diego South - National City by IHG

We were accused of smoking even though neither of us has ever smoked. One of us is a cancer survivor and asthmatic. IHG customer service says the hotel recorded that we had smoked. I'm still fighting a $260 charge, and I shut off my card before they could charge more. The hotel also froze my IHG account and held my points while demanding more money. The trouble started when the fire alarm went off in our room as soon as my wife began showering. The first employee apologized and understood that we hadn't smoked, and that the shower had set it off. A second employee arrived angry, agreed there had been no smoking, then insisted we were financially responsible and immediately kicked us out. I've spent more than 30 weeks a year in hotels for work and have been an IHG Platinum Elite member, formerly Diamond for years. I've never had hotel staff treat me this way. I also wouldn't recommend IHG, since customer service didn't support a loyal member when this happened. If you have to stay with IHG, consider highly secured payment methods, rotating card numbers, prepaid cards, etc. They can charge you without reason, and disputing it can be difficult and take a long time. Avoid this place at all costs.

Johnathan, the night Manager, was the best part of this hotel and the reason I'd come back. I couldn't sleep one night, so I went down to the lobby. He was really friendly, and we chatted between customers. It was quiet that night. The hotel was also close to the San Diego Zoo, and it was nice and clean. The staff were very nice.

We booked to rest and get a good night's sleep, not to hear footsteps from other guests. We were on the third floor, and on the second day we could hear people walking around upstairs from late evening until midnight. I don't know how many people were in that room. I mentioned it early the next morning, but the same noise kept us awake on our last evening. The receptionist said they might have just come home from work. That's no excuse when other guests are trying to sleep. The room was okay otherwise.

It's past midnight and there's a party outside my window. I asked to move to the other side of the building because I can't sleep, and I have to drive everyone with me for more than four hours in the morning. They showed no remorse and said parties happen, and that the manager wouldn't let them move me. This is the worst hotel customer service I've ever experienced.