Holiday Inn Exp Stes Norman by IHG

There are plenty of dinner options around the hotel, and being in Norman south of Oklahoma City helped us avoid the morning commuter traffic. It’s easy to reach from the interstate. We enjoyed our stay: the room was clean, quiet, and convenient.

It’s easy to get to, with lots of shopping and restaurants nearby, and there was plenty of parking. The location was probably the best part of the stay. The room was spacious and the AC kept up well at 67°. Still, there were paint chips on the walls, what looked like mold spots on the shower head and curtain rod, and the room with the pullout bed needed better lighting. There were no sheets or blankets for that bed. Only one elevator was working, and its control panel was held on with plastic and tape. The pool was closed for maintenance when we arrived, though it reopened the next morning. It was heated, but the area by the hot tub smelled like urine, so we stayed in the pool area.

BED BUGS!!! I wish I’d checked the reviews before booking. I was lying on the bed with the light on, relaxing before sleep, when I saw two bed bugs heading toward me. This was room 306 on the third floor. I packed up fast and went to the lobby. The desk just offered another room, without seeming surprised or concerned. The second room, 420 on the fourth floor at the other end of the hall, looked dirty even though I didn’t see bugs there. There was a dead beetle behind the bed and trash, like nobody cleaned behind it. The plastic bed bug cover was ripped, so it wouldn’t protect against bugs coming from the third floor. Super disgusting. I’ll never stay here again. The location is the only good thing, and there are better hotels next door.

This was our second stay here, and they serviced our room every day. We tend to sleep in, but housekeeping still took care of it without any problem. Ericka was pleasant and chatted with us at check-in. The hotel was clean, and the paved parking lot was in good shape. It’s one of the better Holiday Inns.