Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Detroit-Novi by IHG

Charmaine at breakfast made the stay memorable. Her warm, upbeat energy welcomed me as soon as I walked in, and the food was delicious. She clearly puts care into what she does, and you can feel that in the atmosphere. She's a gem, and the hotel is lucky to have her.

The room was clean, at least, but after one night my chronic pain is worse than when I arrived. The mattress was so firm and uncomfortable that I spent the night tossing and turning, and the thin, flimsy pillows offered almost no support. The air conditioning barely worked and kept making a loud, high-pitched squeal through the night. The bathroom light switch is outside the bathroom by the room door, and with no ambient lighting it's hard to find your way in the dark. I'm glad we only booked one night.

The room and breakfast were good, and the staff were kind and friendly. The problem was room 207, where my husband and I spent our anniversary. Its window looked onto a messy rooftop scattered with things, and the heavy curtain was kept tightly shut, making the room feel closed in and almost prison-like. The view made us uncomfortable and completely spoiled what should have been a happy anniversary. If the hotel assigns this room, guests should be told beforehand or charged less. I strongly suggest refusing room 207.

Charmaine in the food area was so positive, kind, and accommodating that meeting her made the stay worthwhile. I was there over New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, and it was lovely to start the year by meeting someone like her. Charmaine, keep being amazing on purpose! The hotel itself was really nice, though if you're on the second floor, avoid the room by the roof equipment. The knocking went on overnight and woke me earlier than I wanted.