Holiday Inn & Suites Ocala Conference Center by IHG

The staff were polite and helpful, and I did enjoy my stay until I spotted a cockroach on the pillow beside me as I was falling asleep. They moved me to another room, but it was over a service or boiler room and incredibly noisy. The paid breakfast was also disappointing, with only water and coffee and no orange juice. I’m glad the staff handled things well, but the rest of the experience is hard to forget, and I don’t think I’ll return to this location. It’s an unusual place, with glass elevators and friendly people, but noise was a problem from the start. My first room had a loud, strange draft coming through the vent, and the walls are thin. The tub wasn’t clean, and the rooms feel dated and worn, with glass-topped furniture that makes them look dirtier. Repairs and paintwork seem corner-cut. The shower was tucked around a tight bathroom corner, awkward to get into with the door in the way, and surprisingly cramped even for someone small like me.

For this price range, the hotel is great: it was very clean, the staff were friendly and accommodating, and the open lobby was a beautiful surprise. A few things could be better. The blackout curtain didn’t cover the whole window, the shower faucet in the roll-in room was loose and hard to keep at one temperature, and the Wi-Fi started out too weak for streaming. It did improve later.

The dining area was lovely, and the lobby was beautiful, with green decor and a Florida outdoor feel. Staff were helpful at check-in and brought an extra blanket to the room in under 5 minutes. When I needed to use a side entrance because of parking, the overnight clerk John came over to make sure the door was accessible. A really nice stay.

My king bed was very comfortable, and the hotel was clean overall. I was given an end room without a view. I barely interacted with the maids, and my only contact with the Front Desk was at check-in.