Holiday Inn Express Plainwell by IHG

I’m extremely disappointed with how Holiday Inn express in Plainwell Michigan handled my reservation while I was traveling from Oklahoma to see my dying sister. I was already under a lot of emotional stress. Their reservation system had a glitch and couldn’t take my card details to hold the room, so Haley told me not to worry and said we could pay when we arrived. When I called last week, I was told the booking had been canceled, though I hadn’t canceled it. Haley sent me to the general manager, who said it had been canceled online. I had done everything by phone and nothing online. He said his staff hadn’t canceled it, then refused to honor the original nightly rate because the price had gone up. That wasn’t my fault, and I hadn’t canceled anything, but he wouldn’t budge. I’m sure the system glitch they were having caused the problem. I booked a room at the higher rate anyway, then called back later to cancel it. I just couldn’t do business with a place that treated me so rudely. The general manager was dismissive and unprofessional instead of showing compassion, and several times he reminded me that he was the general manager. That kind of disrespect toward someone dealing with a family emergency is unacceptable. Customer service and empathy matter when problems come up, especially ones caused by the hotel’s own system. Management should reconsider how guests are treated in these situations.

Tiffany at the front desk made a great first impression. From the moment she answered my call to book, her warmth and effort went beyond what we expected. She was charming, professional, and focused on service. This place will do well if it keeps up the standard she showed. Ten stars because of her.

The grandkids loved swimming in the pool before we checked out Sunday, and it was a great way to start the day. My wife and I were in town this weekend to see our daughter, her husband, and our two grandchildren. The free breakfast was good, the staff made the stay a great experience, and the hallways and rooms had that lovely fresh, new smell. This Holiday Inn Express in Plainwell, Michigan, just north of Kalamazoo by about 10 minutes, had only been open for three weeks. We’ve stayed at the other two Holiday Inn’s in Kalamazoo, and they always had pool issues or something not quite right. We’ll definitely return next time we head to Kalamazoo.

The rooms were in great shape, and the service was impeccable at the newest Holiday Inn Express.