Holiday Inn Express Ramsey-Mahwah by IHG

The manager went out of his way to recognize my military service. It wasn’t necessary, but I appreciated it a lot. The staff are kind, and the hotel is clean and spacious. They also leave bottled water and bananas for guests, which is a thoughtful touch. I’d definitely stay here again if I’m in the area.

After a long day of travel and an ungodly experience at MetLife stadium, we arrived with a Priceline prepaid booking. Usually third-party bookings don’t get much warmth, but the handsome young man who checked us in was so friendly that I relaxed right away. Complimentary bottled water, bananas 🍌, and a great selection of teas were waiting in the lobby. The Dove products in the bathroom and shower were a nice extra, and those little things helped make up for the rest of my trip. I’m picky, and I loved it here. I wouldn’t consider staying anywhere else if I come back this way. The general manager, or maybe the owner, gave me wipes in the morning so I could clean some things out of my car. I stayed up late watching a movie on HBO and missed breakfast. There are lots of channels. We had dinner at Houlihan's, pretty much within walking distance. The service was great and the food was good. A couple of miles away in Allendale, there’s a wonderful liquor store in a beautiful, quaint Boro, and it was cheap. A note for ownership: you go above and beyond, and it shows. You could save some money by turning down the hallway air conditioning. I appreciated the cool property, but it was blasting unnecessarily hard on Sunday night. ✌️

We were four guests for seven nights, and the friendly staff and amenities made up for several annoyances. The appearance was pleasant, and there was fresh ground coffee, tea, and hot cocoa available around the clock. This was the best hotel breakfast I’ve ever had, and we’d absolutely come back. The room temperature kept swinging between too hot and too cold. The TV wasn’t smart, and Direct TV was the only service. It would blink out when it rained. The hallway noise was especially annoying. You could see light and movement around the whole door, hear everything outside, and the door only slammed shut. Hotel room doors should close softly. The shower had plenty of hot water, but the flow was just a trickle, making it hard to rinse off. A few easy updates could make this the nicest, most comfortable place to stay.

They pay attention to little touches, like having hot chocolate at the coffee bar, and the property was great. The area is beautiful, but there are virtually no sidewalks, so it’s hard to walk around.