Holiday Inn Express & Suites Rockport - Bay View by IHG

After speaking with a manager, who was polite and explained the situation, I'd recommend this hotel to a friend. I'm leaving my original concern here because it may help someone traveling with a pet for the first time. The room was great, the location good, and the front desk staff were great. My issue was the lack of clarity about fees. We booked a pet-friendly room assuming our pet could stay, but a pet fee was charged to my card. I had given my card details explicitly and only for a refundable hold, and the desk had a full sheet explaining that hold, yet nobody mentioned the pet fee beforehand. That felt pretty lousy. They could disclose it in the same way. At the time I wrote this, $86 was about two tanks of gas, and I would have liked to know so I could budget for it. I also think hotels should explain pet travel responsibilities for first-timers.

Stay at Hampton Inn & Suites Rockport-Fulton. We loved it last time: the suite worked well for one traveler with extra bags or a family with two toddlers, breakfast had good waffles, and the front desk staff seemed happy to chat with guests. I'm writing from the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Rockport - Bay View by IHG, wishing I'd booked there again. The rooms here are outdated, there are no smart TVs, every ice machine on every floor is broken, and I was told at check-in that the pancake and waffle maker was out of order. Management doesn't seem to care about upkeep. The front desk employee was doing her job, but didn't seem interested in interacting with guests. The Wi-Fi is slower than a Verizon hotspot, and Verizon doesn't even get full bars in town. Don't stay at this crummy Holiday Inn Express & Suites.

We only booked because it showed up through IHG and was five minutes from our plans. The place looked like it hadn't been cleaned in years, and the front desk woman wasn't friendly or helpful. Whenever we went into the lobby, she was too busy on her phone. Parking was awful, too. The main area is so cramped that cars end up backed right up to an old, gross-looking apartment building. The whole setup felt sketchy.

The location was the best part, and that's the main reason I'd come back. The rooms have been updated, but need serious upkeep. They were only kind of clean, though the king beds were a comfortable height for us tall folks. We had a microwave, coffee maker, mini fridge, desk, and lounge chair. My kids thought the included warm breakfast was okay. The evening and morning desk staff weren't especially friendly, though the evening woman did speak to us and offer complimentary water.