Holiday Inn Express & Suites Salem by IHG

Jennifer, the manager on duty, went out of her way to help me avoid a major expense. My booking was marked nonrefundable, but an approaching blizzard meant I had to arrive a day early to have a chance of getting out. Jennifer suggested I contact Super.com and explain that she had no objection to canceling. They then asked for an email from the hotel stating the reason and including a signature, so she took quite a bit of time to write and send it. That effort saved me a lot of money, and I’m very grateful. Jennifer is a terrific example of customer service and reflects well on IHG and Holiday Inn Express. Kudos!

Breakfast had lots to choose from and was really good, and the lobby coffee machines made fresh cups whenever we wanted. Our room was clean and nice, with a wonderful mountain view. The hotel had plenty of amenities, though the outdoor pool was closed. We had a great stay and would recommend this as a comfortable place for the night, with good service.

The view was great, and the location worked well for getting to hiking trails, I-81, downtown Salem, and Roanoke college. Staff were friendly, and the breakfast was better than I expect from a hotel. The 24-hour gym was a nice extra. The pool was covered even though it was still hot, and I wish there were an outdoor hangout area with things like couches or a fire pit. There are different room types, but we couldn’t get a king bed or a room with a couch. No alcohol at the hotel, though the nearby gas station sells beer and a little wine.

We were worn out from driving across the country with our cat and needed somewhere that would take us, so I booked a last-minute deal through IHG. As a platinum member, I asked for a view-room upgrade when we arrived, and the view was quite something. We were too tired to head out, so we got food delivered from Frank's. It wasn’t that great, but we were hungry. The front desk team was really friendly and helpful, and breakfast was the usual HIE. In the morning we went birding and geocaching. Salem is a nice town and worth visiting.