Holiday Inn Boston - Cambridge Area by IHG

The pool area was a real hit with my son, and he loved the extra cot because he’s a “big boy” who can sleep on his own. The location is handy too, close to Legoland and plenty of places to eat and shop. The lobby and room looked clean. Still, this was one of my worst hotel stays, especially since I travel for work nearly twice a month and have stayed all over the country. It was my first time at a Holiday Inn, and I’m not eager to repeat it. The room had several problems: three broken lamps even though there’s no overhead light, a shower that leaked and never got hot, a toilet that wouldn’t flush properly, and a bathroom door that wouldn’t shut. The room door also wouldn’t close unless pulled firmly, and a woman walked right in before we realized. There was metal sticking out beside the bed, and only one elevator worked for the whole building. The pool door was locked, so I had to ask the desk to let me in each time. Once I came back from my room and asked to re-enter, and the staff member said the pool was closed. I told her I’d just been in it, and she said, “oh yea.” The front desk staff generally didn’t know basic things like pool hours. One woman seemed to know the answers. When I lost a room key and called for a replacement, I was told to come downstairs, even though I needed a key to use the elevator. I asked about the stairs and was told there weren’t any, then eventually was told someone could try to bring a key up. The whole exchange felt clueless. The restaurant wasn’t open for dinner despite what the website said. Breakfast was limited to eggs, sausage, bacon, dry potatoes, bread, soggy fruit, cereal, and oatmeal. They asked what I wanted to drink but never brought it, then delivered the check 20 minutes later when I needed to leave for our Legoland time slot. The lobby coffee was empty, and the coffee maker in my room didn’t work. The gym had just three machines and some dumbbells.