Holiday Inn Express South Burlington Downtown by IHG

Christine served a lovely breakfast, and the Spanish omelettes were wonderful. The room was beautiful, clean, and had no odors. The shower could have had stronger pressure and hotter water. The fitness center is small, but perfectly usable and adequate. Everyone was friendly, and I had a nice stay.

Christine in the breakfast area was stupendous. She kept the trays fresh and full, the room neat, and always had a smile. One evening the desk clerk, a tall man with ginger hair who I think was named EJ, was kind and apologetic when I asked why our room had been missed by housekeeping the day before. He brought clean towels promptly, even with lots of people in the lobby. He said they’d been short-staffed that day. We had a good 10-day stay while visiting Vermont. My other nuisance was that there’s no ice machine on the third floor, so we had to go down to the second floor twice a day. I’d recommend this hotel for either a short or extended visit, but if having ice nearby matters, choose the first or second floor.

For $154 plus fees, I expected a lot more. The room was smallish, plain, and sparse, and the bathroom was so tiny it felt almost like a closet. Its one small window was dirty, with a huge smudge on the outside, and looked onto flat-roofed buildings. The hotel may be newly renovated, but this felt like a $99 room at best. I won’t return.

The rooms shared with my sister were both spotless, with comfortable beds, and the showers were impressive in size. The decor was lovely, while the dining area was stylish and tidy, with fresh food that stayed replenished. Cleanliness is a big deal for me. I’m very OCD about it, usually traveling with cleaning supplies and sleeping in a sleeping bag so I don’t touch the linens. I didn’t need to do that here. I can’t say enough about how immaculate the property was. I’ve stayed at many Holiday Inn Express hotels and they’ve generally been decent, but this one was a cut above. Overnight staff member Shanaye, morning staff member Suzette, and breakfast attendant Christine were all stellar: kind, friendly, attentive, responsive, and professional. I’d absolutely recommend staying here. It was more than a five-star experience.