Holiday Inn Express Chicago-st. Charles

I stay in hotels 150-175 nights a year and have for the past 15 years, and this place is among the three worst I’ve experienced. The room was clean, but the furniture was old, with broken-down desk chairs and terrible interior lighting. Outside lights were far too bright and couldn’t be blocked, and the walls were paper thin. Even the towels felt like sandpaper. You can tell as soon as you pull into the lot that the owners aren’t putting money back into the property. BW should be embarrassed to have its name on this dump. The Comfort Inn across the street looks much better. I’ll never stay here again, even if they paid me.

This felt more like a motel, and the company’s photos seemed inaccurate or very outdated. Still, the rooms were okay, the beds comfortable, and the price decent enough. It’s not for someone looking for a lavish stay, but I’d come back to St. Charles and stay here again. The continental breakfast was basic, not the worst I’ve had, and did the job. We booked two rooms for three nights. When we asked for ground-floor rooms on arrival, the desk staff member was extremely friendly and accommodating.

The curtains were shredded, and the photos of the rooms and motel looked nothing like what we paid for. It was old, smelly, and poorly kept. For the location, it should be shut down. This was the worst “hotel” stay I’ve ever had, and it wasn’t worth the money.

The staff are why I’m giving this five stars. We needed to add a day, and there were two of us in separate rooms. My friend was expecting to switch rooms, which was fine with us, but just after I got to my room the front desk called to say he could stay put. They had contacted the guest due to move into his room. That guest was booked in a King and moving to two Queens, and it turned out they preferred the two Queens. It worked out for everyone, and the extra effort meant a lot. We were already happy, but that was great customer service. The room was standard, clean, and crisp, with a very firm bed and a quiet atmosphere for a motel. Breakfast was great, though the area was small and tight. I wish the coffee were bolder.