Holiday Inn St Louis-Forest Pk/Hampton Ave

HORRIBLE. My room smelled awful, and the elevator didn't work even though I was put on the 7th floor. She wouldn't return my deposit and accused me of smoking. I DON'T SMOKE. The room already smelled bad, but I was grateful just to have a bed after a long trip, so I didn't complain. She only gave back the deposit after she realized I was recording.

From check-in through checkout, everything went smoothly and felt welcoming. The staff were professional, friendly, and quick to help. My room was spacious and comfortable, a good place to unwind after a long day. The whole hotel, including the common areas, was exceptionally clean and well maintained.

The front desk employee deserves credit: when the website price turned out to be $50 lower than the hotel's rate, he honored the original amount. But getting there was a mess. The hotel's website gives you a price and emails a confirmation saying your room is reserved, but apparently the reservation system doesn't communicate with the front desk, so the booking isn't actually made. Its text also looks obviously AI-generated, and the site felt almost like a slapped-together phishing page. The footer says a guy on Fiverr made it. If you book online, use Expedia or another third-party travel site. I'd recommend calling instead. Our website confirmation number was #874, so I assume nearly 900 people have had the same nonsense. The room had plenty of problems too. The sink was missing its pop-up stopper, the dresser had no knob, and the balcony door barely worked. The toilet was installed very crooked, hair was stuck to the bathroom ceiling with static electricity, and the bathroom door and walls were grimy and needed scrubbing. The beds seemed clean enough for a hotel. We won't stay again.

The rooms are spacious, nice, and clean, the staff are helpful, and the price is good for what you get. Make reservations in advance. I locked myself out when the door lock unhinged and got caught between the wall and door frame, but the guy working that morning was a rock star at getting it unstuck. I didn't bring my swimsuit, but the pool looked very clean and private, a bit like an oasis. I'll have to come back sometime next year for a swim.