Holiday Inn Express & Suites Thomasville by IHG

The rooms were spacious, with plenty of cabinet top space for suitcases, and there were lots of high quality linens. The shower was powerful and hot. There was some wear and tear, and the interiors felt dark, like they'd benefit from better lighting. Four stars feels generous. We wouldn't choose the property again because guests made excessive noise, with banging, thumping, and slamming starting at 3:30 a.m.

The continental breakfast attendants were friendly, attentive, and easy to talk to. They deserve a raise. The hotel was very clean and the amenities were well stocked. Some things seemed built into the place: the construction felt flimsy, vehicles on US-19 were audible, the hall floor groaned underfoot, and doors had to be slammed to latch. Nearly every time I passed the desk, someone was having trouble with a reservation.

O'Daylis was the most helpful breakfast attendant I've encountered at a hotel. She checked that my whole group had what they needed, including me, and knew about our drive home. She even suggested a few good places to stop along the way. Raymond also made our check-in with 40-plus people the smoothest and most efficient I've experienced, with a pleasant conversation to go with it. I often travel for work with large groups, and the staff here really showed southern hospitality and made the stay fantastic. Regional manager Douglas made booking, usually a bit of a headache, quick and easy. I'll be back and will recommend the hotel to colleagues traveling this way.

The hotel itself was fine, nothing special. I picked it specifically because the indoor pool would give my kids a chance to burn off some energy after the trip. It was open and indoors, but not heated. I measured the water at about 74 degrees with an Apple Watch. At that temperature, a person can become hypothermic after roughly 30 minutes, which significantly raises the risk of drowning. If having a pool matters to you, don't choose this hotel.