Holiday Inn Express Towson - Baltimore North by IHG

I’ve used this particular Holiday Inn Express in Towson/Baltimore close to half a dozen times for work and pleasure, and I’m always greeted by employees, even the GM at breakfast. The staff are clean, friendly, and accommodating. Ciara, I hope I’ve spelled that right, is especially pleasant, personal, friendly, and helpful at the daytime check-in desk. Keep up the five-star service. Thank you, Jessie aka Boston/Baltimore.

The room was clean and spacious, with a comfortable bed, free parking, and a great breakfast selection. Wunmi was checking in with guests at breakfast and seemed nice and genuinely interested in how my stay was going. I still had the worst night’s sleep because a child next door was screaming at 2:30 a.m. and again at 5:30. I called the front desk, but I’m not sure they did anything. It wasn’t entirely the hotel’s fault, but if you need a good night’s sleep, I guess ask for a room away from other people. They also add a $1 fee for the security box in the room. I’ve never heard of that at an IHG property. The front desk guy who checked me in said they could remove it at checkout if I didn’t use it. I asked, and the morning desk lady said they don’t usually take it off, but she’d make an exception because of what I’d been told. It’s only a dollar, but the fee feels a bit exploitative.

Brandon was helpful at check-in, and I had a peaceful stay in this quiet area. It’s just off the highway with ample parking, and there’s a plaza with restaurants and a Target grocery store within a five-minute drive. The rooms are spacious, with comfortable beds and good amenities. Mine had a table that pulled out for work or easy dining. Breakfast had a good mix of hot and cold items, including a fresh pancake maker, and the lobby had coffee and muffins available 24/7. Edit: I was charged extra on my deposit even though I didn’t use the in-room safe. I’d been told the deposit would be fully released if I didn’t use it.

We were told refunds aren’t given, only points, when we brought up our concerns. We’ve stayed at many hotels and know some noise happens, but this was well beyond an ordinary inconvenience. We wouldn’t recommend this hotel to families or to anyone wanting a safe, clean, restful stay. Children ran up and down the hall and slammed doors until nearly 2:00 a.m. There was no effective intervention from staff, and we couldn’t sleep. All night, numerous people seemed to be coming and going from the room directly beside ours, which made us feel unsafe and uncomfortable. We didn’t trust that the front desk would handle a complaint discreetly, so we stayed in our room. Then at about 10:00 the next morning, staff were banging loudly on doors even though checkout wasn’t until 11:00. After a sleepless night, it felt unnecessary and very unprofessional. Check-in had also been disorganized and took much longer than expected while staff were on the phone and guests waited. During holidays, they should manage the lines and traffic better. The rooms are outdated and need renovation, and our bathroom wasn’t very clean. The hotel is mid at best for the price. Our experience was extremely disappointing and concerning, and I rarely leave a negative review, but I felt I had to warn people. Antoinette Spaulding and Darryl Spaulding