Holiday Inn Express Suites Van Buren-Ft Smith Area by IHG

The rooms are usually nice, and the other male manager was kind and respectful. We appreciated the other employees trying to help, but our issue still wasn't resolved because the woman manager at the front desk was, in my experience, negligent. She was rude and inconsiderate, going “pfft” and snickering at every question.

I stayed a few days ago and am still waiting for my incidental funds to be released. They took the money right away but seem in no hurry to return it. I was also given checkout until noon, yet they called my room at 11 a.m. and housekeeping knocked five minutes later. I left at 11:07, so the late checkout didn't mean much. Do yourself a favor and stay at Laquinta or Hampton.

The indoor pool was warm enough to relax in, unlike the chilly pools at other local hotels. Breakfast buffet was nice, and the hotel sits well back from the road, so it was very quiet. There are a few fast food dinner options within walking distance. A very good choice at this exit.

It was nice and quiet, and the missing in-room dryer wasn't a big deal since I could request one. But the room price felt far too high: Google listed it at $107, while I paid $171 for the night plus a $50 pet fee. The pet charge was $25 more than the one at a Holiday Inn Express in New Mexico the night before. This Arkansas location also said members don't get complimentary water, though I had received it in New Mexico. The towels looked like they'd been picked up off the floor and loosely folded. I found what looked very much like a pube hair folded into a hanging washcloth, which I was using to try to clean an existing floor stain. The pillow and sheets didn't smell washed. The water tasted as if it had Clorox in it, though I didn't mind because it smelled clean.