Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Van Wert by IHG

For four months, I stayed here three or four nights a week for work, and the experience was great. Ashley at the front desk was helpful every time I checked in, and she gave me good suggestions for food and things to do around town. The breakfast could be a bit better, but it was still better than at some other places I've stayed.

The room and building were good, but service at the desk was missing. The staff member was rude and spoke so quietly I could barely hear. During breakfast, another staff member sat in the dining room on their phone, talking loudly. I've stayed at a lot of Holiday Inns, and in my opinion they could do much better.

The room was gross. My feet went black within minutes, so I had to put my shoes back on. There were crumbs all over the carpet by the couch, ketchup spilled inside the fridge, and the bathtub felt dirty. I couldn't wait to check out. The service was mostly nonexistent too. My wife first spoke with Gretchen to confirm the reservation, and she was unhelpful and seemed uninterested. I called back and Kyle was pleasant and willing to assist. At check-in, a short-haired girl with tattoos and a Notorious BIG shirt didn't acknowledge us or make us feel welcome. A woman came in to relieve her and wished us a good day. I ran into that woman in the parking lot an hour later and she was friendly, so I told her what had happened. Her name was Ashley, and she was carrying out trash because no one had emptied the bins in front or in the lobby. She apologized for her younger coworkers. Apart from Ashley and Kyle, the service was nonexistent.

They advertised breakfast until 9:30, but at 8:45 there was no warm breakfast. That's bogus. What did I pay $200 a night for? Do better.