Holiday Inn Express Walnut Creek by IHG

The dead bed bug I found on the second-to-last night, along with a bite on my thigh, was disgusting and overshadowed everything else. I slept on the sofa for my last night. I never felt clean there, and I’m not a germaphobe. I wouldn’t choose to stay again. I was there for ten days. At first I was put in a room on the side of the building where the Wi-Fi was basically unusable. The front desk moved me to a more central first-floor room near the lobby, which I appreciated, but the signal was still unreliable. It improved a little when the hotel wasn’t as full, but was mostly unusable on weekends, so I often worked from nearby coffee shops. The hotel is somewhat outdated. Breakfast was good, and the front desk staff were generally helpful. Special shout-out to the hardworking, attentive man who takes care of the breakfast area every day. Parking is available for an additional $15 a night.

The facility was very clean, and the staff did their best to be friendly. The hotel is under construction, so it has potential, and it was sufficient for what I needed. I was surprised by how much traffic and congestion there was in the area, which never seemed to ease up. Single-pane windows left the rooms cold and damp even with the heater running loudly. There’s also a parking fee that you don’t hear about until registration.

The room had several problems, and I wouldn't recommend this hotel. With construction underway, the halls and room smelled like chemicals. My room was beside the pool, where people could see in, so I kept the blinds shut the whole time. I asked for a second-floor room and was told none were available, then had a very long walk down the hallway to reach mine. The bathroom was tiny, felt gross, and had no ventilation. The tub barely drained and nearly filled up while I showered. Wi-Fi didn't work in the room during either of the two nights I needed to work, so I used my phone hotspot. The front desk knew about the problem, but nothing had been done. Rooms aren't cleaned unless you ask; I requested service, but the woman never came. After three months on a roadshow staying at Holiday Inns, this was one of the worst. It should be a 2-star hotel, not a 3-star one.

Getting around the property wasn't very convenient if you needed amenities like the laundry. The elevators were slow, and the electronic access system for the upper floors was glitchy during my stay. Breakfast didn't have much variety, though there was enough.