Holiday Inn Express Wells-Ogunquit-Kennebunk by IHG

This was a great find, and we’d happily stay again after our one night here. It’s handy for shopping, attractions, and beaches, with nice rooms and a good breakfast. Nick at the reception desk was especially friendly and helpful. We needed assistance and he was absolutely amazing.

This is a hidden gem close to the ocean and other great areas. The property is well maintained, and my room was meticulously clean with a very comfortable bed. Kameka was friendly, considerate, and knew her stuff. This was my second stay, and I’ll keep coming back when I’m in the area. One small request: please get rid of the turkey breakfast meat, it’s awful. The rest of breakfast was done very well.

I booked at the last minute for a work trip and was surprised by how spacious and clean the whole hotel was. The price was great, the room spotless, and the bed comfortable. The desk staff were very friendly. Nothing to complain about.

The staff, especially at the front desk, in housekeeping, and in the kitchen, seemed cheerful and pleasant. The room layout was one of the best we’ve seen in a mid-range hotel or motel, and the big rooms, wide doorways, comfortable beds, and spacious bathroom all made a good first impression. Shower water got nice and hot if we waited long enough. I liked the breakfast buffet, though my husband thought it was too spicy. After night one, I expected to give the hotel five stars, like some of our favorite Hilton hotels. The trouble started on our second night. Sound carried easily between rooms, so we could hear conversations and TV shows on both sides. The loud footsteps overhead wouldn’t have bothered us as much with better soundproofing. On the third day, small children, probably 4-7 years old, were in the hall shouting and repeatedly slamming doors. Those doors were at least three times louder than any hotel doors we’ve heard. My husband guessed they might be made to seal tightly in case someone smoked in the hallway. I asked the children to stop, and they quieted down until a few minutes after I went back to our room. Then I went out again and shouted so the children would hear me. I was loud enough that anyone supervising them, including the front desk in the lobby, could probably hear, along with the noise from the children and doors. The children went back to their rooms and soon started playing loudly there, which felt like having them in our room because of the thin walls. As a parent, I didn’t think it was fair to ask them to play more quietly. The noise went on much of the afternoon, with only a couple of peaceful hours around dinner. Later the shouting and loud play started again, mostly in the rooms on either side, along with adults shouting and lecturing. It continued past 10 PM, and I finally slept with earplugs. I regret not telling the front desk, though I think the bigger problem was the poor soundproofing between rooms and above us. On our last day, at about 10:40 AM, we began taking luggage to the car. Checkout was 11, but our keys had already been deactivated, so we couldn’t get back in for the rest of our things. A helpful front desk employee reactivated my husband’s key card, and he retrieved the luggage. When he returned for one quick visual check in case we’d forgotten anything, he was locked out again, still before 11. The person who reactivated his card the second time apparently said this had happened before. I’m giving two stars because the layout was excellent and the staff were welcoming. The poor soundproofing and early key deactivation were a letdown.