Holiday Inn Express Wilkes Barre East by IHG

I’m an IHG platinum member and stay with this brand often. The place has gone downhill since my last visit and isn’t quite up to HIE standards. It was otherwise fine, but it needs some facelifts unless they’re planning to turn it into a lesser brand. My first room had a PTAC unit so loud you could hear it in the corridor with the door closed. I asked to move, and she gave me another room. It was better, though not the room type I’d requested, and the PTAC there still made weird noises. Oddly, the units in the breakfast room were quiet and much newer. I think they need to replace all the ones in the rooms. The room itself was OK, a little worn, but not horrible. Breakfast had the typical variety but was below average for what I’ve experienced. There was also a lot of ice in the parking lot. I’m unsteady on my feet and was afraid of falling. They need to put down some ice melt.

The lobby looked nice and was well decorated, there was coffee and filtered water available 24/7, and the AC worked well. Some employees were nice, while others seemed bothered. But this was the worst Holiday Express Inn we’ve stayed at. If it had been my first Holiday Inn stay, I’d never stay at one again. I know this isn’t the standard Holiday Inn offers, so I was surprised. The beds were uncomfortable and felt unsafe. One squeaked whenever we moved, and part of it sagged so badly it felt like we might fall off. Management, please check room 321. There was no high chair in the dining area, so I had to ask at the front desk and carry it 25 feet. Some room towels had black stains and big holes, and one cup lid had dried grapes and seeds stuck to it. That was gross and unsanitary, like it hadn’t been cleaned properly. Breakfast was pitiful. We arrived an hour before closing, but there was no butter. I asked at the front desk, then went back for syrup because that had run out too. Then I had to ask for sausage, since there was nothing left, and report that the pancake machine was making a lot of noise. The employee seemed annoyed each time. Why wasn’t anyone in charge of restocking while breakfast was still open? The same thing happened the next day when I had to ask for sausage again. The fridge was almost empty of milk and yogurt, and there was no chocolate milk for the kids. Just before midnight on Oct 19, I went to the front desk for extra towels because they’d only given us two for four guests. While I waited, an employee carrying towels on a cart dropped some on the floor, then put them back with the clean ones like nothing happened. Management, please check the camera and remind staff that towels dropped on the floor should be washed again. We’d stayed at a Holiday Inn Express in Philadelphia NE the night before and had a wonderful time. The service there was great, breakfast was fully stocked, the kids had chocolate milk, there was a high chair in the dining room, and the beds were very comfortable. This location falls short of what Holiday Inn Express has to offer.

The view from the entrance was lovely, with Pennsylvania's scenic mountains and valleys. At first we were welcomed by a nice receptionist, and verifying the reservation was easy. Our first day of the four-day stay seemed great despite the mixed reviews we’d read. The room was very small, though, and our window looked out at a rock. The pool was cloudy after my daughter swam in it, which made me think the filters weren’t working. It seemed like a cesspool of human body fluids from earlier guests, and I have no idea how long the filter had been out. The jacuzzi wasn’t working either. Reviews said it had been out for at least three months, the whole summer. That was okay so far since we went to Great Wolf anyway, and the amazing view made up for it. Before I met the cafeteria lady, I’d have given the hotel at least four stars. The cafeteria lady clearly doesn’t like her job. You could tell from how she acted, slamming things around while refilling cereal dispensers. On our last day, breakfast ended at 9:30. At around 9:15 we were eating, and at 9:30 she made eye contact with me and turned off the television while we were watching it, as if to say it was time to go. The day before, we’d seen her chatting and smiling with other Caucasians after 10 a.m. while the TV was still on and they were eating. It felt like my family was in her way. She ruined what could have been a good experience. We’ve stayed at many Holiday Inn Express locations, from Canada to California, and this was the first time we didn’t enjoy our stay.

The rooms felt cramped, the bathrooms were tiny, and there were no towel racks, so towels covered the little counters. They’d also turned off the air conditioner before I arrived, and the little market had almost nothing in it. Not a good experience, and I won’t stay here again. I waited five to ten minutes for someone to show up. I’d requested two queens and a low floor, but got a king on the third of four floors. Then she had to inspect the room to make sure I hadn’t stolen anything before giving me another room. After I said I’d taken an Uber, she asked for my car information. About 30 seconds later, I asked where the stores were, and she said I could drive to one in a few minutes.