Holiday Inn Express Anchorage, An Ihg Hotel

“Disappointing for $350/Night – Worn Hotel with Major Check-In Issues”

We stayed at the Wyndham Garden Inn Anchorage during peak season and paid a steep $350 per night (over $1,000 for a three-night stay), which felt very high for what we received. We called ahead to let them know we’d be checking in late (between 11 PM and midnight) and were assured it would be no p… more

We stayed at the Wyndham Garden Inn Anchorage during peak season and paid a steep $350 per night (over $1,000 for a three-night stay), which felt very high for what we received. We called ahead to let them know we’d be checking in late (between 11 PM and midnight) and were assured it would be no problem. When we arrived, the lobby was packed, and we waited nearly an hour just to reach the front desk. The lone staff member explained the computer system was down, causing delays for everyone. She gave us a room key but informed us the room wasn’t clean yet. About 30 minutes later, we walked to the assigned room only to find the door ajar, partially cleaned, and with no staff in sight. The room had a strong mildew smell. We went out for food and returned an hour later, only to be told it still wasn’t ready. They moved us to a different room, and we finally got settled around 1:30 AM. No apology, discount, or other compensation was offered. On the second day, we had to update our reservation with a new credit card because the original reservation had been made using an expired card. Later that day, our room key stopped working. We were told that because the computer system had been down during check-in, all keys had only been programmed for one night. Since we had already returned to the front desk to update our reservation, the keys should have been reprogrammed at that time instead of requiring another trip after being locked out. The replacement room had several issues: * We were given a single bed instead of the two we had reserved. * There was hair under the pillow, stains on the lampshade, mildew in the bathroom, and the window had been left open. * The thermostat literally fell off the wall. * The room had an overall shabby, worn feel. Housekeeping was by request only. During our entire three-night stay, we requested only one thing—a refill of the empty bathroom soap dispenser—but it was never provided. Spending over $1,000 and receiving no room service whatsoever was disappointing. One evening, while I was sitting quietly in the lobby, another guest was watching videos on his phone at full volume. When I politely asked him to lower it, he became verbally aggressive and started yelling. The front desk clerk handled the situation professionally, calmly de-escalated the encounter, and reminded him that the lobby is a shared space. She deserves credit for handling a difficult situation well. On the positive side, the bed was extremely comfortable, and the room had a working refrigerator, TV, microwave, and hair dryer. The shower had excellent water pressure and consistent hot water. The shampoo smelled nice. The free breakfast was mediocre: well-seasoned powdered eggs, sausage links, bagels, toast, juice, and good coffee. The pancake machine didn’t work, they ran out of fruit cups and cream cheese, and the home fries were cold. The common areas were mixed. The lobby was clean and comfortable. The laundry room and indoor pool were adequate, but the gym had only two treadmills and an exercise bike with broken pedals, no sanitizing wipes, and the common-area restrooms had no soap. The front desk staff remained friendly and professional despite the repeated issues, but the hotel itself feels tired and overdue for renovation. At $350 per night, I expected a much higher standard of cleanliness, maintenance, and service. Instead, it felt more like a worn budget hotel than a property charging premium Alaska-season rates.

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