Holiday Inn Columbia - Downtown By Ihg

“Good Stay Bad Service”

Located in the heart of downtown, this hotel has a fairly nice location, especially if you are attending events at the convention center or visiting other downtown attractions. It is also situated directly next to a police station, which made the area feel safe and secure during our stay. Unfortuna… more

Located in the heart of downtown, this hotel has a fairly nice location, especially if you are attending events at the convention center or visiting other downtown attractions. It is also situated directly next to a police station, which made the area feel safe and secure during our stay. Unfortunately, our main issues began at check-in. We had reserved a two-bedroom room, but when we were given our key and went upstairs, the room only had one bed. We returned to the front desk, explained the issue, and were reassigned to another room—only to find that it also had just one bed. This happened a total of three times before the issue was finally resolved. On the third attempt, we were given the correct room with two beds. While the front desk associate was polite throughout the process, the repeated inconvenience was frustrating and time-consuming. Once we were in the correct room, the experience improved significantly. The room was very clean and well put together. The sheets were fresh, the bathroom was clean, and the room was stocked with basic amenities such as soap, shampoo, and air conditioning. The hotel also has a pool, which is a nice amenity if you’re a swimmer or simply want a place to relax and cool off. The hotel does not have a bar, so adult beverages are not available on-site. However, the complimentary continental breakfast was surprisingly good and offered a solid variety of options. Items ranged from cinnamon rolls to different sausage selections, bacon, eggs, and more. If you’re looking to cut costs, this is a great benefit, as you can skip breakfast elsewhere and eat at the hotel—assuming you wake up early enough. Parking was another challenge during our stay. Some days the parking lot became very full, making it difficult to find space. If you have a larger vehicle, such as a truck or a truck with a trailer, I would strongly recommend arriving early each day to secure a decent parking spot. Our final issue occurred on the last night of our stay. The parking lot was completely full, so we asked a hotel associate on duty whether it was acceptable to park in front of the hotel on the street. We were told that it was fine. However, the next morning when we came down for breakfast, there was a police officer behind our vehicle. That situation was uncomfortable, especially since we had parked there based on guidance from hotel staff. Overall, aside from the room assignment issues and parking complications, the stay itself was decent. The room was clean, the location was convenient, and the breakfast and pool added value. If these issues—particularly the room mix-ups and parking miscommunication—are resolved, this could be a solid place to stay. However, if those problems continue, I would be hesitant to recommend this hotel.

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