Holiday Inn Express & Suites Atlanta-Emory University Area by IHG — Attraction in Decatur

Long Rant: My family and I checked in on July 4th, hoping to settle in and go watch fireworks with the rest of my family that lives there in Atlanta. Upon checking in, the room was not what I reserved, which was 2 Queens, 1 pull out sofa. The room they gave me was only 2 Q's. I go back to front desk to let them know there was a problem and was told that their motel doesn't have such a room. After several minutes of going back and forth and being told they couldn't do anything, they suggested I call reservations being that was who I went through to reserve the room initially. So after making that call and after approximately 2 hours of being transferred from person to person, disconnected several times, and finally being put through to a manager, I was told there was nothing they could do. I could not get a refund being as I prepaid, and they would not relocate me to another property. I was even willing to pay extra at another location. They called the front desk and decided that the best they could do was put me in a King room with a pull out sofa and roll away. I had no choice but to take this or lose my money. We go up to the new room and upon entering the smell was so strong that you couldn't stand it. I called front desk and they sent someone up. The maintenance guy came shortly and we were told that they had been working on that particular room for a few days and was surprised that it had been reopened to guests. They moved us again, third time. One of the three days that we were there we went hiking and after getting back to the room late that day, hot and sweaty and needing a shower, we didn't have any washcloths after using them earlier that morning. My son went to front desk to ask for more and was told he couldn't have any. Said that housekeeping supplied those earlier in the day and they didn't have extras. Pool was very disappointing and not clean. Renovations were going on but felt like they could have set things up a little differently. Parking lot was too small and coming in late at night, it was hard to find a descent parking place. Needless to say, our short vacation was ruined from day 1 due to reservations not being correct. I was highly disappointed that they were so helpful in helping me to find a room initially, but then didn't offer any help after they messed up my reservation. I will not be...

Stayed for business. Appreciated complimentary breakfast and free internet. Both becoming rare standard amenities in hotels that try to charge you for everything possible. I find that a hotel, that makes it a standard, to be classier and I am more likely to stay there. The hotel staff were helpful and I feel that they think of everything. The business center is mostly up to date – they are still using Explorer for web browsing. The lobby and the rooms/bathrooms were clean. Some wear and tear showing in some areas, but barely. Overall, I felt that I didn’t have to worry about leaving things out or on the furniture. Provided amenities were excellent – bathroom provided ample towels, array of bathroom products, iron, hair dryer, coffee maker, newspaper at breakfast bar, breakfast had a significant choices with protein, fruits, starch, juices etc. Refrigerator/freezer, microwave are not very common in hotels. They were great to have. On certain evenings there is a Manager’s happy hour where snacks and some drinks are provided in the lobby. I am not an extrovert, but it’s an opportunity to actually talk to people staying in the same hotel, or ignore them and go back to your room. A very nice touch! Shuttle service was very dependable. I was impressed at how punctual the single shuttle was considering the traffic. Most hotels where I have taken a shuttle they have routinely been 10-15 minutes late. My room was right next to the elevators and vending/ice machine. I was very worried when I got there, but gave it a chance for the first night. I am a light sleeper. Good solid doors and walls meant that I heard nothing during my whole stay. There is a large grocery store and several restaurants in very close proximity (5 minute walk) which made life easier. I never write reviews for hotels. This hotel surprised me in every way and I was happy when I saw the email asking me to...

I'm a retired military officer, former corporate road warrior (Human Resources), & disabled veteran with lots of guest experiences. If you are a senior or veteran with medical problems visiting a local hospital, I highly recommend this hotel! Why? Location is safe & convenient. Every inch of the hotel was spotless; not broom clean with sprayed scents; clean you can smell to include the heating and cooling vents. If this were a home, it would be turn-key move in ready; I put thousands of soldiers through boot camp & this place was Inspector General white glove clean. Now for the onsite team responsible. Octavia (manager) leads by example. He hired & trained a TERRIFIC staff. The breakfast was terrific & the chow hall was super clean & sanitary. No drama, no excuses, no expectation-reality gaps. He & his crew earned our business going forward with no comparison shopping. Tip: Recon or rehearse your route to the medical clinics, etc. you will be visiting; traffic is a bear & drivers are less than friendly while many drive distracted texting, etc. This hotel exceeded our expectations. There is a grocery store nearby if you are staying several days & simply want something to eat. I would have no problem staying here for a week or so if needed. BTW, the parking is free, well lit, & as safe as you will likely find in Atlanta. There are safes in each room if have valuables to protect. This place was like a retro visit to a hotel when the people who worked there actually took pride in their work and earned their pay. If you can, tip well during your stay; they actually EARNED it - refreshing thought in 2022?

P.S. Negative observation: IHG - highlight WHAT reviewers must edit & resubmit when spending their time providing a review; my 10th edit/guessing attempt worked. Praising the hotel location leadership & staff should not be...