Holiday Inn Express | Dubai Internet City, an IHG Hotel — Hotel in Dubai

I stayed at this hotel for 12 nights, and unfortunately, my experience was similar to my previous stay.

While the manager was kind and resolved several issues, problems kept recurring, and it felt as though the staff lacked a fundamental understanding of guest services and hospitality.

Upon check-in, I was informed that the hotel was fully booked and that I would have to wait for my room. When I inquired further, as rooms had been available the night before and even that morning, I was met with the standard response that no upgrades or additional services would be offered to Platinum Elite members. It felt like a lack of recognition or respect for loyal guests.

The most disappointing experience was with the restaurant. I had a conference to attend from my room, so I called and requested a packed breakfast since it was only 30 minutes before closing. Initially, the staff was accommodating and allowed me to take my breakfast in a box. However, after that things became strange. I was asked to sign a form stating that if I experienced food poisoning after eating, the hotel would not be responsible. This was the first time I had ever encountered such a policy. After signing, another staff member asked me to list everything I had taken in the box, and they even opened it to inspect the contents. Then, a more senior staff member realized that this was not the right way to handle breakfast for a guest by making them list the items they are taking. This was the most bizarre and horrible experience. I’m not sure what kind of training the staff undergoes, but I hope that when the hotel staff come to the UK, their pockets, purses, and bags are checked during their stay.

During my entire 12-day stay, I only had breakfast twice due to this odd experience.

One night, the bar on the top floor played loud music until midnight. When I asked reception about it, they said they had asked the bar to lower the volume but had little control over it. They offered to move me to another room, but I found it unreasonable to expect me to pack and relocate in the middle of the night.

On one occasion, when my room was changed due to an issue, I asked for assistance with moving my luggage, but the staff told me I would have to do it myself.

Overall, this stay was far below the standard I expect from an IHG hotel. Not once did I feel that they truly cared about guests, let alone a Platinum Elite member. It seems like most of the staff at the hotel were perhaps hired from a local grocery store, given their lack of experience and understanding of how to treat guests in a hotel. Well, I guess the hotel management knows this, and maybe the low price of the hotel reflects the fact that the service and staff are poorly trained. The hotel manager and a few staff members were helpful, but overall, this was not an easy or...

Upon arrival, there was no warm welcome or assistance with my luggage, which was very disappointing.

During my stay, I ordered food through Room Service and there was a misunderstanding regarding the staff discounts — I actually meant members discounts. When I called Reception for clarification regarding the menu, the receptionist mentioned she would call me back but never did. Eventually, I had to go down myself to get an answer. During this situation, I found the F&B Manager’s behavior unacceptable, as she spoke to me rudely and even raised her voice during the call.

Later, a Front Desk Supervisor contacted me regarding the discount misunderstanding. I was already frustrated, and during the conversation, she told me to “calm down,” which I found very unprofessional and inappropriate, especially considering I am also a colleague within the industry.

At breakfast, I experienced further issues. There was only one available table, but it still had some used plates on it. I politely asked one of the staff members to clear it, but she responded in a rude tone, telling me, “Sir, you can use another table,” instead of assisting me. I ended up clearing the plates myself. Additionally, I noticed the staff would remove plates while guests were still eating, without waiting for them to finish, which felt very disrespectful.

Moreover, I was surprised to find that rooms did not have basic amenities like an iron, loofah, or slippers. To get an iron, you must request it, and after use, you are required to leave it outside your room — something I have never experienced before in an IHG property.

Overall, it was very disappointing to see such a lack of proper service, especially from a hotel under the IHG brand. Staff clearly need more training in guest service and “Guest Love” standards. It was even more disheartening to experience this treatment knowing I am a colleague in the industry, despite not requesting any...

I recently stayed at this hotel, and from start to finish, my experience was deeply disappointing.

First, I tried to add an extra night to my existing reservation through the website, but it wouldn’t process. I then spent 25 frustrating minutes with a live chat agent—no success. Two phone calls later, still no resolution. As a last resort, I booked a separate reservation at a higher rate, defeating the whole purpose of being a rewards member hoping for a seamless stay.

Check-in went smoothly in person, but as I walked to my room, I was overwhelmed by a strong chemical or cleaning fragrance from the carpet. It was so intense that I had to hold my breath walking down the hall and immediately decided to avoid using the gym entirely.

The worst part of my stay happened on the second night when I was woken up by a phone call from the front desk, claiming my reservation hadn’t been paid for. Their system had accepted my credit card at check-in but failed to apply it correctly. I asked if we could address it in the morning, and only then did they agree. This disruption could have easily been flagged during the day rather than waking me in the middle of the night.

The breakfast bar was standard, but as someone gluten- and dairy-free, I was disappointed. There were no gluten-free options—not even simple bread. For those with dietary restrictions, small touches like a pitcher of oat milk for coffee or cereal go a long way.

Overall, this was a frustrating and uncomfortable stay. Poor service, strong odors, and inconsiderate management of their errors made it clear that I won’t...