Holiday Inn Express & Suites Bartow by IHG — Hotel in Bartow

While enroute to Florida, I made an online reservation to stay at the Holiday Inn Express in Bartow, FL. For identity theft prevention, I prefer to make reservations online via the secure website instead of providing credit card info over the phone to a complete stranger and whomever may be listening nearby. After completing the reservation (including payment for the room) and receiving the confirmation email, I called the hotel. I did so to request staying in the same room we had stayed in earlier this month. I made this request based on my wife's disability and the rooms proximity to the elevator. After painstakingly explaining to multiple people what I wanted, I was finally connected to the front desk. She retrieved my reservation via the confirmation number I provided. She insisted that I must give her my credit card info to secure the reservation. At this point, the conversation got heated as I tried to explain that had already entered this info into the website prior to submitting and receiving the confirmation email. She insisted that she must have the credit card info. Both my wife and I tried to explain that we were not comfortable providing credit card info over the phone which is the reason we make reservations online. She said without the credit card info, she would just cancel the reservation. To which my wife asked "how can you cancel our reservation". She said "just like this, you should get a cancellation email shortly" and hung up. After which, we called the "corporate" customer service and spoke to Jan. We explained what happened. She put us on hold and called the hotel. When she came back online, she said she spoke to the manager (Scott Smith). He said he stands behind the cancellation and would not accommodate our stay at this hotel. Such treatment is utterly disgusting. As a IHG Rewards member since the early '90's, I have stayed at Holiday Inn locations around the world. Prior to retiring, I (and my colleagues) traveled all over North America with Holiday Inn as our preferred hotel chain. I've also traveled extensively for vacation in the U.S., Canada, England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Germany, etc. always choosing to stay with Holiday Inn whenever possible. With my travel experience, I've also organized group travel for others and again recommended Holiday Inn hotels. However, based on the treatment received from Scott Smith and his staff at the Bartow Holiday Inn Express, I shall be rethinking my preferred hotel chain for future travel. Fortunately, the nearby Hampton was much more accommodating and actually turned out to be a nicer hotel. Thanks for nothing Scott Smith.

The irony of this entire situation is, if I hadn't called to request a specific room, I can only assume that, upon my arrival, they would have accepted my confirmation and...

I have been here before, it is ok, but honestly, the Hampton across the street is much nicer and not much of a price difference. I came here to tell everyone about the guy who runs this place. IDK if he is owner or just mangmt., but NOT a good person. I also live & work in Bartow i was actually born at Bartow Memorial & Im 52- so 52 years. This man came into my place of business, and not only did he show up at a crazy busy time, he held up at least 4 other customers, was very DEMEANING, acted as if I was incompetant & wouldnt be able to perform the task of PUTTING HIS DIRTY CLOTHES inside 9f a laundry bag with his tag (name, info, # of items) - he then proceeded to tell me he was going to RECORD his CLOTHES & took out his phone & started recording his clothes in the LOBBY of my job, mind u there were customers just waiting in line behind him, 1 of which was a young lady, trying to hold onto a huge king-sized comforter without dropping it, while he proceeds to RECORD, & then, for no reason what-so-ever, he then takes his tag i had printed, takes his clothes and tells me to cancel his order. Telling me that in the past, the businesss had lost items of his-- well, sir, what does that have to do with me? I JUST STARTED working here, he KNEW that, i was THE ONLY ONE working, he also knew that, and apparently just for some reason thinks he is SUPERIOR to everyone else-- very nasty attitude. I will never understand, for the life of me, WHY u would enter a business- U can CLEARLY see all the customers there, U can CLEARLY see only one person is working- yet U are going to be outright RUDE to THE ONLY person that SHOWED UP up & is there trying to help you. The ONLY one. JUDGING by the way he treats retail workers, i can only imagine he probably treats his customers the same way. FYI sir, I personally, NEVER "lost" any clothing of yours, as i have only been working there a few weeks. I may be old and a little ugly, but i am not stupid. I am more than capable of getting your clothes & your TAG inside of a laundry bag. It isnt going to hurt my feelings ANY if you take your clothes elsewhere, and i dont NEED the job bad enough to have to be DISRESPECTED by anyone. I only took it to make a little extra $$ for the holidays. I hope you have the day you deserve & i will also pray that you will one day treat people the way that you would expect to be treated, because, contrary to your belief, you are not SUPERIOR to anyone. Not...

This would be a zero star if I could do it. If you like roaches, this is the place for you. I checked in tonight after a 15 hour drive only to arrive and find my room had a huge cockroach in it to greet me. I’d attach a photo if I could because I took several.

After being told the front desk could do nothing because there were no other rooms, I was then Offered the complimentary service of the desk boy removing it ( when there is one there are hundreds but thanks for taking care of the first one i saw?????) and letting me go back to sleep there until tomorrow when they could try to find me a new room. I called corporate customer service for IHG who was trying to be helpful but there was little they could do because they were told there were no more rooms, no housecleaning around to reclean the room ( not going to help when you have a roach problem btw! ), and there was no manager on duty to refund me for my room. I was told the same thing by Expedia corporate customer support who I booked the hotel thorough. Basically, I was SOL unless I wanted to stay in the roach room til morning. Nice. All they offered me were points. As if I will ever stay in an IHG hotel ever again…. So then miraculously around 1045 after sitting in my CAR in the parking lot (off the side of a major interstate and near many late night fast food restaurants - who knows who would be loitering around while a young, blonde 24 year old single girl traveling alone with out of state plates sittings just sobbing on the phone with corporate people for almost 2 hours- talk about an easy target), I accept defeat and go in to stay in the roach room. I go in and they say “oh! we had a “last minute cancellation” and we can move you.” How convenient. Anyways I’m in the new room, on the same floor, about 10 rooms down from the roach room. Still too afraid to bring food in, nervous to leave my bags, and we’ll see what happens when I fill the place with a roaches’ favorite thing, moisture, after I take a shower.

Top notch facility, really… that is if you like unexpected visitors and love not interacting with any kind of manager when you check into a hotel. He won’t be in until Monday, by the way. Nothing was offered to me to apologize, no refund, no partial refund seeing as it’s already midnight and I paid for two full nights…. Nothing. Not even a free soda from the mini bar. Talk...