Holiday Inn Baton Rouge College Drive I-10 by IHG — Hotel in Baton Rouge

The keycards wouldn't work for the rooms, so we always had to return to the front desk or stop there on the way up. The last night at the hotel was the worst experience in all our travels [and we travel a lot]. On our first night there, the desk person offered us water but said they were out, so we bought some from the market area to add to our room charge—no big deal. The second night, we were quickly given two bottles of water from the front desk when we arrived. We stopped to update our key on the third night and asked for water. The girl there said they were out of water. But I remembered the night before that they had just brought a case from the back, so I asked if there was more in the back she could get. She didn't like that I knew that was an option and replied rudely that I would have to wait. I was fine waiting. So when she finished with other customers, she returned to get us water. She came back with only one bottle instead of 2. I reached for the bottle she brought while asking for a 2nd bottle, and things erupted into a rude explosion. She blurted out that she was pregnant and couldn't carry a case of water. I said you have two hands, and we are two people; you could have easily brought two bottles; please retrieve another bottle for us. At that point, she was angry at being asked to do her job and said I "snatched" the bottle out of her hand. The desk is deep, and she didn't set it on the counter in front of me. She couldn't extend her hand to reach mine so that could have felt like a "snatch."?.... The ensuing argument was the craziest thing I have ever experienced in all our travel. I'll admit I should not have yelled. But honestly, I was so stunned at her rudeness that after 3 days of travel in an unfriendly city, I was exhausted and overwhelmed and just wanted to go to bed and have some water for my nightstand and the coffee pot in the morning. What this turned into will affect our future travel and use of Capital One travel options and IHG and Holiday Inn, in general, moving forward. It's too bad that one bad employee can ruin a nice chain's reputation forever. She continued by calling me and my travel partner racists, and managers came out to call down the situation. Basically, if room keys had worked, this would have never happened, but I've never encountered such a rude employee at the many Holiday Inns we have stayed at across the country. Thanks for asking for my opinion. The only reason I gave a 2 rating was because this hotel was cleaner than our initial reservation at the Holiday Inn Express about 5 miles down the road, which we checked into and out of immediately because the TVs didn't work, the bedside lamp was broken off the wall and the room was filthy. Additionally, we had to report to management that there was a locked up dog barking all day long on our floor and that the hallway...

This was our second stay at this particular property. We stayed here about three years ago, and returned on January 30, 2014. Our first stay was fine, the property was fairly new, and the management let me change rooms when I went back down to the desk - it was a very minor reason I wanted to change, and it was no problem. Everything was fine. The rooms were clean, well-appointed, and there were nice toiletries on hand.

The Jan. 30th stay was great. I made the reservation using a free night we had because of our IHG Rewards card. Even tho' it was a free night, we were still put on the executive floor. The rooms still looked as new and fresh and clean as they had looked 3 years ago. Again, the decor in the rooms is pretty, and the rooms contain a refrigerator which is very important to us, along with the usual coffee maker, internet access, etc. The bathrooms are large enough to actually be able to move around, and the toiletries are still very nice. I made use of the wireless internet which was easy to log onto. The biggest compliment I have for our last stay is that we were given an early check-in when I made our reservation - however, we didn't get there early. What we ended up really needing was a very late check-out due to a time and logistics problem, and we were granted same with no problem at all #even tho' this was a free night, and I felt somewhat embarrased asking for#. Everyone we encountered was very friendly, helpful and professional. We were also given suggestions for lunch when the adjacent restaurant/bar was closed. I would not hesitate to stay here again, and will be making a reservation for two nights from now if we end up staying in Baton Rouge. I would recommend this hotel to anyone. We have left this review on TripAdvisor as well, and also in response to an email from...

This is my FAVORITE hotel in Baton Rouge. I travel for work and have been staying at this hotel 1-2 weeks a month for the last year. The rooms are immaculate and always smell fresh. They give you two different pillow options( soft and firm) and I get incredible sleep. The breakfast is delicious. Restaurant quality food served buffet style. They have THE BEST potatoes and offer different side options everyday like grits or waffles. My boyfriend loves their gym and they just installed some brand new equipment. They have on-site laundry which is such a luxury when I’m away from home for long periods. They have an awesome bar with different food options and great bartenders. I love running into the other hotel “regulars” there and catching up. They also have a cool little work/bar area on the 6th floor that I often work from. There are several restaurants within walking distance from the hotel, but my favorite is Tio Javis Mexican Restaurant. Of all the things this hotel has to offer, the best part is by far the staff. They are the friendliest, most helpful group of people. Everyone from the desk agents to the maintenance guys have been the same the entire time I’ve come here. Seeing their smiling faces makes a difference after an exhausting day of travel. It is so nice to hear, “Hi Miss Stephanie” when I walk through the door. They are a joy to be around and make everyone feel welcome. This is an exceptionally well run hotel with a team that truly cares about the property...