Holiday Inn Express Boone by IHG — Hotel in Boone

Our room was gross. Pink crud on toilet, mold in multiple places in shower, desk was sticky. The desk staff, while friendly, were just college kids with no power to do anything. No manager on duty. We didn't notice the shower mold until the morning after check in. The desk said he "could see if he could move us" however we were only staying one more night and we had to go out at that point so it wasn't worth it. When we mentioned that our "house phone" cord was hanging out of hole in wall and not working, the girl at desk laughed. When we went upstairs housekeeping was outside room, I asked her to clean toilte at least. She never did. From response to a review I left on another site, I have come to realization that this hotel does the bare minimum tha corporate requires. I had dietary restrictions and understand covid delivery delays but to say you don't carry any non-dairy milk options because IHG doesn't require it, is not acceptable on either level. I see in another review response here that the manager mentions fridge "where hard boiled eggs are". There were none either day we were there. If you are Gluten Free and Diary Free - do NOT stay at this location. I had to go to Starbucks one morning for breakfast.. and mixed up water and non-dairy coffee creamer to have with Rice Krispies. The reply to my other review centered on my food issues, but ignored the disgusting condition of room. That was the bigger problem. I also saw a response to a review saying that you can request daily cleaning. We specifically heard a desk person say that tha daily cleaning was NOT available. We got to Boone on a regular basis. This used to be our go to hotel. We loved it. Not anymore. It's gross, outdated and the staff doesn't care. No wonder at check out they didn't even ask if we had a good stay....

Check in was smooth as butter! |Also, as an IHG member, they presented a goody bag with snacks which was a nice touch. And the bags were already filled and lined up behind the desk for their anticipated arriving guests. ||The staff was great (well most of them anyway!)||Lots of table-space in the breakfast room which is really an extension of the lobby. There is no lobby seating per se.||Bedding--Neither the soft or firm choices of pillow suited me, and I found the mattress uncomfortable. However, that's subjective and my spouse didn't have problems with that. ||The room was clean and the amenities in place. ||The television was hard to figure out. Not convenient to select channels at all.||The only real problem was that their so-called business center (computer and printer in a little alcove in the lobby) was not functional. ||Sometimes it is loud outside very early in the morning with dumpsters and/or truck deliveries to the Lowes Home Improvement store which is nearly in the same parking lot. ||We normally would stay at the HIE in Blowing Rock, closer to where we prefer to be on our trips to the area, but our reservations at that location were unexpectedly, almost at the last minute, cancelled. They had a water-main break (months ago someone local told me) and the entire hotel is shut down indefinitely it looks like when you drive by. So we were happy to find space at this Boone HIE. And we have stayed here before previously several years ago and before all their remodeling. ||So, yes I would recommend this hotel and will likely...

Positives on this stay: Very reasonable price compared to area hotels. It certainly was better than some other hotels we have stayed at in Boone that were listed at 50% higher or more for the same time we were there.

Staff was extremely friendly. Room was clean (except for one plastic bottle found behind a nightstand. Bed was comfortable. Breakfast was very good, including protein options for those like me who are diabetics. However if you are staying multiple days, be aware that the breakfast offerings are the same each day.

Negatives: While the hotel is in very good condition, it has a couple of flaws that you have to deal with. First and foremost, it has an old-style heating system without a thermostat to set the temperature. The wall unit has a dial that goes from "high heat" to "high cool." The problem is that it seems impossible to set the dial so that the room temperature remains consistently comfortable. At the same setting, it will be very warm for a while, then very cool. Rooms need to have digital thermostats installed.

Also, be prepared. The bathroom does not have an exhaust fan. The room may remained steamed up after a shower. And then there is the more embarrassing potential problem of odors not only in the bathroom, but creeping into the entire room. Propriety prohibits providing more details, but you get the picture.

Nevertheless, the hotel is a significant value and on future trips to the Boone, NC area, it will be on the list of hotels we check out -- and if the price difference warrants, we will...