Holiday Inn Express Milwaukee N-Brown Deer/Mequon by IHG — Hotel in Brown Deer

I checked in for a business trip. I always stay at Holiday Inn's when I travel for work. After I arrived at the hotel, I was immediately on business calls for an hour while sitting at the desk on my laptop. When I had completed, I noticed there was a used k-cup in the coffee maker, a partially opened and used condiments package right next to the coffee maker. Nothing major, just figured it was missed. It happens, not a big deal at all. Now a days, not a deal breaker or a reason to even say anything. Then I noticed the bed. It looked off to me, and almost like someone had slept in it and made it quickly. One side was tucked as they normally are, but the side close to the alarm clock looked different than the other. Not tucked, sheet hanging a bit, top comforter wasn't rolled under like the other side. So, to me, it looked as if someone had slept on that side and got up, made the bed half a$$, and left. The pillows also looked different compared to the two sides (small back story, I worked in hospitality for 10 years).

I have seen this done in rooms many times when HK is rushing through rooms. Beds do not get the sheets changed. They just re-make it when the beds aren't disheveled or had more than one person sleeping in it. Yes, it does happen! I also noticed the bathroom was dirty, too.

So, long story short, it appeared that the room was not properly cleaned. Again, stuff happens. Just need to change rooms. No biggie. I went to the front desk to inform the man working behind the counter what I had noticed. Mind you, I didn't raise my voice, look upset, nor make a big deal of it. I didn't want to draw attention from anyone else around the lobby. However, when I informed the man working at the counter about the room, I was treated very rudely.

He asked for details of everything that was wrong. So I told him. Then he made me repeat it again. So I told him yet again. Then he became sarcastic with me and complained that I was telling him too much and I was being very picky! Yes, picky! I told him, in the past when there has been challenged in a room I have stayed in (thank heavens not too often), I have just walked to front counter, got cleaning materials and just cleaned it my self. I'm not trying to causing issues.

There's a lot going on out there. It's hard to get staff, plus I work with business owners in that industry, so I get it how tough it is. He commented, "If I found things wrong with this room, how did he know I wouldn't find things wrong with all rooms?" I was taken aback he would say that to someone who wasn't making even a big deal about the situation. I apologized for any issue, but he continued to make me feel like I had did something wrong. I got irritated at that point. I told him I would be more than happy to walk him to my room and show him everything I stated was an issue. He just continued to say sarcastically that he could move me, but I'll probably find issues again. I told him that if this is really causing him that big of a problem, I can just cancel my reservation, which he said "yep, we can do that", so he proceeds to work on his computer. I figured that he was canceling my reservation. He popped his head up and said, "I have another room, but I will be walking you down there to look at it just to make sure YOU don't find an issue with it. I replied, sure, let's do it. He walked me down to another room on 1st floor, and I walked into the room, which you could tell had been cleaned and done accordingly. He hands me the keys and walks away. Again, I was in shock! No apology, a sarcastic response, rude, and made me feel like I was imposing on him!

No person in their right mind wants to grab all their belongings and move again. It's a large inconvenience. But in this case, was happy to move to a clean room.

I never desire to leave a negative review due to little issues. Mistakes/ misses happen. But due to the bed situation, plus all the other items that weren't clean, and especially way I was treated, I believe made the right...

Terrible experience. Never got the chance to even stay at the hotel because the front desk staff was extremely rude and I refused to have that negative energy around myself or my child. On 7/17/2021 at 8:45am I called to get some clarification on my remaining balance for the rooms I booked since the hotel charged me for one of the rooms prior to me checking in(which they aren’t supposed to do and it isn’t in their policy). The conversation was pleasant until Stacy began talking to me in a very condescending tone as she kept trying to explain the deposit policy to me when I didn’t ask about it and acknowledged several times that I understood what she was saying. Stacy kept raising her voice, interrupting me while I was trying to explain myself and when I asked to speak to management, she gave me a name and she said in a very threatening tone “I suggest you watch your tone when you talk to my manager because he doesn’t play that”. As I started to tell her that she was out of line for the way she was addressing me, she hung up in my face. I went to the hotel and asked Stacy was she the one that hung up on me and she said yes and started yelling obscenities loudly and then picked up the phone and said “do you want me to call the police?” Stacy is a Caucasian female and knows that brutality against African Americans by police happens so easily from one simple phone call and she used that to her defense because she was frightened that I showed up. She told me she would have me banned, she stuck up her middle finger at me, and said “management is here at 11, get the F#$! out”. They can pull the security footage from that morning and they will see everything. I felt powerless and disrespected but the show had to go on so I canceled the room and took my business elsewhere. I called back later that morning to speak to management and the name Stacy gave me for the manager was a foreign name and it was the guy that answered the phone. I asked was he the manager and he said he’s just a front desk attendant. I told him I needed to speak to management and he asked if he could help so I gave him my name and all of a sudden he couldn’t hear me anymore and hung up in my face as well. He heard every word until I gave him my name and then he couldn’t hear anymore. I have never in my life been disrespected the way that I was on Saturday. I am a paying customer and without us renting these hotel rooms, the staff would not have jobs. I will be filing a formal complain with corporate about this situation and I recommend that no one stays here especially if you are citizen of Milwaukee since the owner sets a $500 dollar deposit for us that live...

Communication was top tier! Lionel (unsure of spelling) from the front desk checked in with us multiple times to make sure our needs were met. We had requested a crib, extra-clean linens etc for child allergies, and pillows removed. Pillows were still on bed, but we just moved them to the closet.

The room was exceptionally clean, no fingerprints or dirt anywhere, in fact probably the cleanest room we've ever stayed in, so a huge thank you to Mayra! (We left you a tip and note!) (The only thing gross I saw was the ice bucket in the bathroom, which we did not intend to use anyway.)

The room was quite warm when we arrived, which we quickly adjusted by switching the air conditioning on. The room remained cool at the temperature we set it at- no issues.

We did not use the pool, but did see a housekeeper cleaning the windowsills in the pool room, and many children enjoying the pool in the morning.

The shower took a little bit to get hot, but once it did- it stayed nice and hot for all our showers. Water pressure lacking, but that's a flaw of most hotel shower heads, so that was to be assumed.

Continental breakfast had some hiccups, but overall was good. Scrambled eggs had alot of burnt brown, but everyone still enjoyed. Would have preferred bacon as an option to the sausages. Pancake maker kept breaking for everyone throughout breakfast, but the young man breakfast attendant kept fixing it.

We were in a 1st floor room, and could hear lots of running/stomping above us- but did not affect us as it started around 730am when we were already awake.

TV was small, channels lagged and was slow to operate, but was usable with patience.

We did not use the wifi.

King bed was extremely comfortable! No sagging. One of our first hotel experiences waking up without a sore back!! Perfect combination of soft/firm, leaning more towards firm. Although we did not use the pillows- they provided 2 soft and 2 firm pillows on the bed.

Not much around the area- but within a 10-20 minute drive of everything we were in the area to do.

The girl at the desk when we checked out did not have the same customer service skills/attitude as Lionel when we checked in, which was disappointing. I wanted to thank him and tell him how great he is at his job!

Upon leaving, even saw a housekeeper outside, with gloves on, picking weeds and trash in the parking lot!

All in all- we would absolutely stay here again when visiting MKE. Cleanliness is #1 to us- and they hit that out of the park. 10/10 for cleanliness, communication and bed comfort! Thank you...