Holiday Inn Express & Suites Chowchilla - Yosemite Park Area, an IHG Hotel — Hotel in Chowchilla

Writing this review is very hard for me. I will have nightmares for sometime.

We arrived around 1:30 or 2:00 am on Tuesday, September 21 2021. I went to the front desk and the young, female clerk, was barely audible. Behind a plexi-glass COVID shield, wearing a mask, I could hardly understand her. Even when she said the room was going to cost $XXX.00 for just a few hours of sleep. Way overpriced!! After several hours of driving, I did not feel able to find another establishment for accommodations for us to sleep. In hindsight, I should have walked out then and there! Drive to the next town. Trust your instincts people!

I will never repeat this mistake.

I managed to bring my wife and some of our luggage into the lobby then sought parking for our vehicle. Because I had my motorcycle trailer connected, I needed a secure place to park. The clerk informed there was a single, bus parking space on the other side of the building that I could use. She did not mention it was not a secure parking lot and poorly lit. She did not mention that nobody monitors camera footage while their guests are trying to sleep. After I felt that I had sufficiently secured the vehicle, I returned to the lobby, got our luggage and we retired to the room.

Around 7am I awoke, went downstairs and found we had been a victim to theft and criminal trespass. Mostly items from our motorcycles. The crooks even tried to unhook the bikes from the trailer but my lock and cable secured the bikes sufficiently, preventing larger losses. I informed the clerk who said: "Oh, I'm so sorry that happened to you". No recorded video, only live feed cameras and false empathy from the staff. I do not believe the hotel will even wish to hear about this incident let alone cooperate with an investigation. Suffice to say I am disappointed. We feel violated, extorted and have no other recourse besides this "Post"

Reports were filed with the Chowchilla Police Department. Even the officer said CPD was disappointed by the hotel's lack of concern over security for the guests.

I expected more from a Holiday Inn. I paid more than I should've for a little...

Reporting this branch to the Better Business Bureau in the morning!

Booked and prepaid a Reservation through Priceline for $91 for one night. I showed up an hour before check in, in hopes that they would let me check in early. I walk in and am greeted by the manager on staff who explains to me that my room type is not currently available, but then we start to talking, we start to get to know each other a little and she mentions she's going to upgrade my room since a room was available so that I could check in earlier. Left on a really positive note! Also, let me mention that when I did check into my room it was my room type and not an upgrade at all. Next day I check out and nothing from management or hotel staff about anything. Fast-forward a week later and I'm looking at my bank and I noticed that there is a charge not only from Priceline who I booked through, but from the hotel itself for $315. I called the hotel and she explained to me that they charged that amount because there was an undisclosed pet that I apparently signed for when I signed my signature when I was checking in. She said the normal rate was $55 per night for a pet but because I didn't mention anything, they charged me $300. I then went on to say that there was no mention of any said pet fee when I was checking in so it was shady that they didn't just charge me the $55 but instead $315. She hung up on me. I called back and ask for the manager's name and for her name and that I was going to be reporting the company to the Better Business Bureau and she hung up on me again. I waited a few minutes and then called back one more time just to be greeted with her not only her name , but telling me to stop harassing them and that she sent me an email with the reason they were charging me the fee before she once again, hung up on me! I looked back at my spam folder and my inbox and did not receive ANY email of that nature. Needless to say, what this property is doing is incredibly shady, but I'm also going to be taking litigation against the company if my bank doesn't resolve the issue itself. Beware !! Only giving one start...

If I could give this hotel 200 stars, I would! Everything from a greeting as I walked through the door, offerings of using a cart for luggage, and easy check in were the first two stars. The room was spot on perfect with a note card from the very housekeeper responsible for having cleaned the room for us. Another start. I appreciated the microwave, which some places are missing. The beds were comfortable, the lobby lounge was spacious and inviting, and it has an exercise gym for those who are into that sort of thing.

The rest of those 200 stars go directly to Katia and Peyton. Katia worked in the breakfast bar, which by the way was well stocked and continuously maintained. Katia helped me as I gathered items for my mother who preferred to stay in the room to eat. Her wheelchair could have easily gotten around the spacious lobby and lounge, but eating in her nightgown sounded better. When Katia learned that I’d be at the prison all day as an outside guest working on healing with the residents there at CCWF, she asked if I’d like her to check on my mother in my absence. How sweet! I introduced her to my mother as I brought her to the room. Being that Katia was leaving before lunch and I wouldn’t be back until 4:00 PM, Katia asked Peyton at the front desk to check on my mother. Peyton did exactly that and found my mom not doing so well, her blood sugar too low. She quickly brought her some orange juice and that one act of empathy and humanity made all the difference. She even called me and left me a voicemail. I could not take my phone into the prison for security reasons, but found the message when I returned to the car in parking lot. I felt a wave of relief that in my absence, my mother was in caring and capable hands.

Holiday Inn isn’t just a hotel along a highway. It is a company business that truly cares about people and demonstrates that in their actions. Both Katia and Peyton deserve recognition and praise for their actions and humanity. They are exactly why we will return to THIS specific Holiday Inn on our return trips for my advocacy work. Thank you for making all...