Holiday Inn Express Fort Bragg by IHG — Hotel in Fort Bragg

Was planning a few day trip (2 nights) in the Fort Bragg area. I looked at ALL the motels/hotels via Maps and websites/photos. Most of them looked tired and were expensive. None of them seemed to include breakfast, which is not necessary, but when spending so much a perk would be nice other than a run-down room. I saw that the Holiday Inn Express was in the area and, per some reviews, recently refreshed! I know at least I'd get some consistency in service/quality AND the option of breakfast.

We selected a room with forest view which will cost more, but it was worth it - very pretty. Not so much that it will be quiet (because the hallways do echo, fellow travellers can you PLEASE be more cognizant of that) this isn't something I blame the hotel for, just the inconsiderate people who violate it. I used my phone's sleep noise maker one night due to late night revelers.

The room was very clean, and it indeed appeared to have had a very recent facelift. The paint was in perfect condition, furniture clean, carpet clean, nice window treatments that allowed for near darkness in the brightest light of the day. Bathroom in good repair. I like that the room has the water closet and the vanity separate/outside in the room. The room was very a'la Scandinavian Designs. It was appointed with a hairdryer, decent sized mini fridge (not the cube but a rectangle). Keurig maker (1 regular 1 decaf cup in room upon arrival with cups and basic sugar/powdered cream). TV was decent.

Bed was too firm for me (side/back sleeper), it was nearing too firm for my partner (stomach sleeper). I personally had a couple of rough nights of sleep. I don't usually dock stars for this, as hotels can't accomodate everyone's sleeping preference- some will find the bed comfortable, and the mattress was in good repair/seemingly new, just not for ME nor my partner. Pillows were fine. For me, I had to stack. He was good with one pillow.

Hotel has good amenities, there is a small snack bar (pay for items), pool and spa are indoors and away from the rooms to the right of the office this thankfully keeps the noise down. We did not use the pool area at all- hottub looked VERY small, and if there were 1-2 people in it, I would personally feel like not using it. Pool is not a bad size. Front desk crew were very nice. They have small things if you forget them like toothpaste/toothbrush, razors, and a few other things (check the info card in your room). I had to get a toothbrush because I dropped mine on the floor on the first night and, well, not using it again. The toothbrush I got from them was Colgate brand and not a single use brush.

Breakfast is decent. Some of the options changed in the 2 days we were there (for example, one day bacon the next turkey sausage), some items stay the same every day (yogurt, cereal, pancakes, bread options, juice and milks, apples/bananas). You can take it back to your room, but there are no trays, just paper plates. The eating area where we sat was clean, in like new shape and comfortable. There is also very limited seating on a balcony (accomodating about 6 people at 2 person tables if that). Coffee is available in the lobby all day/night with real creams (not powdered) at hand. Not the best coffee (IMO) but will do the trick.

There is an elevator, but once you bring your things up to your room, the stairs are close and easy to use to get down to the lobby faster.

We enjoyed our stay in the area and...

My husband and I stayed here for three nights in July while we were in town for a friend's wedding. I booked the hotel with points so was not sure if I would be treated differently from paying customers.

PROS:

-We had originally booked a 2-queen room because we expected to have a couple friends sharing the room. However, at the last minute, they weren't able to come, so when we checked in we asked if there was a 1 king room available. I wasn't expecting anything, but figured it wouldn't hurt to ask. However, the front desk staff upgraded us to a 1 king bd suite for no additional charge! They were extremely accommodating and helpful and I felt very welcomed right away.

-The room was west facing with a large balcony. There was even an ocean view (although mostly obscured by trees).

-The bed and pillows were extremely comfortable, the best I've ever had at an IHG property.

-Room had a fireplace!

-Breakfast area had not run out of food when we got there ~10 minutes before it ended.

-Plenty of parking, even on a busy weekend when the hotel was full.

-Close to downtown Fort Bragg,

Where do I start! After browsing through all stays in Fort Bragg, Holiday Inn is the best one hands down! Glad to have been able to stay in a newly renovated hotel! Here are some stuff I really liked:

Clean: The property is extremely neat and clean. They adhere to all safety protocols. There is also a ‘Cleaning Station’ near the Breakfast Area. Everyone wears masks and practices social distancing.

Sleep Quality: ‘Soft’ and ‘Firm’ are embroidered onto the pillow cases. The firm pillow is so amazing, I would like the same at my own home! Sleep quality is 100%.

Breakfast: The options are great, especially during Covid times. From no breakfast to minimal grab and go options, we’ve been through it all. From that, to an almost full breakfast option is amazing. There’s Sausage Egg Muffins, that you can self heat in the microwave and the usual bread and pastry section, oats, cereal, fruit, juices, coffee, tea, etc are available.

There’s also grab and go pouches, which you can fill up with what you like and enjoy on the go. This option was great on the day we had to leave for the early morning activities.

The highlight is the Quickcakes’ Pancake maker! No more measuring and pouring! My kid wants the same at home now! At the click of a button, you have 2 perfect pancakes that fall onto your plate! Absolute delight!

The Room: Every tiny detail is thoughtfully taken care of. There’s hooks for your clothes/jackets/handbags above the platform for your travel bag. The design of the room itself and the artwork on the walls are aesthetic. The study lamp has a cool design and functional at the same time. The sealed lights behind the beds are great. The shampoo, conditioner and body wash are a generous amount and are paraben and sulphate free.

Indoor Pool & Spa: Nothing shouts winter holiday than an indoor pool & hot spa! It was extremely relaxing and every evening of our stay, we enjoyed some pool time fun!

Thankyou Holiday Inn, for making our Thanksgiving week extremely special and relaxing! Kudos on all that you are doing and...