Holiday Inn Express & Suites Hawaiian Gardens by IHG — Hotel in Hawaiian Gardens

I called the hotel before making the reservation to ask a few questions. I asked how much it would be a night including tax for 6 nights and was told a certain amount. Online I saw a little cheaper price a night including tax but was walking in the heat and decided to just book it over the phone instead of going back online. When I arrived a few hours later to check in and was told that I did not have a reservation. I asked if they had a room and was told they could do one room for 3 nights and change rooms at that time. She gave me a price higher than I was told on the phone. I told her what I was told on the phone. She said the person I talked to was no longer there. I asked her to call her. She didn’t reach her. I’m not really sure she tried to call her. She told me someone else by a name similar to mine booked a room for 6 nights and it was prepaid. I asked if there was a phone number and there was. I told her mine and she said that’s not it. I asked her to call that number and she said my number was the same one. She lied multiple times to me. We were able to check in with that reservation at the higher rate which we took because we had to get somewhere that night. I had asked a couple times to talk to the manager and was first told that he isn’t there on the weekend and then was told he was handling something else. We got to our room and noticed it hadn’t been vacuumed but we were in a hurry to get somewhere so we didn’t complain. The next morning we talked to the manager. I think his name was William. He was very rude and said he could not honor what I was told per night. He said as rooms get booked the price goes up and I said I understand that but the price doesn’t go up after I book it. I then told him about the room not being vacuumed and he said “you obviously won’t be happy at this hotel, I’ll credit your night last night and you can find a different hotel.” I said “my plan on this vacation was not to move hotels every day..” I said I would be happy if they would stand by what they said. He said that I should have booked online if it was cheaper and since I booked over the phone he said I should have asked for an email with the booked price. Basically he blamed me because I trusted his staff. I was told he could give me 500 points for greener stay for every night but we only received it for 2 out of the 6 nights even though we hung the card on the door the entire time.

The hotel is new, in a great location and comfortable. We...

This place was was chosen for location and value. $15 parking fee is ok but would be nice if free for IHG reward members or at least 50% off.

The crisp and clean appearance provides an inviting visit.

If all IHG designs were redone like this one, all my future stays at IHG would be a top priority.

The auto shutoff in the bathroom is smart. The first ever hotel bathroom with a soap dispenser is a winner! Beats wasting soap on a small bar in a wasted plastic wrap.

The partnership with Dove is an opportunity for cross promotion for IHG reward members for more points and discounts. Hopefully, corporate can consider this as well.

The accent light for the room above the armoire is perfect. Even the desk lamp was perfect.

The shades to block out light or privacy is well thought out in it's design.

I've been to a few other IHGs designed like this and hope corporate takes time to look at this one for duplication.

The accent light above the armoire and shelf next to the full length mirror across the bathroom has been experienced at other IHG and is a personal favorite. The same with the built in luggage rack and drawers is well designed.

The 24 hour laundry was ideal for my needs. I did have to go to the store to buy soap and dryer sheets. My future travel will have plans to pack laundry sheets that are easy to pack and provide value to the environment and my clothes.

I didn't take full advantage of the breakfast but future visits will likely utilize it as the freshness and options are good. Would like to see POG as a beverage option.

Overall, this may likely be a go-to for future visits as I am in the LA area at least 2-3x/yr and need a centralized,safe and comfortable stay.

As a military Leisure Travel professional, this is one place I have already recommended to full service Leisure travel offices to consider to book for our patrons.

It is in hopes IHG corporate will come through for us on a patron we had booked at another location.

Despite the results, this location is favored.

About an hour from Hollywood and not too far from Disney. Easy access from the freeway with shopping and restaurants nearby makes it ideal for travelers.

Thank you for an overall...

Cons: We were aware that the hotel was new, but were not warned prior to arriving that they were still in the soft opening" phase. The staff were very honest and upfront about this when we arrived. We feel that corporate or someone from customer service should have contacted us prior to our arrival about this, or at least mentioned this in the advertisement.

There was no hot breakfast like advertised during our stay, but we were told it would be available soon. We had a one-year-old with multiple food allergies and we were looking forward to the hot breakfast where she could eat some items, such as bacon and other meats.

The pool was not yet up and running (which was not a huge deal). Not all of the floors were available yet.

In our room, most of top electric sockets did not work, but the bottom ones did. There was no Wi-Fi available in our rooms. - The TVs were a little confusing to use. The motion-sensor bathroom lights would automatically turn off even when someone was inside. There are no bathtubs, so it was a little difficult to give our children a bath.

PLEASE NOTE: None of the cons listed above are the staff's fault. They were nothing but accommodating and kind to our large family. We would love to return when all the amenities are the hotel is fully operational.

Pros: The staff were very friendly, responsive, and honest.

The rooms were comfortable, especially the beds.

Full-size toiletries were included (hand wash, body lotion, shampoo, conditioner, body wash). You can also request free travel-size toiletries if you forgot them at home or run out.

Free parking.

Continental breakfast was good.

The rooms our family booked were not available on the same floor upon arrival, but the staff provided a solution that ended up with us having a free extra room.

Each room has a microwave, Keurig coffee maker, and mini-fridge.

The double-layer shades in the rooms were a nice touch and provided privacy.

Contemporary design, but still very warm and cozy.

The front desk provided us a better route home when we checked out. It worked great...