Holiday Inn Express & Suites Meriden by IHG — Hotel in Meriden

This was my first business trip in 18 months and unfortunately this facility is not ready for business travelers to return (IMHO). Prior to checking in I called to request an upgrade. I was booked into a double queen suite but my travel companion had to cancel at the last minute and the property was still showing 3 king suites. I was told that there were none. I informed the call taker that the app was showing three rooms available for my dates and was finally given an upgrade.

Check-in was pleasant and the reserved parking for Elite level clients was VERY welcome. I was told that due to covid I had to state my housekeep preferences. I indicated that I did want my room made each day. I was then told that the pool was closed due to covid. This frustrated me because even NOW the property does not show the pool as closed on the website. It would take seconds to minutes to update a website to ACCURATELY state what amenities are currently closed due to covid.

Upon returning to my room after a full workday I discovered that the maid had not made the room up. I called the desk and apologies were made. The AC in the room was weak at best. The desk chair was broken and leans to the right. I didn't complain about either.

On the following day when I tried to take a shower I discovered that there was no hot water. As in NONE. The front desk acknowledged that they were having an issue hotel wide with hot water. When I checked 2 hours later there was hot water. The caulk in the tub area is moldy/rusty. The bulk soap/conditioner was empty for conditioner.

Finally, when I called on my last night to request a late checkout I was told that call taker did not have the authority to authorize a late checkout and that I would need to call the desk at 8:15 to make the request.... so much for sleeping in Sunday morning.

On the bright side the room was decent size and clean. The hotel was quiet and I was able to rest. The food in the area was good to great. I honestly hope that this property puts in the time and effort to return to...

I have stayed at this hotel for a number of nights now and it never ceases to surprise me how well it is managed, especially how excellent the service is, and how wonderful and comfortable the rooms are. To begin with the reader will be surprised by the size of these rooms. And I'm talking about the standard rooms. The rooms are typically two to three times the size of the closet spaces that one typically rents in any other hotel. These are very large rooms literally taking one 10 to 20 seconds to walk through. It is quite unbelievable and brings back stories and legends of times long gone when hotel stays meant spacious accomodationos and service that matched.

Second, and of special note, is the service. The service here feels like a family run business, each staff member performs multiple roles, so it is not a surprise seeing a housekeeper at the desk or in the kitchen or even involved in maintenance operaitions. The brilliance of this multifunctional staff idea is that each member is very well versed in anyrthing related to the hotel operations. So varied questions or concerns are addressed quickly and efficiently by anyone you ask.

The management of the hotel is exceptional and they establish the modus operandi upon which the staff foll. For example, the direction or operations Derek Frinneey I've seen at the desk, scrubbing marks off an elevator, painting, and in the kitchen. He is miraclously available almost daily at all hours. In short, this hotel is a hidden gem that I hope will stay that way for a long time. Staying here harkens to staying in golden years of exceptional hotel service and accomodations. This for sure is no Motel or even a medium stared hotel. It is 5 stars in my book and at rates that are unbelievably competitive. A truly worthy place to visit just for...

when you travel alone, which i have to do alot. you really appreciate being cared for miles from home .||i had a travelers emergency. i lost my phone in the back of a Lyft. the staff on duty, Amanda and Fernando went out of their way to help me. i was completely lost and on the edge of panic. all my information was on my phone, including my train tickets home. i could offer very little info on the lyft drive because, again, that info was on the lost phone. Fernando and Amanda worked like detectives to pull information out of thin air in order to finally find out who the driver was, and where he was located. They contacted Lyft and the driver. By the time it was over, they were able to get my phone delivered to the hotel. These two people went well beyond their job descriptions and pay grade to recover my property, They stood by for calls they might or might not be coming (because through Lyft they were only able to chat with AI). i Am in awe of how hard they worked to assist me, a person they never met before. I knew they did not have to take it as far as they did. When i offered reward, they refused. the response was "this is what we are here to do."|After a restful evening and a breakfast , i was able to get home safely because, t6hanks to this stellar staff, my travel passes were back in my possession. These two not only set he gold standard in customer service, but they were also a prime example how special this world would be if we all treated one another, they way they treated a customer, yet still a stranger that night. I sit here safe at home, very grateful to these two individuals, and I highly recommend holiday inn express in Meriden, if this is the standard they set in emploment!!! They made a new friend that evening, and that hotel acquired a...