The Lodge at Roseburg — Hotel in Roseburg

We booked the King Executive Suite for an anniversary trip. I was expecting a romantic getaway, based on the pictures of the river view and the large tub in the bathroom. I will start off with saying the bed was very comfortable and the view was nice. But we really couldn't enjoy it.

The bathroom looked like it had been cobbled together over many years (caulking missing, wallpaper poorly patched, etc) and it doesn't give the impression it's clean. When I booked the hotel, I was excited about a deep tub, but after seeing the state of the bathroom I didn't trust the cleanliness of it, especially since it's pretty common for the jet tubes to get bacteria in them, so we didn't use it.

Also, we didn't feel like we had privacy in our room. I had requested a room away from the elevator, as I am a very light sleeper, but instead we were placed in a room with a door just a hallway's width from the door of the elevator. We could hear full conversations of people waiting for the elevator or just getting off the elevator--from our bed. This was an anniversary trip and we did not feel like we could just relax in the space in privacy. Also, the ice machine room was adjacent to our room and I could hear conversations held in there too, as well as the sound of ice being scooped. This room needs better sound insulation. It was a very disappointing experience and we spent very little time in the room because of it. I feel like I wasted money on upgrading to a room with features we didn't use. I didn't even get much sleep on the comfortable bed because of the noises of people in the hall and ice machine room that happened until after 2am and started up again by 8am.

Additionally, the door to the hallway should be fixed/replaced. In a time where we are all pretty aware of how clean things are, there was some sort of dried coffee or something dribbled down the bottom of the door. The whole door should have been wiped down. It really made me question how clean everything else was. Plus, the door did not easily align to allow the deadbolt to close (it had to be forced) and the door guard lock was wobbly like it wasn't attached well or something.

The service we received was ok. They're doing the best they can with the Covid restrictions. And the breakfast options were slim, but better than nothing. They had breakfast sandwiches, but the oven they normally use was broken so they gave us the sandwiches to microwave. They didn't just have them in the refrigerator to grab, so we had to find the attendant. She was friendly, but it felt odd to wait around in the lobby or seek her out when we're supposed to maintain social distancing and not linger in the lobby. And to top it all off, we got locked out of our room. Apparently the person who checked us in for our two-night stay only activated our cards for one night, so we had to go back into the lobby to get them to update our room key cards. It was just one more thing in the midst of a negative hotel experience.

I will definitely be looking for other options the next time we come...

I recently had the misfortune of staying at the Holiday Inn in Roseburg, Oregon. What was supposed to be a relaxing getaway turned into a nightmare. Let me share my experience with you, so you can avoid making the same mistake.

The Room: A Mosquito-Infested Dungeon

Mosquitoes and Bugs Everywhere:

o As I entered my room, I was greeted by a swarm of mosquitoes and other unidentified insects. It felt like a scene from a horror movie.

o The windows had gaps, allowing these pests to infiltrate freely. I spent the night swatting and itching.

Dead Mattresses:

o The bed was a disaster. The mattress sagged in the middle, as if it had given up on life.

o Springs poked through the thin fabric, making sleep impossible. I might as well have slept on a pile of rocks.

Odor That Haunts My Dreams:

o The room smelled like a mix of dampness, old socks, and desperation. I wondered if anyone had ever bothered to air it out.

o The carpet emitted a musty stench that clung to my clothes long after I left.

Rooms: The rooms were infested with mosquitoes and bugs, making it impossible to get a good night’s sleep. They shifted me in 5 rooms, and all rooms are the same with bugs and bed odors.

The Staff: Rude and Unhelpful

Front Desk Fiasco:

o When I complained about the room, the front desk staff barely looked up from their phones. Their indifference was infuriating.

o I asked for a different room, and they shifted me in almost 5 rooms. All 5 rooms were in the same horrible conditions. No attempt to address my concerns by staff.

Meet the Angry GM:

o The pinnacle of my frustration was encountering the hotel’s general manager.

o He stormed into the lobby, red-faced and barking orders. His anger radiated like a heatwave.

o When I tried to express my dissatisfaction, he cut me off, saying, “Deal with it or leave. We’re busy.”

o Misbehaving? That’s an understatement. GM was a one-man wrecking crew.

Conclusion: Avoid This Place at All Costs

• Holiday Inn Roseburg turned my vacation into a nightmare. They are not following and making their Rooms as per IHG Group standards. The rooms were a disgrace, the staff apathetic, and the general manager a living embodiment of frustration.

• If you value your sanity, steer clear of this hotel. There are better places to rest your head—ones without mosquitoes, dead mattresses, and rude managers.

Remember, dear traveler, sometimes the best travel advice is knowing where not...

From my email to Mr. Radford, Your staff is especially worthy of the highest of compliments! Everyone we encountered was so willing to help or just be friendly! Every time we have stayed here, we have encountered the same staff attitude, something which is difficult to maintain over the years when one experiences natural turnover. (We were happy to recognize Gloria and Lisa from prior visits. More about Gloria in a minute.) Unfortunately, when we have re-visited other places with great expectations for the high quality of service, food, etcetera that we had experienced on previous visits, we were often disappointed that the turnover of staff had not resulted in the same level of quality.
The Holiday Inn in Roseburg is a poster-child for maintaining that same culture of exceptional friendliness and care; congratulations to you for setting the tone. (In my last line of work, trouble-shooting for various companies, it became obvious that the culture was set by the boss or someone in a clear line of authority. Thus, we compliment you for your staff’s attitude.) Again, special kudos for Gloria who is always a joy to see when we arrive to check in and doing our stays. She really goes out of her way to assure that things go well.
Compliments also for Diedre who worked hard to make the television set come to life. It was unfortunate that we did not have dependable tv service during our entire stay, culminating with no TV at all during the last evening. Anywhere else, this would have been a summary disappointment on our stay … but your staff more than made up for that glitch. (Although I must admit I was especially aggrieved when I could only watch portions of the marathon showing of “Escape to Survive – New Zealand” and was not able at all to see the new “Beat Bobby Flay” show!)
Lastly kudos for Warren who was always patiently willing to come up to our room when the television set was mis-functioning and fix it temporarily, something which he did with an always friendly attitude.
Also, we always admire the landscaping around the grounds. Truly beautiful! Clearly competes with Mother Nature’s river view. (In our Christian way, we give credit to God for that creation but I’m sure He does not mind our admiring it as one of His “Mother Nature” projects. )

Bottom line, despite the unfortunate experience with the television set, we again thoroughly enjoyed our stay due to your terrific staff! Thanks to...