Holiday Inn Express Scottsdale North by IHG — Hotel in Scottsdale

Excellent staff, reasonably comfortable rooms (a bit smaller than other IHG properties in the Phx-Metro area, but still decently good) but.....from what I've heard, this property is up for major renovation [as of early-March 2024] and....after the 3 different HS/College sports teams had stayed here, I can see why.

The rooms were great for the most part, aside from the lack of a microwave in the two-bed rooms...but I can understand why they wouldn't put that in every single room [cost-wise] alongside the provided mini-fridge and Keurig in each room- that isn't my main issue at all (especially since they still had a good 1100-watt microwave in the dining area on the first floor) my main issue...is the building itself.

While we were staying there (on a few different occasions- 3 of which being in late-February/early-to-mid-March)....there were 2 or 3 separate sports teams (high-school or college- I'm still not sure which) that were staying here in March- now...I fully understand such high-traffic between sports tournaments ["March Madness" and such] that time of year, but also "kids being kids" that there's going to be some problems, but....they didn't seem to enforce their "Two-Strike Policy" against noise complaints from guests.

3 separate stays during March- we had kids not only audibly thrashing about in the halls on the top floor, but also were able to see them doing so (despite the cameras in those hallways) and even had to talk to the coach responsible for those kids DIRECTLY a couple times ourselves-- we still didn't see any improvement. Could not only hear the noise at the opposite end of the rooms we were staying in on the top floor, but could see them goofing off [playing hockey-ball with hockey sticks, or throwing each other against the walls] while staying there...and while the staff up to that point (in prior stays) had been incredibly helpful and understanding, they weren't able to keep these kids from stopping their nonsense.

Other than those events, the staff were fantastic- helpful, understanding, and kind every step of the way...but when dealing with a large-group staying in-house, they didn't seem to be so helpful...

Over all -- staff were (for the most part) phenomenal, rooms were decently good, beds were very comfortable, but...the building needs some work, as does the "group stay" option they have here. Now- I've heard of a "code of conduct" that hotel staff from other companies have provided to not just the coach, but each student staying there as part of a "sports group"-- a paper contract that lays out all the details, that everyone involved had to sign in writing, on paper, to have in-place for situations like that....which leads me to wonder- why didn't this property establish something like that? Even when that first group caused (as I was told, in addition to our noise complaint(s), THREE other guests complained about, and even had another night audit employee [staying here; worked at other properties] mention in-person to hotel staff-- why didn't they implement something like that?

I could not only hear the thrashing around in the hall at this hotel, but also FEEL IT through the floor....not just with the sports team, either (there was one other time before them I felt stomping through the floor, and heard a child screaming in the halls) so....if mgmt is looking for advice- please, reinforce the upper floors above the ground floor. It will go a long way for you.

But also....the spring-loaded door hinges- bad idea. A gas-assist spring, that PREVENTS DOORS FROM SLAMMING, is a must. Can't count the number of times over past stays that slammed doors were a problem....just-- please, make sure those gas-assist springs aren't over-set- we had that problem at a Holiday Inn Express in Glendale, where such implements forced the room door closed at such a rate that it might've dislocated someone's arm if they tried to close the room door quietly (would yank the door closed instead of slowing down that last 1/4 of movement to a slow crawl/kept the door from...

Before going, I read the reviews, which were fine and since this was going to be a quick trip, I didn’t even consider security.||||On November 3rd, around 6:30 AM, I got up, worked out in their fitness center, and then stopped by to grab a few things from the breakfast area. So far, so good.||||I'm not sure how long I was at the gym, but I would say that somewhere between 7:30 AM and 8:30 AM, I took the elevator to my floor. For some reason, I always look at the sign that shows you which direction your room is in. I looked at the sign, then left, then right, and back to left out of habit. Then I proceeded to my room, which was to the left. Note: there are large columns on both sides of the hallway, so there is no clear view of either direction, but I didn’t see or hear anyone.||||I headed to my room, pulled out my key, and as I was getting ready to put it in the slot, a man was standing behind me. I have no idea where he came from. He asked me if he could go inside my room because he was thinking about renting there. (Note: clearly, this is a lie, and my alarms went off in my head.)||||I looked at him and said firmly, "No." He then just walked away. I ran into my room, bolted the door, and called downstairs to let them know.||||The young lady said she would check the hallways. I told her not to check the hallways and to call the police. She said she would get back to me. She never did, so I called her about 20 minutes later. She said she didn’t see anyone, and when I asked her why she didn’t call the police, the phone went silent, so I hung up and called the police myself.||||I called 911, told them what happened, and the operator said there was nothing she could do because I waited too long.||||Now I’m trapped in a room, hearing male voices outside the door, beginning to feel paranoid. I had a meeting scheduled for noon, but it was only around 9 AM. So, I called the person I had the meeting with, told her what happened, and asked her to come get me. She came to my room to get me with backup.||||I decided to leave this hotel. While checking out, obviously upset and scared, I spoke to the desk clerk and the manager. They said they followed protocol, which was just to look around. I asked the manager if he checked the cameras, and he said there were no cameras in the hallways or places that would show the man.||||This is insane. I keep thinking, who is this guy, and is he still lurking in the hotel for his next potential victim?||||Holiday Inn Scottsdale North and the Scottsdale AZ 911 emergency...

Before going, I read the reviews, which were fine and since this was going to be a quick trip, I didn’t even consider security.

On November 3rd, around 6:30 AM, I got up, worked out in their fitness center, and then stopped by to grab a few things from the breakfast area. So far, so good.

I'm not sure how long I was at the gym, but I would say that somewhere between 7:30 AM and 8:30 AM, I took the elevator to my floor. For some reason, I always look at the sign that shows you which direction your room is in. I looked at the sign, then left, then right, and back to left out of habit. Then I proceeded to my room, which was to the left. Note: there are large columns on both sides of the hallway, so there is no clear view of either direction, but I didn’t see or hear anyone.

I headed to my room, pulled out my key, and as I was getting ready to put it in the slot, a man was standing behind me. I have no idea where he came from. He asked me if he could go inside my room because he was thinking about renting there. (Note: clearly, this is a lie, and my alarms went off in my head.)

I looked at him and said firmly, "No." He then just walked away. I ran into my room, bolted the door, and called downstairs to let them know.

The young lady said she would check the hallways. I told her not to check the hallways and to call the police. She said she would get back to me. She never did, so I called her about 20 minutes later. She said she didn’t see anyone, and when I asked her why she didn’t call the police, the phone went silent, so I hung up and called the police myself.

I called 911, told them what happened, and the operator said there was nothing she could do because I waited too long.

Now I’m trapped in a room, hearing male voices outside the door, beginning to feel paranoid. I had a meeting scheduled for noon, but it was only around 9 AM. So, I called the person I had the meeting with, told her what happened, and asked her to come get me. She came to my room to get me with backup.

I decided to leave this hotel. While checking out, obviously upset and scared, I spoke to the desk clerk and the manager. They said they followed protocol, which was just to look around. I asked the manager if he checked the cameras, and he said there were no cameras in the hallways or places that would show the man.

This is insane. I keep thinking, who is this guy, and is he still lurking in the hotel for his next potential victim?

Holiday Inn Scottsdale North and the Scottsdale AZ 911 emergency...