Holiday Inn Express & Suites North Shamrock TX — Hotel in Shamrock

This was one of the worst experiances my family or I have had at an IHG property. Some of this was the fault of the hotel, some of IHG, I will stick to the hotel issues for this review.

We made our reservation on the IHG app, which due to a technical error made two reservations. When we got to the hotel the staff was having a Christmas party in the front area so we had to wait for a front desk attendant to show up, she was noticeably annoyed that we were interrupting her party. When she pulled the reservation she informed me that we had two rooms reserved, I explained that we only needed one, and she told me that we would be charged a "no show fee" for the second room if we could not get the reservation canceled, then went back to her party. My wife and I spent the next hour in the (freezing) parking lot dealing with IHG to get the room canceled so we could get in to our original room. Several times we had to go back to the front desk asking for help with this, only to have the same surly employee give us incorrect information. On our last trip inside for help a different clerk told us that the manager had finally heard about our issues with the reservations and had taken care of it for us. An hour wasted due to the lousy front desk.

Once we got in our room our stay got stranger. The door to the room was not fitted correctly and would not close, the dead bolt would not work, the bathtub drain would not drain, and strangest of all, none of the electronics (I.E. the TV, cable box, clocks, lamps etc.) were plugged in, so we had to take the time to re-assemble the room before anything would work. The room only came with three towels (strange for a suite with 2 queen beds and a pull out) and when I asked the front desk for more the attitude continued and they even went so far as to make it clear they were recording my name and room number before they would give me the additional towels.

As all of the above took so long, my kids only had a few minutes to use the pool (the one with the broken hot tub and open windows so it was freezing in there) when we left the pool at closing time the manager asked us if we would like to stay longer. Kudos to that manger, he is the one redeeming quality of this hotel.

Sleep was non-existent thanks to room neighbors standing in the hall yelling (sounded like a party) most of the night, we did not call the front desk due to the issues previously.

The breakfast was fine, what you would expect at this chain, however it does not start until 7:00, which is just weird. Luckily the employees seem to think it is too late also, and start opening up well before that for all the oil field guys, we jumped in with them and got out of there as quickly as we could.

Bottom line; not a nice hotel. The manager seemed like he cared and wanted to make our stay better, but it was just such a train wreck. We probably will not be using this particular hotel again, and if I don't get some positive feedback from IHG we may never be using this chain again....

We searched online for pet-friendly hotels in Shamrock, TX. Since we often stay at Holiday Inn's when traveling between Michigan City and Phoenix, AZ. and since this hotel was on the pet-friendly list, we chose it and reserved a room. My husband checked in and gave me my key copy, he took the luggage and I parked the car and walked the dog. When I got to the room, I told him that I was going to see what they had to eat so I headed downstairs and bought a microwave popcorn and some water. The front desk clerk asked if I would make her dinner in our microwave -- essentially microwaving it, stirring it, then microwaving it again. Very strange, but I felt bad that she had no microwave and nothing to eat so I was happy to do it for her. I brought her dinner and she said "thank you." When I went back to the room, he said that the TV was not working. I went back out and told her and she said to try a different remote. We tried it and the TV still did not work. At this point, I took the dog out again out the side door since it was right near our room. I walked around and came in the front with the dog to return the second remote and tell her it wasn't working. At that point, she said "This is not a pet-friendly hotel." I told her that that's not what it showed online when searching "pet friendly hotels in Shamrock." She said we'd have to check out and couldn't stay there. I was incredulous. What if I paid an extra charge? No, we can't stay. She got on the phone with her boss and he said no way could we stay. I asked to speak to him or her and she said, "No, I won't let you speak to him." Needless to say, I was very upset given that it was listed as pet-friendly on travel sites. We had already unpacked and had just been on the road for 9 hours. I grabbed the luggage cart and as I walked by again, I asked that she credit my card for the room. She still had her boss on the phone who told her, "No" and not only that, but they're charging me $300.00 for the fact that the dog even entered the room. Whaaaat? She acted as though I was sneaking the dog in the hotel. Why would I both sneak the dog in AND bring the dog with me to the front desk while I tried to deal with the TV problem? She was rude. Her boss was rude. And I vowed then and there to NEVER stay in a...

The staff was very courteous and helpful. The lobby area was clean and welcoming.

Unfortunately the first room we were in had a broken thermostat (set at 65 but felt like 80), and phone; and the bed linens felt damp. The staff was very accommodating & switched our room.

The second room we were in had a shower head that sprayed to the sides, but not down the middle at all & could not be adjusted. The TV remote needed to be reprogrammed to the TV every time we turned it on. The bed linens again felt damp, but we did not want to switch rooms.

The hot tub temperature was apparently over 104, because the jets would only work for 5 minutes every hour. It was too hot to stay in for more than a few minutes. When we went to use the stairs to get into the pool, the stairs were slick & we both slid off of them. The pool bathroom door did not lock (luckily there was no one else needing it), and the inside door knob just kept spinning & would not unlatch the door. It took a few minutes of working with it & a few shoulder hits to get the door open (hope no one gets stuck in there with no one to help them). The pool towels were tiny & so threadbare that you needed 3 of them to dry off.

If you laid too close to the edge of the bed, you felt like you were going to roll off. I think it was just due to using a memory foam mattress that got pulled down when the sheets were put on.

We had to leave before the Continental breakfast was fully ready, but were able to get some beverages, fruit & toast which was appreciated.

It was very quiet & we did get a good nights sleep. The room was comfortable overall. The staff was great & very accommodating, unfortunately it seemed like repairs had...