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

UPDATE: We stayed late October 2024 on Thursday. There were Halloween decorations everywhere.

We stayed in a 2 Queen Bed Standard room (#503). The room faced the back of other establishments so the view wasn’t the best. The carpet had a couple stains on it but nothing terrible. The tub had some spots with enamel missing. Mini fridge was not cold. We pulled the unit out and the thermostat was on the back. The shower head had terrible water pressure. There were not enough hooks in the bathroom.

Original: We stayed on a Saturday night in early April. The plan was to stay here for the night and hit Rock Fish Gap in the morning and do the entire of Sky Line Drive in Shenandoah National Park.

We stayed in room 411 which was 2 queen beds and a sofa bed. The room was nice and clean. The AC/heater worked great. The beds were fantastic for what we needed. The lighting was good too. Everything seemed very modern and updated. We were told at check-in that this was a newly built Holiday Inn Express and Suites and it wasn't retrofitted from an older building with different room styles so that made sense. It was different in that the sofa bed was next to the window when it's usually the further away. We enjoy the newer blinds as we can close it completely and there is an option that lets light through and one for full black out. We like having the light one open as a nightlight for the kids. The accent lighting is always a nice touch. The bathroom was also nice and clean and we liked how the toilet was behind a wall to give some kind of privacy when sharing it with others. There was no additional sink on the "coffee bar" like some other Holiday Inn Suite rooms we've stayed in the past. Also our mini fridge was not very cold at all and there were no dials or switches to adjust the temperature. We just kept everything in our igloo cooler and filled it with bags of ice from the ice machine located next to the elevator.

The downstairs meeting/dinning area was nice and big and very updated with modern amenities and lots of natural light. We really enjoy the tall bar height tables which had wireless chargers and outlets on top of the tables as well as little desk lamps. There was your typical "convenience store" with toiletries you may have forgotten as well as snacks. The complimentary breakfast was great. There were more selections of hot foods than many of the other Holiday Inn Express and Suites we've stayed at. The food never ran out and the 2 staff working it were great and always asking guest if they needed help with something. The cinnamon buns here were different than the other Holiday Inns and Expresses as well. We actually preferred the others as they were more flakey and moist. These seemed a little dry. Kids enjoyed the pancake maker as always.

The business area, fitness room and pool all looked nice. It was a much larger fitness area than most and there was a actual water fountain. Most places have a water jug and our experience is that they were almost always out of order. The pool was very nice and the water was abnormally warm. It was sad that there was no hot tub but the water wasn't freezing cold so it was fine. I was only in the pool like 15 mins (kids spent an hour) and I did get a few clumps of hair between my fingers which wasn't appealing but understandable. There is also a shower in the corner to rinse off before heading back to the room and this is always a big plus as most places don't offer this feather. There were also plenty of towels.

My biggest praise for this hotel was the staff. The front desk lady who checked us in was super friendly and answered all our questions including suggestions on places to go to eat for dinner etc. The location of this hotel is very nice and there are so many food options to pick from in town. This was also probably the busiest Holiday Inn Express and Suites we stayed in to date. There were tons of guests and I'm sure that is a good thing.

Overall we wouldn't hesitate to stay at this hotel again if we were driving...

The lady who greeted me to check me in was not well versed in her job and told me so when I asked her if my rewards number was on my reservation and asked her to put it on since it seems to had disappeared. She seemed annoyed that I was asking. As I would go in and out of the hotel when she was there I would say hello to her and she would just scowl. Know that this is not the norm for this hotel because staff there is generally very pleasant and welcoming and returns greetings when customers give them. Staff at this hotel historically has been very warm and welcoming, it was just the one that checked me in that was not and when she was working one of the other days she wouldn't even smile or return a hello. The rest of the staff totally made up for it! I stay at this hotel frequently and they are very clean and the beds are very comfortable. The only true issue at this hotel is they seem to operate on less than minimal staffing. One time I stayed both elevators were down for several days and you had to carry your stuff up and down the steps and I was told that because it was the weekend they could not get somebody there until a weekday to fix the elevators. This time I had less than a half a roll total of toilet paper in my room and had to go to the front desk to retrieve more because they didn't have staff to bring it up due to only one person working & they can't leave the front desk area (same lady who checked me in). When I went to retrieve it I was told they had run out of toilet paper earlier and had to go buy some. The breakfasts are very pleasant and the food is good they just need to have a way to lay the serving spoons down on something versus placing them back in the tray because the covers will not close on the trays with spoons in them so they get placed directly on top of the food so people have to reach into the food to grab the handle of the spoon. They also need to get plastic ware that does not bend in half when trying to remove it from its wrapper & does not bend when trying to cut a sausage or a biscuit. Even the times of the fork would curl up when you would try to use them to stab a piece of sausage or a piece of biscuit to eat it. All in all I would say that this is one of the cleanest and nicest hotels I have stayed in across the state of virginia. They will remain my go-to hotel when visiting the Stanton/Waynesboro/Augusta...

Title: A Pleasant Stay with Some Room for Improvement

First and foremost, I was impressed by the hotel's modern and clean appearance. From the moment I stepped into the lobby, it was evident that the facility was well-maintained and felt new. The front desk staff, breakfast buffet workers, and cleaning staff were all friendly and provided excellent customer service, making me feel welcome throughout my stay.

While there were many positive aspects of my experience, there were a couple of areas that fell short of my expectations. In our room, specifically the shower, I noticed a few stray hairs. Although this was a minor issue that could be easily rectified with a quick rinse and a wipe down using Lysol, it did make me question the overall cleanliness of the room. Additionally, the coffee provided during two out of the three days was burnt and emitted a foul odor. I brought this issue to the attention of the hotel staff on the first day, but unfortunately, there was no immediate resolution. However, after persistently raising the concern on the second day, the issue seemed to be resolved, as the coffee on the third day had a pleasant aroma and taste.

On a positive note, the location of the hotel was ideal for exploring Staunton. It was conveniently situated, offering easy access to various local attractions, dining options, beautiful views, and a chance to immerse oneself in the area's rich history. This added to the overall enjoyment of our family trip.

In conclusion, the Holiday Inn Express and Suites in Staunton, Virginia provided a pleasant stay with a few areas that could be improved. The hotel's cleanliness, newness, and friendly staff contributed to a positive experience. However, the presence of stray hairs in the shower and the issue with burnt coffee were minor inconveniences that detracted from an otherwise enjoyable stay. Despite these shortcomings, the hotel's excellent location made it a suitable choice for exploring...