Holiday Inn Express Grand Island - Niagara Falls by IHG — Hotel in Town of Grand Island

We recently embarked on a romantic journey from Michigan to New York to celebrate our Anniversary and decided to make a spontaneous stop at the majestic Niagara Falls. Our choice for accommodation was the Holiday Inn Express Grand Island - Niagara Falls, an IHG Hotel, as we are loyal members of the IHG group. Having experienced the immaculate standards of their hotels in Michigan, we had high expectations. The journey to the hotel was already a visual treat, as we crossed a stunning blue bridge over crystal clear water. We couldn't help but imagine the possibility of a breathtaking lake view from the upper deck.

However, to our disappointment, the hotel fell short of our expectations. The photos we had seen on booking websites were slightly misleading, as they cleverly captured the hotel from flattering angles to enhance its appeal. While the hotel was naturally nice, it did not quite match up to the standard we had come to associate with the Holiday Inn franchise. I must admit, this was the least impressive Holiday Inn I have ever visited. Nonetheless, I believe there is ample room for improvement.

Let's now discuss the rooms. We had opted for a balcony bedroom at a higher cost. The bedroom itself was well-maintained and impeccably clean, including the refrigerator and microwave - a commendable job by the housekeeping staff. However, my disappointment arose from the condition of the bathroom and the balcony.

The balcony was unfortunately littered with someone else's trash, including used coffee cups, beer cans, cigarette butts, and an open pack of cigarettes. It was disheartening to see such negligence in maintaining this space. Furthermore, the state of the bathroom shower was absolutely appalling. The discoloration of brown and black in the corners was highly unhygienic and off-putting. Even the floor exhibited a similar unsightly discoloration, which was quite noticeable against the glass shower doors and white walls.

When we brought these issues to the attention of the staff and requested for the room to be cleaned, we were informed that no one was available to clean the room until the next morning during checkout, as the staff had already left for the day. At this point, we had hoped for the possibility of switching to a clean room, even if it meant sacrificing the balcony. Unfortunately, the concierge showed no interest in addressing our concerns or considering an alternative solution. Their lack of empathy and disregard for our comfort was truly disheartening. We were left with no choice but to endure the unpleasant room and were unable to fully enjoy the amenities. It was an extremely disappointing experience.

On a more positive note, the hotel's bar and lounge have a charming ambiance, particularly the large upper deck. While the clutter and lack of views somewhat detract from its potential, there is still a certain appeal to the space. It is unfortunate, however, that there are no drink menus available for those of us who are not well-versed in alcoholic beverages. Nevertheless, they do make up for it by offering a decent selection of wine and beer.

In terms of dining options, the hotel's bar offers pretty good food that is suitable for both adults and children. This is especially important when traveling with picky eaters or when you simply prefer to dine in. However, I must mention that if you have a refined palate and are not particularly interested in alcoholic beverages, the food might not fully satisfy your taste buds. It would be beneficial if the hotel could provide salt and pepper on the table-tops to enhance the flavors. Additionally, it is worth noting that the bar can be a bit noisy due to its proximity to...

Visited this hotel recently and boy was I disappointed. I'll preface my next comments to say that I've been to over 30 IHG properties. On arrival, (a bit late in the evening) it looked really nice and in the pictures online it said it was a new hotel. It did live up to that expectation but the service was something else.

On arrival at the desk, we were greeted with signs all over the desk that said 'no one is available, to check in call #'. The desk looked like a child had run through the area and turned everything upside down. I picked up the phone on the desk to call the number and a random woman in street clothes came out of the back room and asked if we needed something. I said we were here to check in. No Hi or hello or introduction to who she was. She just started typing away and when I asked her a few questions she came across as very annoyed and condescending.

We got our keys and off we went to the room. The rooms at the new Holiday Inn hotels are really nice and it did live up to the expectation. I had requested a few extra pillows in the room and they were not there. I called down and no one answered, so I figured I'd take a shower and then try again. Still no answer. Tried a few more times and nothing so I went downstairs and could not find any staff. The lobby was quite crowded with what looked like a family but I could not find staff anywhere.

The next morning for breakfast, the lobby was quite crowded. At the desk, again no staff and this time no signs, so we waited to see if anyone would randomly show up. A gentleman in, again, plain clothing and a LOT of jewelry approached us and asked if we wanted help. I was a little taken aback as he could be someone's strangely dressed Uncle. I said we were here to check out and he said just leave the key on the desk, then proceeded to walk away. Again no Hi or hello and acted like we were an inconvenience. I strongly believe this hotel is run by a family because of its lax service which is not great.

We decided to stay for breakfast and upon entering the breakfast area noticed there was almost no selection (it was around 8 am) and what was left was cold and extremely stale. At that point, we were much more soured by the experience and left.

I used quite a bit of points for this trip and found it to be the most unpleasant service I've ever received at an IHG property. Will not go back there as there are older properties in the area that have a 1000% better service.

As an FYI: This hotel does not have anything near or around it. You should stay on Niagara falls boulevard or closer to...

We booked 2 queen rooms for 2 nights from 5-17-24 to 5-19-2024 at Holiday Inn Express Grand Island NY. One of the rooms had a very strong unbearable smell (did not have issues with the other room). When inquired about this with the front desk, we were informed that the hotel is full and they will check the issue. No one came and when contacted the front desk again, the staff member at the desk informed that he spoke to the manager and they can provide another queen room in a different floor (same person initially told us the hotel was full, but now they were willing to give a new room. Either they don't really want to provide a good customer service or staff doesn't know about room availability). When asked, we were informed and assured there will be no additional charge and exact similar room will be given. When checking out, I was not given a receipt as they said that there will be no additional charge to this change. However, the hotel management had charged me $200 extra on my credit card. When I called to inquire why this was, I was told that apparently the manager has canceled our existing reservation and rebooked both the rooms at a higher price. This was outrageous! Neither we were informed of this extra charge nor this was a fault from our side! THE HOTEL was at fault for giving a room with a strong smell. THE HOTEL ASSURED us that there will not be an additional charge. I reserved these rooms from the official hotel website. Up till now, I have tried calling the reservation personnel three times (staff stage names: Pat, Regine and Vita). Every time they admit that I should not have been charged with this amount and told me that they have escalated this matter to the Upper Management, and that I will be contacted. Yet, nothing has happened up till now. I book through the hotel website to avoid issues if any from third party. Being a IHG reward member, it is extremely unfortunate, frustrating and maddening to know that I have been robbed of my time and money. We go on a trip to relax only to come home and find that I have been charged for something I did not do. Extremely disappointing experience. I hope the Hotel Management and Customer Service provide me with the refund...