Please post your Rewards Club Experiences 2020
Oct 11, 2020, 9:16 am
#46
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Motown
Programs: DL, WN, AA, IHG Diamond, Hertz 5*
Posts: 3,409
Hotel Indigo - Traverse City
Hotel Indigo - Traverse City, Michigan
What is your Priority Club status?
Platinum
Were you (or for multi-stayers are you generally) happy with the hotel/stay?
Yes
Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive?
Booked King Room Warehouse district view, and was given a king room with partial water view. Same room type so I would not consider it an upgrade, but the water view rooms do have a higher nightly rate.
How are the rooms?
Rooms and hotel have a woods and water theme, reflecting the local area. Standard size room with desk and lounge chair. Coffee and tea facilities in room. Good size bathroom with large walk in shower.
How is the exec. lounge?
N/A
What was good and what was bad?
Hotel - great location. Quick 5-10 minute walk to Front Street with shops and restaurants, and directly across the street from Clinch Park beach. Restaurant/bar area has huge windows with panoramic views of the bay. Food and beverage service currently done online only using a QR code. That requires payment with a credit card, so no room points for those charges. Friendly staff, but on arrival they had checked in someone else under my reservation (same name) and that took extra time to get corrected. On site parking is valet only for $15 per day.
Room - comfortable but did not have a mini fridge, and I had to go down the hall to get ice. The walk in shower has no door and the shower head is only about 6 feet high. I had to duck under it. No USB ports anywhere. Rooms facing Grandview Parkway get traffic noise.
Value for $ or Priority Club Points? Would you return?
I used points. Good value considering the going rate was well over $200 per night. I would definitely stay here again.
What is your Priority Club status?
Platinum
Were you (or for multi-stayers are you generally) happy with the hotel/stay?
Yes
Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive?
Booked King Room Warehouse district view, and was given a king room with partial water view. Same room type so I would not consider it an upgrade, but the water view rooms do have a higher nightly rate.
How are the rooms?
Rooms and hotel have a woods and water theme, reflecting the local area. Standard size room with desk and lounge chair. Coffee and tea facilities in room. Good size bathroom with large walk in shower.
How is the exec. lounge?
N/A
What was good and what was bad?
Hotel - great location. Quick 5-10 minute walk to Front Street with shops and restaurants, and directly across the street from Clinch Park beach. Restaurant/bar area has huge windows with panoramic views of the bay. Food and beverage service currently done online only using a QR code. That requires payment with a credit card, so no room points for those charges. Friendly staff, but on arrival they had checked in someone else under my reservation (same name) and that took extra time to get corrected. On site parking is valet only for $15 per day.
Room - comfortable but did not have a mini fridge, and I had to go down the hall to get ice. The walk in shower has no door and the shower head is only about 6 feet high. I had to duck under it. No USB ports anywhere. Rooms facing Grandview Parkway get traffic noise.
Value for $ or Priority Club Points? Would you return?
I used points. Good value considering the going rate was well over $200 per night. I would definitely stay here again.
Oct 14, 2020, 7:51 am
#47
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Programs: MR LT Titanium, IHG Plat.,UA Premier Silver, & PA/OH Turnpike Million Miler
Posts: 2,320
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Franklin - Oil City
What is your Priority Club status?
Platinum
Were you (or for multi-stayers are you generally) happy with the hotel/stay?
Yes
Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive?
Booked and received King Room.
How are the rooms?
Typical HIX room with new design. Rooms are clean and in good shape.
How is the exec. lounge?
N/A
What was good and what was bad?
Good:
Convenient location for staging a backpacking trip at Oil Creek State Park.
Alternate breakfast provided due to Covid-19 was good. Plenty of choices all of which were in single server containers including cereal, yogurt, milk, juice, and muffins. Coffee & Tea service was the standard HIX offering. While not as substantial as the typical normal HIX breakfast, the property had invested in providing a decent alternative. Much better than I have seen at other properties during Covid.
Room was very clean and the tv remote control had been covered in a plastic bag after cleaning. Bed was comfortable and shower worked well.
Hand Sanitizer available by the Elevators.
Good Covid process signage throughout the property and given at check-in.
Hotel Staff did wear a mask
Bad:
Some guests not wearing masks in the breakfast area (This is a universal problem at most properties now)
Value for $ or Priority Club Points? Would you return?
17.5k points for the night (Cash Rate was $123+tax). So I was happy with the points rate. Yes I would gladly return to this property if I am in the area again.
Platinum
Were you (or for multi-stayers are you generally) happy with the hotel/stay?
Yes
Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive?
Booked and received King Room.
How are the rooms?
Typical HIX room with new design. Rooms are clean and in good shape.
How is the exec. lounge?
N/A
What was good and what was bad?
Good:
Convenient location for staging a backpacking trip at Oil Creek State Park.
Alternate breakfast provided due to Covid-19 was good. Plenty of choices all of which were in single server containers including cereal, yogurt, milk, juice, and muffins. Coffee & Tea service was the standard HIX offering. While not as substantial as the typical normal HIX breakfast, the property had invested in providing a decent alternative. Much better than I have seen at other properties during Covid.
Room was very clean and the tv remote control had been covered in a plastic bag after cleaning. Bed was comfortable and shower worked well.
Hand Sanitizer available by the Elevators.
Good Covid process signage throughout the property and given at check-in.
Hotel Staff did wear a mask
Bad:
Some guests not wearing masks in the breakfast area (This is a universal problem at most properties now)
Value for $ or Priority Club Points? Would you return?
17.5k points for the night (Cash Rate was $123+tax). So I was happy with the points rate. Yes I would gladly return to this property if I am in the area again.
Oct 24, 2020, 12:01 am
#48
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: TPE, SFO, PAE
Posts: 862
Holiday Inn Express Taichung Park
What is your Priority Club status?
Platinum
Were you (or for multi-stayers are you generally) happy with the hotel/stay?
No
Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive?
Booked standard twin beds, received the same.
How are the rooms?
Typical HIE rooms.
Smoke detector went off multiple times during the night. No one was available at front desk/emergency contact until 6am. Staff remotely disabled smoke detectors so they won't go off again.
How is the exec. lounge?
N/A. Received welcome drinks at front desk and had some local snacks in the room.
What was good and what was bad?
+ Price has become much more reasonable ($65/night).
+ Smoke detector is loud enough (106dB) to wake you up in the middle of the night.
- Smoke detector goes off randomly at night.
Value for $ or Priority Club Points? Would you return?
Paid $35 out of pocket (thanks to government travel subsidy) and received 16,625 points back (thanks to IHG promos) - literally a money maker. Probably will try the new HIE that opened across town next time.
Platinum
Were you (or for multi-stayers are you generally) happy with the hotel/stay?
No
Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive?
Booked standard twin beds, received the same.
How are the rooms?
Typical HIE rooms.
Smoke detector went off multiple times during the night. No one was available at front desk/emergency contact until 6am. Staff remotely disabled smoke detectors so they won't go off again.
How is the exec. lounge?
N/A. Received welcome drinks at front desk and had some local snacks in the room.
What was good and what was bad?
+ Price has become much more reasonable ($65/night).
+ Smoke detector is loud enough (106dB) to wake you up in the middle of the night.
- Smoke detector goes off randomly at night.
Value for $ or Priority Club Points? Would you return?
Paid $35 out of pocket (thanks to government travel subsidy) and received 16,625 points back (thanks to IHG promos) - literally a money maker. Probably will try the new HIE that opened across town next time.
Oct 24, 2020, 6:33 pm
#49
Moderator: Hawaii-based airlines & Hawai'i forums
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Ka ʻĀpala Nui, Nuioka
Programs: NEXUS/Global Entry, Delta, United, Hyatt, IHG, Marriott, and Hertz
Posts: 18,039
Staybridge Suites Corning (NY)
Staybridge Suites Corning (NY)
What is your Priority Club status?
Spire Ambassador
Were you (or for multi-stayers are you generally) happy with the hotel/stay?
Yes
Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive?
Booked a King One Bedroom Suite and was given the same on the third (top) floor on the quiet side of the property, per my direct request. All larger suites do not have king-sized beds.
How are the rooms?
The rooms were completely renovated in January 2020, so everything was in good working order. The full kitchen comes with new KitchenAid stainless steel appliances; there is a full-sized refrigerator with an ice-maker, a dual burner halogen range, a microwave oven, and a dishwasher. Other appliances included a 12-cup coffee maker, a toaster oven, and a two-slice toaster. There were table settings for four of Corelle dishware and Pyrex measuring cups and containers (not surprising given the location) and basic assortment of pots and pans. There is a peninsula counter at table height that can tightly sit two people side-by-side sitting in the provided chairs; we found it easier to just move one of the chairs into the kitchen side and eat facing each other. Supplies of coffee, tea, dish soap, and dishwasher detergent are available from Housekeeping once the initial supply has been exhausted.
There are ample power outlets and lamps throughout the room, as well as storage for clothes and luggage. The bed was firm, but comfortable. The bathroom has a single sink outside of the tub and shower and toilet room. The water pressure was fire-hose strong and no issues with temperature. Bath amenities are from the J.R. Watkins line that one finds at the HIX properties in the US and had the same bulk dispensers.
As stated above, the property is adjacent to Interstate 86 / Southern Tier Expressway; the front and northwestern corner of the property are closest, so I asked for a room on the opposite southeast side. Rooms either face the interior courtyard where there is a family area and half a basketball court or outwards. My outward-facing room faced the Corning Inc. day care center next door and a small bit of the hotel parking lot. There was a large tree directly outside of the living room window, so the room was both quiet and private. As a bonus, it was also close to the elevator (but not too close to have noise from it) and it was very convenient to park near the back entrance that was closest to our room and quickly access it via the elevator.
It was a five minute walk to the Corning Museum of Glass (CMOG); the Welcome Center is directly across the street from the property and there is a periodic free shuttle (every 15-20 min during our stay) that one can ride to/from the Welcome Center with stops a both the CMOG and Rockwell Museum, along with a stop at the city center on Market Street. We also found a microbrewery directly next to the property that can be accessed by walking through the parking lot of the hotel that has both indoor and outdoor seating.
How is the exec. lounge?
N/A
What was good and what was bad?
Good was the comfort and convenience of having a suite with a functional kitchen to use for in-room meals. We found Corning to be a bit of a wasteland for decent food options; luckily, there is a large Wegmans grocery store about a five minute drive away. There are also a number of outlet stores in town and neighboring Elmira if that's your thing. The property is very clean and the recent renovations were much appreciated.
Only real negative I found was the really spartan free breakfast options that was little more than convenience store-level pre-packaged muffins and cereal bars and bottled juices and milk; there weren't even packets of jam or butter. I found the best value in just getting a few bottled waters for the day and some bananas, supplemented by items we bought at the store. Also, the free WiFi was a rather pedestrian 6 Mbps upload/download.
Value for $ or Priority Club Points? Would you return?
The room rate was very inexpensive and given the property's excellent location to the Corning Museum of Glass, Rockwell Museum, and downtown Corning and numerous room amenities I found it an excellent value and would certainly stay again if visiting the area.
What is your Priority Club status?
Spire Ambassador
Were you (or for multi-stayers are you generally) happy with the hotel/stay?
Yes
Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive?
Booked a King One Bedroom Suite and was given the same on the third (top) floor on the quiet side of the property, per my direct request. All larger suites do not have king-sized beds.
How are the rooms?
The rooms were completely renovated in January 2020, so everything was in good working order. The full kitchen comes with new KitchenAid stainless steel appliances; there is a full-sized refrigerator with an ice-maker, a dual burner halogen range, a microwave oven, and a dishwasher. Other appliances included a 12-cup coffee maker, a toaster oven, and a two-slice toaster. There were table settings for four of Corelle dishware and Pyrex measuring cups and containers (not surprising given the location) and basic assortment of pots and pans. There is a peninsula counter at table height that can tightly sit two people side-by-side sitting in the provided chairs; we found it easier to just move one of the chairs into the kitchen side and eat facing each other. Supplies of coffee, tea, dish soap, and dishwasher detergent are available from Housekeeping once the initial supply has been exhausted.
There are ample power outlets and lamps throughout the room, as well as storage for clothes and luggage. The bed was firm, but comfortable. The bathroom has a single sink outside of the tub and shower and toilet room. The water pressure was fire-hose strong and no issues with temperature. Bath amenities are from the J.R. Watkins line that one finds at the HIX properties in the US and had the same bulk dispensers.
As stated above, the property is adjacent to Interstate 86 / Southern Tier Expressway; the front and northwestern corner of the property are closest, so I asked for a room on the opposite southeast side. Rooms either face the interior courtyard where there is a family area and half a basketball court or outwards. My outward-facing room faced the Corning Inc. day care center next door and a small bit of the hotel parking lot. There was a large tree directly outside of the living room window, so the room was both quiet and private. As a bonus, it was also close to the elevator (but not too close to have noise from it) and it was very convenient to park near the back entrance that was closest to our room and quickly access it via the elevator.
It was a five minute walk to the Corning Museum of Glass (CMOG); the Welcome Center is directly across the street from the property and there is a periodic free shuttle (every 15-20 min during our stay) that one can ride to/from the Welcome Center with stops a both the CMOG and Rockwell Museum, along with a stop at the city center on Market Street. We also found a microbrewery directly next to the property that can be accessed by walking through the parking lot of the hotel that has both indoor and outdoor seating.
How is the exec. lounge?
N/A
What was good and what was bad?
Good was the comfort and convenience of having a suite with a functional kitchen to use for in-room meals. We found Corning to be a bit of a wasteland for decent food options; luckily, there is a large Wegmans grocery store about a five minute drive away. There are also a number of outlet stores in town and neighboring Elmira if that's your thing. The property is very clean and the recent renovations were much appreciated.
Only real negative I found was the really spartan free breakfast options that was little more than convenience store-level pre-packaged muffins and cereal bars and bottled juices and milk; there weren't even packets of jam or butter. I found the best value in just getting a few bottled waters for the day and some bananas, supplemented by items we bought at the store. Also, the free WiFi was a rather pedestrian 6 Mbps upload/download.
Value for $ or Priority Club Points? Would you return?
The room rate was very inexpensive and given the property's excellent location to the Corning Museum of Glass, Rockwell Museum, and downtown Corning and numerous room amenities I found it an excellent value and would certainly stay again if visiting the area.
Last edited by FlyinHawaiian; Oct 25, 2020 at 5:56 am
Oct 25, 2020, 7:10 am
#50
Moderator: Hawaii-based airlines & Hawai'i forums
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Ka ʻĀpala Nui, Nuioka
Programs: NEXUS/Global Entry, Delta, United, Hyatt, IHG, Marriott, and Hertz
Posts: 18,039
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Geneva Finger Lakes (NY)
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Geneva Finger Lakes (NY)
What is your Priority Club status?
Spire Ambassador
Were you (or for multi-stayers are you generally) happy with the hotel/stay?
Yes
Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive?
Booked a King One Bedroom Suite and was given the same on the fourth (top) floor; the only superior room has a jacuzzi in lieu of the sofa in the living(!) room. The hotel was relatively-full so I was ok not getting the best room in the house.
How are the rooms?
This is a relatively-new property located in a commercial area that is shared with a Microtel Inn & Suites and a small strip mall; we didn't have any issues finding a parking space that was close to the hotel entrance. The overall design is fresh and clean and our room was very comfortably-laid out. The floorplan in open (no doors to separate the bedroom from the other areas) with a small living room between the bed area and the bathroom consisting of a small sofa with a hide-away bed and small table with seating for two. There's also a small wet bar along with a Keurig machine, a medium-sized compact fridge (no freezer of any kind), and very small microwave. In the strip mall is a nice restaurant called Kindred Fare that could be considered the de facto hotel restaurant and bar; we had dinner there one night and it was excellent; it's really nice to have such a good option adjacent to the property and not a ghastly Applebee's.
There are ample power outlets and lamps throughout the room, storage is somewhat limited to the small open closet in the living room and two large drawers under the TV stand. The bed was firm, but comfortable. The bathroom has a single sink and a tub and shower. The water pressure was pretty tepid (and the water in the area is incredibly soft). Bath amenities was the standard J.R. Watkins line in bulk dispensers.
The full HIX breakfast options were largely available but one needs to order a la carte from the staff and they will plate it for you. There's a pancake machine and toaster that can be freely used as well. I noted that quite a bit of people were eating their meals in the breakfast area; I went down early enough before the crowds and ate our breakfasts at the table in our suite (plastic trays are available to bring items up).
How is the exec. lounge?
N/A
What was good and what was bad?
The property is new and everything shows no visible signs of wear and tear. The staff and GM were all very helpful with our pre-arrival requests as well as during our stay. Ample and safe parking and having a really nice restaurant adjacent to the property is a real boon. There's also relatively cheap gas and snacks and drinks at the Speedway about half a mile from the property. We used the property as a base for wine-tasting in both Geneva and the greater Lake Seneca area and it was very convenient.
Only real negative I had was that our suite was directly over the porte cochere and faced the parking lot and highway directly outside so we had no privacy and a bit of traffic noise (the jake brakes from the semi-trucks were prominent at certain parts of the day). It was also close to the elevator, so I could hear the chime. There's a gazebo/fire-pit adjacent to the front entrance for smokers and others to hang out so we got some noise from people there as well. I had asked for a quiet room in my pre-arrival requests and if I stay here again, I will explicitly ask for a room that does not face the highway or parking lot.
Value for $ or Priority Club Points? Would you return?
The weekend rates during the Fall Leaf-Peeping season are a little steep, but not outrageous. I felt buying up for a suite was worth it to be able to have the extra room and be able to eat meals inside.
What is your Priority Club status?
Spire Ambassador
Were you (or for multi-stayers are you generally) happy with the hotel/stay?
Yes
Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive?
Booked a King One Bedroom Suite and was given the same on the fourth (top) floor; the only superior room has a jacuzzi in lieu of the sofa in the living(!) room. The hotel was relatively-full so I was ok not getting the best room in the house.
How are the rooms?
This is a relatively-new property located in a commercial area that is shared with a Microtel Inn & Suites and a small strip mall; we didn't have any issues finding a parking space that was close to the hotel entrance. The overall design is fresh and clean and our room was very comfortably-laid out. The floorplan in open (no doors to separate the bedroom from the other areas) with a small living room between the bed area and the bathroom consisting of a small sofa with a hide-away bed and small table with seating for two. There's also a small wet bar along with a Keurig machine, a medium-sized compact fridge (no freezer of any kind), and very small microwave. In the strip mall is a nice restaurant called Kindred Fare that could be considered the de facto hotel restaurant and bar; we had dinner there one night and it was excellent; it's really nice to have such a good option adjacent to the property and not a ghastly Applebee's.
There are ample power outlets and lamps throughout the room, storage is somewhat limited to the small open closet in the living room and two large drawers under the TV stand. The bed was firm, but comfortable. The bathroom has a single sink and a tub and shower. The water pressure was pretty tepid (and the water in the area is incredibly soft). Bath amenities was the standard J.R. Watkins line in bulk dispensers.
The full HIX breakfast options were largely available but one needs to order a la carte from the staff and they will plate it for you. There's a pancake machine and toaster that can be freely used as well. I noted that quite a bit of people were eating their meals in the breakfast area; I went down early enough before the crowds and ate our breakfasts at the table in our suite (plastic trays are available to bring items up).
How is the exec. lounge?
N/A
What was good and what was bad?
The property is new and everything shows no visible signs of wear and tear. The staff and GM were all very helpful with our pre-arrival requests as well as during our stay. Ample and safe parking and having a really nice restaurant adjacent to the property is a real boon. There's also relatively cheap gas and snacks and drinks at the Speedway about half a mile from the property. We used the property as a base for wine-tasting in both Geneva and the greater Lake Seneca area and it was very convenient.
Only real negative I had was that our suite was directly over the porte cochere and faced the parking lot and highway directly outside so we had no privacy and a bit of traffic noise (the jake brakes from the semi-trucks were prominent at certain parts of the day). It was also close to the elevator, so I could hear the chime. There's a gazebo/fire-pit adjacent to the front entrance for smokers and others to hang out so we got some noise from people there as well. I had asked for a quiet room in my pre-arrival requests and if I stay here again, I will explicitly ask for a room that does not face the highway or parking lot.
Value for $ or Priority Club Points? Would you return?
The weekend rates during the Fall Leaf-Peeping season are a little steep, but not outrageous. I felt buying up for a suite was worth it to be able to have the extra room and be able to eat meals inside.
Last edited by FlyinHawaiian; Oct 26, 2020 at 7:25 am
Nov 16, 2020, 11:58 am
#51
Join Date: Apr 2019
Programs: IHG / Airmiles
Posts: 20
COVID-19 Montreal Candlewood suites
What is your Priority Club status? Spire Elite
Were you (or for multi-stayers are you generally) happy with the hotel/stay? Yes
Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive? Regular Queen Size room and we got a corner queen size room
How are the rooms? Good
How is the exec. lounge? there isn't one
What was good and what was bad? It feels like an apartment more than hotel. You do get towels and if you require more toiletries you can request it from the front desk. They also have a washing machine and dryer complimentary of the Hotel
Value for $ or Priority Club Points? Would you return? Not sure of value, but its good to have a kitchen inside a hotel if you're interested in saving money and not eat out.
Were you (or for multi-stayers are you generally) happy with the hotel/stay? Yes
Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive? Regular Queen Size room and we got a corner queen size room
How are the rooms? Good
How is the exec. lounge? there isn't one
What was good and what was bad? It feels like an apartment more than hotel. You do get towels and if you require more toiletries you can request it from the front desk. They also have a washing machine and dryer complimentary of the Hotel
Value for $ or Priority Club Points? Would you return? Not sure of value, but its good to have a kitchen inside a hotel if you're interested in saving money and not eat out.
Jan 1, 2021, 6:45 am
#52
Moderator: InterContinental Hotels and Germany
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 6,552
ellow Flyertalker,
we would like to thank everybody for the contribution to this thread. As we are about to start a new year, we already have created a new thread for the experiences 2020. This new thread could be found here:
Please post your Rewards Club Experiences 2021
The overview has list of the post of the previous year(s), which link to the posts of 2020 or newer. We are closing the this thread for now and unstick it.
FLYGVA
co-moderator IHG Forum
we would like to thank everybody for the contribution to this thread. As we are about to start a new year, we already have created a new thread for the experiences 2020. This new thread could be found here:
Please post your Rewards Club Experiences 2021
The overview has list of the post of the previous year(s), which link to the posts of 2020 or newer. We are closing the this thread for now and unstick it.
FLYGVA
co-moderator IHG Forum