My fiance and I stayed here in July. We were looking for a centrally located hotel and had previously stayed at the Holiday Inn Express a few months ago, which we loved, but figured we'd try something different. We were aware that they were doing some construction. We called prior to booking to make sure that it wouldn't interfere with our stay. Well it didn't, really....but it certainly didn't enhance the experience. It will look great in the future, but it's sort of a bummer walking into a lobby that's under construction and a bar and restaurant that's closed. I appreciate that they are keeping things fresh, but you would think they would give a tiny discount or voucher or something. We arrived around 1pm and were told our room wouldn't be ready until after 3pm. That was fine. We wandered around Boston, had drinks, shopped, and indulged in some BoLoco burritos. When we returned around 4, there was a very long line. I noticed the sign for Priority Club Check-in, yet when I approached the gentleman behind the counter, he waved his hand away at me to get to the end of the line. Excuse me? If they aren't going to honor their Priority Club check in, that's fine....but get rid of the darn sign!! Anyway, once we finally were able to check in, we were upgraded to the Executive Level so from that moment on, everything started to go uphill. The room decor and view were FANTASTIC. Since when are Holiday Inn's so trendy? It was perfect, perfect, perfect. I wish we could have stayed longer. There was what seemed like a brand spanking new mini fridge, beautiful and huge bathroom, nice city view, and the textiles were a fun mix of very up to date colors and textures. We were able to make some drinks in the room and enjoy the view prior to going out, and had a blast walking from Beacon Hill to the Harbor.
All in all, it could be a great hotel....but the staff (other than the luggage / bell guy) really wasn't that awesome. Maybe they were understaffed. Who knows. Valet took forever, which, given the $50 price tag, needs some serious improvement. The guys operating the valet moved slower than molassas, which seemed strange, considering it's a city. I was also a bit bummed when we woke up early on Friday morning to go for a swim in their outdoor pool only to find out that it wouldn't be opening until 10am. Checkout is at 12. That's silly. It would have been really nice to use the pool but their hours are limited. I just kept feeling like things weren't working out at this place. Anyway, I'd probably go back to this hotel using priority points, however, I do have to admit that I think I preferred the coziness and friendly staff at the Holiday Inn Express Boston Garden for future visits.
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