M.L. Strang
9月 2026
★★★★★
Disappointing Stay — Basic Courtesy Seems to Be Asking Too Much
I was told Oregon has changed drastically since I was last here. After spending a week at this Holiday Inn in Salem, I have to admit, they weren't wrong.
I am a regular IHG guest and stay at IHG properties frequently because of my two businesses. I am a Gold Member—not Diamond Elite, and I certainly don't expect to be treated like royalty—but I do expect basic courtesy and professionalism.
Unfortunately, that was lacking from the moment I arrived.
At check-in, I was greeted with the most sour look rather than a simple “Hello, how are you?” or even “Thank you for being a Gold Member.” Instead, I was told, “I have to go on break.”
I completely understand employees needing breaks and lunches. I value people's time away from work. If the employee needed to leave, a simple “Someone will be right with you” would have been perfectly understandable and would have resulted in zero complaints. It's not the break that bothered me; it was the complete lack of basic customer service.
Then came housekeeping.
Apparently, there is an unwritten hotel rule I was unaware of: if you leave cash anywhere near the television remote, it automatically becomes housekeeping's tip.
I'm still trying to understand the logic behind that one.
There was a roll of quarters sitting on the counter along with receipts, an unplugged laptop, pocket lint, water, and the general collection of random things that accumulate when you're living out of a hotel room for a week. Somehow, the only thing that disappeared was the roll of quarters.
Unfortunately, those quarters weren't a tip. They were specifically for doing laundry.
To the hotel's credit, the roll of quarters was eventually returned, and I do appreciate that. However, it was returned two loads of laundry too late. By the time they reappeared, I had already missed the opportunity to use them when I needed them.
Had the service been good, I would have been more than happy to leave a generous tip. That's part of traveling—I appreciate good housekeeping and have no problem recognizing good service. Unfortunately, in this case, the service missed the mark.
Housekeeping did manage to change the towels, so I will give credit where credit is due. However, for two people staying in the room, they apparently decided that one washcloth was sufficient for the entire operation. Perhaps we were expected to take turns.
And then there was the bed situation.
One bed was made. The other apparently could not be touched because there was a nightgown lying on it.
Not lingerie. Not something inappropriate. An old woman's cotton nightgown—with a hole in the arm sleeve.
Apparently, that was simply too scandalous for housekeeping to work around.
So one bed remained unmade.
Checkout was equally memorable. I wasn't greeted, wasn't acknowledged, and wasn't thanked for staying. The only question I received was:
“Do you want a paper copy?”
That's it.
I don't expect a parade, a brass band, or a complimentary upgrade every time I walk through the door. But a simple “Good morning,” “How was your stay?” or “Thank you for staying with us” goes a long way.
I genuinely like IHG hotels and have continued to stay with the brand because they have generally provided the consistency and service I need while traveling for business. Unfortunately, this particular property missed the mark on some very basic things.
Mistakes happen. Employees have bad days. People need breaks. I understand all of that.
But taking a roll of quarters from an occupied room during the middle of a stay, returning it only after it was no longer useful, leaving only one washcloth for two guests, making only one of two beds, and providing virtually no acknowledgment or courtesy from check-in through checkout is a different matter.
I appreciate that the quarters were ultimately returned, and I would have gladly left a generous tip had the overall service warranted it. Unfortunately, the service missed the mark.
Sadly, this is one Holiday Inn I won't be returning to.
