Tifton, Georgia: Hilton Garden Inn

January 2025, weekend, one night

Guestroom 333 in Hilton Garden Inn Tifton, Georgia

Arrival and diamond perks

I redeemed points for this stay, and received my 750 bonus points after the stay. I checked in on the app before we arrived, and chose a room on the top floor (4) near the end of the hall. When we arrived over an hour after check-in time, the front desk agent said this room was not ready yet, so she reassigned us to guestroom 333. I inquired about a room upgrade, and she said there was not anything available. She assured me this was a great room in a quiet location.

Guestroom 333 in Hilton Garden Inn Tifton, Georgia

Guestroom 333

This guestroom is a basic king bed guestroom with a suitcase bench, large flatscreen TV, one soft chair, and a desk and chair. It is located at the end of the hall, and it was quiet in the guestroom. The bed mattress was acceptable comfort; however, I thought the bed linens at the Holiday Inn where we had stayed the night before were much better quality.

Guestroom 333 in Hilton Garden Inn Tifton, Georgia

I assume that all guests in this hotel receive complimentary water, as there were two bottles in our room, and this room had not been pre-assigned before our arrival. The room also contained a Keurig coffeemaker with supplies, ice bucket, a small fridge, and a microwave.

Jekyll Island, Georgia: Hampton Inn & Suites

January 2023, weekdays, 3-nights

February 2026, weekend/weekday, 3-nights

Tree outside our balcony in Hampton Inn Jekyll Island guestroom 404

Reservations, arrival, diamond perks

I booked a king standard guestroom with Friends of Jekyll Island promotional rate, which was less than the AAA rate. Before check-in, I received several notifications to upgrade to a larger balcony room for $16 more per night. I did not really want to spend another $50; however, we decided we definitely wanted a balcony guestroom, so I paid for the upgrade. My advice, if you are a diamond member visiting during off-season--do not pay for the upgrade! The cost is worth it when visiting during the busy season; however, since the hotel was mostly empty during our stay, I was quite upset with myself for this extra expense. Also, this was after just finding out about the $8 daily fee to be on the island (more info about that at the end of this post). The Hilton app check-in process did not work at this hotel, and it took about 15 minutes to complete check-in at the front desk after we arrived (two different systems, apparently). I received two bottles of water and two snacks.

Hampton Inn Jekyll Island king guestroom 404

Visiting Savannah, Georgia & Tybee Island / Historic Squares, Forsyth Park, Downtown, Savannah Bells Ferry, City Market, Fort Pulaski, Tybee Beach, and more!

November - December 2016, Weekdays

We spent four nights in Savannah, Georgia at the Homewood Suites. I am sharing information from our experiences to assist future travelers to the area. One the first bits of information I want to share is about parking. All of the hotels downtown charge rates of $20 or more per night for parking. You can purchase a 24-hour parking pass from the city for $8, and you can purchase a 2-day pass for $14. More information is available in my Homewood Suites blog post (link above), and at the City of Savannah website. We purchased two 2-days passes, so our total parking cost was $28.  Much better than the $104 we would have paid at our hotel (not counting valet tips). We did not have any difficulty finding a parking spot in Bryan Street parking garage located directly behind Holiday Inn Express, or in Whitaker Street garage.

View of City Hall from Johnson Square

Savannah Historic Squares, Colonial Park Cemetery, Forsyth Park 

There are many narrated tours available to learn about Savannah history--trolley tours, walking tours, group and private tours. There is also considerable information available online and elsewhere, if you want to visit Savannah Historic Squares at your own pace, which is what we did. Here are a few online resources to assist with planning: Visit Savannah's Historic Squares, free Visitor's Guide, Historic Squares with descriptions, and my favorites: Squares and Parks and Self-Guided Walking Tour. I had prepared a rough draft of our walking tour plans before our trip, and then I left the folder of maps and info at home! We easily got new maps and information from the Visitor's Center  on E. Bay Street, our hotel concierge, and from various booklets around town.

Wright Square

Savannah, Georgia / Homewood Suites Savannah Historic District/Riverfront

November-December 2016, Weekdays, 4 nights, 2-Queen 1-bedroom suite 502

Sunrise from suite 502

Diamond perks and arrival/check-in

We initially reserved a king balcony riverfront studio with points for one night (this was the best points room type available), and we were paying for a king studio riverfront without a balcony the other three nights of our stay. Shortly before our stay, we learned the pool and rooftop area had been closed for renovations, so we wanted to make sure we could stay in a guestroom with a balcony, and it would be even better, if we did not have to change rooms during our stay. I checked the Hilton website for the "upgrade with points" option, and I called the hotel a couple of times before our arrival to ask about this. I was told they w/could not upgrade us to a balcony guestroom for the paid nights, so I paid the difference for a 2-queen, 1-bedroom suite (there were no king balcony rooms available). The employe implied that she could not give me an upgrade for both reservations.

We arrived in Savannah before check-in time. After we parked in town (more info about this later), we stopped at the front desk to find out when our room would be available. The agent said our guestroom was already available; however, she gave us keys for a king studio balcony, and she did not mention the second portion of our stay. I had referenced both confirmation numbers in my reservation comments, and I had asked the hotel to tie the reservations together when I called. Additionally, I had been told we could have the queen bedroom balcony guestroom the entire stay, and that this could possibly become a king guestroom and/or higher floor room, if one became available before our arrival. I mentioned all of this to the front desk agent after I asked about the guestroom details (she had not provided any information), when she handed me the keys. She studied the computer a few moments, and then she coded new keys for suite 502. I am not sure if she checked for a higher floor or king balcony room, as she did not say anything more about the guestroom. She provided information about the hotel food & beverages, and she asked if we had used valet parking. She did not recognize my status.

View of Marriott from bedroom window

Savannah, Georgia--SAV airport / Hilton Garden Inn

May 2013, Weekday, 1-night, King guestroom #337

Status perks and check-in

I received the standard two bottles of water at check-in. 

Guestroom #337

This guestroom is located on the top floor near the end of the hall, although it is not the end/corner room. The guestroom diagram on the back of the door depicts the end rooms as larger suites. It is a basic Hilton Garden Inn guestroom with the usual furnishings: fridge, microwave, single serve coffee maker with supplies, king size bed, nightstands, lamps, end table, desk and chair, extended soft chair, flatscreen TV on an armoire, and a closet with an iron and ironing board. This guestroom also had a suitcase bench, which I do not see in Hilton Garden Inn guestrooms very often. A cute towel animal holding a small package of Famous Amos cookies was on the bed when I arrived.

There was a long vanity in the bathroom across from the closet by the door. The shower was a tub/shower combination with a shower curtain on a curved rod. The towels were good quality. The hairdryer was a basic wall-mounted unit.

The wireless Internet connection was good. There were plenty of outlets in the guestroom, and the room was well lit. The guestroom was clean and comfortable.

The bed was especially comfortable; however, the sleep quality was not good because the guestroom is not very soundproof. I could hear the guests next door, and I could hear the expressway traffic, which does not usually bother me. This guestroom is not even located on the side of the building facing the expressway; it has a decent view overlooking the pond area.

view from guestroom

After I had listened to the one-sided conversation of the woman next door for over two hours (there were other guests in the room, so I do not know if they spoke infrequently, or if she was on the telephone all this time; I did not hear them much), and it was after 10 p.m., I decided to call the guestroom. I politely let her know that the walls are thin, and that I could hear the conversation. She merely said okay, like she was aghast that I had called; however, she did stop after my call, and then I slept soundly.

The guestroom door must have been pretty soundproof, because I did not hear any noise from the hall; just from the guestroom next door and the traffic. This is a large hotel, which did not look very full during my stay. I was surprised that I had not been assigned a guestroom with no nearby guests, since I had requested a quiet area on my reservation, and the front desk agent referenced my comments during check-in.

Food & Beverage

I only had one dining item experience at the hotel - I ordered the potstickers to-go that evening, and they were excellent!

Business center
This hotel has a decent business center with two computers, a printer/copy machine, and a print-on-demand unit. It was stocked with several miscellaneous office supplies--paperclips, stapler, tape, post-it notes, whiteout, and envelopes.

Shuttle and misc.
One reason I chose this Hilton Garden Inn is because they have their own shuttle. I had also considered the Staybridge Suites across the side drive from this hotel; however, when I called that hotel, the agent told me that their shuttle serves four properties, and that it may take 20 minutes to get to the airport. Their shuttle also does not start until 5 a.m., whereas, the Hilton Garden Inn shuttle operates much longer hours. It took less than five minutes to get to the airport from the Hilton Garden Inn. I feel like the person I spoke with at the Staybridge Suites exaggerated the shuttle time, and I wish I had chosen that hotel instead. Since the walls at this hotel are so thin, I think the sleep quality at the Staybridge Suites, in a larger suite, would have been better. I went with the Hilton Garden Inn, since I had an early flight.

There are several newer hotels in this area in front of the airport where the Hilton Garden Inn is located. I observed a restaurant and bar just down the road from the hotel--Sam Sneed's Oak Grill & Tavern. It looked good, and I probably would have walked to it, if I had wanted a meal, or if I had not needed to get up so early.

Warner Robins, Georgia / Marriott Courtyard

May 2013, Weekday, 1-night, king guestroom #319

amenity and welcome letter

Status perks and check-in

In addition to the standard Platinum perks (points or an amenity from the gift shop), I received two bottles of water and chocolates with a welcome letter in the guestroom.

Guestroom 319

This guestroom is located across from the elevator on the 3rd floor. I did not hear any noise from the elevator or from guests in the hall, although I could hear the ice maker across the hall. This was not a noise that bothered me: I am only mentioning it for guests who might be bothered by this.

The guestroom was spacious and clean. The bathroom off the entrance hall contained a tub/shower combination with a shower curtain on a curved rod. The bath towels were good quality.

A small fridge was located in the hall outside of the bathroom. A single serve coffee maker with supplies was on the shelf above the fridge. The condiments included only powdered creamer, so I looked for liquid creamer in the lobby that evening. When I did, I learned that Marriott Courtyard no longer offers complimentary coffee for guests in the lobby. I was still able to get creamer; it was just not out for me to help myself.

There were two nightstands with lights and electrical outlets on either side of the king size bed. The bed was very comfortable, with good quality linens. Too late, I realized that I had not taken a good photo of the bed, so unfortunately, there is only a partial bed view in this review.


The sitting area contained a couch, end table, coffee table, lamp, flatscreen TV, desk and chair, storage drawers, and a hanging closet.

The couch and desk chair in the living/work area were both comfortable. I really like the large desk area in the remodeled Marriott Courtyard hotels. There is a lot of room to work. The lighting in the entire guestroom was excellent, and there were plenty of outlets. An iron, ironing board, and several hangers were in the freestanding hanging closet next to the desk.

The view from the guestroom was excellent! It overlooked the nicely landscaped courtyard seating area with a paved walk. I was disappointed that I did not have more time to relax outside.

view from guestroom

view from guestroom

Food and Beverage 

I decided to get something to eat and a glass of wine that evening since the agent had told me about Happy Hour when I checked in. Even with the Happy Hour discount, a glass of wine cost $7! I had an excellent glass of Merlot at Bonefish Grill this week during Happy Hour for only $3, so I thought $7 was outrageous.

I was very happy with the food. I thought the Chicken and Spinach Flatbread was a good value, and the flavor was excellent. I would definitely order this again.

The service was excellent when I arrived; however, after I had been there a while (I did not order my food right away), and other guests arrived, the service did not remain the same. I had to go up to the register to pay my tab at the end after I had waited almost 10 minutes after finishing my wine and food. The server/bartender was moderately busy when I was waiting after I had finished; however, he did have opportunity to check on me before I walked to the register.

Business center
I was very happy with the business center in this hotel. There were several computers, printers, and miscellaneous supplies, like a stapler, paperclips, and tape. I was able to print my boarding pass and another document without any trouble.

Fitness center

The fitness center contained several cardio machines with cardio theater. There was also a flatscreen TV, and unfortunately for me, another guest was watching that TV instead of the cardio theater on his machine. He had the volume so loud, that I could not hear the program on my cardio machine with my in-ear headphones in. The room also contained a water cooler, sani-wipes, and towels.

Overall and misc.
This hotel is located behind Logan's and Carrabba's, in the same parking lot. Carrabba's was closed and under construction during my stay. I do not know if it is reopening as Carrabba's or something else.

I was very happy at this hotel, and I would definitely choose it again. I have been impressed with the changes that Marriott has made in their Courtyard hotels. I have always preferred Hilton Garden Inn over a Marriott Courtyard because they had an edge with their deluxe business center, and the guestroom extras (fridge, microwave, liquid creamer). And, I always receive two bottles of water at Hilton Garden Inn, in addition to my bonus points. This Courtyard supplied bottled water, although that is not something I consistently receive at Courtyard.

My next stay after this one was at a Hilton Garden Inn, and I was more impressed with the Marriott Courtyard in Warner Robins. The next time I have a choice between a Courtyard and a Hilton Garden Inn, it won't be such an easy decision!

Madison, Georgia / Hampton Inn

May 2013, Weekday, 2-nights, king guestroom #302

Status perks and check-in

When I checked in, the front desk agent pointed to a display with a couple of items, and said I could choose one for being a Gold member. I chose a bottle of water.

guestroom wall

Guestroom #302

guestroom wall

This guestroon is located at the end of the hall on the top floor. The bed was comfortable and clean; however, the hotel building is old and dated. I thought many areas needed to be updated and cleaned. 

There were several scuff and dirt marks on the guestroom walls. The scuff marks in the photos here do not show the dirt as well as it was actually visible. The building also smelled musty. Fortunately, this guestroom, and the hallway outside the guestroom, smelled fresh. 

It is possible that hotel personnel were aware of the moisture problem and had tried to rid the hotel of the dampness. The HVAC unit in the hall outside this guestroom was always on high (it was very cold in the hall!), and the smell in the hallway was as if air freshener had been used each day. I was glad about the air freshener scent because it did not smell like a cheap perfume that masked the odor; it made the hallway smell fresh. It had not been used in the stairways, and the musty odor was very strong when I used the stairs.

The guestroom bathroom near the entrance door was a decent size. It contained the standard Hampton Inn amenities and a tub/shower combination with a shower curtain on a curved rod. A single serve coffee maker with supplies was on the bathroom vanity.

What I think is one of the most infuriating hotel experiences happened to me at this hotel--finding out that the tub does not drain properly until after I have disrobed and stepped inside! Yuck! Fortunately, it was not completely stopped up. I called the front desk before I left for the day, and someone fixed it before I returned. One reason I find this so annoying (apart from the grossness of it), is that I do not see how housekeeping could not have known this when the guestroom was cleaned. It seems like hotels would have checklists for this kind of thing.

The guestroom area contained a suitcase bench, flatscreen TV on an armoire, microwave, fridge, king size bed, nightstands with lamps and an alarm clock, desk and chair, and soft chair. I thought both chairs looked old and not very comfortable. I sat on a towel when I used the desk chair. I did not use the lap pad on the bed because it looked like it needed to be cleaned.

I did not hear any guests or outside noise while in the guestroom, although the hallway HVAC unit was very loud. I could easily hear it after I went to bed at night. 

Food & Beverage

Breakfast is included at Hampton Inn, and it included the following items: coffee, tea, milk, juices, cold cereal, instant oatmeal, yogurt, fruit, and breads. Cheesy omelets were included the first day, and sausage biscuits with gravy were out the second morning.

Business center

One computer and a printer were located next to the front desk. I printed a document after I got assistance from the employee at the front desk because the computer was not connected to the Internet when I first sat down. Apparently something had to be reset the day before. The employee had to call someone to ask how to reset the computer.

Fitness center

I do not recall much about the fitness center except that it contained a couple of cardio machines, and a flatscreen TV. The TV worked well; however, it kind of echoed in the room.

Misc. and Overall

The address for this hotel does not quite match where it is located because you cannot turn into the hotel from Eatonton Rd. There is a road off Eatonton called Hampton Lane, and you need to turn down that road to get to the hotel. The hotel is somewhat visible from Eatonton Rd; however, since there is not a Hampton Inn sign on that road, I could not figure out where to pull in when I first arrived.

If you are arriving via I-20, Hampton Lane is located right next to the interstate, before McDonalds. The Hampton Inn is located behind McDonalds.

This hotel is in a convenient location next to I-20 and 441, if you need to travel to a few nearby towns, like I did. There are not many dining choices nearby. Other than fast food and Cracker Barrel, I saw only two other restaurants nearby: Hong Kong Chinese Restaurant and Pacho's Mexican Grill. The photo below is sushi from Hong Kong, which was pretty good.

I got the Lady-in-Red at Hong Kong Chinese restaurant to-go, and then took the photo back in the hotel room. I could not find a webpage for the restaurant, although I did find a recent review from someone else who thought the sushi was good too: Yelp review. I did not dine at Pacho's, although I thought the food and menu on their webpage looked good when I found it. Since I could not find any menu information for Hong Kong Chinese Restaurant, I probably would have chosen Pacho's, if I had looked online first. I called the hotel before I arrived, and the front desk agent only mentioned Cracker Barrel, Pizza Hut, and the fast food choices. Both Hong Kong Chinese restaurant and Pacho's Mexican Grill are less than one mile down the road.

Lady-in-Red

After the impressive apology and bill adjustment that I received from the Hampton Inn in Dickinson, ND when I encountered problems in the guestroom, I was quite disappointed with the way this hotel handled the clogged bathtub/shower drain. I did not expect an entire bill adjustment; however, I did not even receive a note in the guestroom telling me that this had been fixed. I found out because I checked the drain by running the water when I returned to my hotel that day.

Atlanta, Georgia --ATL / Marriott Atlanta Airport

August 2011, Weekday, King guestroom

Status perks and check-in

I did not receive an upgraded concierge level room; however, the front desk agent coded my key for access to the lounge after I inquired at check-in. I was happy that she provided this, because my Marriott status was only Silver at the time of this stay.

Guestroom

The guestroom was comfortable, although it was kind of small. Even though the bed had a slight dip in the center, it was still comfortable. The desk chair, and the soft chair with footstool were comfortable as well.

There was an extremely wet area on the carpet, which I did not notice until I stepped in it that evening. The carpet color was not different where it was wet; however, I was surprised that housekeeping had not noticed it when cleaning, since it was obvious after being stepped on. The floor was wet enough that I brought it to the attention of the font desk agent when I checked out. I could not tell what had made the floor so wet, unless the HVAC unit was leaking, since it was in that area. I threw a towel on the floor after I had stepped in it that evening.

Food & Beverage

Water and soda were available in the Concierge lounge, along with alcoholic beverages for purchase. Evening snacks included potato salad, chips, and cheese and crackers. Two or three different desserts were served later in the evening. Scrambled eggs were available in the Concierge lounge in the morning with breads, coffee, tea, juices, and bottled water.

I had sushi in the lobby bar, which was excellent. The beverages were also good, and the seating was comfortable. The lobby bar was quite busy the entire evening, and we were lucky to get a seat.

Shuttle and misc.

I used the airport shuttle when I arrived and when I departed. It runs between the hotels and the airport every half hour. I waited about 20 minutes for the shuttle when I arrived. Only one other person rode the shuttle with me. The shuttle driver stopped at the Marriott Courtyard first, and the passenger got off. She walked through the hotel parking lot as if she was going elsewhere. It appeared that they knew each other, and that she was using the shuttle for a ride to someplace else nearby.

I found a great rate for this hotel, and was happy with my stay. This was an excellent value.

Newnan, Georgia / SpringHill Suites

Status perks

I did not receive any Gold member perks. This has been the experience I usually have at Marriott properties, unless I am staying at a full service Marriott, or unless I ask for something.

Guestroom

The guestroom was identical to almost all of the rooms I have had at SpringHill Suites. There was a kitchen and living area at the entrance. The kitchen area contained a small coffee maker with supplies, a microwave, and a mini-fridge. A table/desk and chair were located across from the sink area facing the living room. The living area contained a couch, soft chair, coffee table, end tables, and lamps.

The bed and bathroom were located beyond a partial wall. One flatscreen TV was positioned in the center of the guestroom with a swivel mount, so that it could be viewed from the living area or the bedroom.

Misc.

The hotel is located in a busy area near shopping and restaurants.

Atlanta, GA / ATL airport hotel -- Hilton Garden Inn Atlanta Airport North

Status perks

I received two bottles of water and a breakfast coupon. I checked my profile before this stay to make sure it was set to receive bonus points instead of breakfast, and I also received my bonus points.

Guestroom

I received a basic king room on the 3rd floor. Since my profile is set for high floor, and this hotel has seven floors, I was slightly disappointed, although I did not say anything since I was only staying one night. The bedding quality and comfort were excellent--much superior to what I usually experience at a HGI. There was a fridge and microwave, as is standard for HGI properties. The coffee was very good, and liquid creamer was provided with the condiments. There were soap and shampoo dispensers on the shower wall, which I think is a great idea to cut down on wasted product and plastic bottle trash. I do not understand why some people seem to think this is unsanitary. It does not seem like this could be less clean than using the coffee pot or glasses in a hotel room. I would hope that housekeeping cleans the dispenser spiciest (which don't need to be touched anyway), just as we hope they wash the guestroom glasses. 

The Internet connection speed was slow--even with the ethernet cord. My room was overlooking the courtyard, which was a nice view; however, that is also where bar patrons sat to smoke and such, so it was kind of noisy in the evening. Other than the courtyard noise, the room was pretty soundproof. I did not hear much activity from the neighbors on the floor or above me.

Food & Beverage

I did not care for any of the food or beverages I had at this property. The menu was extremely overpriced. The calamari was heavily breaded, and my eggs were overcooked in the morning. The menu said that champagne splits were available; however, they did not have any when I requested one at the bar. Tiffany, the bartender, checked in the back room to make sure. Tiffany was personable and accommodating. She is definitely an asset to the lounge. The restaurant open time and service was kind of late/slow in the morning. It was a little after 6:00 a.m. before it actually opened, and I do not think the cook was working yet, because I waited over 15 minutes for my eggs. I was glad I was on the 7:00 a.m. shuttle and not the 6:30 one, because I would have missed that one.

Business center

The business center was the basic HGI center with on demand printing that worked fine. There is apparently Internet connection issues though, because it took me some time to access the Internet to print my boarding pass. There was a "reboot" icon on the computer, and the password was handwritten and taped to the screen, which made me think this was not an isolated incident.

Pool

I did not use the pool, although I did see that there was a nice indoor and outdoor pool.

Shuttle service

When I called the hotel a few days before my arrival, I was told that the shuttle runs automatically ever half hour. I called after I had been waiting a few minutes the day of my arrival to make sure, and found out I needed to call for the shuttle when arriving. Apparently the shuttle runs to the airport every half hour; however, it does not always stop at the pick up spot unless a guest calls. My driver when I arrived was very personable, although he missed the hotel exit, so it took us a little longer to get to the hotel. In the morning, the shuttle stops at the Hampton Inn after leaving the HGI, which I was not aware of. Fortunately, I had allowed myself plenty of time to get to the airport.

Overall

This hotel was less than two years old when I stayed here, so I was surprised to see so many carpet stains and areas that looked like they needed to be remodeled already. I think this hotel is a good choice, if the only thing needed is a comfortable bed. I do not think I would stay here again, because when I stay at an airport hotel, I usually don't have a car, and I also want something to eat or drink in the evening. Since I did not care for the food or beverage choices, I would choose a different hotel next time. 

Athens, Georgia -- Hotel Indigo

Status perks
I wanted to stay at this property rather than the other choices in town; however, the rates were higher and there was also a parking charge. After I had cancelled my reservation, I decided to call the hotel to see if they could waive the parking fee for Platinum members. The person I spoke with said that he would waive the parking fee, so I had him reinstate my reservation. I received an updated confirmation after speaking with him, and saw that my room had also been upgraded to an executive room! When I arrived, I was told that I had been upgraded to a suite! I also received a coupon good for two beverages in the lounge.

Guestroom

I thought the guestroom was fabulous! There was a kitchen area with a small fridge, and a table with four chairs. The coffee was disappointing; it was not as good as I expected, and the condiments included basic powder creamer.

The adjoining living area contained a couch, two soft chairs, a chair at a desk, and a flatscreen TV. 

The bedroom was large with a desk & chair, suitcase bench, dresser, flat screen TV, and balcony. I did not understand why the full length mirror had been hung on the wall beside the dresser, so it was pretty much useless with the dresser in the way. I would have hung it on the wall by the desk chair in the bedroom because the desk chair could be moved. Two bathrobes were provided. 

bathroom in suite w/ shower in mirror

The windows in the bedroom and living area extended almost to the floor with a window seat in front of both windows. 

I especially loved the bathroom. There were two sinks, great lighting and a makeup mirror, and walk-in tile shower.

The suite was comfortable, and I did not hear any noise from neighbors. The bedding and pillows were high quality. The Internet connection speed was great in the guestroom, and throughout the hotel.

Food & Beverage

When I went to the lounge that evening, I learned that this location has a manager's reception every Sunday - Wednesday from 5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. with complimentary house wine and beer. I do not understand why this information is not provided on the website, because I consider these little extras when choosing a hotel. I also had not been told about this at check-in. There were many beverage choices, and I liked the food both evenings. I had the shrimp and grits one night, which was excellent. I had the cheese plate the second night, which was also very good. 

The breakfast offerings were cafe style food items similar to Panera Bread. I had a whole wheat florentine egg sandwich one morning, and a frittata the second morning. Both items were very good.

Fitness center

The fitness center was open 24 hours. There were four cardio machines, a weight machine, and weights. There was one working flatscreen TV, although with the high ceilings, the room had an echo, and it was difficult to hear it.

Business center

Two computers with a printer were located next to the front desk. I printed one document without any trouble.

Public areas

The seating in the lobby and the bar was comfortable. Some chairs had a small table attached to the arm  for working or eating. There were many outlets in the sitting areas and at the bar. There was a nice outside courtyard with seating and a fire pit.

Overall

I loved this hotel and would stay here again. Staff members were great, the room was comfortable, and I liked the dining choices. My husband would have liked the free beer, although I think he would have been disappointed about the fact that this hotel does not have a pool. It is near the University, and there were many pubs within walking distance.

Lavonia, Georgia -- Holiday Inn Express

September 2010, Weekday, King suite guestroom 424

Status perks

I had reserved a regular king bed room for a rate less than $100, which I thought was an excellent rate. When I viewed my reservation online before my arrival, I saw that I had been upgraded to a suite. I also received two chocolates and a bottle of water at check-in.

Guestroom

The room was spacious and somewhat comfortable. I thought the bed and desk chair were comfortable, although I did not like the comfort of any of the furniture in the sitting area.

The room was at the end of the hall on the top floor, which I liked. I had originally been assigned the same room on the first floor, and I asked if a higher floor room was available instead. I had requested a high floor when I made my reservation, and it did not appear as though anyone had noticed this before assigning my room.

looking toward sitting area

The living area included a couch, three chairs, coffee table and sitting table, microwave and fridge. The bedroom contained a desk and chair, flat screen TV (which could be viewed from the sitting area or bedroom), and a suitcase bench. The large bathroom had a nice long counter with pretty good lighting and a nice hair dryer. At most hotels, the vending area is usually near the elevator; however, at this hotel, it was directly across from my room. Fortunately, I did not hear any noise from the area while I was trying to sleep. The Internet connection speed in my room was extremely slow at all times during my stay--even late at night or early in the morning when I sometimes have better luck because there are less people using the service. I was given a sign in code at check-in; however, I did not need it to access the Internet.

bathroom in room 424

Food & Beverage

The posted breakfast open time was 6:30 a.m. When I walked by around 6:20, the room was already open. Food items were set up and several guests were dining. Selections included the standard HIX fare: cinnamon rolls, cheesy omelets one morning and scrambled eggs the next,  biscuits & sausage gravy both mornings, cold cereals, milk & yogurt, oatmeal, and French toast. I did not see cold water or bananas either morning.

Fitness center

The fitness center was only open from 6 a.m. -10 p.m. Employees were happy to open the room before 6:00 for me the first day, and for a guest before me the second morning. The A/C in the room was automatic, so it did not start until 5:55 the first morning. The room was not uncomfortable before this, and then it got hot within 30 minutes. After the initial A/C start, it did not feel like the air was running again. In fact, when I went to the business center after I finished, it was much cooler in the business center. The second morning, the A/C did not start until almost 6:15. The fitness center contained three cardio machines, one TV, and cold water. Hand sanitizer or wipes were not provided.

Business center

The business center is a small room across from the front desk with two computers and a printer. The Internet speed was very fast, and I was able to print a document without any trouble.

Overall
This hotel is located next to the Interstate with several fast food restaurants nearby. The only sit down restaurants I observed in the area were Shoney's and a local Mexican restaurant. I chose the Mexican restaurant, although I did not think it was much better than Taco Bell. The location was good for the work I needed to do, and I did not see a better hotel choice in the area. In fact, from the hotel and food choices I observed, I was glad this HIX was here! I thought all of the employees were great.