Asheville, North Carolina -- Holiday Inn & Suites downtown

I don't have any recent stays to post this week, so this review is from a stay in August 2009, which I recall well and have photos to share.

Status Perks
I stayed at this hotel with only 15,000 points. I was not able to make the reservation online, so the manager took care of my reservation after I contacted him. He reserved us a King suite, which is a step up from a "regular" or "leisure" room type.

Room
We received a top floor corner room. The oversized bedroom included a desk and chair, flat screen TV, microwave, and fridge. There was a couch, coffee table, end tables, 2nd flat screen TV, and fireplace in the living area. We had a balcony with a view of the mountains. The bed and room were comfortable and clean. This hotel also offers two-bedroom suites and Jacuzzi suites.

Food & Beverage
We did not eat in the hotel, although we dined at the Mexican restaurant across the street in front of the shopping center, which was fabulous. I do not recall the restaurant name; however, you can't miss it if you stay here. It is directly across from the stop light/drive in to the HI. I had read reviews about the restaurant online, so we walked over around 5:00 pm on a Friday. I was glad we had decided to dine early, because we had a short wait for a table (10 - 15 minutes), and many people were waiting when we left.

Pool
The pool is an indoor/outdoor pool, which is not very large. The inside pool is small and the outside area is even smaller. The outside pool is just above the parking lot, and there is one outside table with a couple chairs. The inside whirlpool is a good size. It looks as though the hotel made good use of the limited space available; however, if the pool area is one of your top priorities, you may want to check other hotels.

Overall
I was happy with the hotel cleanliness and comfort, as well as the service, which are top priorities for me when choosing a hotel. I would definitely stay here again. My husband is more interested in leisure activities, such as the room size/layout and the pool area. He was happy with the room, although he did not care for the pool.