Great Little Hotel!
by - Written: Oct 09 '08 (Updated Oct 09 '08)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Beautiful setting, newer rooms, nice touches
Cons: Minor housekeeping issue with sheets, a bit remote location
The Bottom Line: Great hotel if your travels bring you to this area, clean rooms with attention to detail
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| krunett's Full Review: Holiday Inn Express Port Charlotte Florida |
We needed to stay close to the Punta Gorda Airport as we took advantage of some very cheap airfare with Skybus last year (RIP) as the flight in got in late and the flight out left very early. Because I had a lot of points saved with ICH (Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza, Staybridge, etc.), wanted to try and use up my points. Lucky for us this newer Holiday Inn Express opened up in Port Charlotte and was only 10,000 points a night. We stayed the night we landed and the night before we took off. The hotel is very close to a 7-11 and gas station and there were some fast food chains nearby. I wouldn't say there was much in walking range, but I would assume you'd have a vehicle if you are staying out this way and could travel as needed.
Check-In
Was moderately friendly and they made sure our room requests were met. They didn't have a King Room, so we were fine with two Queen beds (not their fault, there weren't any Kings when we booked). Were far from the elevator and was non-smoking. I will say this, the hotel layout is a bit funky. They appear to have non-smoking rooms across, next to smoking rooms, unless their signage was incorrect. We didn't smell any cigarette smoke, and I have the nose of a beagle and am allergic. It wasn't a problem, but could have been if there were chain smokers around us or maybe the rooms are just sealed off very well (I didn't notice any common vents/ducts). Just something to mention…
Room
As we walked in there was an empty cabinet that looked like it should have had a microfridge unit and didn't. Not sure what that was all about, but hopefully that is something they'll be adding, or at least remove the cabinet. There was a small square desk that would be awkward if traveling on business, since it was more of a table than a desk, but since I wasn't traveling on business and didn't need to use it, I didn't mind. There was another table and chair and our view was of the very neat lake in the back. Got to bird watch from my window which was a huge plus.
The beds were very comfortable, just the right firmness and they give you a ton of poly pillows that are either soft or firm. I absolutely love that about this chain as I don't use down. We did remove the duvet from the sheets and ended up using just two sheets. The linens were very clean on the first night, however on the 2nd night I noticed a stain on one of the sheets and on the bed. Nothing major, but could use improvement.
The bathroom was adequate and they provide shampoo, conditioner and lotion. Bottles were a decent size. I adore the new showerheads they use at these chains as they are more of disc where you can change the force of the water pressure. Very nice shower experience. Towels were soft enough and plentiful.
There is a TV with closed caption in the room and had decent channels. The room had a dehumidifier, which was great, as we like background noise when we sleep, however the HVAC unit was difficult to set, at least on the AC side. After we messed around with it a bit, we got it, but might be good for them to provide instructions. We really didn't hear a lot of outside noise, except for doors, so the hotel appeared to be constructed fairly well.
Other
Breakfast in the morning was a nice treat. They have very good cinnamon rolls (their claim to fame) as well as some fruits, toast, Danish and some hot items (they had bacon and eggs the days we were there). I was able to eat some healthy wheat toast and oatmeal while my husband went for the donut, cinnamon roll, eggs route (he didn't love the eggs too much, they might have been sitting for a while).
There is a nice pool in the back which faces the lake. Would be great for just relaxing. There also looked like there was a trail around the lake or a partial trail for those who'd like to enjoy the atmosphere. I believe the hotel has a fitness center, but wasn't able to utilize this during the stay.
Overall, this was a great stay, especially since it didn't cost us much to purchase the points we needed for two nights. I would say this hotel is in the $75-110 range.
Recommended:
Yes
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