May 12, 2013
20runner, Charleston, West Virginia | Trip type: Family
The biggest problem is that there is one, that's ONE, national chain motel in the town of Kilmarnock. HI Express is clearly very aware of this, and is apparently out...
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The biggest problem is that there is one, that's ONE, national chain motel in the town of Kilmarnock. HI Express is clearly very aware of this, and is apparently out to take full advantage of the situation. Unfortunately, they scrimp on everything--notably service--and have the attitude of "Where else do you think you are going to stay??"
I was making plans to visit relatives in the area, so I called to make a reservation. The young man who answered informed me that no rooms were available. A few minutes later, I spoke to one of my relatives who had taken it upon herself to check availability--she was told there were vacancies. I then called the motel again and the young lady who answered had no problem making a reservation for two rooms (or so I thought).
Two days later, when we arrived in Kilmarnock, the desk clerk had a reservation for only one room. However, he said that would not be a problem and found a second room available--at a rate $15 dollars more than the price I was given over the phone. This is not a $140 per night motel! Even the price I was quoted over the phone had been exorbitant!
When we got to the rooms, the furniture was very worn and unmatched. The desk chair would not even fit under the desk. It appeared as though the furniture came from several older motels that were no longer in business. The wallpaper in the room was peeling around the window. My toilet seat was loose, wobbly, and made of very cheap materials.
On the plus side, the bed was extremely comfortable with high-quality linens--exactly what I would expect from HIE.
During the night, we found that the air conditioning in one of the rooms did not work well. In fact, my relatives were sleeping with their heads at the bottom of the bed (no covers) so that they could at least benefit from the A/C fan. Upon inspection, they found the carpeting near the a/c unit to be soaked (as well as some of their bags which had been sitting nearby). Since there was an elderly family member in the room (85 years old) who had limited mobility, moving to another room in the middle of the night was not an option.
At checkout, I did express my frustrations, and my relatives were given a 20% discount on their room. The rate for my room was also corrected to reflect the price quoted over the phone when I made my original reservation. As for being told initially that there were no rooms available, the young lady stated that the property has a two-night minimum stay and that the corporate headquarters had to lift that restriction. No one had told me that when I called--why not? Also, the motel was not even close to being full--just some contractors who were indeed staying for an extended period. The parking lot was not even 1/4 used. We even had the breakfast room totally to ourselves! I have to say that I did enjoy the continental breakfast, although it was just average. After arriving home, I checked to see my Priority Rewards points--apparently someone neglected to note that I was a PR member, so no points for the stay.
All in all, I slept well and comfortable (my relatives can't say the same). The place was fairly clean, and I got to see my family. Would I stay here again....like other visitors to Kilmarnock, I unfortunately don't have a choice. « less
“Clean, comfortable but noisy”
Apr 26, 2013
kitNpup, lancaster, PA | Trip type: Couples
The motel was clean and comfortable. They were using fragrance clips on the HVAC units to help make a pleasant smell but it was slightly too strong. We think the...
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The motel was clean and comfortable. They were using fragrance clips on the HVAC units to help make a pleasant smell but it was slightly too strong. We think the local high school had prom that weekend and there was a lot of banging doors and loud partying. We did manage to sleep well until about 2 am when we were awakend by intimate sounds from the room next to us. The walls were pretty thin because we heard everything. We kept a good sense of humor through it all and laughed about it throughout our vacation. Breakfast was hot and tasty. All in all, not a bad experience. We would stay again if in the area. « less
We were making arrangements for family to come for a memorial service. The Manager, Sarah, came in even though she had left for the day to help us arrange things....
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We were making arrangements for family to come for a memorial service. The Manager, Sarah, came in even though she had left for the day to help us arrange things. While there, we were allowed to use the breakfast room for a family gathering in the evening after the service. « less
“Long golf weekend”
Mar 21, 2013
Deborah K, Fairfax, Virginia | Trip type: Couples
We found the Holiday Inn Express Kilmarnock through the Washington (DC) Golf Show this past February. We wanted a location fairly close to us and wanted to play 3 different...
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We found the Holiday Inn Express Kilmarnock through the Washington (DC) Golf Show this past February. We wanted a location fairly close to us and wanted to play 3 different courses. The General Manager at the Holiday Inn Express made our tee times for us after we indicated the times of the day we wanted.
Everything worked out just fine. They have a great breakfast that begins at 6:30 every day of the week. They switched up the eggs and meat Saturday and Sunday for variety. The front desk staff and the breakfast room attendant were very pleasant and professional. They provide information on nearby restaurants as well as directions.
My husband and I are very sensitive to cigarette smoke, and were pleased that we didn't detect any. Because it was raining, we kind of expected to have to go through a haze of smoke on our way in & out. « less
“Tired and Old”
Feb 8, 2013
NattyClevelandOhio, Cleveland Ohio | Trip type: Family
There aren't any other chain hotels in the area, so this one has to do. By Holiday Inn Express standards, it's tired and old. Fire doors at the end of...
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There aren't any other chain hotels in the area, so this one has to do. By Holiday Inn Express standards, it's tired and old. Fire doors at the end of the halls swing open and smash the walls with the slightest push. The peeling wall paper in my room was "repaired" with Scotch Tape. My desk chair is amazingly hard and uncomfortable although it has some sort of leather and foam upholstery. Breakfast food is lack luster as is the cleaning. It's not an awful hotel, it's just a mediocre Holiday Inn.
The staff, however, are sweet and always have a friendly greeting. « less
Read management response to this review.
Management response from IHGCare, Guest Relations Manager
Dear NattyClevelandOhio,
Thank you for taking the time to post a review of our property. We always strive for excellence in customer service, we maintain the ideal of keeping guest satisfaction as our top priority and for that please accept my sincere apologies if your stay was negatively affected by the cleanliness of your room and food selection in our restaurant. I am also sorry for the unusual condition of our hallways. We take our guest comments very seriously and always strive to provide comfortable and friendly accommodations.
Sincerely,
Anthony M Case Manager IHGCare
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These reviews are the subjective opinions of individual travelers and not of TripAdvisor LLC nor of its partners.
Cancellation: 48 hours prior to arrival by 3:00 PM. 7 Days prior to arrival for special events and holidays
Nightly Parking:
0
Typical Group Deposit:
500.00
Total Taxes:
13.00%
Total Misc Fees:
$0.00 USD (mandatory resort fees/taxes)
Amenities - Holiday Inn Express Kilmarnock
Air conditioning
Alarm clock
Baggage storage facilities
Camping or barbeque facilities
Central location
Complimentary newspaper
Credit card accepted: Mastercard/Visa
Credit card accepted: American Express
Credit card accepted: Discover
Credit card accepted: Diners Club
Credit card accepted: JCB
Electronic key card
Elevator
Facilities for the disabled
Fax available
Fitness and health center
Free local calls
Hairdryer available
Handicap accessible
Central heating
Ice Maker
Internet - wireless
Internet - ethernet
Ironing facilities
Non-smoking rooms
24 hours opened
Office or business center
Private bathroom in room
Radio in room
Refrigerator
Safe in rooms
Self controlled heating/cooling system
Shower
Swimming pool - outdoor
Tea and coffee making facilities
Telephone
Telephone in all rooms
Television
Travellers cheques accepted
TV room
Voicemail
Pet Friendly?
Sorry, pets are not allowed.
Airport & Shuttle Information - Holiday Inn Express Kilmarnock
Richmond Airport. 75 miles or 1 hour and a half drive. No shuttle available.
Airport Shuttle? Sorry, no airport shuttle available.
Testimonials: Why use Hotel Planner?
"Bob responded very promptly and the booking process went very well. They answered all our questions and offered the rooms we needed at the price they quoted. It was a very efficient way of finding a hotel for our group. You have been excellent to deal with. I have already referred your company to another teacher in our school. Thank you for being so helpful and following up on everything!!" G.W. - Cleveland, OH
"It was great! The easiest part about the wedding planning so far! It was also a very quick turnaround." K.K. - Atlanta, GA
Based on 51 traveler reviews 
Value
Cleanliness
“A serious problem here....”
“Clean, comfortable but noisy”