We were visiting family in the area for the Christmas holiday and stayed at the Holiday Inn because there was too much family and not enough room at the house. We live and travel with Emotional Support Animal (a small dog) and notified the hotel of such at the time we made the reservation. Someone from the hotel should spend a few minutes on the internet researching ESAs! On Christmas Eve, the hotel decided that since they could not see a physical handicap, that our dog was not allowed. Even after explaining more personal information than they needed (including diagnoses, medication, etc), they still decided that only people with obvious physical handicaps are permitted to have service animals with them. And with that, they threw us out on Christmas Eve. To be fair, we were "asked to leave", but that is the equivalent of being thrown out.

These folks need a lesson in acceptance and tolerance. I'd love to put an activist group on them, but I don't think they'd learn a thing. There are two lessons I'd like for the Holiday Inn Express in Cullman to learn (1) being judgmental is no good - just because a person has a problem is no reason for you to turn them away, and (2) the season of Christmas would have been the perfect time to extend hospitality to strangers. I only hope that when your time comes, you are not treated with similar disregard.

If the hotel management can overcome its discriminatory attitude, the property would live up to the HI reputation. The building is newer, the rooms are spacious and comfortable, and the facility is clean. It is not far off the highway and is only a short drive from the center of town. There is alot of potential here - just the hurdle of attitude & service to overcome.