I recently stayed at the Holiday Inn in Hattiesburg, MS at the crossroads of Interstate 59 and Hwy 49 for a business meeting. The room where the meeting was held was absolutely freezing and I began to sneeze and my nose was running, I was chilled and shivering. I was not the only person who was cold, there were quite a few participants as miserable as I was. For some reason requests to turn the A/C to a warmer temperature was an impossible task to perform because it stayed freezing for the entire 8 hour day.

Lunch was provided by the Holiday Inn kitchen (there is a restaurant on premises) and it was a fairly good lunch. Coffee and drinks were provided as well as iced water but who wanted cold water when 85% of us at the meeting were chilled to the bone?

Then, that evening, after the meeting, I checked into my room. I had given specific requests for a strictly non-smoking room as I have asthma and allergies. The room that had been chosen for me wasn't cleaned yet (a housekeeping shortage of staff) so I was put on a different floor. When I walked into my room, it was absolutely freezing too! And also, the strong smell of Febreeze or some air freshener was choking me. That is always a sign to me that even though the room is degsignated as non-smoking, someone has smoked in there and the housekeeping staff is covering it up. I switched the A/C unit to heat and warmed the room up and stopped noticing the smell of air freshener after an hour or so, so thought the room would do. (Possibly the housekeeper had just finished cleaning the room a few minutes before I took occupancy of it.) The room was basically clean but there were spots that were not clean and had everything from crumbs to a stained and soiled looking shower stall floor.

The wifi internet did not work properly, as another commenter mentioned, so when you logged on about 8 different wifi access sources popped up and none would connect properly, so I gave up trying to use my laptop. The TV was so-so, but I wasn't there to watch TV, I was attempting to get some paperwork done. The walls seemed thin and I could hear other guests next door to my room yelling, laughing and bumping around in their rooms. I regretted not bringing earplugs but by the time I went to sleep that night I either was so exhausted or everyone had quieted down, that I slept pretty well. The bed was comfortable. That seems to be one of the things that keeps me coming back to Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express, the beds are comfortable.

The next day some important business was to take place in the conference room downstairs again and breakfast was provided before the activities began. The breakfast was good and the service good as well. The buffet style set up for the breakfast was kept adequately restocked, so no complaints about that. Basically the food was good. They had had some very good catfish the day before. I will give credit where credit is due.

As the business meeting began, I and the other participants in my group became very quiet, as this was a certification test that would give us a professional advantage if we did well on the questions on the test. During this time our conference room was freezing again and my nose began running. Also, and this was the worst thing that happened over the entire stay, the kitchen crew next door to our conference room was screaming, laughing and clanging pots and whatnot around VERY LOUDLY which broke all of our concentration for our task at hand. It continued and continued, even after the kitchen employees were asked nicely to be quiet and told why we were asking this of them!

Due to the conditions at this hotel, I am afraid I did not live up to the standards expected on this certification test to further my career with this certificate of knowledge. I could NOT concentrate! This really upset me greatly and I think upset some of the other participants that were there that morning. I am so soured on this hotel, I would not stay there again under any circumstances. NEVER again!

This was a very unpleasant stay and also, I am hoping I am not sick with a cold from being frozen to death for 2 days. My elderly parents are celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary this weekend and I will not be able to attend if I am contagious because since my parents are in their 80s, I dare not expose them to anything contagious that could turn into a serious illness in someone their age!

I wouldn't recommend this hotel to ANYONE! What an ordeal I have been through! And to add insult to injury my night's stay cost me $111! I say for what? Being tortured? Having my hopes to further my career dashed?