We spotted this hotel when we were on the other side of the island and said "hey, what is that building?" so we checked on the GPS and it showed us that it was the holiday Inn.

The girl at the front desk was very friendly and helpful. We asked if our room was overlooking the water, which it wasn't so we asked if we could have one that was, but they were doing renovations and those rooms were not finished yet.

We came to stay here because it was on the water so we asked if we could upgrade our room but they were already giving out to the platinum stayers who get free upgrades. Finally she said there was a room on the second floor that wasn't renovated yet that we could have if we wanted it. We went to check it out and it seemed just fine, not very dated at all and had a nice view of the water.

The one thing that made my stay TERRIBLE was that they use the hotel's pool as a public pool. Just make sure you don't want to enjoy the hotel's amenities!

They sell memberships to the locals to use the pool and exercise room. Although it is a large pool, all hours it is filled with locals!

Different swimming classes going on simultaneously, people banging into you in the pool, telling you to get out of the way in their class! Makes for a non enjoyable non relaxing stay. To top things off the pool closes early so there is never a time for local guests to use the damn pool! Come On, how is that right!

We arrived at 12:30 am ready for a good noights rest after a six hour drive. After unloading all our stuff, as I plugged in the clock radio and lamp I noticed several things. There was a severe amount of dust and dirt between the beds and table, there was moisture on the table and wall and the best of all A BED BUG CRAWLING ACROSS THE BED!!! Just think how bad the bedbugs are that when all lights are on in the room, one large red bug just meanders across the bed. We were moved out of the room to a suite but the suite was filthy, no remote for the second tV, Jacuzzi tub was wretched along with the bathroom. No fan in the bathroom so after one shower it is fogged up for a half hour. Second bathroom was not clean and the toilet did not flush. Just disgusted with this Hotel. Had a group of kids outside our room slamming doors, yelling, pounding on walls and doors, cursing like you would not believe so my young children could hear from 9:45 to 10:45 at night. Went on for an hour, security did walk by but did nothing. The suite we were in was next to the elevator so everytime it moved you got to hear a loud thud with a rumble plus the ringing of the bell ALL NIGHT LONG.

The wife and I had stayed at the place from the 17th thru the 23th of Oct. 2011. Our check in was great because I wanted to change the room from a king size to two queen size beds. No Problem! The staff behind the desk were great. We were on the 5th floor and we had a great view of the river, Very nice! It was very quite up there, so that was nice. So in a nut shell the stay was great! Now comes the but.. The wife went down to the pool around 7-8pm and it looked like china down there. Comes to find out that they were people that the hotel lets in to swim, other then their guests. The wife was angry and went to the desk and they told her that there is no set time for outside people to use the pool. It looked like they really didn't care..
The second thing is, were from Minnesota and when you say or state that you will be open at a time YOU OPEN! this was not the case for the restaurant there. The sign states 6:30am and that's what we would expect them to open. Well that was not the case. The first morning 6:50am the second 6:45am.. Finally in the 4th day they opened up at 6:30am but that was I believe they had a few more people standing outside the door then us..Since time was of essence it was important to us that they be open on time so we could have time to get downtown for our meetings..
Soooo, I would go back again and stay there but maybe I would go out for breakfast and the wife will have to learn to speak Chinese so she can tell them to get the kids the hell out of the way!

The service upon check in was terrible, the worst ever from other Holiday Inn that I ever experienced as a tour manager. I came with with a group of 30. We were greet by a bossy "guest service manager". He gave me the room keys, without giving the room list. When I asked can I have the room list, he answered "It's ours". So I ask him "Can I have a copy", he silent for a while then answered "Okay". Ha ha ha ha "Okay!?" :))

The luggage handling even worse. Upon unloading bags from the bus, some people of the group want to take their hand luggage. Two of the bell service staff talk in high tone to the guest that they can't their own hand carry luggage....What!!?? They're not allowed to take it by them selves?? The "guest service manager" came to me with high tone, with the two bell service staff. He said that the guest had been taking their own hand bags, and it could made the valuable inside other guest bags broken. What kind a argument is that?
I told him that in the hand carry is only a pair of shirt for one night stay at the hotel. He answered, "Ow, we didn't know that". I said, "You didn't asked". He continued talking that 30 bags that been unloaded from the bus was hotel responsibility.
"True. But it doesn't the can't carry it by them selves, can they!?"
He still talking with high tone that the hotel wouldn't be responsible of any broken items inside the bags cause the guests carry the bags by them selves. One of the bell staff, angrily take the rest of the bags & deliver it to the guest rooms.
I told the "guest service manager", if any items broken in the bags carried by my guest I will take the responsibility. And again the answer is "Okay" :))
During the check in, the lobby full of high tone & tempered. I stayed in the lobby for another 15 minutes, make sure if everything is alright wit the bags. And the "guest service manager (gsm)" was came in & out the front desk, slamming the door...I meant really slamming so loud that you can hear it from the other room far away.
When I asked, the other front staff (a nice lady) why the 'gsm' slamming the door, she politely apologize then try to cover it by explaining that the door is broken, so it got to be closed hardly. Funny, five minutes later other staff use the door....and not slamming the door.
Ha ha ha ha....the female front office staff was really professional, she should be the manager.
Anyway hope Holiday Inn Grand Island can upgrade the manner of their 'gsm'. I've been satisfied by the service of Holiday Inn Hotels around the world. But this time is an exception. Hope my experienced is the last. I gave terrible for the service.