I don't even know where to begin. When I arrived at the hotel, I noticed right away...ridiculous amounts of trash and cig butts all over the carport area. I'm not a neat freak, or one of those "Hard to please" travelers, but this was just insane.
I came to the front desk to be greeted by...no one. There was no sign saying "We're away from the desk, give us a call!" or "Back in 5 mins"...there was just nobody. I looked around and called for assistance for about 10 mins before a tired and grumpy lady finally came from THE COUCH in the lobby area! I had assumed she was a guest! So she sat there for 10 MINS listening and watching me look for assistance before she tore herself away from her late night soaps. The woman mumbled something about "Hello" without even looking at me. She thrust a piece of paper at me and said "Fill this out." The entire time I'm giving her a look like she has 10 heads. After she fiddled on her computer for a min more, she thrust my key cards on the counter then just walked away...not a goodbye, good night...nothing. Just walked back to her couch and soaps.
When I reached my room I was instantly hit with the putrid smell of stale cig smoke. I'm a smoker...but I do not smoke in my house and this smelled disgusting. And I has specifically asked for a non smoking room. I went back down to speak with the front desk clerk again and she was again missing. After I hunted her down, she told me that there were no other rooms available. When I informed her there were only about 3 cars in the parking lot, she said that there was nothing she could do. WAS NO HELP AT ALL.
So back in my smelly room. I notice the carpet seems a bit wet. I then see copper pipes propped up in the corner and hanging down from the ceiling! When I go to take a shower, there's old soap in my shower with hair from some other person all over the place. There's urine in the toilet. No shampoo or toileties. Itchy bed sheets. And to top it off...my TV is broken.
After a horrible nights sleep, I wake up for breakfast (which according to the lazy clerk was 6:30am to 10:00am) around 9:00am and am down by 9:20 or so. When I get down there, all the food is gone. I ask the breakfast attendant to get some more, and she says that breakfast ends at 9:30. I politely tell her it's only 9:22 and she say that she can't get me anymore...it's the rules.
I was reserved for 2 more nights there, but I couldn't stand it any longer. I went upstairs, grabbed my stuff and checked out that second. Only to see 3 housekeepers and another front desk clerk enjoying cereal and cinnimon rolls in the breakfast bar!!!!
I wound up at the Holiday Inn Express in Bastrop...what a difference! As much as I could rant about the Elgin location, I could rave and praise the Bastrop location! Excellent staff! Wonderful breakfast! Beautiful grounds and rooms! The list goes on!
Moral of the story...book the Holiday Inn Express in Bastrop...not Elgin...they're gross.
- Holiday Inn Elgin
- Elgin Holiday Inn
