Dothan's BEST Hotel? (Holiday Inn Express Review SHOCK!)
Dothan's BEST Hotel? (Holiday Inn Express Review SHOCK!) - My Honest Take (Brace Yourselves, Y'all!)
Alright, y'all. Listen up. I just got back from Dothan, Alabama, and, let's be honest, a good hotel is crucial when you're in the Peanut Capital (yes, that's a thing). We're talking about the Holiday Inn Express here, and while I’d like to say this was a smooth, perfectly-executed stay, well… let's just say it wasn't. But was it GOOD? Is it the BEST? Let's dig in, warts and all!
(Disclosure: I'm writing this fueled by leftover peanuts and a strong need for a massage after the drive. So, buckle up.)
First Impressions & Accessibility: A Mixed Bag (And It Started…Well, Not Great)
Finding the place was easy enough, thankfully. The exterior? Standard Holiday Inn Express. Not stunning, not awful. Just…there. The parking was free of charge – always a win! – and there was plenty of space. Score one for convenience. However, the ramp leading to the front door? Not quite Hollywood-smooth. It was manageable, but I could see it being a problem for someone really needing perfect accessibility.
Accessibility: The hotel boasts Facilities for disabled guests, which is good. I didn't personally test them, but it's a box checked! Elevators? Yep, got 'em! Exterior corridor set-up? Yep, you're walking outside to your room, which is something to factor in depending on weather.
Check-in: I was hoping for an easy Contactless check-in/out, but the front desk was swamped. Not a problem in itself, but it meant waiting, which always makes me grumpy after a long haul.
(Quirky observation: I swear, I saw a squirrel trying to sneak into the lobby. Maybe it was after the free coffee in the morning?)
Rooms & Comfort (The Good, the Okay, and the WTF Moment)
My room? Pretty standard. Air conditioning, thankfully, and it worked like a charm. Free Wi-Fi in all rooms! THANK GOODNESS because I had a deadline. The Internet seemed solid, considering I had to upload some GIGANTIC files. Didn't go into the trenches trying to use Internet [LAN]; don't know who even uses that anymore. Internet access gets a thumbs up from me.
Available in all rooms: Air conditioning, Alarm clock, Coffee/tea maker, Daily housekeeping, Desk, Hair dryer, Ironing facilities, Laptop workspace, Mini bar (though mine was empty), Private bathroom, Refrigerator, Satellite/cable channels, Shower, Smoke detector, Telephone, Toiletries, Wi-Fi [free], Window that opens. The basics were covered.
Additional toilet, Bathrobes, Bathtub, and Carpeting. All good. Blackout curtains? YES. Crucial for late-night work sessions and catching up on sleep.
BUT. The WTF moment: The room had a serious lack of sockets. And the placement of the desk? Absolutely not conducive to a productive workspace. Seriously, I had to rearrange furniture to be comfortable! (Opinionated language alert: Seriously, design fail!) The desk was fine, but the placement was terrible. At least the desk and ironing facilities were available, but the position was not ideal.
(Anecdote: One night, I swear I thought I saw a ghost… turns out it was just the hotel's water pressure. It had a weird rhythm.)
Cleanliness & Safety: Trying Hard
Cleanliness and safety get some decent points. Seems they’re trying to be extra careful. Anti-viral cleaning products seems to be something they mentioned. Daily disinfection in common areas, Hand sanitizer at every turn (which is great!), Rooms sanitized between stays (I hope!), Staff trained in safety protocol.
Cleanliness and safety: CCTV in common areas and CCTV outside property - a little reassuring. Fire extinguisher, Safety/security feature, Smoke alarms - All the basics.
Dining, Drinking, and Snacking: Breakfast…That's About It
The breakfast [buffet] was included, which is standard, but I've had better. Western breakfast, with the usual suspects: scrambled eggs, sausage… the food was "okay" in all the relevant categories. Coffee/tea in restaurant they had, and thankfully it was pretty decent. There’s a grab-and-go convenience store in the lobby, which I appreciated, but beyond breakfast, you're on your own. There were no restaurants or bars on-site, which is a HUGE missed opportunity. You'll need to find your own dinner, lunch, and drinks, and the hotel would do well to invest in a restaurant or a Poolside bar.
(Rambling thought: I wish hotels would offer a good, all-day restaurant. Just a simple one. Seriously! I'd pay extra!)
Things to Do & Ways to Relax (Um…?)
This is where the Holiday Inn Express falls a little flat. There's a Swimming pool [outdoor], which looked inviting, but I didn't have time to use it. I'm talking about Swimming pool, so you know it is standard. Gym/fitness? Check. Small but functional.
(Emotional reaction: Honestly, I needed a spa. A real spa experience! Body scrub, body wrap. The works! But no such luck in Dothan at this hotel.) Massage, Sauna, and Spa/sauna were unavailable! Seriously, Spa, Steamroom.
Services & Conveniences: Basic, But Functional
Services and conveniences were standard. They offer standard Cash withdrawal. It looks like they do Currency exchange, which is probably a useful service. Daily housekeeping was efficient. Laundry service and Dry cleaning are listed. They have a Luggage storage service.
They offer some business services, including Business facilities, Meeting/banquet facilities, Meetings, and Meeting stationery. They have a Xerox/fax in business center, which is an absolutely essential amenity, though the hotel should really invest in Audio-visual equipment for special events and Projector/LED display.
Getting Around
Car park [free of charge] is great in Dothan, which is a driver's town. Car park [on-site] is helpful. If you need it, there is Taxi service available. The hotel is missing out on amenities like Airport transfer and Valet parking.
For the Kids (Not My Thing, But…)
They have a Family/child friendly environment and Kids facilities. And they offer a Babysitting service, which could be a plus for some families.
The Shocking Verdict (And Why You Should Consider Booking – Maybe)
So, is the Holiday Inn Express in Dothan the "BEST" hotel? Honestly? Maybe. It depends on your priorities.
The Positives: Free parking, decent Wi-Fi, a clean room (mostly), and a basic breakfast. It's a safe, functional choice. The staff were generally friendly.
The Negatives: The rooms are pretty ordinary. The lack of a decent restaurant onsite is a big letdown. Room layout issues. No Spa.
Is it a SHOCKING review? Not really, I was a little bit of an optimist.
The BIG Takeaway:
It’s a solid choice for a no-frills stay. Expect a decent room, nothing fancy.
My Recommendation: Depending on your needs, it might be the best.
The "Secret" Deal:
Here is my exclusive offer to get you here! So here’s the deal:
BOOK NOW AND GET A FREE UPGRADE TO A ROOM WITH BETTER LIGHTING…
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Peakstones Inn: UK's Hidden Gem? You WON'T Believe This!
Okay, buckle up, buttercups, because you're about to get the real story of my Dothan, Alabama adventure at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites North. This ain't your glossy travel brochure; this is the raw, unfiltered take. Consider yourselves warned.
Day 1: Arrival, Existential Crisis, and Questionable Pizza
- 3:00 PM: Arrived at Dothan Regional Airport. Okay, let's be honest, Dothan Regional is less "international hub" and more "quaint little puddle jumper spot." Airport felt like a giant, air-conditioned waiting room. Found my rental car - a sensible, gray sedan. Victory! No issues – yet.
- 3:30 PM: Check-in at the Holiday Inn Express. The lobby was, well, beige. Beige carpet, beige walls, beige…everything. It was clean though, and the woman at the front desk was genuinely friendly, so all good. The room? Surprisingly spacious! And clean, which is always a win.
- 4:00 PM: The existential dread kicked in. Here I was, in Dothan, Alabama. Why am I in Dothan, Alabama? (Work, sadly.) The weight of my life decisions briefly settled upon me like a humid Southern afternoon. Briefly. Because…
- 5:00 PM: Pizza time! Ordered from a place called "Pizza Palace" based on a Yelp review that mentioned “a truly transcendental experience." Spoiler alert: it was not transcendental. It was…pizza. Edible, sure. But the crust was sad, and the cheese tasted suspiciously like…plastic? Okay, maybe I'm being harsh. I was hungry. Ate the whole damn thing anyway. Regret.
- 7:00 PM: Attempted a walk around the parking lot. The heat was thick enough to cut with a knife. Gave up after five minutes and retreated back to the air conditioning of my beige sanctuary. Watched some truly terrible television. My soul…it wept.
- 9:00 PM: The bed was actually really comfortable! Surprisingly good pillows too. Scrolled through TikTok for way too long, contemplating my existence while simultaneously envying everyone’s lives. Sleep finally arrived.
Day 2: Peanut Butter Everything (and Regrets)
- 7:00 AM: Breakfast at the Holiday Inn. The breakfast buffet was… standard. Scrambled eggs that looked suspiciously yellow (likely made with powdered eggs, I suspect), pre-made waffles (I’m not sure why they can’t make waffles fresh!), and the glorious, glorious automatic pancake machine. I had three. Judge me.
- 9:00 AM: My work conference started. Ugh. The meetings were fine, I guess. The highlight was definitely the free coffee, which was… drinkable.
- 12:00 PM: Lunch. Got to see the peanut butter monument. Dothan is the peanut capital, and they are proud. So much peanut paraphernalia. Even a peanut statue. It was… impressive. Maybe a little overwhelming. I might have bought a jar of locally made peanut butter. For research purposes, of course.
- 2:00 PM: Back to the conference. More meetings. My brain started to feel like peanut butter. Thick and sticky.
- 4:00 PM: Freedom! Well, the illusion of freedom. Decided to explore more of Dothan. Found a local ice cream shop. (Peanut butter ice cream, naturally.) Ordered a double scoop. Regret level now approaching critical mass.
- 6:00 PM: Dinner back at the Holiday Inn. The conference had a catered dinner. It was… fine. The dessert was a sad little brownie, but I was so full of peanut butter and ice cream that I couldn't even look at it.
- 8:00 PM: Found myself back in my room, watching Law & Order: SVU. The familiar comfort of bad television and cheap motel room amenities. The bed was good again.
- 9:00 PM: Decided to try the pool. It was… fine. Not exactly crystal clear, but a welcome relief from the humidity. Swam a few laps, made zero friends. Crawled back to the room and into bed.
Day 3: Departure (Thank God)
- 7:00 AM: Breakfast, same as yesterday. Ate fewer waffles. (Victory!) The automatic pancake machine, however, still had my number.
- 9:00 AM: Last session of the conference. Pretended to pay attention. Successfully dodged eye contact with the presenter.
- 12:00 PM: Check-out from the Holiday Inn. Said goodbye to the beige sanctuary with genuine relief. Dothan, you were… something.
- 1:00 PM: Drive back to the airport. Found an excellent coffee shop near the airport! Took a long, last sip of coffee.
- 2:00 PM: The flight out was thankfully uneventful.
- 3:00 PM: Back home, vowing never to eat peanut butter ice cream again. (Yeah, right.)
Overall Impression of the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Dothan North:
It was a perfectly adequate hotel. Clean, comfortable bed, friendly staff. It served its purpose. It wasn't luxurious, but it was a safe harbor in the midst of… well, Dothan. If you're looking for a cheap stay, I guess I could recommend it. You could do worse. Just… be prepared for the beige. And the peanut butter. Oh, the peanut butter… I suppose it's true that you can't judge a book (or a random city) by its cover. Dothan, you're… a place, and there's something to be said for finding some type of enjoyment in the mundane.
Unbelievable Family Getaway in Indonesia: OYO 1376 Kina's Hidden Gem!
Dothan's BEST Hotel? (Holiday Inn Express Debacle?!) - My Unfiltered Rant/Review
Alright, buckle up buttercups, because I’m about to unleash on this *supposedly* “best” hotel in Dothan. They call themselves the Holiday Inn Express, and honestly, my experience was… well, let's just say it wasn't exactly express.
Is the Holiday Inn Express REALLY the best hotel in Dothan? Or is that just…marketing fluff?
Best? Oh honey, let's be real. That's what *they* want you to think. Look, I needed a place to crash, a *clean* place. I was picturing fluffy towels, a comfy bed... you know, the basics of a good rest. Did I get that? Well... kinda. Let me elaborate a bit.
So, here's a little truth bomb for ya: Dothan, Alabama isn't exactly known for its five-star luxury. So, “best” is relative. Compared to the… *other* options? Maybe? Compared to a roadside motel where you're terrified to touch anything? Yeah, probably. But *best*? I’m not sure I’d go that far. I will say, it *could* be better. So much better.
Let's talk breakfast - the holy grail for any hotel, right? Was the Holiday Inn Express delivering the goods?
Ah, breakfast. The breakfast. This is where we get into the nitty-gritty, the stuff that can make or break a stay. And frankly, this breakfast situation was… a journey. A *long* and sometimes depressing journey.
They had the usual suspects: cereal that was clearly weeping after being out for hours, bagels that could double as hockey pucks, and the infamous "eggs," which, honestly, looked like they’d been scrambled by a robot with zero understanding of culinary arts. I'm talking about the ones that are pre-made scrambled AND pre-seasoned? No thank you.
One morning, I swear I saw a lone, forlorn sausage patty, glistening under a heat lamp like it was begging for mercy. It had that, "I'm not sure what I'm doing here" vibe. It also felt like it had been under the heat lamp for *days*. I took a bite... and then another. And suddenly, I was in a competition with myself to see how long I could go before my mouth would have to throw in the towel. It was then I realized... I wasn't hungry.
The coffee? Let's just say it wasn't something to write home about. It was lukewarm, weak and kind of sad. I almost wept. I went out to get it from a local place. Never again.
Okay, okay, bad breakfast experiences aside, they DID have a waffle station. And hey, who doesn’t love a waffle? But the lines were insane at times. Apparently, everyone else had the same thought: "Run for the waffles! They will save us all!"
So, the waffle station... well, it’s a mixed bag. If you're patient (and hungry enough to brave the crowds), you could get a decent waffle. But if you're anything like me, you're too impatient for the food that could "possibly" save you.
What about the rooms? Clean? Comfortable? Or something in between?
Alright, the room. It *looked* decent at first glance. The bed was… well, it was a bed. It wasn't sinking in, which is always a plus. The pillows were the standard hotel pillows: flat, sad, and desperately wanting to be replaced. (Pro tip: bring your own if you have any sense.)
Cleanliness? Ehhh… Let's call it "mostly clean." I spotted a stray hair or two in the bathroom, which is always a bit… unnerving. And maybe there was a slight… *musky* scent wafting from the air conditioning. But it wasn’t a *disgusting* smell. It was just… *there*. And that’s about it. I'll tell you this much - I always bring Clorox wipes with me now. And when I say *always*, I mean *always*.
The TV was a modern flat screen, which was a win. But the channel selection felt as outdated as my grandpa's radio. I mean, who even *watches* the Hallmark Channel these days? (Don’t judge me. I'm a sucker for a Christmas movie.)
The worst part? Remember I said "mostly clean?" Well, I found a rogue potato chip under the bed. A potato chip! And it wasn't even my brand! Clearly, cleaning ain’t their forte. I took a picture of it, just for posterity. Proof.
Let's talk about the staff. Were they friendly? Helpful? Just... present?
So, the staff. This is where thing get… complicated. Some were lovely! Genuinely smiling and helpful. Others? Let's just say they seemed to have other things on their mind. The check-in was a breeze. The person who checked me in? Lovely! They are saints! And yes, I tipped them. But the other times? Not so much.
I asked for extra towels once. The response I received? A look that said, "Are you *kidding* me?" Then, a sigh, and reluctantly, a half-hearted promise to get them to my room. Did the towels ever arrive? Nope. I had to wander around the hotel and find them myself.
I feel like they have too many people. Like, they're short-staffed but still have people doing nothing. I don't know, I should've asked for one. Honestly, I was just tired. I just wanted a nap.
Okay, final judgement. Would you RECOMMEND this hotel?
Ugh. Okay, here's the brutal truth. If there's *nothing* else available in Dothan? And you're desperate? Then, yeah, maybe. But if you have *any* other options, explore them first. Ask around! Do some digging online! Read the reviews! Because honestly, it's a gamble.
It wasn’t a *terrible* experience, but it also wasn't a glowing one. It was… fine. And "fine" isn’t really what I'm going for when I'm paying money for a hotel room. I want comfortable. Delicious. Clean. And sadly, sometimes it wasn't.
So, to answer the question directly: Would I recommend it? Maybe. But with a whole heap of caveats. Lower your expectations. Bring your own pillows. And for the love of all that is holy, bring a snack. You'll thank me later.
