27/12/09 Well I'm now back, so many changes to look at, lots of reading to do, if you want me to rea...
27/12/09 Well I'm now back, so many changes to look at, lots of reading to do, if you want me to read any reviews, just let me know.
Member since:03.12.2002
Reviews:207
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On my travels again, where does the seasoned traveller stay when he goes to work in Virginia in the good old U.S of A?
For this review, I'll put the pricing in US Dollars. The exchange rate I got at the airport was $1.73 to the £
*** 2/11/06 *** I have just come back from staying here again, there are a few slight changes, so they are embedded in the text of this review, highlighted with the @ sign.
@@ The Exchange rate used in 2006 is $1.83 @@
** Where is it **
The Holiday Inn Dulles International Airport is actually about 4 miles from the airport, situated on highway 28, there is a courtesy bus to and from the hotel, but I always get a rental car. You can get taxis, but I have rarely seen one at the hotel.
The hotel is not really near anywhere! The nearest town Herndon is about a 10 minute car ride away (and being America there nowhere to walk anyway) It is about 30 miles from the centre of Washington DC, and will take you about 40 minutes on a Sunday, forget it during the week, as it is one of the most congested cities in America.
I stay here, because it is about 5 miles away from one of the offices of the company I work for.
@@ This hotel is situated on Highway 28, going towards Highway 7. there is a vast amount of construction taking place on the road system, so if you driving around watch out @@
** What's nearby?? **
As I mentioned Herndon is a heritage town, so there some old buildings to look at (old being about 100 years old!!) There is also a cycle/running trail here, along an old railroad line. Further a field there are lots, and lots of shops. Leesburg is an old Civil War town. There is an outlet mall there (2 pairs of Levi's $50) with about 50 shops. (About 12 miles away)
@@ There are a number of new shops at the outlet mall, GAP is one. the Levi shop has gone, so I'm not too sure where the nearest one is. There are about 50 different shops on this mall@@
@@ Between Dulles Town Center and Wal Mart is another Mall, here there is Best Buy - anything electronic here, so good deals too, just round the corner is TJ Maxx - the US version of TK Maxx - again some good pricing. @@
Wal-mart (pile it high, sell it cheap) is nearby too (3 miles)
Slightly further away are some historic battle sites, Manassas is but one!
** Check in **
So you've parked the car, just walk
from that to the stone/marble built awning over the entrance. You go through the sliding doors, and notice the much lower temperature!
The reception desk is to your right. Straight in front of you are stairs to the first (and only other) floor. To the left is the hotel shop, where you can but bottles of coke, water and the like, fill up on Hershey bars and buy some really memorable Americana! The girl who works in the shop is really friendly "kiss my ass" she said as she made a mistake on the till!! She wasn't too impressed with me offering to do it either The prices are obviously slightly more than you would pay in a gas station, or a general store, but they are not the rip off prices that you find in other hotels around the world (and I've been in a few this year!)
@@ The shop coundn't be more of a contrast, the lady working it couldn't be nicer - the prices looked about the same of 2 years ago@@
Also in front of you is a large seating area, with a TV permanently on a news channel. From here there is also an entrance to an outdoor courtyard (more of that later).
To the check in I go. The good thing about staying in a place many times is that the staff gets to know you, so I got a good welcome. I had booked my room through the Holiday Inn Priority club web site http://www.priorityclub.com do my booking was all ready, all I had to do was sign. I was given my keycard, a voucher for a free drink in the bar, and a free breakfast, and off I went. I was on the first floor. A word of warning if you do stay here, there is no lift, so if you have heavy bags you will need to carry them up the stairs.
@@ The hotel has done some extensive remodeling, including the installation of a lift, this is a welcome addition not that I needed it. The area around has also been changed, it seems so much more airey@@
** The rooms **
I've stayed in this hotel about 15 times now, and I guess I've tried rooms in most areas, and I can say that they are all more or less the same standard. They have just introduced an "Executive" room, this is basically an ordinary room, with a desk and an armchair and foot stall.
The rooms are large though, and that is basically across the board.
The first thing you notice when you walk in the room is that it is cold (the house staff insist on turning the air conditioning to the brass monkey setting!) Ok when I was here last at the end of June, beginning of July the outside temperature was 94'F, which is about 34'C. I tend to just turn it on as I need it, and feel I'm doing my bit for the environment by turning it off when I'm not in the room! But I come back after a day in the office and it's on again! It is probably the biggest air conditioner you'll ever see! And it really does blow. I tend to find them a bit noisy too, so you might find you have trouble sleeping with the A/C unit kicking in and out all night.
Ok so we're in the room. Just inside the door to the right is an open hanging area and an ironing board oh! I did feel like a domestic god! Beyond that is the bathroom, this has a large marble top with the sink set in (see picture) On this is a coffee machine, there are a few sachets of coffee and powdered milk, I didn't even bother with it, as I don't really like coffee.
There is a hair dryer on the wall next to the coffee machine. The room can be heated by an infra red heat lamp, I've used it before, and it really does give out some heat - great for drying the swimming costume. The heating has a timer which you can set it goes up to about an hour, but does get very hot!
Also on the top is a basket with various shampoos and soaps in.
The shower is in the bath, and has fairly standard controls. There are also a lot of big fluffy towels in the room.
Moving back to the room, the bed is a very large bed, as can be seen in the picture. I found it to be really comfortable.
Opposite the bed is the large TV. 30 odd channels of America - I don't think I saw one news item about anywhere other than America, and the American sector in Iraq! Most of the channels were pretty bad. There is the usual Pay per view channels, but I wasn't in most nights, so never bothered with the TV.
Along side the bed is a radio alarm 97.5 fm is a great station all the best music from the 70's 80's 90's and now! So that was on all the time I was in the room. @@ I found another station 106.9 so that was on this time!@@
There is also a direct dialtelephone in the room. I made a 30 minute call to the UK on Sunday evening, and it cost $20, which to be honest I didn't think was bad. Local calls cost 50 cents.
There are room service menus in the room, also there is the standard hotel guide,, giving you lots of information about the hotel and it's services.
***Travellers tip If you are going out, always leave the radio on in your room, as it makes people think someone is in, and they won't try to break in****
@@ All of the rooms now have FREE high speed internet, just turn your laptop on,
From the bottom of the stairs, if you turn left, you go towards all the facilities. You go past a row of public telephones, an Internet phone, and a number of meeting/function rooms. Just down the corridor is a perpetual coffee pot! I have never seen it empty. It is free, but as I don't really like coffee I never use it. There are always people walking around with full beakers of coffee though. Then there are the ladies and gents loos. These are always clean.
Turn right here and you come to….
** O'malleys **
This is a bit of a sports bar, in that they have loads of TV screens paying sports channels (I didn't know Poker was a sport, but I saw someone win 2.5 million $!) I did a deal with one guy, baseball was on, I wasn't really sure how the game was played, so he explained it to me - I then explained cricket :-) needless to say I spent the rest of the time as Billy no mates in the bar!
The bad thing about this is the Karaoke they have on Wednesday night! You will certainly hear a varied selection of music here. You also find people doing their song walking around the bar, not even looking at the screen!
@@ The Karaoke still goes on, still as bad as ever, but on selected THursdays they now have live music, they had a duet this time, a guy on drums and a girl on guitar, kind of negative White Stripes - it was very good though. @@
The range of beers for sale is typical American, Bud, Sam Adams etc. They do a range of bar snacks, such as burgers, fries, pizza, they are all quite reasonable. The fries with cheese topping cost about $4
@@ Prices haven't gone up burger & chips is about $10
This is the main restaurant, I have never eaten here for evening meals, as there are so many places to go out to (cheaper too) but they do a reasonable range of things from Steak to seafood, one thing you don't see much of is vegetarian food though.
This is where you get breakfast though.
Breakfast is a buffet. They do come round and offer you orange juice, and coffee, which seems to be a perpetual thing in the States. The breakfast consists of fruit, yoghurt, cereal, bagels. There are hot options too, so you can help yourself to eggs, bacon, mushrooms, etc.. There is one great machine, which makes waffles for you! You get a beaker of ready made waffle mix, pour it in, rotate the handle, let is heat up for a couple of minutes, hey presto a freshly cooked waffle!
All this costs you $10, which isn't really bad at all.
** Other things **
** Swimming Pool **
There is a swimming pool here. It is an indoor pool.
I generally go for a run first thing in the morning, then go for a swim (sad but true!) The pool opens from 7am, when the lifeguard arrives. You just sign in, get a towel, and go and get changed. The changing rooms are again always clean and tidy (I can obviously only speak about the men's!) and the showers warm.
The pool is about 15-20metres long, and goes from about 1 - 2 metres in depth. The pool is always warm, and they generally write up the temperature.
There is also a Jacuzzi in the pool area, which I find to be very hot!
Certain times they run aqua fit classes, these generally are in the evening, so you can't swim then. Around the edge of the pool area are loungers for you to rest on.
There is a sauna here too, but I've never used it.
One point is that if there are thunderstorms in the area, they will shut the pool!
** Gym **
The gym is a small(ish) room off them main swimming area, which is accessed using your keycard. Here they have running machines, bikes, rowing machines, free weights and a multigym. There is a TV positioned above the CV machines, so you can catch up the events in America. ** Wednesday Night **
If you are a member of the Priority Club, they have a function every Wednesday night, in the courtyard area. You have a free buffet and drink. There is a bar set up, and a long table with all the food on. I couldn't take advantage of it this time, as I had to go out, but generally the food is really good, various bites, dips and such like. I think they use it as a thank you for people choosing the Holiday Inn.
@@ This event didn't take place when I was here this time, so I'm not sure if it still happens.@@
** Business Center **
This is where you can get free internet access, ideal if you are travelling and want to catch up with friends. You can also set up your PC to use their internet connections.
** Check out **
When I came to check out, I noticed that they had charged me for breakfast, now when I MADE THE booking I clearly booked a rate which included breakfast. So I raised this with the receptionist on duty. He then said I DIDN'T MAKE an on-line booking because "his computer didn't show it" As you could imagine I was a bit p***** off, and I asked if he was accusing me of being a lair! The manager heard the commotion and came out. I told him the problem about breakfast, and the fact that the receptionist was calling me a lair!! I said "I'm going to breakfast sort it out" When I came back, he had the bill ready for me (no charge for breakfast) also there was no other receptionist on either, I wonder if he did send him home!!
Apart from that everything was fine, and the manager hoped I would be back real soon (which I probably will)
Anyway the rate I paid was $165 per night. You can get much better deals, but my schedule can change at short notice, so I don't want to be tied down too much.
@@ I booked on-line and got my room during the week for $150/night, and at the weekend for $84/night, which I think was pretty good value.@@
You can check out the deals on the web site. http://www.ichotels.com
I would recommend this hotel if you are doing a tour of the East Coast, and are flying into or out of Washington Dulles airport. I stay here because I need to do business in the area (I also visit relations while here)
Larry
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
You are right about the customer service being important in America. If you don't like something, complain and it will be changed or you won't be charged. They know that if they don't keep the customer happy, he won't be back AND will tell 3gazillion Ciao'ers! LOL Nice review
jammy_banana 14.05.2005 16:53
I have never stayed in a Holiday Inn but this one doesn't sound too bad
mrsxopher 12.09.2004 12:31
GREAT REVIEW! I have been in Holiday Inn hotels and they are all very similar. WELL DONE giving that receptionist grief! He had to be new though, because everyone in America KNOWS the customer is always right. I am VERY suprised they did not offer you a free night or sommat. If you would have pushed the point that you were severely upset at the occurence, and that as a businessman you OFTEN use them, and this one in particular and you DONT think you will be back...Well bloody heck, you would probably had a free stay fo 3 nights or sommat. CUSTOMER SERVICE IS A MUST in America! So always remember to get cross, without raisingyour voice though, because then they get all huffy and wont do anything for you. JUST BE FIRM, INDIGNANT, and most of all INSULTED! It works wonders! : - ) Gee I miss American customer service, and all the potential freebies LOL
exceptional by (7%):
very helpful by (93%):
