Holiday Inn Express has been our hotel brand of choice as of late, but this property did not measure up to the usual standards at all. Let me say at the outset that the check-in process was excellent...the young lady who was working the front desk was actually one of the best we have encountered anywhere. Unfortunately, the good experience started and stopped with her.
We were in Sheboygan for a class reunion, so we put our things in the room and immediately left for some of the activities. Normally my wife checks things very carefully upon arrival, but this time she did not because of time, our normal experiences with HIE, and the good reviews on Trip Advisor. Big mistake! When we returned to our room, around midnight, and pulled the sheets back on one of the beds it was full of crumbs...it looked as though someone had either remade the bed after eating in it, or the housekeepers were eating when (if) they changed the sheets. Since it was so late we moved to the other bed, which appeared clean. Next problem came when we went to set the alarm clock...it was so covered in dust that you could not even read the numbers. We dusted it with a Kleenex, but chose to not touch it beyond that, using our cell phone as an alarm instead.
In the morning we realized that they had left only 3 (small) towels in the bathroom...which was marginal, but ok for one day. We left the room around 10:00, and returned around 2:00 for an hour, then left again for reunion activities. No housekeeping...no towels, no trash removal, no replenishment of shampoo (1 tiny bottle for 2 people for 2 nights is not sufficient). The housekeepers were on the floor when we got up in the morning, and were still there when we left in the afternoon.. Apparently cleaning rooms is not their primary purpose for being there.
The internet barely worked, and the tepid (as in barely warm) breakfast had exactly the same choices both mornings, which has not been our experience with previous Holiday Inn Express properties.
When I attempted to address some of these concerns with the (distracted) young woman manning the desk before we checked out she appeared totally puzzled with no clue what to say other than the company line..."That is not our normal customer experience". No apology...nothing. She also was very adamant about us having left the do not disturb sign on our door, which we absolutely did not. A strange attitude, and very defensive.
So..in summary..if you want a hotel with crumby beds, lots of dust, 3 towels and 1 shampoo for 2 people for 2 nights (but 10 bed pillows!), barely warm breakfast, poor internet, and mixed staff attitudes all for a high price of over $300.00 (for 2 nights) this should be your choice. If not...check the Baymont in Plymouth or the Amercing instead.