Holiday Inn Runcorn, Wedding Hire

As an IHG member, we have stayed at many a Holiday Inn. Excellent spa & pool area. Typical rooms, a little smaller than normal. No family rooms available, two rooms purchased, excellent price. Even moved to same floor, excellent service. Only problem, only two staff, to man the arrivals desk, bar and any other queries in the afternoon. Felt sorry for them. Meal in bar area, ok, but expensive. Couldn't use the restaurant as a conference had taken it over. Ideal location for motorway.

Stayed her for work who usually book travelodge hotels. I arrived after dark and found all the lighting in the carpark wasn't working this made the walk to the door extremely dangerous as there were slopes and steps between areas and a large amount of leaves that were very slippery. Entering the building I found a very posh area, checked in and headed to the room down posh corridors and stairways. I opened the door to the room and was disappointed in many ways. The room was small, the decor very old fashioned. The pillows looked like those used in a baby bed, the bath was tiny and the missing shower screen/curtain meant the shower sprayed all over the floor. The paint was peeling off the ceiling and the carpet was thread bare. Too tired to do anything but put up with it I went to bed, couldn't vent the windows as the safety catches didn't work. At check out I explained how disappointed I was. They said they would speak to the maintenance team now they knew about the issues, I asked why the room cleaners hadn't picked up on the problems but they had no answer. they promised a refund which obviously doesn't help me as work paid for it. All in all a very poor experience

Writing this review from within my room at 4.24am. Room 519 on the top floor has radiators by the window and a thermostat both of which cannot be controlled by the guest. The room was a sauna upon entering at 9.25pm while the thermostat showed 16C. After tinkering with the thermostat for a few minutes I called the reception for help from my mobile.(Again no phone in the room). Was told by reception that they would come up to check. Called again at 11.30pm as noone came. This time the person came up and informed that his shift started at 10pm and he will try and control the room temperature from his end. Some rooms have a controllable thermostat apparently but not this one. He took my mobile number down on a tissue paper and said that he would call. I am now sat here awoken by boiling hot room at this hour and never received any call from anybody. Is this a Holiday Inn or a joke!?