SS
Scotty Sanders
Dec 17, 2025
It’s difficult to fully capture the scope of the worst hotel experience imaginable in just 500 words. To begin, it must be said that the hotel itself is impressive; the facilities and accommodations are excellent. However, the unfortunate reality is that the management team employed by Holiday Inn and/or IHG at this location seems determined to disregard every standard of customer service that the hospitality industry strives to uphold. If I were to rate my experience, I would have to deduct stars from the total—so much so that I’d award a rating of -100 stars.
The hotel manager, Sergio, demonstrated behavior that was, in my opinion, both disrespectful and egotistical. He lacked the ability to deescalate a situation that should never have escalated in the first place, especially since the issue at hand was minor. From our initial meeting, Sergio’s attitude appeared unconcerned, and it was clear that he judged me based on my physical appearance. As a tall individual with tattoos, a baseball cap, and sweatpants, I sensed that he assumed I was a troublemaker or someone intent on challenging him. That could not have been further from the truth. I am a professional who was simply enjoying a day off in more casual attire. My tattoos, my clothing, my baseball cap, or anything of that nature was none of his business. I am a Diamond Elite member, with over 92 stays at IHG Properties, mostly Holiday Inn, in the past two years, means I am very familiar with the brand’s standards—and what occurred today should not have been permitted. Holiday Inn should take note: if this is how the manager treats guests, I am sure that these negative reviews will be a very common occurrence.
The central issue began with the deposit policy. My reservation for Monday night was made through a third-party agency without any issues. The trouble started when I decided to extend my stay for another night. The hotel requires a $250 deposit, and Sergio insisted on refunding the original $250— which would take up to seven business days to process— and then charging another $250 for the new reservation. This would result in $500 being tied up on my credit card for at least five days, a clearly unreasonable situation, especially since the bill for incidentals from the first night was $0. All I requested was a little understanding and flexibility: to apply the existing authorization to the new reservation. Sergio immediately rejected this idea, shaking his head before I could finish explaining, which felt like a snap judgment based on my appearance or on whatever he thought about me upon meeting me—no matter what, it appeared as discrimination on some level.
After Sergio’s decision was delivered with a dismissive attitude, I expressed my dissatisfaction with his demeanor. He abruptly interrupted me, stating, “You know what, never mind. If you don’t like it, I can refuse to serve you and I can cancel your reservation.” I responded that he could do as he wished. I was given just 20 minutes to vacate my room. I had an out-of-town guest with me who was inconvenienced by this displacement. When I asked for more time, Sergio threatened to call the police and even dialed 911. I told him to proceed, as I had nothing to fear. His actions did nothing to deescalate the situation. He also threatened to revoke my Diamond Elite status—a bold, extremely shocking move on his part - considering my dedicated loyalty to the brand. As a business owner, I would not want one of my employees – especially with his disregard for customer service - saying such a negative, dismissive statement.
Sergio dominated the conversation, spoke loudly, interrupted me, and created a scene in the lobby. His lack of supervisory skills is evident, and his subordinates will likely emulate this behavior. I won’t spend another dime at this property and will share my experience to warn others. I don’t think anyone should risk staying here. Happy Travels.....beware of this loose cannon!!