Holiday Inn Express & Suites CHICAGO WEST – ST CHARLES

Last time we were here in March ’15, it was awesome! This time it is under construction, but it’s our anniversary and we have no kids or dog! Last time we had an unpleasant guest join us in the hot tub. A woman who insisted on not talking or looking at us, made us feel like we were a Baby Ruth swirling around in the toasty hot tub. Fingers crossed for Ms. Buzz Killington not to make an appearance tonight

When we made the reservation we were told that the bridal party had a shuttle. When we got to the Hotel we were told that they don’t. We asked them to call us a cab for a specific time. When we went down to the lobby five minutes before that time The clerk said in a very whiny and complaining voice told that she had to call three Companies and that they would not be there for another 20 minutes. We said it would’ve been nice if she had told us because we could’ve made other arrangements and she rolled her eyes. As it turned out it took 30 minutes for the cab to arrive and we were late for the wedding. We got in the cab he told us that he did tell her it would be closer to 40 minutes so apparently she not only did not inform us that we could not get a cab for a specified time but she lied to us about when it would arrive. The room was musty and we found crackers underneath the dresser. Will not stay there again.

I do my reviews by category so skip to the part you care about most.
Check-​In: We had just left Pheasant Run after we were given a HORRIBLE room (that’s a different story/​review) and explained our situation to the staff upfront. It was a lady, probably in her 50’s who was extremely nice and sympathetic of our situation and a gentleman working with her. She had the gentleman help her pick a room for us, which he did, and he gave us room 225.
Room: Upon entering, we noticed the room had a musty smell, but coming from the room they just gave us at Pheasant Run that smelled like old wine and vomit, this didn’t bother us. The room was clean, the furniture was newer, the beds were comfy, and it was fine for us. We brought up our stuff and left to head back to Pheasant Run to continue attending our convention. When we came back to the room later in the evening, we were so exhausted. We heard a dripping noise near the A/​C, but it being an older floor/​wall unit, we figured that’s where the noise was coming from and went to bed. The next morning I woke up being able to barely open my eyes with my nose completely stuffed up. I noticed as I was looking at the window and A/​C unit from my bed that I thought I saw stuff dripping/​splashing on top of our A/​C. My friend who was complaining of a headache was trying to take a shower but couldn’t because there was no hot water. She went to check the unit and notice it was covered in water. As she opened the curtain, she was mortified and she saw a HOLE in the ceiling (behind the curtain), covered in black mold, dripping water on to our A/​C unit. So yes, this moldy hole was dripping right next to me the entire night, hence my face looking like it got stung by a bee and my eyes being bloodshot red. We got out of that room SO fast.
Check-​Out: We notified the women at the desk (wasn’t the nice lady who checked us in) and she gave me a blank stare until I told her I had pictures and video on my phone of the issue and showed her. I asked for a refund, which she processed and said she’d «call maintenance». No lady, this room is beyond a simple maintenance repair. You need to close the room down and put caution tape on the door. We were given no apology for the hole and were sent on our way.

Can not recommend this hotel for any reason. The sheets on the bed have holes in them, pillows are old and inadequate, holes in lampshade, dirty carpet and bath tiles… We asked twice yesterday if our room was going to be cleaned, even asked the manager, and was told «yes». It never was so we had to take the garbage to the front desk last night and ask for clean towels. My husband went to the front desk again this morning to ask for bath soap, was given face soap, so back he went to ask again. No one is ever at the front desk, you have to hit a bell and then wait for someone to come out of a back room. This is not a $ 69 a night hotel and the prices charged should result in a cleaner, better well run, and friendlier staff hotel. I will never stay here again and wish that we didn’t have to stay here any longer.

What a terribly managed hotel. most of the Country Inn’s are great but this place has so many problems it would take too much time to list them all.

Let me check in early, very clean and close to restaurants, movie theater. Didnt try the free breakfast, have free internet too. Candy and cookies in the lobby. I paid $ 82 including tax for a room with 2 queen beds on a Tuesday night, have gotten it slightly cheaper on hotwire before.

Close enough to home, yet far enough away to seem like a mini-​vacation.
Booked a jacuzzi suite for the weekend off the internet and was not disappointed. The hotel was clean, the room was spacious, and the free hot breakfast was pretty decent. Pool and hot tub were clean and I liked the extended hours for adults only because shrieking children make me generally unhappy, especially while on an excursion that is supposed to make me feel like I’m on a mini-​vacation.
Only complaint was the the exterior and the hallway were not cleaned regularly. One room’s discarded to-​go food bags sat in the hallway all day before being taken away. And on the back veranda, the ashtray was overflowing and there was a half-​empty water bottle under the bench for the entire weekend. Small things, really, and no bother to me. But they were enough for me to need to detract a star.
Would stay here again, most definitely.

A beautiful day in St. Charles… Each time we visit, I become more and more convinced that I could live here.
Even this hotel makes it feel like home. Located right behind a Chili’s and directly across from the ghost town of a mall, Charlestown just right off of Main Street sits the hotel.
Entry way is quaint with that country Midwestern feel. Front desk service, great with friendly staff and cookies.
Rooms are spacious, clean equipped with a microwave and mini fridge which come in very handy when eating out gets old. Beds are comfortable and smell fresh and clean. I appreciate the little bottles of pantene conditioner along with shampoo and soap.
Hotel is close to many restaurants and shopping and not far from downtown St. Charles.
Would definitely stay here again. Prices were pretty reasonable.

Really nice hotel. The service was very good and the room was very well maintained. The only criticism was that every clock I saw in the building was wrong by a lot which was quite confusing for me going off of 5 hours of sleep. Thank god for watches and iPhones. I’d definitely stay here again.

A lovely hotel. There’s a cozy little lobby welcoming you with a fireplace, comfy couches and plenty of books. (Try the candies by the newspapers — they’re to die for!) At the front desk, there are the welcoming cookies Country Inns are famous for, and also a snack bar! You’ll have to pay (naturally, not everything can be complimentary), but the option to buy a cold bottle of water or candy bar was certainly appreciated. There’s also a vending machine (Coca-​Cola) by the elevator (saved my ass on a long, long day) and across from the pool.
The room was very, very nice — I’ve never before stayed in a hotel room with two separate rooms before! There’s a very comfortable sitting area with a couch and armchair, a desk suitable for office work, and a microwave and mini-​fridge. Both the bedroom and living room have their own HD-​TVs!
How well-​organized that the breakfast area is distinct and separate, like a mini-​café. They had make-​your-​own waffle irons, canisters full of cereal, a small array of fruit, two types of bagels and mini muffins, as well as a warming tray full of scrambled eggs, biscuits and gravy. I’ve stayed at other Country Inns that offered amazing donuts and was sad that this one didn’t, but hey, beggars can’t be choosers. As long as they don’t slip a fried egg into an envelope at check-​out, I can’t complain.
A lovely stay, if a tad on the expensive side. I’d happly go again next time I’m in town.

Wow, I don’t know what hotel the last person stayed in but we had a great visit this weekend!
We stayed for 2 nights and have hardly any complaints. The pillows suck and the bed was hard but other than that everything was great. Free breakfast was decent, better than a few pastries and some juice. They offered something hot every day and there’s a make your own waffle station too. Free coffee all day long, a shelf full of books you can borrow for your stay in the lobby and large rooms.
We were also pleasantly surprised by an upgrade to a jacuzzi suite room (yes, apparently I CAN be bought) and while we sacrificed some space in the bathroom for the jacuzzi tub, it was nice to relax in after a long drive.
All staff we came in contact with was very friendly and polite. We definitely enjoyed our stay.

What a DUMP!
An awful chlorine smell from the pool hits you when you walk in the door, that should have been my first clue to run away from this place, but it was very late.
Once in the room I had to grope around in the dark for a while because the light didn’t turn on with the switch. After I turned on the light I wished I hadn’t! Dirty, dirty, dirty.
It was what they consider a suite. The rooms have 7 foot ceilings and a ceiling fan in the first room with a pull chain. Since I’m 6’2″ every time I walked through the room I bumped it. Plus the ceiling fan was caked with dust. YECH!
The sheets didn’t smell fresh and the wallpaper around the shower was peeling and mold was growing underneath it.
I can’t believe I stayed here. I never will again. I PROMISE!