Parkersburg's BEST Hotel? (IHG Holiday Inn Express Review!)

Holiday Inn Express & Suites Parkersburg East By IHG United States

Parkersburg's BEST Hotel? (IHG Holiday Inn Express Review!)

Parkersburg's BEST Hotel? (IHG Holiday Inn Express Review!) - Hold On Tight!

Alright, folks, buckle up! I'm coming at you with the REAL deal on the Holiday Inn Express in Parkersburg, West Virginia. Forget the brochure promises, I'm here to tell you what it's REALLY like, the good, the questionable, and the ones that make you go "hmm…" So, here we go…

First Impressions & Accessibility: The Welcome (and the Slightly Confusing Entrance)

Okay, so the Holiday Inn Express. Arriving, you’re greeted with that familiar IHG vibe – clean, modern-ish, and… well, cookie-cutter. But Parkersburg, WV isn't exactly brimming with options, so this is already a leg up. Immediately I'm assessing accessibility. Big points: the ramp is a winner for those with mobility challenges. The elevators are a must, obviously. Now, the entrance… I swear, sometimes I felt like I almost missed it. Signage could be clearer. That’s just me being nit-picky, though. Overall, a decent start on the access front. Good news for folks needing accessible rooms, too – they're there!

Rooms: My Kingdom for Blackout Curtains!

Let's be honest, the core of any hotel stay is the ROOM. And here, it's mostly solid. The usual suspects are present and accounted for: air conditioning (THANK GOD, it's West Virginia!), a desk (hello, laptop workspace!), and the ever-present coffee/tea maker (essential for this caffeine-fueled reviewer).

Here's the thing… those blackout curtains? They were GLORIOUS. I mean, truly. I'm a vampire in disguise when it comes to sleep, and these things actually worked. Major points for the extra long bed - I'm six-foot-something and I was comfortable! The bed itself was surprisingly comfy too.

But… the decor? Let’s just say it's… functional. Think "beige with a dash of beige". You're not getting a design magazine cover here, but the important thing is it was clean. And hey, the free Wi-Fi? Works a charm, unlike some places where you're battling the digital demons. Internet access [LAN] - I think they also had it, but I use the Wi-Fi now…

Cleanliness, Safety, and Those "Extra" Touches:

Okay, I'm a germophobe, so this matters. Did the room smell of industrial cleaner? Yep. Did it feel properly cleaned? Absolutely. They actually seemed to take that seriously! Plenty of hand sanitizer stations dotted around. The daily disinfection of common areas is much appreciated. They actually have anti-viral cleaning products! Rooms sanitized between stays - very reassuring - even with optional room sanitization opt-out available.

Now, the fire-safety features. Smoke alarms? Check. Sprinklers? Probably. Seeing as it has exterior and interior corridor, CCTV cameras for security – these things are important and gave me a sense of security. I was sleeping better knowing I was safe.

I love that they have a doctor/nurse on call!

Dining, Drinking, and Snacking: Breakfast Blues (and a Bar?)

Breakfast. The dreaded breakfast. Okay, let's be real: it's the standard Holiday Inn Express affair. Free buffet-style breakfast - fine. The usual suspects like eggs, the pre-made scrambled, sausage (they were good, alright!), and some sad-looking (but often delicious) pastries. You also have the option of breakfast takeaway service. It fills the hole, but it's not going to win any culinary awards. I didn't see an Asian breakfast, though.

A coffee shop - none! Coffee/tea in restaurant - YES!

Here's a quirky observation: the coffee machine. It's a beast. It brews approximately one hundred cups per minute and sometimes you get a cup the size of a thimble.

Now, here's the kicker: a bar. Don't go expecting a gastropub. But a place to unwind after a long day? A place to knock back a beer or two? Yes, there. The happy hour is a much-needed moment! It’s a nice touch. It does offer some snacks, too.

You get water, a bottle of water!

Services and Conveniences: From Cash Withdrawal to… a Shrine?

This is where the Holiday Inn Express shines. They have pretty much everything. Cash withdrawal? Check. A convenience store for forgotten essentials? Double check. Daily housekeeping, you bet!

They really cater to business travelers. Business facilities are really good, meeting/banquet facilities, meeting stationery, audio-visual equipment, projector/LED display, Wi-Fi for special events - it's all there!

I didn't spot a shrine, but hey, a Terrace might be the next best thing.

Things to Do & Ways to Relax: Gym Time (Sort Of) and… No Pool with a View!

Let's be brutally honest: Parkersburg isn't exactly a bustling metropolis. So, inside the hotel, relaxation is key. There is a gym/fitness. The gym is small and a bit dated. Don't expect a state-of-the-art fitness center, but hey, it's a treadmill, a bike, and some weights. It'll do the trick if you're desperate to burn off those breakfast calories.

There's no pool with a view, no sauna, no spa, no steamroom – none of that stuff; this isn't a resort. It’s a place to rest, pure and simple.

For the Kids: Family-Friendly, but…

They are family-friendly. They advertise kids' facilities, kids meal. I didn't see a babysitting service. The kids are allowed…

Getting Around: Parking Perks and Airport Transfer (Maybe, Maybe Not)

Free car park [on-site]? YES! This is a huge win. Parking in Parkersburg isn't usually a headache. I didn't test the car charging station, but it's a definite bonus to see. I have been in a few places that have a car power charging station.

Airport transfer? Maybe. I didn't need it, you'd do best to enquire.

The Imperfections (Because No Hotel is Perfect!)

Okay, the elevator felt a little slow at times. And, like I said, the decor is a tad bland. No proposal location that I could find.

The Verdict and My Emotional Reaction: Would I Go Back?

Listen, the Holiday Inn Express in Parkersburg isn't going to blow your mind. It’s not a luxurious getaway. What it IS, is a solid, reliable option. Clean, comfortable (mostly!), and with all the basics covered. It's a place to rest after a day of exploring (or working). It’s a safe bet.

Yes, I would go back.

The Offer: Your Escape to Parkersburg (Sans the Stress!)

Tired of the ordinary? Craving a getaway that's both comfortable and convenient?

Book your stay at the Holiday Inn Express in Parkersburg TODAY and enjoy:

• Guaranteed Cleanliness: Rest easy knowing our rooms are sanitized and our common areas are constantly disinfected.
• Free Wi-Fi: Stay connected with blazing fast internet access.
• Complimentary Breakfast: Start your day with a free, hot breakfast buffet.
• Convenience: Free parking, 24-hour front desk, and a bar to unwind after a long day.
• Accessibility: Comfortable and accessible rooms.

Book now using the code "PARKERSBURGESCAPE" and receive 10% off your stay! Don't miss out on your chance to relax and recharge in the Heart of West Virginia. Offer valid for a limited time only. Get ready to rediscover the simple pleasures of a comfortable and stress-free stay.

(Disclaimer: This is a review based on my personal experience. Your mileage may vary. Consider the quirks and don't set your expectations too high.)

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Alright, buckle up buttercups, 'cause we're diving headfirst into my impending doom… I mean, my vacation in Parkersburg, West Virginia. Specifically, the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Parkersburg East By IHG. Don't judge. It was the only place with a pool that didn't look like it had been maintained by a colony of disgruntled squirrels.

Pre-Trip Freakout (AKA Booking Blues)

Okay, so I booked this thing online. A classic move, right? Click, click, confirmation. Then the dread sets in. Is it really that close to a highway? Will the breakfast be just sad, lukewarm eggs and rubbery sausage? And the biggest fear of all: will the people be… people-ing? You know, the whole "social interaction" thing. Ugh. Guess I’ll pack extra deodorant. And maybe a tiny, travel-sized bottle of whiskey. Purely for medicinal purposes, obviously.

Day 1: The Arrival – A Symphony of Snacks and Slightly Disappointed Expectations.

• 1:00 PM: Arrive at the Parkersburg/Wood County airport. Ha! Airport is generous. It's like a glorified bus station with a baggage carousel that looks perpetually broken. My emotional state? A solid mix of anticipation and exhaustion. Also, hunger.
• 1:30 PM: Pick up my rental car. It’s a… well, it’s a car. A beige sedan. Beige. Of course it's beige. This is West Virginia, after all. Start the agonizing drive to the hotel. Google Maps promised a scenic route. Scenic, according to whom? The cows?
• 2:30 PM: Check in to the Holiday Inn Express. Standard. The lobby smells faintly of chlorine and desperation. Which, honestly, feels right. The check-in lady, bless her heart, seemed a little frazzled, like she'd seen too many bad hotel breakfasts. She was perfectly nice, but I swear, I saw a ghost of a sigh escape her lips as she handed over my keycard.
• 3:00 PM: Unpack. The room is… clean. Acceptable. The carpet might have a slightly stained history, but hey, I've slept on worse. The bed is surprisingly comfortable. Major win. Immediately collapse on said bed, and contemplate life. And snacks.
• 3:30 PM - 5:00 PM: Snack time! I hit up the CVS down the road like a ravenous beast. Chips, cookies, fruit snacks (don't judge, I'm an adult!), and a gigantic bottle of water. Because hydration is key, people. Spent the next hour and a half eating my way through the snack stash while catching up on some much-needed (read: procrastination) reading and maybe watching a terrible reality show. It fueled my soul and the need to not think about tomorrow's adventures.
• 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM: A dip in the pool! Woo hoo!! The pool was… fine. Surprisingly not overrun with shrieking children. Score! Spent a good hour pretending to be a graceful swimmer while secretly paddling like a frantic duckling. The water was surprisingly warm and it felt goooood to be away from…everything.
• 7:00 PM: Dinner at a local place. "Parkersburg Brewing Company." I found a cute little place down the road for dinner. Honestly, I went in with low expectations. West Virginia isn't exactly known for its culinary innovation. But, wow, was I wrong! The food was surprisingly great, the service was friendly, the beer was cold, and it had a really cool local vibe. I absolutely devoured the burger and fries. This is the only time I enjoyed the fries. I actually spent the rest of the trip secretly trying to recreate those fries. No luck.
• 8:30 PM: Back to the hotel, collapsing on the bed. Scrolling through social media, feeling both connected and completely detached from reality. An odd sensation. Writing down my thoughts here, in this… mess of a travel log. Hoping I sleep. Actually, let’s be honest, I really don’t want to sleep.

Day 2: History, Hiking, and a Sudden Craving for… Stuff.

• 8:00 AM: The dreaded breakfast. The rumors were true. Lukewarm eggs. Rubbery sausage. But, surprisingly, the coffee was decent. I'm not entirely complaining.
• 9:00 AM: The Blennerhassett Island Historical State Park ferry adventure. So, I had a bit of a time getting there. I had to take a ferry to reach the island, which was a lot of fun. The history of the island was fascinating, the mansion was grand and the setting was gorgeous. The tour guide was… enthusiastic. Maybe a little too enthusiastic. I feigned interest beautifully.
• 12:00 PM: Lunch in… Parkersburg. Oh, the culinary delights! Found a cute little cafe, a perfect place for an amazing sandwich. It was a good sandwich. I think. It was probably amazing, too, but those fries…
• 1:00 PM: A long drive down to the hiking trails. I am not a hiker. I repeat: I am not a hiker. But I made myself, and it ended up being a lot of fun. Okay, maybe 30 minutes worth of fun… and then the sweat started pouring. The views were pretty though, I'll give it that. There were a few moments of panicked, "I can't breathe!" and "I'm going to fall off this mountain!" But I made it.
• 4:00 PM: Exhausted and slightly sunburnt, I decided retail therapy was in order. Found a little antique store. Found a few old treasures. Spent way too much time examining old things. I bought some things I don’t need. But you know what? It made me happy.
• 6:00 PM: Dinner at the hotel. I have a theory that they bring out the same food, just in different forms. I'm not sure if I'm right, but I didn't mind. Watched something on TV. Went to bed. The end.

Day 3: Departure – Is it Over? Or Just Beginning?

• 8:00 AM: Breakfast. You know the drill. Attempted to make a perfect waffle. Failed miserably. At least the coffee's alright.
• 9:00 AM: Checkout. The check-out process was ridiculously easy.
• 9:30 AM: Final drive. Back to the airport. The car smelled a lot like snack crumbs by this point. I wasn’t even apologetic.
• 10:00 AM: At the airport. This airport is definitely not bigger than a living room, and the flight was delayed.

Emotional Post-Trip Ramblings

So, Parkersburg, West Virginia. It wasn’t what I expected, and yet, it was exactly what I needed. It wasn’t glamorous. It wasn't perfect. There were moments of sheer boredom, and moments of unexpected joy. The hotel was okay. The food was… fine. The people were… people-y. And that, perhaps, is the beauty of it all. It wasn't a story, it was more of a… well, it was a whole mess of stuff. And I loved it. Now, where am I going next? I need to make some plans… and get those CVS snacks ready.

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Parkersburg's "BEST" Hotel? Let's Talk Holiday Inn Express (and the Glorious Mess of My Stay)

Okay, so, is the Holiday Inn Express in Parkersburg *actually* the "best"? Dish the dirt!

Alright, alright, settle down. "Best" is a loaded word, isn't it? Depends on *your* definition of best. If "best" means "clean, generally comfy, and gets the job done without any *major* disasters," then YES. It's a solid choice. But listen, if you're expecting the Ritz? Honey, you're in Parkersburg, West Virginia. Embrace it. Think of it more like… a reliable golden retriever – always happy to see ya, a little slobbery, but ultimately a good boy (or girl, who am I to assume?). Let me be crystal clear, though – I stayed there last month. I was in town visiting my Aunt Mildred (bless her heart) and, I'll tell you, packing for that trip was a *nightmare.* But the hotel? Kinda saved my sanity.

The breakfast buffet – the *real* make-or-break deal. What’s the verdict?

Breakfast… oh, breakfast. That's where things get… interesting. They call it the "Express Start" breakfast, and I'll give it credit, it *does* get you started. There's the usual suspects: scrambled eggs (sometimes suspiciously yellow, I won't lie), sausage patties (usually a little… dry), those glorious, calorie-laden, pre-packaged cinnamon rolls (a *must*). The coffee? Okay, it’s hotel coffee. Drinkable, gets the job done, don’t expect barista-level perfection. But! Here’s the catch. One morning, I swear, I saw someone *hoarding* the mini-muffins. Like, pockets-filled-to-the-brim hoarding. I wanted to yell, but my blood sugar told me to stay quiet. So I just grabbed an extra cinnamon roll... It *was* a good cinnamon roll though. Really good.

Let's talk rooms. Big, small, clean, dirty? Spill the beans!

Rooms. Okay, so I booked a standard room. Nothing fancy. It was… clean. Mostly. The bed was comfy enough. The pillows? *Magnificent.* I could have slept for days! Honestly, the pillows were the highlight. The bathroom was… functional. The water pressure was about what you’d expect from a hotel, but hot water arrived quickly. And listen, I appreciate a good working shower. It wasn't the Taj Mahal, but it did the job. Now, I *will* say this: I think my room overlooked the parking lot. Not exactly scenic, but hey, at least I could see my car. And one morning, I swear I saw a squirrel attempt to scale the building. That was… entertaining. So, bonus points for wildlife viewing, I guess?

Amenities! Pool? Gym? Laundry? Dish!

Ah, amenities. The things that make us feel like we’re *living* (momentarily) the good life in a hotel. * **Pool:** They *do* have a pool. I didn't go in, but I saw it. It looked… clean-ish. A little chlorine-y, but that's kinda the point, right? * **Gym:** Small. Really small. Like, two treadmills and a stationary bike small. Maybe some weights? I didn’t bother. I figured I’d get enough exercise hauling luggage and trying to understand Aunt Mildred’s stories. * **Laundry:** They had it! Essential. And let me tell you, after my trip, I *needed* that laundry.

The staff. Were they friendly? Helpful? Or did they just want to be left alone?

The staff? Generally, they were lovely. Polite. Efficient. One woman at the front desk, bless her heart, went above and beyond when I needed a last-minute printout. Saved my bacon, she did! There were a few moments, though… like, during breakfast, when the poor woman refilling the orange juice seemed a *little* overwhelmed. I almost helped her out but then I just… ate another cinnamon roll.

The location! What's nearby? Parking? Anything important?

Location is pretty decent. It was close to everything I was doing, mostly visiting relatives, lol! There's a few restaurants and stores within driving distance, and I believe a gas station nearby. Parking was plentiful, which is a huge plus. The road noise wasn't too bad, which I am picky about.

Would you stay there again? BE HONEST!

Alright, the million-dollar question. Would I stay again? You know what? Yeah, probably. I would. Assuming it's still the most convenient option, and it probably will be. It’s a solid, dependable hotel. It's not going to win any awards for luxury, but it’s… reliably *fine*. And after the chaos of visiting Aunt Mildred, "fine" is a beautiful thing. I mean, the pillows… those pillows alone were worth a return trip. And I'm not kidding, the cinnamon rolls...

Any final thoughts? Regrets? Things you *really* loved?

Okay, okay, final thoughts. Look, it's a Holiday Inn Express. Manage your expectations. Don't expect a five-star experience, and you won’t’ be disappointed. **Loved:** The pillows. The cinnamon rolls (seriously, amazing!). The staff's general friendliness. **Meh:** The scrambled eggs sometimes. The gym, I guess? **Regrets:** Not grabbing a second cinnamon roll *before* the hoarder got to them. Would I recommend it? Yeah. If you need a place to sleep, shower, and eat a decent breakfast, and you find yourself in Parkersburg, West Virginia, it's a good, reliable option. And who knows, maybe you'll see that squirrel! Just… guard your cinnamon rolls.

Hotel Whisperer

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