Hotel Holiday Inn Express di Watsonville

I’m a Platinum Elite member at IHG. I have stayed at many Holiday Inn Express hotels over the years and have accumulated a large number of rewards points that I can use for stays at hotels in the IHG network. I have stayed at the Watsonville Holiday Inn Express two times before this stay. For this stay, I used my Chase rewards free night that I receive annually for using their MasterCard. I made my reservation for this stay online at 9:00 AM the morning of my stay. I booked a standard room and requested to be on a high floor and away from the elevator. When I arrived at the hotel a little after 3:00 PM, I was told they didn’t have a reservation in my name. They then checked the computer and found that the reservation was there, they just hadn’t processed it yet. They then told me my room was not available for early check-in. I had thought that check-in would be 3:00 PM like almost all the HIE hotels I have stayed at. I was informed that check-in at the Watsonville HIE was 4:00 PM and that my room would be ready by 4:00 PM. When I returned to the hotel a little after 4:00 PM there was a line of people waiting to check in. There were two government employees ahead of me in line. They got their rooms on the 3rd floor. When I was welcomed and assigned my room, I was given Room 111. Room 111 is on the ground floor, right next to the elevator. It is also sandwiched between the gym and the breakfast room and not far from the front desk. It must be the worst possible room, location-wise, in the entire hotel. All this and I had requested a high floor and away from the elevator. So, I entered the room and immediately noticed there were chips in the bathtub. I tried to open the window to get some fresh air, but the window wouldn’t budge. I could hear the person in the room above walking around. I heard people talking as they were waiting for the elevator. Later, I could hear someone in the gym working out and dropping heavy dumbbells on the floor. I could also hear the motor of the elevator as it ascended and descended throughout the evening and into the night. Breakfast was good and the attendant did a nice job keeping the buffet well stocked. In years past, being a Platinum Elite member meant something. On many occasions, I have been upgraded to suites or rooms with extra amenities. It appears those days are gone, at least at the HIE in Watsonville.