Lubbock's BEST Hotel? Holiday Inn Express & Suites South Review!
Alright, folks, let's talk Lubbock. And let's talk Holiday Inn Express & Suites South. Are they the best? Well, that's what we're here to find out, right? Buckle up, because this isn't your average hotel review. This is the real deal, warts and all. Prepare for a wild ride.
First Impression: The Curb Appeal (and the Fear of Bad Coffee)
Okay, pulling up to pretty much any Holiday Inn Express, you know the drill. It's clean. It's dependable. The exterior? Well, it's… a Holiday Inn Express. Nothing particularly groundbreaking, but hey, it's not falling apart. No crumbling stucco, no weeds overtaking the walkway. Points for that.
The big thing on my mind? Is the coffee situation going to be a disaster? Because you know a bad hotel coffee can ruin a whole morning. Thankfully, the lobby, despite being pretty standard (clean, but not exactly "wow"), did smell faintly of fresh-brewed ambition. We'll circle back to this later.
Accessibility: A Big Win (and a Tiny Hiccup)
Right off the bat, HUGE props to the Holiday Inn Express & Suites South for Accessibility. They get it. Seriously, the entire place felt designed with inclusivity in mind.
- Wheelchair Accessible: Absolutely. Ramps, wide hallways, you name it. Major points.
- Facilities for disabled guests: They clearly understand the importance of making everyone feel comfortable.
- Elevator: Essential, and it worked perfectly!
The only tiny thing - and I'm being super nitpicky here - it would be good to have a way to signal the front desk from the pool area - which I'll get to later. A minor note, because I give them all the stars for making sure everyone can get around easily and safely.
Rooms: Clean, Comfortable, and That Goddamn Blackout Curtain!
Look, I'm a simple man. I appreciate a clean room, a comfy bed, and a decent shower. And the Holiday Inn Express South delivers on all fronts.
- Cleanliness is King (and Queen, and the Entire Royal Court): Seriously spotless. I'm talking, you could probably eat off the floor. (Don't. But you could).
- The Bed: A Sleep Sanctuary: Pillows were fluffy, the mattress was supportive… I slept like a log. A very happy, well-rested log.
- That GODDAMN Blackout Curtain: Okay, let's talk about these amazing blackout curtains. They're a lifesaver. If you're a light sleeper like me (or recovering from a long day of seeing the Buddy Holly statue), you will adore them. You could sleep through a nuclear winter. Honestly, they're worth the price of admission alone.
- What's in the room
- Air conditioning: A must, especially in Texas.
- Free Wi-Fi in all rooms! Crucial.
- In-room safe box: Peace of mind.
- Bathrobes and slippers: A nice touch of luxury, even if I just wear them to the coffee machine.
- Coffee/tea maker: And the all-important coffee! It wasn't bad! I did say the coffee wasn't a disaster - and it wasn't!
- Daily housekeeping: My room kept to its cleanliness!
Dining, Drinking, and Snacking: The Good, the Okay, and the Coffee (AGAIN)
Alright, let's face it: the free breakfast is a HUGE factor. And here's where things get interesting.
- Breakfast [buffet]: Yes, it's a buffet. Standard offering: eggs, sausage, waffles, cereal, fruit, the works. The quality is… well, you're not going to be writing home about it, but it's adequate. Gets the job done.
- And the Coffee, Again…: Alright, the coffee. It wasn't the worst, but it wasn't the best. Let's just say it's… dependable . I would've loved to see a bit more local flare in the breakfast options - perhaps some Tex-Mex inspired dishes.
- Other stuff:
- Coffee/tea in restaurant & Coffee shop: These things were available, I found myself only using the in-room coffee maker because I was too lazy to get dressed
- Breakfast service/Breakfast takeaway service: Great for rushing out the door
- Alternative meal arrangement/Asian cuisine in restaurant/Western cuisine in restaurant/Vegetarian restaurant: All of these can get tricky, but are good indicators of the hotel's willingness to take dietary requirements seriously - so good on the hotel.
Things to Do (and Ways to Relax): Pool Delight (and Some Minor Letdowns)
- Swimming pool [outdoor]: The pool. The best part of it all! It's not huge, but it's clean, well-maintained, and perfect for cooling off after a hot Texas day. It has, Pool with view! And it was just a great place to swim and unwind.
- Fitness center/Gym/fitness: Yep, they have a gym. I didn't use it (I was too busy lounging by the pool), but it looked well-equipped.
- Spa/Spa/sauna/Steamroom: sadly no spa. A missed opportunity here, in my opinion. A nice massage would have been the perfect way to end the trip.
- Things to do: The Holiday Inn South isn't exactly a hub for entertainment. There are no organized activities, and the hotel focuses on rest and relaxation.
- Ways to relax: the pool, the gym, and some of the amenities listed previously, like coffee, are great ways that one can relax.
Cleanliness and Safety: Feeling Safe? Absolutely
- Cleanliness is Key: The entire place felt squeaky clean. Seriously, I was impressed.
- Staff Trained in Safety Protocol: I saw staff disinfecting surfaces regularly. This is reassuring.
- Rooms sanitized between stays/Anti-viral cleaning products/Professional-grade sanitizing services/Room sanitization opt-out available: You know they're on top of their game. Points.
- Security [24-hour], Front desk [24-hour], CCTV in common areas, CCTV outside property, Fire extinguisher, Smoke alarms, Safety/security feature: I always feel safe. A good sign!
Services and Conveniences: The Little Things Matter
- Wi-Fi [free]: Yep, and it worked flawlessly.
- Cash withdrawal: Convenient.
- Daily housekeeping: Excellent.
- Elevator: A must-have.
- Convenience store: Perfect for grabbing a snack or a forgotten toothbrush.
- Food delivery: good!
- Luggage storage: handy, if you need it.
- Laundry service / Dry cleaning / Ironing service: Great for business travellers and anyone who refuses to pack more than what they can haul.
For the Kids: Family-Friendly Vibes
- Family/child friendly/Babysitting service/Kids meal/Kids facilities: All of these factors mean that this place is great if you're travelling with kiddos.
Getting Around: Easy Peasy
- Car park [free of charge] / Car park [on-site] / Car power charging station: Nice to have!
- Taxi service/Airport transfer : Also nice - especially the airport transfer.
The Verdict (and the Sales Pitch)
So, is the Holiday Inn Express & Suites South the "BEST" in Lubbock? That's tough to say definitively - I can't review all the hotels. But for the price, the location, and the overall experience, it's damn close.
Here's the deal:
- Accessibility: A slam dunk. They get it.
- Cleanliness: Top-notch.
- Comfort: Beds were great.
- Location: Convenient to everything.
- Breakfast: Decent (but could be better coffee.)
- Pool: A definite highlight.
Final Thoughts/Sales Pitch
Look, if you're looking for a clean, comfortable, convenient, and accessible hotel in Lubbock, the Holiday Inn Express & Suites South is honestly a fantastic choice. It's not the Ritz, but it's way better than you probably expect. Book your stay today! You won't be disappointed. You'll get a good night's sleep, relax by the pool, and maybe even try and go get a nice meal. And hey, if the coffee's not up to par, at least the blackout curtains will help you sleep it off until it's time to fill up on some new coffee!
**Unbelievable Luxury Awaits: The Westin Palace, Milan – Your Italian Dream Getaway**
Alright, buckle up, buttercups, because this isn’t your average, perfectly-manicured travel itinerary. We’re doing Lubbock, Texas, baby! And we’re staying at the Holiday Inn Express and Suites South. Prepare for…well, prepare for whatever happens, because I'm just as surprised as you are. This is gonna be less "organized" and more "organized-ish chaos."
Day 1: Arrival, Disappointment, and the Gloriousness of a Pancake Machine
- 1:00 PM: Errands and Airport Blues. Landed in Lubbock. Which, let’s be honest, feels like landing in the middle of…a whole lot of nothing. The airport is small, bless its cotton socks. Finding the rental car was a breeze, though. Until I realized I'd booked a compact. With all my luggage. And the two extra pairs of boots I absolutely needed. Minor panic ensued. Reminded myself to breathe, and that Texas-sized pride probably meant they wouldn’t judge my claustrophobia.
- 2:30 PM: Check-In at the Holiday Inn Express. Ah, sweet, sweet air conditioning. The lobby is…well, it's a Holiday Inn. Clean, efficient, maybe a touch beige. The front desk lady was sweet though. She had that perfect Texas drawl that made me feel instantly welcome and secretly, a little bit homesick. Rooms are a little dated, I got a room with a king-sized bed.
- 3:00 PM: The Panic of the Unpacked Suitcase. Decided to unpack and realized that my favorite leather jacket was at the bottom of the suitcase. Damn. This trip is already turning into a series of mini-disasters.
- 4:00 PM: A Quest for Groceries. Found a grocery store. Ended up buying way too much. Texas-sized snacks, you guys. The urge to just binge on them and watch bad TV is strong. Trying to be good, though. Maybe.
- 6:00 PM: Dinner and Wretchedness. The food at the Mexican restaurant next door seems alright. Unfortunately, it’s freezing in here, and the waiter kept calling me "ma'am" which is just wrong at my age. The food did the trick.
- 7:30 PM: The Pancake Machine: Salvation. Okay, so the highlight of the first day was the breakfast situation. Specifically, the pancake machine. This thing is a marvel. You pour in the batter, wait a minute, and bam – perfectly round, fluffy pancakes. It’s a small victory, but damn, it’s a good one. I may have eaten three. Don’t judge me.
- 9:00 PM: Bed and the Intolerable Sound of AC. Got into bed, feeling that Texas heat and humidity through the window, only to be greeted by the incessant drone of the air conditioning. I swear those things could probably wake the dead.
Day 2: Culture, Cowboy Hats, and a Sudden Craving for Donuts
- 7:00 AM: Pancake Machine Encore. YES! Fuel up, and hit the day running, or stumbling, as the case may be. Feeling good about the breakfast situation again.
- 8:00 AM: The Buddy Holly Center: A Moment of Clarity. The Buddy Holly Center. It’s more than just a museum; it's a love letter to a legend. The exhibits are fantastic, really digging into the roots of rock and roll. Seeing Buddy's glasses…well, it gave me chills. This is a moment of genuine, unexpected emotion. Just…wow.
- 10:00 AM: Cowboys & Culture Went to the Texas Tech University. Wow. Amazing architecture. I spent hours at their Museum of Texas Tech University.
- 12:00 PM: Lunch & Lamentations. That's when, mid-sandwich, it hit me again: loneliness. Traveling solo can be a weird thing. The vastness of Lubbock just intensified it. Found a diner. Had a burger. It helped… a little.
- 2:00 PM: Browsing the shops in Lubbock. Texas is a place with a good selection of hats. Bought an old Cowboy Hat.
- 4:00 PM: The Donut Dream. Suddenly, out of nowhere, I needed a donut. Like, a primal urge. It was a weird moment. Googled "best donuts Lubbock." Found a place. Worth it. So. Damn. Worth it.
- 6:00 PM: Dinner at a Steakhouse. The steak was…well, it was a steak. Good, but nothing earth-shattering. The conversation with the waitress was more interesting than the meal itself. She was full of Lubbock stories, and that, as always, is what makes the journey worthwhile.
- 8:00 PM: Back to the Hotel and the Annoying AC. Another night begins.
Day 3: Departure and the Lingering Taste of Pancakes
- 6:00 AM: One Last Pancake Blast. The pancake machine is a gift from the gods. I think I’ll miss it.
- 7:00 AM: Packing and a Moment of Reckoning. Reality hits. I'm going home. Did I accomplish everything? Nope. Is there something I missed? Definitely. Did I enjoy myself? Mostly. It's a messy, imperfect life.
- 8:00 AM: Travel Headed to the airport, where the rental car was waiting.
- 10:00 AM: Goodbye, Lubbock.
- 12:00 PM: Pancake Withdrawal. I'm back home, in my own bed. And I'm suddenly craving another pancake. Dammit.
Lubbock's Holiday Inn Express & Suites South: A Traveler's Rambling Review (Plus FAQs!)
Alright, folks, buckle up. This isn't your perfectly-polished travel magazine review. This is me, spilling the (iced) tea on the Holiday Inn Express & Suites South in Lubbock. Let's get real, shall we?
1. Is this really the "BEST" hotel in Lubbock? (And who even decides that?!)
Okay, hold on. "BEST" is subjective, right? Depends what you're after. If "best" means "spotlessly clean, with a pool you can ACTUALLY swim in, and a breakfast bar that doesn't look like a food-product assembly line gone wrong," then yeah, maybe. It's definitely up there. I've stayed in places in Lubbock where you could swear the dust bunnies had their own zip codes. NOT here. This Holiday Inn Express? Pretty darn clean, surprisingly. And listen, I'm a germaphobe. A LITTLE.
2. The Room: What's the Deal? (And Please Tell Me About the Bed!)
The rooms are… well, they're what you expect from a Holiday Inn Express. Modern enough. Not exactly luxurious, but not Motel 6, either. The color palette? Let's just say it's safe, leaning heavily on the beige spectrum. (Beige! My nemesis!) But the bed? The bed *is* important, friends. And here, *it was good*. Not the kind of bed you'd write a sonnet about, but a solid, comfortable sleep. I’m a light sleeper. I’m convinced I could be awakened by a butterfly sneezing three rooms over. I slept. That’s a win. I really did. I’m talking NO tossing, NO turning, just…sleep. Glorious sleep. I almost hugged the bed. Almost.
3. Breakfast: The Make-or-Break Factor. Did it Survive?
Oh, breakfast. The source of so much hotel-related anxiety. Will it be cold? Will the orange juice taste vaguely of dish soap? Will they run out of the good stuff (sausage. Always sausage)? Well, surprisingly, this one was pretty decent! The usual suspects were present and accounted for: scrambled eggs (a bit… rubbery, if I'm honest), sausage (yay!), yogurt, fruit (probably from a can, but hey, it's fruit!), and the glorious waffle maker. I'm talking *freshly made waffles.* I may, or may not, have been distracted by a couple of them… while juggling coffee and a mini-cereal box. I’m not proud. But they were *good* waffles.
4. The Pool & Gym: Were they Worth the Risk?
Okay, the pool. Let's be honest, hotel pools are often… well, let's just say they've seen things. This one? Clean! (I checked! With my eyeballs! I even dipped a toe--not my whole foot, though. Just in case.) It wasn't a gigantic Olympic-sized experience, but it was adequate for a refreshing dip, and, crucially, it didn't smell like a public restroom. The gym? I'm not a gym person. I *say* I'm going to use the gym. I *pack* workout clothes. But let's just say they remained, neatly folded, in my suitcase. (Hey, I *might* have considered a walk around the block, though.)
5. Location, Location, Location! Is it Convenient?
The location of this Holiday Inn Express is… fine. It's not smack-dab in the middle of the action, but it's close enough to restaurants and shops. (There's a decent Mexican place nearby. I may or may not have eaten there. Twice.) Pretty easy access to major roads as well. I didn't get lost, which, honestly, is a minor miracle for me and my terrible sense of direction. It's not stunning. It's not "oh my GOD, look at the view!" But location-wise, it ticked the boxes. Very convenient, in fact, really.
6. Staff Attitude: Are They Friendly or Flat?
The staff? Good! Friendly. Helpful. No complaints. I mean, nobody broke into an impromptu song-and-dance routine, but they were pleasant at check-in, brought extra towels when I asked, and didn't judge my choice of waffle toppings. That's a win in my book. There was one receptionist who, I swear, looked like she might have been a little… tired. We all have those days. But she was still perfectly professional. That's all you can ask for, really. No major attitude. No major problems. Just…fine people. I’d deal with them again.
7. Any Quirks or Annoyances? (Because There Always Are!)
Let's see… The Wi-Fi… it was… functional. Not blazing fast, but it worked. (I may have needed to reload a few times.) And… oh! The elevators! They were… *slow*. S-L-O-W. I'm not sure if that's a Lubbock thing, or just a hotel thing, but if you're on the 5th floor and you're impatient like *me*, take the stairs! The only other point is the walls are a little thin. I may have heard someone start snoring three rooms over. Oh, and the air conditioning, sometimes I swear it was the only thing standing between me and hypothermia. Other times, it was set to "Sahara Desert". It was a lottery. But overall, the annoyances were minor. Really minor. Nothing that ruined the whole experience.
8. Value for Money: Worth the Price Tag?
Okay, this is important. Was it overpriced? No. It felt pretty standard for a Holiday Inn Express, location and included amenities. The breakfast helped. And the clean bed? Priceless. (Almost.) So, yeah, it was a good value, I’d say. Would I pay the same again? Absolutely. Especially if the waffle maker is still working.
