Duncan's BEST Hotel? Holiday Inn Express Review! (IHG)
Duncan's BEST Hotel? Holiday Inn Express Review! (IHG)
Okay, Buckle Up, Buttercups! My Honest-to-Goodness Take on the Duncan Holiday Inn Express (IHG)
Alright, alright, alright! Let's get down to brass tacks. You're thinking about the Holiday Inn Express in Duncan, BC? You’ve come to the right place. Consider this your anti-sales pitch… because, honestly, I’m going to lay it all out, good, bad, and the slightly-squishy middle. I'm talking real reviews here, not some sanitized, PR-approved drivel. So, grab a coffee (or a hefty shot of whatever gets you through the day), and let's dive in.
First Impressions & Accessibility: The Good, the Not-So-Good, and the "Huh…?"
Pulling up, the Duncan HIE is… well, it is there. It's a perfectly respectable-looking building, right? Nothing that'll make you go, "WOW!" but also nothing that'll make you run screaming. It's got that kinda understated, "we're a solid choice" vibe.
Now, for the crucial stuff. Accessibility: The website claims to be wheelchair accessible, and I'd say it's mostly true. There's an elevator, ramps where you need 'em… but I'd call ahead and specifically inquire about room accessibility. The doorways looked wide enough, but I'm not rolling around in a wheelchair, so I can't give a definitive thumbs-up. I'd rate it a solid, "check with them," and maybe request a room on the ground floor. On-site accessible stuff? Can't comment on the bars and restaurants, 'cause I didn't see (or access).
Internet: The Lifeline (or Lack Thereof)
Okay, internet. Let's be real. In this day and age, Wi-Fi is as essential as oxygen. And the Duncan HIE? They've got it. Free Wi-Fi in all rooms! Hooray! It worked, for the most part. It occasionally did a little dance where it just crapped out for a while but, hey, that happens. Was it lightning fast? No. Did it get the job done for checking emails and scrolling endlessly on socials? Yup. I’m guessing it's good for the average business traveller, but if you’re relying on it for serious bandwidth-hogging activities (streaming, video conferencing, etc.), prepare for minor frustrations.
Now, about Hotel chain. Holiday Inn Express's reliability is what you look for when picking Hotels, because they're usually consistent, and even when they disappoint, it's never an absolute deal breaker.
Cleanliness & Safety: Post-COVID Realities
This is where things get interesting. Cleanliness and safety are clearly priorities. They're advertising "Anti-viral cleaning products" and "room sanitization between stays." Thank God. I felt pretty comfortable with the hygiene practices in place. You can opt-out of room sanitization. Lots of hand sanitizer stations around, physically distancing signs everywhere. I spotted "Professional-grade sanitizing services," and "Staff trained in safety protocol."
The Room Itself: My Personal Fortress of Solitude (Mostly)
Here's where things get personal. I'm a sucker for a good room. And the Duncan HIE room? It was…fine. Air conditioning? Check. Blackout curtains? Thank heavens! Free bottled water? Score! The bed was comfy enough, though not luxurious. I am a fan of my own bathrobes too. They've got the basics covered. A desk for working (or pretending to work). A TV with satellite/cable channels. And the Wi-Fi [free] again.
The Little Annoyances (Because Life Isn't Perfect)
Okay, confession time: I’m slightly obsessed with pillows. And the pillows at the Duncan HIE… were adequate. Nothing to write home about, but definitely not the worst I've encountered. The coffee in the coffee maker… well, it was coffee. Not the best, not the worst. But the Extra long bed really helped! I'm tall and sometimes it's a problem!
Food, Glorious Food (or "Why I Survived on Pizza")
I’m going to be blunt: I didn't eat in the hotel restaurant. Period. I opted for Pizza! My fault. Okay, maybe not all my fault. There's a Breakfast [buffet], they claim. But if you can't handle the Breakfast [buffet] then you can opt for the Breakfast takeaway service.
The "Things To Do" Angle: Are You Here to Work or… Play?
Okay, so this is Duncan, BC. It's beautiful, it's outdoorsy, it's got a ton of wineries. Unfortunately, I was there for work (blah!). But the Holiday Inn Express isn’t the place for a spa retreat. No gym/fitness, and zero mentions of a sauna, spa, or steamroom. I'm not the biggest fan of Pool with view too, so I'd say that the Swimming pool [outdoor] is good but, in my opinion, not a selling point. You're here for the convenience, not the luxury.
Services and Conveniences: The Nuts and Bolts
This hotel has all the basics: Daily housekeeping and Laundry service: The concierge wasn't exactly a font of local knowledge, but they were friendly enough. Car park [free of charge] is always a bonus. Air conditioning in public area is another. Elevator is a must.
My Takeaway: The Verdict?
Look, the Duncan Holiday Inn Express isn't going to blow your mind. But it's a reliable, clean, and generally comfortable option. If you're looking for a work trip or just some easy-going days this is it.
Here's the Unofficial Offer, Because You Deserve the Truth:
Book the Duncan Holiday Inn Express if:
- You value convenience and a good night's sleep.
- You're on a budget and want something clean and reliable.
- You're planning on "getting out there," exploring Duncan, and you need a base of operations.
Don't book if:
- You're looking for a luxury experience.
- You're obsessed with gourmet cuisine.
- You can't handle the occasional minor Wi-Fi hiccup.
My overall rating? A solid 7 out of 10. It's not perfect, but it's a perfectly decent choice. And sometimes, "decent" is all you need. Book, and enjoy those delicious Pizza nights!
Napier's BEST Oceanfront Getaway: Comfort Inn Westshore Beach!
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Duncan: My Oklahoma Odyssey (A Hot Mess of a Itinerary)
Alright, buckle up buttercups, because this isn't your perfectly curated Instagram travel feed. This is real life, Duncan, Oklahoma edition. And trust me, it's gonna be… something. Let's just say, my expectations entering this Holiday Inn Express were somewhere between "clean and functional" and "maybe a hidden pool?" (Spoiler: No pool. My disappointment is immeasurable, and my day is ruined.)
Day 1: Arrival and the Questionable Charms of Duncan
1:00 PM - The Great Oklahoma Entrance: Touchdown in Oklahoma! Actually, "touchdown" is generous. More like, "barely landed on the side of the road after a four-hour drive that felt like a purgatorial loop of country radio and questionable gas station snacks." Anyway, I finally arrived at the promised land… or Duncan, Oklahoma. Checked into Holiday Inn Express & Suites Duncan By IHG. First impressions? Pretty standard. Clean-ish. The front desk lady, bless her heart, had a smile that could launch a thousand ships, even though I’m pretty sure she's seen a thousand weary travelers just like me. My room? Standard corporate-hotel-beige. At least the air conditioning works. Important. Very important.
2:00 PM - The Search for Sustenance: Okay, hunger pangs are setting in. Time to conquer the local culinary scene. Armed with Yelp reviews that were… mixed… I decided on a place called "The Branding Iron." (Side note: Why are so many places in Oklahoma named after ranching implements?) The Branding Iron was a vibe, folks. Imagine a slightly faded sports bar with a surprisingly good burger. And REALLY loud country music. Like, ear-drum-vibrating loud. The waitress, bless her soul, kept calling me "honey" and refilling my sweet tea, even though I swear I only took two sips. Pro-tip: If you're sensitive to noise, bring earplugs. If you crave a no-frills burger and a heavy dose of small-town charm, then proceed.
4:00 PM - Hotel Room Meditations: Back in the beige bunker. This is where the soul-searching begins. Staring at the ceiling, contemplating the meaning of life, and the merits of in-room coffee (which is, let's be honest, never that great). Also, fiddling with the TV remote for approximately half an hour to figure out how to turn off the closed captioning, which became a personal vendetta. Success! Victory is mine.
7:00 PM - The Evening's Entertainment…Or Lack Thereof: The hotel "gym" is more of a glorified closet, and the "pool" apparently exists only in my dreams. So, what to do? Hmm. Flipping channels, I found a local news broadcast that involved a segment on "the best pumpkin spice latte in Duncan." Pumpkin spice, huh? This is getting wild. I considered going out for a stroll, but the prospect of darkness (and the lingering feeling that I didn't quite belong) made me retreat to the safe haven of my hotel room. Ended up ordering door dash.
8:00 PM - The Hotel Room Meal: My dinner was delivered. I could do nothing but rate the food one star. This is a testament to my loneliness, I think.
Day 2: Museums, Mystery, and the Pursuit of Oatmeal
8:00 AM - Breakfast Debacle: The dreaded free hotel breakfast. Every morning, it’s a gamble. Today’s offerings? Suspect scrambled eggs (likely powdered), questionable sausage, and an array of sugary cereals. My heart sank a little. A lot, actually. But…the oatmeal! The promise of a warm, comforting bowl of actual food? I’ve got this. Except… the oatmeal was a congealed, gluey mess. My spoon actually stood upright in it. I took a deep breath, opted for the fruit, and silently mourned the breakfast dreams that would never be.
9:00 AM - Stephens County Historical Museum: Okay, history time! This museum (located somewhere… in Duncan) was surprisingly charming. I thought I'd spend an hour or two. I spent roughly four. I learned about the early days of Duncan, the oil boom, and the pioneers who braved the harsh Oklahoma landscape. This museum, with its dusty displays and community pride, kinda restored my faith in humanity, at least for a little while. My favorite display? All of the gas lamps.
1:00 PM - Lunch Reconnaissance: Let's try this again. Went for a local diner called "The Corner Grill." More small-town charm, more sweet tea. And the burger, surprisingly, delivered. The kind of burger that tastes like pure comfort food. This place gave me hope. Maybe Duncan wasn't so bad after all.
3:00 PM - Walmart-Shopping and the Existential Aisle: Needed to replenish my snacks. A quick trip to Walmart became an odyssey. Wandering the aisles, observing human behavior, and getting a strange sense of… community? People were friendly, helpful, and seemed to know everyone. The overwhelming selection of… everything… was slightly overwhelming to me. I grabbed some gummy bears. My soul needed it.
6:00 PM - Movie Marathon: Back in the room. The allure of the outside world waned. Time for a movie marathon. I spent the rest of the evening binging on bad movies and ordering food. This is the life.
Day 3: Leaving Duncan… and My Sanity (Maybe)
8:00 AM - Breakfast Redemption! Okay, the oatmeal was still a disaster. But they had waffles this time! Fresh, fluffy waffles. Suddenly, the world felt a little brighter. Maybe I'm soft.
9:00 AM - Last-Minute Souvenir Hunt: Desperately seeking a Duncan-specific souvenir. Ended up buying a t-shirt at the gas station that says "Duncan: It's a Thing." Ironic? Perhaps. Perfect? Absolutely.
10:00 AM - Departure: Checked out of the Holiday Inn Express feeling a strange mix of relief and… I don’t know… fondness? Duncan, you crazy little town. You were a mixed bag, that is for sure. I'm pretty sure I'll never be the same.
10:30 AM - Goodbye, Duncan: Hit the road, blasting country music, and contemplating the vast, often-bizarre wonders of America. Until next time, Duncan. You've given me some stories. And maybe a slight craving for sweet tea. This adventure was everything but boring.
Duncan's BEST Hotel? Holiday Inn Express Review! (IHG) - Let's Get Real!
So, is this Holiday Inn Express in Duncan, BC *really* the "Best?" Because, let's face it, "best" is relative.
Okay, alright, hold your horses! "Best" is a *big* word. And Duncan, bless its heart, isn’t exactly known for its… well, for its *sophistication* in the hotel department. That said, for a Holiday Inn Express? Honestly? It punches above its weight. It’s like the surprisingly charismatic friend you have who always manages to charm everyone, even when they spill wine on themselves (which, let's be honest, might have been me once in the breakfast area… but I digress!).
Basically, it *definitely* depends on what you’re looking for. Don't go in expecting Michelin-star service and a pool boy. But if you're after clean, relatively quiet, and a decent breakfast that won't send you running for the nearest toilet, then yeah, it's a solid contender for "best" in Duncan. (And probably the only contender, let's be real.)
The Rooms: Are they actually… liveable? I've had some hotel room nightmares.
Okay, rooms. This is where it gets interesting. First off, let's be clear: they aren't the Ritz. But they're clean. Seriously, *clean*. That's huge. I once stayed in a hotel in... well, let's just say it involved a questionable beach and a small island... where the towels looked like they'd been through a war. The HIE in Duncan? Not like that. You can actually relax, breathe, and not worry about strange critters sharing your bed.
The beds themselves are… well, they're beds. Not particularly memorable beds, but comfortable enough for a good night's sleep, usually. I'm a back sleeper, so that's important. My wife, who sleeps like a whirling dervish, rarely complained, which is a testament to their durability, I suspect. The bathrooms? Standard hotel bathrooms. Functioning, which is all you really want. I appreciate a working shower head, which is a surprisingly difficult requirement to meet sometimes.
Pro-tip: Try to get a room away from the elevator, or the road. Trust me. And pack earplugs if you're a light sleeper. Construction crews, let's face it, can be early risers.
The Breakfast: The make-or-break of any hotel stay. What's the damage? Is it edible?
Ah, the breakfast! The cornerstone of all hotel experiences. The HIE breakfast is… well, it's a Holiday Inn Express breakfast. Don’t expect a gourmet spread, but it hits the spot. Think: the standard scrambled eggs (sometimes suspiciously yellow, but hey, they're there!), sausage (the kind I suspect has been engineered to last longer than I will), waffles (yay, waffles!), cereal, fruit… and, crucially, coffee. Lots and lots of coffee.
I've had some truly horrific hotel breakfasts in my time - congealed eggs, questionable meat scraps, and coffee that tasted like watered-down mud. This, thankfully, is not one of those. It's perfectly acceptable. You can definitely get a decent start to the day. My personal strategy? Pile on the waffle, douse it in syrup, and then load up on the coffee. Works every time.
One slightly embarrassing anecdote: I once, after a particularly rough night, may or may not have taken *two* waffles to my room "for later." Don't judge, I was hungry!
The Staff: Are they friendly, or do they actively resent you for existing?
The staff are generally pretty good. I’ve encountered some truly awful hotel staff in my travels – people who clearly hated their jobs and seemed to revel in making guests miserable. This HIE? Not like that. They seem genuinely friendly, and helpful. Not overly effusive, mind you, but they're polite, efficient, and willing to help. I once needed a late check-out due to a traffic mishap, and they accommodated me without any hassle. That's gold in my book.
Okay, I'll admit it, sometimes it's a bit… *too* friendly. Those "Have a great day!" moments? They can be a tad much first thing in the morning. But hey, I'd take a little forced cheerfulness over flat-out rudeness any day. And they always keep the coffee flowing during breakfast, which is a huge win.
Location, Location, Location! Is it convenient or stuck in the boonies?
The location is… well, it's Duncan. Everything's relatively close. It's not right downtown, but everything you need – restaurants, shops, grocery stores – is within a short drive. It's a good base for exploring the Cowichan Valley area. The proximity to the highway is convenient, but can sometimes mean a bit of road noise, so again, earplugs! A bit further to get places, but I think it is worth the peace.
I'd give it a B+ for location. Not the most exciting spot, but super practical. I'm not sure if the views are stunning, but the access to the highway after sleeping is key for driving to the ferry and travelling. And the lack of… let's say, *throngs of tourists* right outside your door is a definite plus.
Anything else I should know? Hidden gems, quirks, or deal-breakers?
Okay, here's the lowdown. The pool… well, it's a pool. Nothing fancy. The gym? I'm not a gym person, so I can't comment. I did see a guy in there once, though. Looked like he knew what he was doing. So… there's that.
The air conditioning can be a bit… temperamental. Sometimes it works like a champ, other times it's like a gentle breeze. Pack a fan if you're a hot sleeper (like me!). The Wi-Fi? Generally good, but occasionally it has a moment of… well, let's just call it "latency." Bring a book, just in case. Or, you know, download some shows beforehand.
Oh, one thing! Parking is easy. Always a bonus. And there's a Tim Hortons practically next door, which is either a blessing or a curse, depending on your caffeine tolerance. I'm firmly in the "blessing" category, personally. The curse is that you will have to wait in a line to get from A-to-B to get a coffee. That could be a deal breaker for some.
Final verdict? For Duncan, the Holiday Inn Express is a solid choice. It's clean, comfortable, the breakfast is decent, and the staff is friendly. It’s not perfect, but it's a reliable option, which, in my book, makes it a winner.
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