Overview
Located less than a 1-minute drive from the nearest Interstate 71 off-ramp, and a 3-minute drive from The Ohio Expo Center and State Fair, the Holiday Inn Express Ohio State Fair Expo Center is popular with road travellers who require a hotel with easy highway access, extended kitchen amenities and a free buffet breakfast.
This smoke-free hotel has 71 air-conditioned guest rooms and suites, each offering free Wi-Fi, cable TV, a coffeemaker, a mini-fridge, a microwave, a desk, an iron and ironing board and a hair dryer. Standard rooms offer one king or two double beds. Some rooms feature a jetted tub. Other rooms offer a full kitchenette and living area with a sofabed.
Hotel amenities include an indoor pool, fitness facilities, a business centre, meeting/conference facilities, a free continental breakfast and free self-parking. Free morning newspapers are delivered directly to all guest rooms. Pets are not permitted and wheelchair-accessible rooms are available upon request.
Wendy's Restaurant is located next door to the hotel, while Indianola Shopping Center is a 5-minute drive southward. Ohio State University can be found about 10 minutes away by car, and Port Columbus International Airport (CMH) is roughly a 12-minute drive east. (All distances and travel time estimates: Google Maps)
Verified with a front desk agent: Free Wi-Fi, free parking, pets not permitted, wheelchair accessible. (Call Date: June 6, 2013)
The GoodThe majority of the reviews sourced for this analysis were positive, with praise going to the hotel's staff, rooms and location.
Many guests were pleased with the level of customer service they received. They characterized the staff as friendly, accommodating, professional and helpful with restaurant suggestions.
The hotel's accommodations were praised by numerous reviewers. They were described as spacious, clean and well equipped, with good Wi-Fi signals and comfortable beds. A couple guests mentioned worn decor in their rooms, however (as noted below).
Several lodgers were satisfied with the hotel's location. They found it to be close to Ohio State University, the fairgrounds, Expo Center, Crew Stadium and highway access. It should be noted, however, that a few guests had complaints about the hotel's location (see below).
The hotel's breakfast was also praised by several reviewers, who described it as delicious and frequently re-stocked, as well as having a good selection of hot and cold items. One guest remarked, "Breakfast in the morning was fresh and very good. The kitchen staff spoke and welcomed me, making me feel at home".
The Bad
While the majority of reviews consulted for this analysis were positive, there were some common complaints about the location and noise transfer.
While the majority of reviewers were pleased with the hotel's proximity to local attractions and highway access, some guests were disappointed with the hotel's neighbourhood. They described it as seedy and sketchy, remarking they didn't feel safe walking around after dark.
A couple lodgers complained of noise transfer during their stays. They reported loud sports teams running and yelling in the hallways, as well as drunk patrons knocking on doors in the hallways late at night.
As mentioned above, there were also some guests who felt that their room furnishings and decor were a bit worn.
TripAdvisor.com guest reviews ranked the hotel #59 out of 141 Columbus hotels with an average rating of 3.5 out of 5 from 57 reviews.
Hotels.com guest reviews rated the hotel 3.9 out of 5 from 87 reviews.
Booking.com guest reviews rated the hotel 8.6 out of 10 from 31 reviews.
The author called the hotel on June 6, 2013 to verify some information.
