OverviewLocated along Highway 17 and about a 5-minute walk from Charleston's free Spring St. trolley stop, the Holiday Inn Express Downtown - Ashley River is geared towards travellers who prefer a centrally located hotel with extended kitchen amenities, a free breakfast and easy access to the highway and public transit.
Each of this smoke-free hotel's guest rooms offers air conditioning, free Wi-Fi, cable TV, a mini-fridge, a microwave, a coffeemaker, a hair dryer, an ironing and ironing board and a desk. Rooms with a kitchenette and a living area with a sofabed are also available, as are wheelchair-accessible rooms.
The hotel also offers an outdoor pool, a fitness centre, meeting/banquet facilities, a business centre, laundry services, a convenience store, a free breakfast and free parking. Pets are permitted for an additional $25 per pet, per day.
The Ashley River can be reached in about 10 minutes on foot, while the Medical University of South Carolina is a 5-minute walk away. South Windermere Shopping Center is roughly a 4-minute drive from the hotel and Charleston International Airport (CHS) is a 20-minute drive away. (All distances and travel time estimates: Google Maps)
Verified with a front desk agent: Free Wi-Fi, free parking, pets $25/pet/day, wheelchair accessible. (Call Date: November 21, 2013)
The GoodThe majority of the reviews sourced for this analysis were positive, with much praise going to the hotel's staff, breakfast, rooms and location.
The hotel's staff were the source of numerous compliments by reviewers. They were characterized as friendly, efficient, accommodating and helpful with directions and local information.
Many lodgers praised the hotel's breakfast, describing it as delicious, frequently restocked, well staffed and varied, with friendly staff and several hot and cold choices. One patron remarked, "The breakfast was hands down the best free breakfast ever...waiters, hot items lie bacon, eggs, sausage, etc, more options than any free breakfast I've seen".
The hotel's lodgings were enjoyed by several travellers. They described their rooms as clean, quiet, well equipped and modern, with comfortable beds and pillows and good water pressure.
Several travellers were pleased with the hotel's location. They found it close to Charleston's free trolley service, downtown and the historical district, the waterfront, restaurants and the Medical University of South Carolina. One reviewer noted, "The Trolleys were a good source of transportation to and from the downtown areas and you actually don't even have to move your vehicle at all unless you just want to go exploring while there". A few guests did find the hotel a little far from downtown on foot, however.
The Bad
While the majority of reviews consulted for this analysis were positive, there were a few common complaints about the hotel's parking and noise transfer.
A few reviewers complained about the hotel's parking. They reported a little difficulty finding a spot later in the evening, and also reported the parking lot being frequently flooded, which also caused limited parking spaces.
Noise disturbances were mentioned by a few travellers during their stay. They reported noisy in-room air conditioning, as well as noise from guests in adjacent rooms and the hallways.
Booking.com guest reviews rated the hotel 8.1 out of 10 from 210 reviews.
Expedia.ca guest reviews rated the hotel 4.1 out of 5 with a 92% recommendation rate from 190 reviews.
TripAdvisor.com guest reviews ranked the hotel #27 of 55 Charleston hotels with an average rating of 4 out of 5 from 178 reviews.
The author called the hotel on November 21, 2013 to verify some information.
