Hotel Holiday Inn Express di Dryden

Like many guests, I stayed at the Holiday Inn Express when passing through Dryden. I decided to stay here instead of driving the 8 hours from Thunder Bay to Winnipeg. In hindsight, I should have kept driving. For starters, I didn't know what to expect because the hotel website, the IHG website, and the IHG app all warned about renovations. The pool is closed and guests are told renovations are underway through the spring of 2025. I expected an active construction site. In reality, I didn't see anything that indicated active construction was underway. In fact, my room seemed to have renovated recently. I never saw any construction materials or smelled anything to indicate work is still ongoing. So keep that in mind. For US$200 or 30,000 IHG points, the hotel is a very poor value. This is a 25-year-old hotel that has been updated over the years. The lobby is tiny as is the breakfast area. They don't even have enough space in the breakfast area to offer the full Holiday Inn Express breakfast buffet. My renovated room was comfortable and reasonably well-appointed. It included USB outlets, good lighting, fast wifi, a fridge, newish TV, etc. While the selection of TV channels was excellent, the picture quality was poor. The HVAC was also bad. I set the temperature at 67 degrees F (19.4 degrees C). I could never get the room temperature to drop below 72 degrees F (22.2 degrees C). The worst part was cleanliness or lack thereof. There was hair on the toilet cover, hair on the toilet seat, hair under the toilet seat, hair on the towels, hair in multiple places on the bathroom floor, and hair in multiple places in the shower. That was disgusting. Besides the cleanliness issues, the sink wouldn't drain water and the toilet wouldn't fully flush. Additionally, carpets in public spaces were stained and worn. Doors to rooms were mismatched and of different colors and styles. The ceiling panels above the hallway of the 2nd floor had holes in them. Most of the parking lot was unpaved. Front Desk staff were polite and friendly. The small market was well-stocked with snacks, candies, frozen dinners, sweets, and different sodas. This being Ontario with its stupid beer and wine licensing laws, no beer and wine was offered. That's an issue because when the LCBO is closed you have basically no options in a small town like Dryden. The only reason you stay here are the IHG points you can get from a stay. Otherwise, the Best Western Plus a short drive through town is a much better value. Rates are better, there's a bar and restaurant, and a bigger paved parking lot. I don't expect 5-star amenities and services at a Holiday Inn Express, but I do expect a clean room at a fair price. The Holiday Inn Express in Dryden offered neither. All things considered, I would not stay here again. Next time I would stay at the Best Western Plus or keep driving to Kenora or Thunder Bay (depending on the direction).