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Yelp
We chose this Holiday Inn location for its centrality in the OC area, not knowing it was literally facing the 55 freeway. If you get an even-numbered room on the second or third floor, your window view will be the rush-hour traffic jams and the occasional car chases which Southern California is famous for.
We were SOL when we requested an odd-numbered room on a higher floor during check-in because they were completely out, was offered one on the second floor instead.
It was late and we were tired after driving nine-plus hours, so we were not too picky. When we got to the room, it seemed normal and clean. I immediately noticed there were only five hangers in the closet.
Then the nightmare began. At first, it appeared to be tiny little feet running the length of the floor upstairs, once or twice. It went on and on and on through the witching hour. For a moment, I thought Usain Bolt Jr. was staying upstairs because the length of the room was literally 26 feet long and we could hear the tiny steps tracking from one end to the other, back and forth, back and forth repeatedly. Called the front desk to report the racket, but the commotion persisted throughout the night.
Also, we could literally hear conversations in the hallway and from other rooms. Not muffled babble, but literally whole uncensored conversations.
I blame it on the dated construction of the hotel.
Seems like someone forgot to add wall noise insulation and/or thicker sub-floors during construction. Maybe, someday when this Holiday Inn hotel goes through remodeling, the issues will be corrected.
Since our stay was almost a week, I noticed the ice machine had not been replenished four days consecutively. And there was only a single microwave for the entire floor. Obviously, it was not smelling too appetizing when it was my turn to heat up my leftovers.
I must add that parking lot security was OK, since there was an old beat-up security cruiser (maybe an old cop car) visibly parked onsite to deter burglaries.
It gave me a little peace of mind.
Other then this tiny detail, the hotel have three exits/entrances. Unfortunately, two were chained-off leaving only the middle narrow entry and exit closest to the hotel lobby open. Beware when you're exiting and need to turn left on Grand because of the obscured view of on-coming vehicles around the corner. You might be safer turning right on Grand.