Ionic Tech
Google
Oh man, where do I even start? I really wanted to like this hotel. I gave it more than a fair chance before writing this review, but unfortunately, it was one disappointment after another.
The biggest draw was the location. It’s directly across the street from the Porsche Experience Center, which was the reason we booked—we came to celebrate my birthday there, and it was a huge plus to walk back and forth. Check-in started out promising: the evening front desk agent was polite, recognized my IHG Platinum status, and gave us the usual complimentary snacks. Sadly, the positives ended there.
I booked a deluxe/premium double room, hoping for an upgrade to the track suite (the next category up). No luck. The first room we got was in poor shape: dated furnishings, pillows that were stained and smelled, a sticky carpet spot, rust in the bathroom, and worst of all, blackout curtains that didn’t even come close to closing. By 7 a.m., the room was flooded with light, and I barely slept.
I asked for a new room several times over the next day. The first staff member made me wait 20 minutes only to say he wasn’t actually front desk. The second brushed me off because he was busy with an event. Finally, hours later, a different agent quickly moved us. The earlier dismissive “don’t bother me” attitudes were baffling, especially after reading so many reviews praising service here.
The restaurant was just as frustrating. On our second day, it took over an hour to get a simple coffee, salad, and sandwich. The server was dismissive and clearly didn’t want to be there. When the coffee finally came, it was handed to me without sugar or a stirrer, and it took another 20 minutes to track her down for basics.
The new room had its own problems. It reeked of chemicals, almost like it had just been sprayed with insecticide. I didn’t want to deal with yet another room change, and the smell faded after a while. But the bathroom was a design nightmare: the shower was tiny, maybe 2x2 feet, with only a fixed glass pane instead of a door. Every shower flooded the floor, and we had to use all the towels just to keep water from spreading. The toilet was at least in a separate room, but the layout was simply impractical.
Housekeeping was another low point. When I asked why our room wasn’t serviced, I was told: “We only have housekeeping until 3 p.m., and you have to request it in the morning. That’s been our policy since the pandemic.” The pandemic was years ago, and most hotels have long resumed normal daily service. Here, it was inconsistent at best. Some days the coffee pods weren’t replaced, other days lotion was missing, or towels weren’t replenished. Even the basics weren’t reliable.
Minor annoyances piled up: only two pillows per bed unless you specifically request more, amenities missed or forgotten, and slow, dismissive responses from staff. When I asked for a late checkout, a common Platinum perk, I was told to “just call back the next day.” That has never happened at any other Kimpton I’ve stayed at.
By the end, this felt more like a tired Holiday Inn than a Kimpton. Poor upkeep, bad service, and a lack of hospitality made the whole stay unpleasant. The only real plus is the Porsche location. Beyond that, I can’t recommend it.
If you want convenience and better service or simply want to shower without feeling crammed into a beach stall, or avoid staff who make you feel like you’re bothering them, save your money. For the price, you’re better off at one of the other 4-star hotels near the airport. Most even offer shuttle service to the Porsche Experience Center. Don’t be fooled by the glowing reviews; our experience was the exact opposite.