The BAD:
We called ahead to get pricing info and had decided (but not booked) on one of the cheaper rooms on the inland side of the hotel (about $135 in 2003). It was a long drive from I-95 on I-40 and then through Wilmington and Wrightsville over to the hotel on the beach. By the time we arrived, all the cheaper rooms were gone and the desk clerk talked us into a more expensive room on the beach side (about $200). We had come all this way, so we took it.
We did not go up to the room right away but rather went for a drive around town and then a walk on the beach. By the time we got into the room it was 8pm.
The room had all the GOOD things above but it had these BAD things too: balcony that was to overlook the ocean actually overlooked the roof of the restaurant and you could see the ocean if you stood on the patio chair; the hotel's laundry was right next door and every time the dryer was used the chlorinated steam vented onto our balcony (had to shut the glass doors); we took a quick shower and went to bed early but were awakened at 1am by hotel staff banging on the door saying that our jacuzzi was overflowing (we had not used it yet!).... it turned out to be the problem in the room on the other side of ours.
The FIX: we complained to the management the next morning and left the hotel (we decided to head to Savannah a day early). When we got back home after our three week trip we found a special-delivery mail from Holiday Inn with a check for half of the room cost. So it all turned out okay
Luxury room; expensive but worth it for an anniversary weekend (as long as you do not get the room we had).
