Leon Lian
March 13, 2026
I've been staying in hotels for 20-30 years, both domestically and internationally, and this is the first time I've ever felt so strongly about giving a hotel a negative review. I chose the Holiday Inn Times Square for a business trip to New York during Chinese New Year. The location was indeed great, right by Times Square, and initially, I was quite satisfied.
However, when I was packing before check-out, I discovered the inner compartment of my Bennett Winch bag was missing! I distinctly remember folding the entire bag set and placing it in the small compartment above the mini-fridge. The outer suit bag was still neatly folded there, untouched. Only the main duffel bag (the cylindrical one) had disappeared. It's obvious someone had tampered with it!
On the 18th, I reported it to the front desk in person. They asked me to wait for a manager and had me sign an Incident Report, promising to investigate. It took several days for them to reply via email, with just one line: "It's difficult to investigate since it was discovered on the last day" and "you might have misplaced it yourself." They didn't mention anything about checking surveillance footage, cleaning records, or the lost and found room!
Infuriated, I complained to IHG headquarters, escalating the issue repeatedly. Their customer service kept saying they were urging the hotel and leaving messages, but months later, there's still no follow-up. They just send repetitive emails, completely unhelpful in resolving the problem. An item worth nearly 10,000 RMB (approximately $1,400 USD) is just gone, and their handling of it has been so perfunctory and indifferent!
I have officially filed a complaint with the NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP), and it's currently in mediation. I advise everyone to avoid this hotel. Even if you have to stay there, never leave valuables in the room. A safe deposit box or the front desk is the safest option.
No matter how good the location, such poor service and lack of accountability are unforgivable. Strong negative review, I will not be staying here again!
Original TextTranslation provided by Google