Didn't expect the world... (Holiday Inn Ghent)

Member Name: Denmark says hi

Product:	Holiday Inn Ghent
Date:	02/07/02 (116 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Friendly staff

Disadvantages: Ancient hotel, Not very international, Price

...didn't get it either.
A couple of months back (march 2002) I was in Gent on business and needed a place to stay for the night. I checked into the Holiday Inn at Akkerhage optimistically thinking "how bad can it be?". Frankly I was surprised. Believe me, it can be (and in this case was) very bad! Grubby, scuffed furniture, a carpet that was so faded it looked buried in dust (on second thought maybe it was dust... I didn't feel up to checking) and a bathroom with scores of cigarette burns on the faux porcelain suite. What a dump! As an added bonus the main source of lighting in the room consisted of a flourescent fitted in a corner of the ceiling. I've visited Belgium several times before and have encountered this special Belgian form of mood lighting before but never the rooms of an international hotel chain. Eeew!
Overall the staff was very helpful, but I got in late and just wanted to sleep, so I didn't venture down to the reception to get another room.
On top of everything the room wasn't even cheap ; 83 Euro for a single night (breakfast not included).

Take my advice and avoid the HI on Akkerhage. A couple of miles from this hotel (next to the Expo centre - hence the name) lies another HI - the Expo. The Expo's everyting Akkerhage is not : clean, new(ish) and very internationally minded. And the best thing? The prices are identical to Akkerhage and they have a cosy atrium bar.

I've later heard that the hotel might be undergoing renovation sometime this year, but I'm stil not tempted ;)

Summary: