From A Professional Hotelier
By A Yahoo! Contributor, 8/14/11
I stayed here Friday night, 12 August 2011. Firstly, allow me to state that I am a retired professional hotelier/restaurateur. I have a doctortorial level education, and a former adjunct professor of same at a major university. I started in the business at age 12 cleaning rooms in a very small roadside motel, but progressed to "big city" convention properties. Clients were VIPs, entertainers and politicians. My personal attention was requested by those such as Liberace, Tony Bennett, Carol Channing, Barbara Streisand, Sen. Ted Kennedy, and many governors, movie stars, U.S.Presidential advisors, etc. Got the picture? Now, back to this property. This is a property in a smaller market far from the "Big City Glamour" and "Ritzy Vacation Destination" spots. Fairhope is a lovely little town with a "small town, southern Alabama mindset". With the economy as it is, the market is highly competitive for business; yet, operational costs vs. customer service is very straining. I stayed in the new/second building, in the largest room in the entire Motor Inn. I felt the rates could have been a few percentage points lower as compared to like properties in other cities; however, this is a vacation area. As a professional, I notice things the average person does not, but keep in mind the times in which we live. Overall, considering the "non-hospitality-degreed labor base" from which the owners have to pull, and the fact that the costs of all items, operation, utilities, insurance, food and labor, and cost of fuel to get things there have expedientially risen in the past few years, I will overlook the "less than perfect" comments of some who have posted here. (Perhaps they need to stay in that nice high-rise hotel in downtown Mobile across the bay!) Can one purchase a new Rolls Royce at a Cadillac price? I HAVE stayed in properties that cost hundreds a night for a room (even thousands), Not all expensive cars give you a safe, comfortable ride. At H.I.Express Fairhope, they didn't know me, who I was, that I was a consultant and teacher of the trade; however, you know what? Even though this property is NOT a Rolls Royce, I got a safe, comfortable ride! I am aware that sometimes "Murphy's Law" occurs, and one's stay is less than a person would expect, but "Life happens, alert management, get it remedied, then - get over it". I've been there, too. The people at the desk as well the housekeeping staff were - to a person - friendly, and they went beyond the basic requirements to make one's stay pleasant and accommodating. The night before I had stayed in another H.I.Express north of Mobile, the employees there were great, but the first person I saw as I pulled my car under the canopy was a security guard with a loaded automatic pistol on his belt. There was no guard in Fairhope. Where do you think I felt safer? As for rating this property, I will return. I know for a fact that Paris Hilton never cleaned a toilet or checked-in a guest (and half the time couldn't find the correct end of the pen to tell the guest which end to use), so you "Paris Hilton" types just stay in that overpriced high-rise. I'll guarantee you will still find something to bruise your tender little egos. "THANK YOU" to the staff of Holiday Inn Express, Fairhope. Second Shift desk: Sylvia and Ben at check-in, Night Auditor: Debra, next morning first shift: Shantae and (Housekeeping) Melanie...You made my stay a very pleasant one. Like Coca-Cola, you ARE the real thing.