Holiday Inn London Watford Junction by IHG

Dear Customer Relations Team,

I am writing to formally lodge a complaint regarding my stay at Holiday Inn Watford Junction(Booking Ref:Feb 12–13, 2026), for which I paid £278.00.
I arrived at the hotel after 9:00 PM following a stressful, delayed flight. After such an exhausting journey, I expected a clean and safe place to rest. Instead, I was appalled to find the room in a disgusting and unsanitary state. It is unacceptable that after the travel issues I had already faced, I was forced to deal with conditions that are a direct threat to health and safety.
As shown in the attached photographic evidence:
• Health Hazard (Kettle): The kettle provided is covered in thick limescale and visible dark mould/debris inside.
• Unhygienic Bedding: The bed sheets and pillows were stained and had visible hairs on them.
• Fire & Safety Risk: The hair dryer is dangerously clogged with a thick layer of dust and grime.
• General Filth: The bathroom was poorly maintained, featuring a rusted sanitary bin, mould in the shower area, and grimy soap dispensers.
This package, which included tickets for two adults to the Warner Bros. Studio Tour, was meant to be a special trip. Instead, the hotel experience has been traumatic and completely ruined our stay. This is a clear failure to meet the "stress-free" standards you advertise.
Due to the severe breach of contract regarding basic hygiene and safety standards, 
I am demanding a full refund for this booking.
I expect a response within 7 days. If this is not resolved, I will escalate this matter to the relevant health authorities and the travel ombudsman.

Title: Serious service failure compounded by dismissive handling

We stayed at Holiday Inn London – Watford Junction on the night of 31 January 2026 and experienced a sequence of service failures that made the stay unacceptable.

Our room was colder than the outside temperature. The heating system was non-functional, and despite multiple calls to reception, the issue was not resolved. We were repeatedly assured that additional bedding would be delivered; none arrived. The only on-the-night gesture was the offer of a single complimentary drink.

What is most disappointing, however, is how the matter was handled afterwards. Following detailed correspondence, the hotel issued profuse apologies and offered 5,000 IHG One Rewards points as compensation — a value of roughly £15. This token gesture trivialises the experience and undermines the sincerity of the apology.

Service failures can happen; how they are addressed matters. In this case, both the overnight handling and the post-stay response showed a lack of proportionality, accountability, and respect for the guest experience.

We are sharing this review so that others can make an informed decision when choosing this hotel.

— Dr & Mrs Rahmani

Das Bett war sehr fein, ich habe darin gut geschlafen. Die Lage für einen Besuch der Harry-Potter-Studios sehr gut. In der Nähe Restaurants, Bahnhof und Einkaufsmöglichkeiten.

Great location, close to M1 and train station. ability to leave car all day. Welcoming lobby and restaurant area. Friendly staff.

We had a lovely relaxed meal at the Holiday Inn. Our waitress Mackenzie was friendly, attentive and looked after us really well. There was a great selection of drinks and the food was good too.

Posizione top per visitare gli studios e arrivare da Luton

Location to the train station

Fantastic service from mackenzie. Very knowledgeable member of team. Looking forward to returning.
Deffo recommend the chillies salmon dish!!

Excellent customer service at the holiday Inn watfird, a massive thanks to Sony and supreena who consistently provide a top customer service experience thank you Warren

The customer service here was excellent..I had booked the wrong dates ...but they made sure any changes were seamless and straight forward and made sure I had a room that night...the staff were all friendly and lovely & I could tell that they were popular with other customers

I like the location