Crowne Plaza Suites Pittsburgh South by IHG

My family occupied three rooms for six nights at this Crowne Plaza. We chose the hotel solely because of its close proximity to our relatives’ home. Unfortunately, apart from its convenient location, our experience was deeply disappointing and far below what anyone should expect from a Crowne Plaza or any IHG branded property. The first major issue was the complete lack of ventilation. The room windows were permanently sealed and could not be opened, not even slightly. As a result, the rooms never received any fresh air, which made sleeping uncomfortable. After one night with two people sleeping for approximately seven hours, I measured the CO₂ concentration in the room at around 2,700 ppm, a level well above what is generally considered acceptable for a healthy indoor environment. Housekeeping was equally disappointing. The standard of cleaning resembled that of a youth hostel rather than a four-star international hotel. During our six-night stay, our rooms were properly cleaned only about half the time, and we even had to request clean towels from housekeeping because they had not been replaced. The bathroom experience was another major frustration. The shower constantly alternated between hot and cold water for no apparent reason, while the water pressure was so weak that rinsing off took far longer than it should have. To make matters worse, the bathroom had only a fixed overhead shower with no handheld showerhead, making it even less practical. Breakfast was, frankly, one of the worst we have experienced in a hotel of this category. The selection was extremely limited, and much of the food was poorly prepared. Although breakfast was included in our rate, we only used it once during our stay and chose to have breakfast at nearby cafés for the remainder of our visit. Service throughout the hotel was virtually non-existent and the hotel seemed clearly understaffed. My wife, whose family owns three five-star IHG hotels in our country, was particularly disappointed, as the level of service fell dramatically short of what the IHG brand normally represents. The hotel’s only real advantage was its location directly opposite a large shopping area, which our adult children enjoyed visiting. Would I stay here again? Only if I absolutely needed to be in this specific location. Otherwise, I would choose almost any other hotel. This property simply does not deliver the quality, service, cleanliness, or guest experience that one reasonably expects from a four-star Crowne Plaza.