I generally expect the Crowne Plaza brand to be above the Holiday Inn but below the InterContinental but having stayed at a number of each over the years I think the defining aspect is more when the hotel was built/updated.

So, we have an older, low-rise property here with rooms spread across various wings right in the heart of Chandler. The rooms themselves are reasonably large, though not huge, and as some others have noted, access is via the gardens so you are outside when you move around the hotel and there are multiple points of entry with no obvious security at any of them (that's not necessarily a bad thing. Having my bags x-rayed and then being scanned by a metal detector every time I entered the InterContinental in Mumbai is way more stressful than the peaceful environment of down town Chandler).

The ceilings are what I call "hotel room low" and my room was dark, despite the sun bleached days but it did have a small balcony with a round table and two chairs which was nice to sit on. The locking mechanism for the balcony door was very low-tech but about as solid as you're likely to get, so it's not a hotel where I would expect anyone would slip into your room via the balcony. Thieves would likely give it a try and go elsewhere.

The bathroom was a reasonable size, with a bath, good water pressure and no apparent end of hot water. It was clean and smelt fine; no mold here, thank you very much. There was a small dressing area just outside the bathroom with a full length mirror on the wardrobe but that space felt a little odd, truth be told. Though it was a convenient spot for the cleaners to put the complementary water bottles each day.

The desk was fine for working on with multiple power points and good internet access, and the bed was very comfortable. I did not watch TV but it was an older CRT type in a large cabinet, rather than a flat panel. The cabinet had drawers at the base where you could have stored clothes if you don't want to live literally out of your suitcase. There was an iron and ironing board in the wardrobe.

Being on business I did not try the pool, which is in a great spot for sun, but I can imagine it being crowded during holiday periods as it is like the rooms - large but not huge.

I did miss the lack of a room safe though. Being able to tuck away the iPad, Kindle, laptop etc. does provide comfort when I travel.

Service was definitely hit and miss, particularly at breakfast. I sat at an outdoor table and felt ignored as the seemingly overworked servers bustled around me but did not take my order for over 10 minutes. That was despite one staff member telling me that he would 'come back to take your order' and did not, and me waving my menu at them as they passed. They also failed to tell me there was a buffet table indoors, so I chose from a lacklustre à la carte menu that is not going to help you save calories any time soon. It was also interesting watching what appeared to be the head waiter take chairs from other tables to make a larger setting without asking the people at the soon-to-be-denuded tables whether this was OK or not. I counted five staff struggling to service fifteen tables which really should not have taxed them.

I had breakfast in the hotel twice, with similar service both mornings, and then switched to the local cafes which are a short walk out the front gate.

But counterpoint breakfast service with dinner, where the staff were lovely, very calm and very efficient. Or the desk clerk who directed me to the nearby Walmart when my computer mouse broke, suggesting this would be the best price option.

I had a car and parking was no issue - and no cost - and if you wanted to walk about there are numerous shops around the hotel to browse, but it's a small shopping area and if you want malls you'll have to drive.

So all in all, this is a reasonable hotel that won't break the bank and if you need to be in Chandler the location is great.

I read the reviews before choosing this hotel, and was a little worried about some of the comments. But I knew my teenage daughters would enjoy the pool area (and they DID!) so I took the chance. We were not disappointed. It is true that many hotels are more updated as far as the TV and maybe even the decor, but we just didn't care about that. It was a nice room, very clean, with great ammenities. Very close to restaurants and shopping, (like a block or two) and with a Starbucks and restaurants right on the property. The grounds were very nice, too. The only thing missing that we like at other hotels was at least a continental breakfast. It is so great to have a little breakfast while you are still getting ready for the day. But we had a nice stay!

Had family in town and booked them in this hotel, which turned out to be a great mistake. The rooms are simply average, the amenities such as the pool etc. are even below average in our city and in this price range, and the staff is not only rude but nasty. The doorman is lazy, the check-in clerk confused and the manager stated that he didn't care. In an area with so many hotels to choose from, you will find much better places.

The hotel is very well maintained. Grounds are nice. We had a nice size room with very comfortable sheets and plenty of pillows, a sitting desk, sofa bed and nice little balconey.We had champagne Sunday brunch that was nice with great prime rib. Pool and jacuzzi were nice, quiet and very clean. We would stay again.