State inspectors said the Holiday Inn on Greenfield Road, east of Lancaster, was using a guest room to store perishable food because a refrigerator in the restaurant had stopped working.

"Yes. We did have an unusual situation," said Bill Chirdon, Director of Food Safety for the State Agriculture (web|news) Department. He said his agency got a tip last week from an employee at the Holiday Inn on Greenfield Road, just off Route 30, east of Lancaster.

The employee said perishable food from the restaurant was being stored in a guest room because a commercial refrigerator broke.

"In this case, there was a correct complaint," said Chirdon. "There was validity to it, and when the inspector opened up room 102, there was a significant amount of food in there from the night before - and a couple of days before - stored in the hotel room with the air conditioning on high."

Chirdon said that means the food was stored at around 65 degrees, not nearly cold enough to be safe.

He said the commercial refrigerator at the hotel was repaired and the poorly stored food was thrown out. He said follow-up inspections will be done.

The Holiday Inn Hotel, East of Lancaster is facing more trouble. At the nearby district justice office, the state police filed paperwork, saying the hotel is selling liquor without a license. The hotel's liquor license expired back in February and was not renewed. But according to court documents, an undercover officer said he saw alcohol recently being sold at the Holiday Inn.

While the liquor investigation continues, the state says there will be a fine for the food violations.

"There will also be a citation and we'll go in front of the district magistrate and say we have a problem with food safety," said Chirdon.

The hotel referred us to the owner, Kronos Hotels of Atlanta, Georgia. Our calls there were not returned. The State Revenue Department and Lancaster County government said the hotel is behind on tax payments as well.