Holiday Inn Express Adelaide
Holiday Inn has long been a brand synonymous with providing convenient accommodation. And while they have been a long time fixture right across the USA, they seem to be rapidly expanding their multiple brands of cheery service and thoughtfully designed rooms across Australia.
Holiday Inn Express is predominately aimed at business travellers, and their motto for the brand is ‘Simple and Smart’. This is probably a fair representation of the experience, where they focus on things like providing the inclusions you value most when you need a streamlined process, like including breakfast.
However, this also means their hotels are often in great central locations, with plenty of options to find food close by and while not necessarily cheap, provide better value than similary priced options.
Holiday Inn Express Adelaide is no exception and is right in the thick of it off the busy Hindley Street (which is party central). It’s also within walking distane to many places like the botanical gardens and the art gallery.
At the time I stayed I was able to book via scoopon and get an offer that included parking immediately next door for only about $8 more than booking directly, substantially cheaper than paying for overnight parking even walking from cheap park ages away.
I found IHG has thought of all the little things. And while it sometimes depends on your generation or interests on what those things, hotels don’t realise what a difference the little things make – like being able to charge your phone right next to you so you still use it while lying in bed or screen share from your phone to watch your own stuff when relaxing at night. And holiday inn has these basics are all covered.
What I liked
I Love the couch with the handy table to sit a tea/coffee drink on and sit charging devices however it wasn’t as comfortable as a custom wing style chair or chaise lounge is (but is still better than crappy dining table chairs many rooms have).
There are powerpoints on both sides of the bed and at the desk for charging your phones, laptops and everything else.
Vegan hotel amenities
Peppermint tea options for a no caffeine late night drink while relaxing.
The included buffet breakfast is supposed to be basic but it still included cooked items like eggs and there were beans as an option other than toast for a vegan. There is auto coffee machine coffee included free and there was alternative milk available – I just asked for a cup of ice and used the expresso option to make myself an iced almond coffee!
Fun feel to the room.
The glass gives privacy to the bathroom and a clever space-saving door switches between a toilet and shower door however couples would likely find little privacy from bathroom noises!
Soft and firm pillow options on the bed
Everything you need for work with iron, ironing board, hair dryer etc.
And although in my tired state it took me 45minutes to find the light switch for the lamp (despite it being right in front of me) you have control over the overhead lights from bed to save you from getting up and down and making it easy to turn them on if need to find your way.
The staff were friendly and nice, the room comfortable, clean and modern and the breakfast and parking good value with the deal I found on scoopon. I would stay again although not if had to fork out $40 to park nearby if it wasn’t included.