Holiday Inn
Dec/31/10 01:09 AM
The Wall Street Journal has been chronicling Holiday Inn’s efforts to modernize its properties and establish a new brand image over the past few months, recently declaring the company’s efforts complete and interviewing hotel owners across the country about the results. Some owners weren’t happy with the over $200,000 of renovations that each Holiday Inn location required to meet the new standards and those that didn’t comply were forced to separate from the Holiday Inn group. But, most franchises saw the work as an opportunity to draw new customers from the crowded market to their properties.
Well, as a customer, I say the efforts were worthwhile. After driving for almost ten hours after the recent blizzard back down to Virginia, I decided to call it a night and stop at a new-looking Holiday Inn Express on the New Jersey/Delaware border. The hotel stood out among its competitors in the not-so-great-looking area with new signage and lighting. The lobby was nice and new as well. For $85/night I got a room that felt new with a 42” flat screen TV that’s nicer than the one I have at home and got a better than expected free breakfast the next morning in the lobby before I continued my journey south. In the future I’ll definitely look to see if any Holiday Inn’s are around for a stay.
Well, as a customer, I say the efforts were worthwhile. After driving for almost ten hours after the recent blizzard back down to Virginia, I decided to call it a night and stop at a new-looking Holiday Inn Express on the New Jersey/Delaware border. The hotel stood out among its competitors in the not-so-great-looking area with new signage and lighting. The lobby was nice and new as well. For $85/night I got a room that felt new with a 42” flat screen TV that’s nicer than the one I have at home and got a better than expected free breakfast the next morning in the lobby before I continued my journey south. In the future I’ll definitely look to see if any Holiday Inn’s are around for a stay.
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