A wise coworker suggested that I consolidate all of my travel to one hotel company. Holiday Inn has sites just about anywhere I have traveled and their rates are reasonable for business travel. I have included a list of the places I have stayed and some general thoughts about the property. Sign up for their Priority Club. You get a free newspaper everyday and then when you stay a certain number of nights in a calendar year you get bonuses on your points. With the points you can get free hotel stays or merchandise from popular retailers.

Lately though it seems that Holiday Inn has one of the worst frequent stay programs. Sure their retail rewards are unbeatable but upgrades are non existent and any perks to priority club platinum (60+ nights per year) members seem to be on a property by property basis. Some don't even give you a newspaper. Several don't even give you free local calls anymore. Just another sign to change to a job that requires less travel. At least the free stays are easy to interpret. Hilton program is a maze.

Plus in May they are increasing the number of points required for free night stays. Holiday Inn Express increases from 8,000 to 10,000 and Holiday Inn from 13,500 to 15,000. That just priced me out of the game. With Hilton I can swap airline miles for hotel points. No such luxury with this farce of a program!

AL - Homewood (Birmingham) - Another classic Holiday Inn that gives you that 70s feel right up front. A great restaurant/sports bar and lounge. Standard rooms. But combine express checkout and southern hospitality and you're not going to find a better hotel for miles!

 CA - Oakland Airport Express - This is the new (1999) express property caddy-corner from the entrance to OAK. Poorly managed. Poor staff attitudes. The newest HI property I've stayed at but the service is terrible and it is not in the safest area of town. There are better options for the price within blocks. After my checkin I went to my room, relaxed and 30 minutes later another couple came into the room. The staff had sold the room to me then sold it to another couple as well. The next day I came back to my room and the key didn't work. I went to the front and the manager on duty told me that I'd only guaranteed the room for one night. I promptly pulled out my travel itinerary with the printed reservation. They had to put me in the handicapped room. I connected to my internet provider through a local number. When I checked out there were $128 in long distance charges even though the number was in a prefix 7 miles from the hotel. Their phones made no mention of a toll service within the metro area code. I had to speak to the manager to get these items off my bill. Again, I asked "Doesn't PC get local calls free?" and the response was "not at this location." So needless to say this is the only HI I have stayed at that I give a vehement THUMBS DOWN!

 CA - Oakland Airport - This is the HI right off 800 to Hegenberger on the way to the colesium. This one gives you that 70s feel right up front but it's still a pleasant stay. No express checkout. PC members did get local calls free here and they do have toll notifications on their phones, unlike their express counterpart. But they are cheaper than the OAK express and have a decent restaurant, gift shop, closer to the interstate, not in a complete ghetto.

 CA - San Mateo – Express - Next door to the Holiday Inn San Mateo. The rooms are in need of some work. The tvs are in need of replacement (Zenith 19" that look >15 years old with simulated wood paneling) and on two occassions mine did not work. It faces 101 so if noise is a problem, recommend asking for a room that does not face the 101 (ask for the tower). Rather mediocre for the rate. Better options are available nearby.

 CA - San Mateo - Next door to the HI Express San Mateo. Night and day comparison to the Express. For $15 more per night you get a full service hotel with a full service room. Most rooms are 400 square feet with coffee pot, iron with board, hair dryer and refrigerator. The rooms are nicely finished with wood furnishings and the beds are a dream to sleep on. Beautiful 25" tvs on swivels for convenient positioning. The rooms I have been in have an extra table with four chairs...convenient for business meetings after hours! For $174/night, you are better off going to the Marriott three miles south on 101, if you like hangin out with the morons. 

I’d reserved rooms for the $110 rate and had to argue with the desk clerk for a few minutes and after I shoved my platinum card in his face  he said “in the interest of good business I will give you a one-time discount on this rate.” In the interest of good business, The ROCK says know your role and shut your mouth! BANNED FOR LIFE!

CANADA -Toronto, Ontario Airport Select - Well what can I say? A Holiday Inn that credits priority club points for buying cuban cigars ahhh that is the life. Maybe the only respectable things about Canaduh other than Rush, Triumph and all those guys who come to the US to play NHL! It's a five minute ride to the airport and be sure to check out the Keg across the street for a good meal at reasonable prices because the canaduians cannot compete with the power of the TRUE Dollar!

 FL - Jacksonville Airport - Actually a "Holidome" full service hotel. Fresh, clean room. Attentive wait staff. But no priority checkout. I also had to pickup a newspaper at the front desk. I was charged for local calls as a Priority Club Gold member. I was told they don't honor that condition at this location.  

FL - Jacksonville I-295/Commonwealth road- The absolute best Holiday Inn so far. "Holidome." Great restaurant. Great lounge. Big indoor pool, hot tub, whirlpool, sauna. My room had a fridge and microwave and coffee pot for the standard king price. This hotel is equipped with high speed internet access for $9.95 a day. Beats the phone modem all to pieces! It does face the interstate partially so be sure to request a room away from the interstate. I stayed across from the pool. They dim the lights at night so your room is pitch black.

FL - Orlando Arena – Just two blocks from the Orlando arena. Convenient downtown location. Friendly, attentive staff. They offer PC members an express-type complimentary breakfast at their 17th floor lounge. It has a great view of the northern area of the city as well as an open patio.

FL- Orlando Airport Select - Just a mile from the airport it's a good selection if you have to fly out the next morning early. Otherwise it is not near anything of significant. The room was basic and for the rate the Orlando Arena is a better value. The services available are comprehensive as are most Selects.  

GA - Conyers. Outside of Atlanta on 20. Basic garden-style rooms. Impoverished lounge and restaurant. Waffle House was better anyway. No free cocktail and breakfast coupon for platinum members. The counter staff was simply stupid. Banned for life!

 IL - Rockford - Another classic Holiday Inn that gives you that 70s feel right up front. The attached Hoffman House is a great restaurant. There are many other dining options within a block. Best of all they allow pipe and cigar smoking in the lobby of the hotel. Also has a large sports bar with Big BIG screens. To experience the best of Rockford you do not need to leave this property unless you are coming to visit me!

IN - Greenwood (Indianapolis) - Express about 14 miles from downtown Indianapolis. Nice, new construction with suites and regular rooms. Of course I received a suite as an upgrade. Very friendly staff. Poorly built (ie noisy) rooms. Try to get the top floor away from the elevator and on the west side of the property (the east side perfectly faces the sun with no shade and is about 1/4 mile from I65/Jake Brakes heaven.

KS - Overland Park - Typical Holiday Inn with that very 70s-ish feel. In a good neighborhood with restaurants and shopping within blocks. No priority checkout. “Garden” rooms. Mission is just a couple miles away along with the plaza as this is located on Shawnee Mission parkway.

 KS- Wichita - This is the express on rock road adjacent to k96. I put my folks up there for a weekend and resolving the bill was nothing but problems. The front desk called them the second night asking for their credit card again and since I was in town I told the chick to know her role and comp them a night in addition to the night they'd received free via certificate. The manager told me that everything was worked out but when my parents received their credit card bill they had charged $20 more per night than the rate quoted and did not comp the free night.
BANNED FOR LIFE!!!!!!

MN -Woodbury, doncha know. Express convenient to Woodbury. It is adjacent to I-94 so be sure to ask for a room away from the interstate if you are a light sleeper and preferably on the west side unless you're an early morning person. The bright lights outside every window make it seem light sunlight all through the night. Otherwise a clean, fairly new property. Fills up quickly so make your res. ahead of time.

MO -St. Louis Riverport Holiday Inn- Definitely do not stay here. The property is kept in poor array. I had to be moved four times before getting a room which had a working air conditioner that did not make excessive rattling noises. The front desk was very unaccomodating in moving me. The lady told me my 85 nights last year didn't matter if they lost a sale by having to switch me to another room the next morning. I did not understand that. She was an idiot. Holiday Inn fell behind Hilton HHonors because of this stay.

NM - Albuquerque - Mountain View Holiday Inn - Won't be staying here again. Had a reservation for king non smoking and all they could come up with was king smoking. They were handing out priority club welcome bags to the people in front of me with regular zero status cards but didn't have one for me as a platinum member. The next morning I was off to business at 6:45a and they didn't have a paper for me. 

NM - Clovis - Another classic Holiday Inn that gives you that 70s feel right up front. Comfortable property. Competitive rates and one of the nicer stays as far as Clovis goes. “Garden” rooms.

OK - Lawton – Another classic Holiday Inn that gives you that 70s feel right up front. Conveniently located to a tasty breakfast place next door. It's tough to ask for much more than this in Lawton. “Garden” rooms. I stayed here for a night when I interviewed for Goodyear. I declined because Lawton is worse than Dodge City!

 PA - Sharon/Sharpsville - Another classic Holiday Inn that gives you that 70s feel right up front. Be sure to catch "oldies night" on Tuesdays at their lounge. The place fills up with senior citizens getting blitzed on booze and cuttin a rug. However, there are better choices within blocks for the same rate; namely the Radisson where you can get a king size room with hottub/jacuzzi in the room for $69 (as of 1999) and a better restaurant and room service. The Radisson also has an indoor pool.

 TX - Plainview - Express - Nice property. Fairly new (90s). Southwest hospitality. The best western across the street has a nice dance hall/lounge attached but it's within walking distance from the HI. A few restaurant choices are within walking distance. Nicest hotel in Plainview.  

TX - Lubbock Nice property. IF you're lucky you can get one of the many suites for $70 a night. Even better you might get a view of the Buddy Holly statue! Five minutes from the airport. 

TX - Amarillo - Express Nice property right off the interstate near the old mall, Taco Cabana, Outback and other restaurants. At the old mall check out the Smoke Shop and the not too bad comic store.

TX - Amarillo - Crowne Plaza - This one is on the east side of the interstate. Sure it has the fountains and such. Basic accommodations though.  Otherwise there is a cigar friendly mexican restaurant nearby. I don't recommend the restaurant here but that was 1996. Cigar friendly lounge gets high ratings though.

TX- Plano - Express. Right off of the East plano parkway between the N Dallas tollway and US75. There's a Denny's next door and a gas station so no complaints there. They gave me the handicapped room (a pet peeve) but I was too tired to make a deal about it. In a quiet part of town but also below a primary DFW air traffic pattern.

 UT - Salt Lake City - Downtown - Clean property on the southern fringe of downtown SLC. Not much within walking distance. There are better options available within blocks, which is dominated with world-class hotels. For $10 more per night drive 5 blocks North to 400 S & Main and stay at the Little America Inn or go two blocks over and stay at the Hilton towers for the same. Everything is top shelf and for $99 a night nothing else comes close. The rooms are immaculate, the finishings are top shelf. It has many services in the lobby as well. Sorry Holiday Inn but your rate in downtown SLC is just not competitive with the quality available.

 UT - SLC airport Express. This is the holiday inn about 1.5 miles west of the other holiday inn on North Temple. The street hits a fork and you stay straight it dumps you right in before the underpass going west. First time I stayed there they were bringing out milk and cookies and they upgraded me to a suite with a hot tub so big it got its own mini-room in the room. For 74 bucks a night it can’t be beat. The breakfast is the best I’ve seen in an express. 5 kinds of cereal, donuts, bagels, 4 kinds of juice, coffee, biscuits and gravy. AND (as if it couldn’t get any better) Priority Checkout!

 UT – SLC airport. This one is across from Denny’s and Carl’s JR about 1900 West North Temple. It has “garden style” rooms in the traditional 70s feeling property mentioned in so many other reviews. IT’s 69 (dude) a night so that’s reasonable for Salt Lake. Plus free breakfast buffet that leaves much to be desired!

 VA - Richmond - Select - This is the HI off of midlothian turnpike. It's out in the suburbs and it's a top shelf hotel, as most Selects turn out to be. The conference facilities were top notch and the catering was very attentive. Southern hospitality and many nearby dining options make it a great choice if you're staying in the western part of Richmond/Chesterfield County south of the James.

 VA – Richmond- Express Chester. This is just east of the 95 and 10 intersection. Nice, clean property. Built around 96 with conference rooms. And about 5 miles from where I worked for a year.