If we took a Holiday...

Whenever I travel and book hotels on-line, I'd always come across the name "Holiday Inn" and quickly move on to the next hotel on the list. Since this brand has been in the biz for ages, I've always thought it was antiquated. Added to that is the fact that we used to stay in Holiday Inn when we were younger, and the rooms felt really old and stuffy.

A few years ago, there was an article on how Holiday Inn was revamping their image to make it younger and more appealing to travelers. Aside from changing their logo, they also made some tweaks in their hotel design. The only time I got a semblance of this was when Biboy and his family stayed at Holiday Inn Galleria suites last year. Whilst I didn't go to their room, I noticed that the lobby has been spiffed up.

On this trip to Shanghai, I ended up staying at a Holiday Inn located at a not-so-picturesque side of town. After finding out that this hotel is one of the favorite hotels of people traveling on package tours, a small bell rang in my head. After seeing the facade when I got there, an even bigger bell rang. (It was old and the building looked like it needed washing - or a new coat of paint.)

Finally, I got to my room and the bells immediately stopped and a chorus replaced it.



The rooms were nice and modern. A lot of light wood, metal and glass. Lighting fixtures were modern. Beds were big and comfy, with the requisite shiny silk runner. It was a far cry from the Holiday Inns of my youth.



Even the bathroom was nice. And fully stocked with toiletries with cool packaging. I think this Holiday Inn was trying to capture that boutique hotel vibe, which it was very close to achieving. It felt like being in Ginza Washington Hotel once again. (But with a bigger bathroom.)




Thanks to this room, I've got a renewed interest in Holiday Inn as a hotel chain. Maybe I should check with Bonique if I could use their employee discount and check out the Galleria one soon.