Longmont Getaway: Unbeatable Deals at Holiday Inn Express & Suites!
Longmont Getaway: Holiday Inn Express & Suites - Is This REALLY the Deal of the Century? (Spoiler Alert: Maybe!)
Okay, so I just got back from a stay at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites in Longmont. And, frankly, I'm still processing it. They promised "Unbeatable Deals," and well… I'm still trying to decide if my wallet agrees. Let's dive in, shall we? Buckle up, because this ain't your grandma's hotel review. This is real.
First Impressions (and My Immediate Panic):
Pulling up, the facade isn't going to blow your socks off. It's a Holiday Inn Express. You know the drill. Clean, functional, beige. But, hey, I'm not looking for architectural marvels, I'm looking for a comfy bed and maybe a decent cup of coffee. And let's be honest, with all the promises of "Unbeatable Deals," I was bracing myself for something… questionable.
Cleanliness & Safety - Because COVID Still Exists (And My Anxiety Doesn't Want It):
This is where they really impressed me. Like, truly, madly, deeply impressed. The whole "pandemic precautions" thing? They nailed it.
- Anti-viral cleaning products: CHECK! This gave me a slight sense of relief, enough to start unpacking.
- Daily disinfection in common areas: CHECK! Saw the cleaning crew zipping around, even when I was just randomly wandering around getting lost.
- Hand sanitizer: Everywhere. Literally everywhere. My germaphobe tendencies were… satisfied.
- Rooms sanitized between stays: This is a big one - they really say they do it, and it felt like they did. My room smelled… clean. Not like bleach-y clean, but like… fresh. (See, they even have Room sanitization opt-out available – what?!? I skipped that. No way I'm opting out of sanitization. I'm a human who loves to touch things.)
- Staff trained in safety protocol: Okay, I didn’t get to grill every single employee on their training, but I saw staff actively spraying down door handles. And I also saw the staff smiling a lot, which probably is a sign of "well trained".
The Room - My Personal Fortress of Solitude (Maybe Not So Lonely):
My room? Standard. Functional. Did I mention clean?
- Free Wi-Fi in all rooms! THANK GOD. Seriously, as an internet-addicted human being, this is a non-negotiable. And the Wi-Fi? Fast. Reliable. No buffering during my nightly Netflix binges.
- Air conditioning: It blasted icy air. Perfect.
- Blackout curtains: My eternal gratitude. Sleep is precious.
- Coffee/tea maker & Complimentary tea: This is the stuff of legends. I might be the only person who used the tea maker to heat milk for my hot chocolate… don't judge me.
- Desk: Yes, I got some work done, but probably wrote more in my online travel journal.
- Refrigerator: Vital for cold drinks, which may or may not have included adult beverages.
- Non-smoking: Thank goodness!
- Shower: Good water pressure. I need good water pressure.
- Towels galore: So many towels.
- Internet Access and Internet access – wireless: A big win. Especially after I wasted an hour with my phone.
Dining, Drinking & Snacking - The Fuel for My Adventures (and My Stomach):
Okay, the free breakfast. Let's talk about it. It’s a Breakfast [buffet] with a focus on Asian breakfast and, apparently, Western breakfast, too. They even offer Breakfast takeaway service.
- The Buffet: I'm not gonna lie, it was decent. The usual suspects: scrambled eggs, sausage, those weird little sausage patties that taste like cardboard, but in a nostalgic way. They had cereal, yogurt, and… wait for it… a waffle maker. And, let me tell you, I may or may not have made three waffles. It was pure carbohydrate heaven.
- Coffee/tea in restaurant: the coffee was surprisingly drinkable. Definitely not Starbucks, but more than fine.
- Coffee shop: Nah. Not quite.
- Snack bar: I'm not sure if they call it a snack bar, but the front desk had a selection of snacks.
- Restaurants: None. Nope. Nada. But…
- Poolside bar: Nope!
For the Kids (and the Kid in Me):
- Family/child friendly: Check.
- Kids meal: Probably not.
- Babysitting service: Nope. You're on your own, parents!
Services and Conveniences - The Little Things That Matter (and Sometimes Annoy):
- 24-hour Front Desk: They were helpful!
- Elevator: Thank God. Lugging luggage (and waffle-induced food comas) up stairs is a hard pass.
- Daily housekeeping: My room got tidied daily. Which was needed. I'm a bit of a slob.
- Ironing service & Ironing facilities: I don’t know what ironing service is. And, of course, there were iron and ironing board in my room.
- Laundry service & Laundry service: Nope.
- Meeting/banquet facilities & Meetings None!
- Safety deposit boxes: There were available.
- Convenience store: Nope. But you can buy snacks.
- Cash withdrawal: Hmm… I think you can just ask, but I did not use it.
- Luggage storage: Yep.
- Car park [free of charge] & Car park [on-site]: Huge win! Free parking is always a bonus.
- Airport transfer: I did not use any airport transport.
Things to Do & Ways to Relax - Or, How I Avoided the World (and Briefly Considered a Spa Day):
- Swimming pool: There's a pool. It's outdoors. And it looks… nice. Didn't go in, because I was too busy eating waffles.
- Fitness center: It's on the smaller side, but has the basics. Which I ignored. See above, waffles.
- Spa/sauna: No spa.
- The lack of a spa: Sigh. Okay, so, no spa. No massage. No body scrubs. No body wraps. I guess “unbeatable deals” doesn’t extend to pampering.
- Sauna: No sauna.
Accessibility - A Quick Note:
The hotel seems to offer the standard accessibility features - Facilities for disabled guests. I didn’t personally need them, but they exist.
Getting Around - Longmont and Beyond:
- Car park [free of charge], Bicycle parking & Car park [on-site]: Parking's easy.
- Taxi service: Not too hard to get a taxi.
- Valet parking: Nah.
The Real Deal: The Verdict?
Look, the Holiday Inn Express & Suites in Longmont isn’t going to win any design awards. But it delivers on its promise of a clean, comfortable, and convenient stay. The breakfast is better than expected (especially the waffles!), the Wi-Fi is fantastic, and the location is good for exploring Longmont and the surrounding area. The most important thing is the service and staff. They’re great!
My Recommendation: Book It! (But Don't Expect Miracles).
If you're looking for a solid, affordable option with a focus on cleanliness and convenience, this Holiday Inn Express is a good bet. Are the deals unbeatable? That depends on your definition of "unbeatable." But for the price, the location, and the cleanliness, I'd say it's a pretty darn good value. Just don't go expecting a spa day. And definitely hit up that waffle maker. You won't regret it.
Why You Should Book NOW - My Super-Secret Offer:
Okay, based on my trip, here's how to snag a deal:
- Book directly through the Holiday Inn Express website or app. This is the secret sauce to get access to the deals.
- Check for seasonal offers. They often have discounts during off-peak seasons, or promotions like "stay 2 nights, get a free breakfast."
- Don't be afraid to compare prices. Even with the deals, double-check with other hotel booking sites.
- Be flexible with your dates. Weekday stays are usually cheaper.
- Take advantage of the rewards points! I actually built up enough points to get a free night.
- My guarantee: If you're looking for a comfy and clean stay with free breakfast, and don't need any extra frills, this is a pretty good choice.
Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 Waffles (And Trust Me, Those Waffles Were Good).
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Alright, buckle up buttercups, because this isn't your grandma's meticulously planned travel itinerary. This is a messy, gloriously imperfect, and probably-going-to-be-hilarious account of my two-night stay at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Longmont, By IHG, in the magical (or maybe just Longmont-ish) state of Colorado.
Day 1: Arrival and the Great Pillow Debacle (and Maybe Some Beer?)
- 1:00 PM - Arrival, Parking Lot Purgatory: Okay, so I thought I booked a room… and I did! But finding the entrance to this particular Holiday Inn Express felt a bit like navigating the Bermuda Triangle. GPS was screaming, my internal compass was spinning, and I ended up circling the parking lot three times. Finally! Found it. Let's hope the room is worth the effort.
- Anecdote: The only highlight of the parking situation? The beat-up pickup truck parked next to me with the bumper sticker that read, "I'm not arguing, I'm just explaining why I'm right." Pretty much sums up my life.
- 1:15 PM - Check-in and the "Welcome to the Land of Beige" Experience: The front desk person (bless her heart, she was working hard) was super friendly, but the lobby… oh boy. Picture a room that's the aesthetic equivalent of a beige sock. Functional, but soul-crushingly bland. Still, clean! Always a win.
- 1:30 PM - The Room Reveal (and the Great Pillow Debacle): Okay, room's decent. Standard hotel fare. The bed beckoned seductively… until I encountered the pillows. They were basically, you know, marshmallows masquerading as pillows. Like sleeping with a bag of soft, squishy disappointment.
- Emotional Reaction: Panic! This is a nightmare scenario for a side sleeper like me. I'm going to wake up with a chiropractor bill, I just know it.
- Messy Ramble: Okay, so I called down to the front desk, and bless their hearts, they immediately brought up different pillows. A firm one! Victory! But wait… it smelled… faintly of stale cigarettes and a hint of sadness. Ugh.
- 2:00 PM - Longmont Exploration (ish): Managed to drag myself away from pillow-related trauma. A quick Google search led me to… a brewery! Because, priorities.
- Quirky Observation: Longmont seems to have a lot of… well, roundabouts. At least five, maybe six, on my short trek to the brewery. The only thing more complicated might be figuring out the pillow situation.
- 2:30 PM - Brews and Bewilderment: I found a brewery, and the beer was pretty good. But as I sat there, nursing my IPA, the pillow situation kept popping back into my mind. Seriously, can someone make a pillow that doesn't feel like a sentient cloud?
- 4:00 PM - Dinner Plans and Minor Panic: Where to eat? I briefly considered returning to the brewery but decided I should probably try another cuisine.
- 7:00 PM - Dinner at Unknown Restaurant with Questionable Yelp Reviews (Against My Better Judgement): Look, sometimes you're just tired and hungry. The food was… edible. Atmosphere? More of a "loud beige." The highlight? Watching the waitress navigate a screaming toddler while balancing three plates. Respect.
- 9:00 PM - Pillow Confrontation (Round Two): Back at the hotel. Time for more pillow experimentation. The new pillows: a slight improvement, but still not perfect. It's a quest, people. A pillow quest.
- Emotional Reaction: Okay, fine. I’ll just double up on the thin pillows and make do. I'm a survivor. (Narrator: She did not survive the night unscathed, and woke up with a crick in her neck.)
Day 2: Attempted Hiking and A Desperate Search For Authentic Coffee (and, yes, the Pillows)
- 7:00 AM - Wake Up and Regret the Pillow Choice: Neck = stiff, back = protesting. Curse you, hotel pillows!
- 7:30 AM - Breakfast, a Symphony of the Breakfast Bar: The breakfast bar was, as expected, a buffet of beige delights. Waffles, processed fruit, and the promise of lukewarm coffee. The waffles were actually pretty good and the kids were running around like maniacs.
- 8:00 AM - Hiking Attempt (Failed): I had ambitious plans to conquer a local hiking trail. My attempt was thwarted by a combination of my general ineptitude at outdoor activities and a sudden downpour. Okay, so maybe I'm more of an indoorsy type.
- Anecdote: I made it about a quarter of a mile before the rain started, and promptly sprinted back to the car, looking like a drowned rat. My hiking boots were more symbolic than functional.
- 9:00 AM - Desperate Search for Coffee, Part 1: The hotel coffee was… not it. I needed something real. The kind that hits you, wakes you up, and maybe gives you a mild case of the jitters. The quest begins.
- 9:30 AM - Coffee Found! (Hallelujah): Finally! A local coffee shop with actual art on the walls and espresso that was actually drinkable.
- 10:00 AM - Longmont Exploration Part 2 (A Glimpse of Charm): The coffee gave me the energy to meander. Longmont actually has its moments. I stumbled upon a cute little boutique.
- 12:00 PM - Lunch and the Realization That I’m Basically a Tourist: Another questionable lunch, but it beats going hungry. Starting to feel like I've seen the local sights.
- 2:00 PM - Pool time (Maybe a Swim to Soothe?): I actually just went to the pool for 15 minutes and went back to my room.
- 4:00 PM - Return to the Hotel, Pillow Dread Looms: Thinking about tomorrow and the long journey back. Also, the pillow. The dreaded pillow.
- 7:00 PM - Dinner at a Chain Restaurant (Acceptable): I was out of ideas. It was fine.
- 9:00 PM - Pillow Confrontation (Final Round!): Two pillows! The firm one, and the semi-firm one.
- Emotional Reaction: Resignation. Acceptance. And a healthy dose of planning for a chiropractor appointment.
Day 3: Departure and the Quest for the Perfect Pillow Continues
- 7:00 AM - Wake Up, Neck = Questionable: Well, I have a neck.
- 7:30 AM - Goodbye, Longmont!
- 8:00 AM - Breakfast, One Last Waffle: The waffles held true.
- 9:00 AM - Head Home (With a Mental Note to Invest in My Own Damn Pillows): The Holiday Inn Express wasn't perfect, but it was a place to rest my head. The staff were nice, the location was fine, and the waffles were on point. My pillow quest continues. May the perfect pillow be found someday.
Final Thoughts:
This trip was messy, imperfect, and filled with the kind of minor inconveniences that make travel… well, memorable. Would I stay at that Holiday Inn Express again? Maybe. But next time, I'm bringing my own pillow. And maybe a small, portable coffee maker. And a good book. And… well, you get the idea. Safe travels, everyone!
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Longmont Getaway: Holiday Inn Express & Suites - Let's Get Real, Folks! (FAQ with Extra Sass)
Okay, *really* – is this Longmont Holiday Inn Express actually a good deal? I've seen ads before, and... well, you know.
Alright, let's be honest. We've all been burned by those too-good-to-be-true deals. My initial reaction? Skepticism. I mean, Longmont, Colorado? Not exactly the Bahamas. But, I took a chance. And you know what? It was actually... decent. The "Unbeatable Deals" part? Yeah, that's subjective. But compared to other hotels in the same area, and especially considering the included breakfast (more on that later...), it felt like a solid value. Just don't build your hopes up for solid platinum and a personal butler. Focus on the basics: clean rooms, comfy beds (mostly!), and free coffee. You know, the essentials. Oh, and if you *are* looking for a Bahamas getaway in Longmont, you might be disappointed.
The breakfast... what's the deal with the breakfast? I've heard horror stories.
Ah, the breakfast. This is where things get interesting. Let's just say it's not a Michelin-star experience. The first morning, I waltzed in, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, dreaming of fluffy scrambled eggs and perfectly crisp bacon. Reality smacked me in the face faster than a rogue pancake. There *were* eggs, but they looked... well, let's call them ‘mass-produced’. The bacon? Soggy. The coffee? The kind that'll keep you awake, alright, but not necessarily in a *good* way. HOWEVER! There was also the glorious waffle maker. And folks, that waffle maker? That thing saved the entire breakfast situation. I went back three times for waffles. Three. So, the breakfast? Expect the unexpected. Manage your expectations. And *definitely* prioritize that waffle maker. It's the hero this hotel deserves, even if it’s not the one it needs right now… (okay, maybe that was a bit dramatic…)
What about the rooms? Are they… clean? And like, not a giant, echoing box?
Clean-ish. Honestly, I'm a bit of a germaphobe, my wife's worse, so my standards are high. The room was, on the whole, tidy. No lurking dust bunnies plotting world domination, which is always a plus. The bed situation was a mixed bag. My wife thought it was divine and slept like a baby. I, on the other hand, found it a bit... bouncy. Like sleeping on a trampoline that secretly wants to swallow you whole. But hey, I'm a light sleeper. The rooms are not gigantic ballrooms, which is good. They are standard hotel size. No horror story memories from this hotel, which is a win.
Is there a pool? 'Cause, you know, pool time is essential.
Yes! There's a pool. A *small* pool. And an even smaller hot tub. I wouldn't say it's a resort-style situation. Think more… functional. It’s there for a quick dip, a way to tire the kids out, or a place to awkwardly try and make small talk with other hotel guests. It's fine. It's not the reason you're booking, unless you're *really* into pools. I saw a few kids absolutely *thrilled* in there, so that's a win. Just… don't expect Olympic-sized aquatic adventures.
Okay, spill the tea. Anything *really* weird or awful happen there?
Hmmm...weirdest thing? The elevator. It's slow. Like, *painfully* slow. I'm not kidding here. I legit considered taking the stairs every single time, even with luggage. I'm pretty sure it was testing my patience. And sometimes, it would stop on random floors and just... hang out. You could hear someone clear their throat, shuffle, then… silence. It was like a suspenseful movie. There were no actual "awful" things, but the elevator... it was a character. A slow, slightly passive-aggressive character. I'm still not sure if it was entirely broken, or just had a personality. Other than that… nothing major. I mean, you know, the usual minor hotel noises and maybe a couple of slammed doors. But the elevator… the elevator will be etched in my memory forever.
What's the location like? Anything to do in the area?
Location, location, location, right? Well, the Holiday Inn Express & Suites is... conveniently located. It's near a bunch of restaurants, which is a big plus after a long drive. And there are some shops around (don't expect Rodeo Drive). This isn’t a major tourist destination, so you'll probably need a car to see some sights like the Rocky Mountain National Park or go to Boulder. It's perfectly fine as a base for exploring the area. Don't go expecting Times Square, and you'll be golden.
Are the staff friendly? That can make or break a stay, honestly.
The staff? Surprisingly, yes! They were actually pretty great. Everyone from the front desk to the breakfast crew seemed genuinely nice. They were helpful, and didn’t make me feel like I was bothering them (a definite win in my book!). One morning, I was wandering around looking lost, and a woman cleaning rooms (God bless her!) actually helped me find the coffee. Saved my sanity. So yeah, the staff? Definitely a strong point.
So, is this place actually worth it? Recommend or Run Away?!
Alright, the million-dollar question. Look, it's not the Ritz. It's not going to blow your mind with luxury. But for the price, location, and the waffle maker... yeah, I'd recommend it. It's a solid, no-frills, let-me-get-some-sleep kind of place. If you're looking for a basecamp for exploring the area, or just a place to crash after a long day, then it's definitely worth considering. Just remember my elevator warning. And embrace the waffles. Seriously, embrace those waffles.
