Homewood Suites vs Holiday Inn Express – What Are Key Differences?

Choosing the right hotel can enhance your trip, especially for longer stays. Two great options to consider are Homewood Suites and Holiday Inn Express.

Both provide kitchens and excellent amenities, giving you a comfortable home-like feel during your travels.

However, they differ in various aspects such as Room Layout, Hotel Amenities, Price, Food and Beverage Options, Locations, Pet-Friendly Policies, Parking Options, Guest Reviews and Ratings.

Homewood Suites offers spacious rooms and suites, often with separate areas, providing a more customized and homey experience.

On the other hand, Holiday Inn Express maintains consistent room layouts across all hotels, ensuring you know what to expect no matter where you stay.

Homewood Suites offers a unique and personalized feel, while Holiday Inn Express provides a reliable and consistent experience.

When deciding which is better for your next trip, consider your preferences.

Take a closer look at the specific offerings of each hotel before making your reservation, weighing the pros and cons to find the option that aligns best with your travel style.

Difference Between Homewood Suites and Holiday Inn Express

We have identified 8 differences between Homewood Suites and Holiday Inn Express that we will discuss in more detail.

1. Room Layout

Homewood Suites and Holiday Inn Express offer distinct accommodations tailored to different preferences and lengths of stay.

Homewood Suites stands out with its spacious multi-room suites designed for extended stays, featuring separate living and bedroom areas.

The living rooms are equipped with sofa sleepers, chairs, tables, and kitchenettes, providing a comfortable and home-like atmosphere.

Bedrooms offer a choice of one king or two queen beds, and the overall square footage surpasses that of standard hotel rooms.

This layout caters to the needs of travelers seeking an extended, home-away-from-home experience.

On the other hand, Holiday Inn Express provides a more traditional hotel room layout, suitable for nightly accommodations.

Most rooms offer one king bed or two queen beds with a compact bathroom, and while they lack a separate living room space, they do include a small sitting area with a work desk and chair.

The emphasis is on comfort for shorter stays, making it an ideal choice for leisure and business travelers seeking a convenient and efficient overnight experience.

2. Hotel Amenities

Homewood Suites and Holiday Inn Express cater to diverse lodging preferences, each presenting a distinct set of offerings.

Homewood Suites stands out with its spacious studio and one-bedroom suites, complete with fully equipped kitchens, making it an ideal choice for extended stays.

Guests can relish a complimentary hot breakfast daily, featuring a diverse array of hot and cold items, setting a hearty tone for the day.

The evening socials from Monday to Thursday add a sociable touch, providing guests with a free light meal, beer, and wine.

Convenience is paramount, evident in the 24-hour store stocked with snacks, drinks, and essentials.

The outdoor pool, fitness center, business center, complimentary grocery shopping service, and laundry facilities further enhance the stay.

Meanwhile, Holiday Inn Express offers standard hotel rooms and suites, with more limited extended stay options.

While the Express Start hot breakfast bar is complimentary, it pales in comparison to the offerings at Homewood Suites.

Unlike its counterpart, there is no evening social or meal, and amenities such as the convenience store are absent.

Nevertheless, guests can still access an indoor pool, fitness center, business center, and enjoy free WiFi and parking.

3. Price

Homewood Suites has larger suites with a separate living space, a kitchen, and more amenities. These suites work well for people staying for a long time – like a week or month.

Since the suites have more space and features, Homewood Suites typically costs more per night than other hotels.

Holiday Inn Express has smaller, more basic rooms for short stays – maybe just a night or two. The rooms have the necessities like a comfy bed, bathroom, and desk.

But they do not have a kitchen or extra living area. Since the rooms have just the essentials, Holiday Inn Express is usually cheaper than Homewood Suites.

Homewood Suites is great if you need lots of space or will stay for a long time. Holiday Inn Express works well if you just need an affordable place to sleep for a night or two.

Both hotels can change prices depending on things like location, seasons, and availability. Hotels in big cities or popular destinations often cost more.

Both hotel chains offer deals on their websites, so check there to find the best rate. Booking directly through their site also gives you more flexibility to change or cancel the room later.

4. Food and Beverage Options

Homewood Suites and Holiday Inn Express both offer complimentary hot breakfast buffets with similar offerings, including eggs, meat, oatmeal, cereal, fruit, yogurt, and breads.

However, the Homewood Suites experience stands out with its more extensive food options, featuring a complimentary evening social (Monday through Thursday) where guests can enjoy light meal options such as tacos, pasta, or soup, along with beer and wine.

Moreover, Homewood Suites provides a distinct advantage for guests planning extended stays, as most suites are equipped with full kitchens, complete with a full-size fridge, stovetop, microwave, dishwasher, and cookware.

This allows guests to prepare their own meals and snacks, enhancing the overall convenience and flexibility of their stay.

On the other hand, Holiday Inn Express offers a more basic free breakfast and limited food for sale, with standard guest rooms equipped only with mini-fridges and microwaves.

In essence, while both options provide complimentary breakfast, Homewood Suites caters to a more extended and self-sufficient stay with its additional evening offerings and full kitchens.

5. Locations

Homewood Suites, often found in quieter suburban areas, business parks, and near airports, provide a cozy, apartment-style atmosphere.

Imagine a home away from home, complete with full kitchens in the rooms. It’s like having your own little residential haven.

On the other hand, if you’re into the buzz of city life, Holiday Inn Express might be your go-to.

They’re strategically located off highways, making them super accessible.

Plus, they love being right in the heart of the action – downtown, near attractions, convention centers, and sports stadiums.

It’s the perfect choice for those who want to be where the action is.

And let’s talk global reach. If you’re a world traveler, Holiday Inn Express has your back with more international locations, while Homewood Suites focuses mainly on North America.

In a nutshell, Homewood Suites offers a homely escape on the outskirts, while Holiday Inn Express is your urban hub, and they’ve got the whole world covered.

6. Pet-Friendly Policies

When traveling with a furry companion, finding pet-friendly accommodations is key.

Both Homewood Suites and Holiday Inn Express welcome pets at selected locations, but have different specifics in their policies.

At Homewood Suites, pets up to 80 pounds are allowed for a non-refundable sanitation fee, usually around $100 per stay.

Designated pet-friendly suites with direct outdoor access are offered, complete with amenities like bowls, treats, waste bags and walking maps.

Notably, pets can be left unattended in rooms at Homewood Suites.

Meanwhile, Holiday Inn Express permits pets up to 25 pounds for an added nightly fee of $25-$75.

Only 1-2 pets per room are allowed and pets cannot be left alone unless crated or leashed.

Outdoor relief areas are provided but not all Holiday Inn Express locations accommodate pets.

When choosing between the two, Homewood Suites is the most pet-accommodating option overall.

With higher size allowances, amenities catered specifically to pets, fewer supervision rules and designated pet suites, Homewood Suites offers greater flexibility for owners.

For those with smaller pets willing to keep them attended, Holiday Inn Express can work but has tighter restrictions.

Checking individual hotel pet policies is still a must before booking.

The bottom line is that while both chains provide some pet-friendly choices, Homewood Suites welcomes pets more broadly.

Their pet perks like outdoor access suites and relief area maps give them the edge for owners seeking hassle-free travel with pets by their side.

7. Parking Options

Homewood Suites makes parking simple for guests. Most of their hotels have safe, well-lit parking areas that are free if you’re staying there. This is great for saving money, especially if you’re on a budget. Just check the parking rules at the specific Homewood Suites you’re visiting.

Homewood Suites usually has enough big parking spaces, so finding a spot is not a hassle, even during busy times. Whether you’re traveling alone or with others, you can relax knowing there’s a parking space for your car.

Now, Holiday Inn Express also offers parking, but the rules can vary by hotel. Many of their hotels have on-site parking, just like Homewood Suites.

Unlike Homewood Suites, Holiday Inn Express often charges for parking, and the cost can change based on where you are and how long you stay. Make sure to ask the specific Holiday Inn Express you’re going to for the latest information on parking fees.

A good thing about Holiday Inn Express is that they usually have reserved spots for guests with disabilities, ensuring everyone, no matter their needs, can easily find a parking spot that works for them.

8. Guest Reviews and Ratings

Homewood Suites consistently earns top-notch reviews from guests, scoring an impressive 4.5-5 stars on major travel websites.

Visitors love the spacious suite-style rooms, the complimentary hearty breakfast, the evening social gatherings, and the friendly staff.

While some rare negative comments mention minor soundproofing issues between rooms, overall, the experience is highly praised.

Holiday Inn Express also garners positive feedback, maintaining a solid 4-4.5 star rating on review sites.

Guests appreciate the consistent comfort and cleanliness associated with the Holiday Inn brand, along with the added perk of a complimentary breakfast.

However, a few locations receive criticism for noise disturbances, less-than-comfortable beds, and smaller room sizes.

In head-to-head comparisons, Homewood Suites often takes the lead.

Its apartment-style rooms, equipped with full kitchens and a range of amenities, offer a unique and more extensive experience.

On the other hand, Holiday Inn Express caters well to those seeking dependable and straightforward accommodations, particularly for travelers not requiring extra space.

Final Thoughts

When deciding between Homewood Suites and Holiday Inn Express, think about what matters most for your stay. If you want a spacious suite with a homey feel and lots of amenities, Homewood Suites is a great option. Their evening socials and full kitchens make longer stays very comfortable. However, if you just need a reliable, affordable room for a night or two, Holiday Inn Express fills that need well. Their locations tend to be more central too. Whichever you choose, read reviews about that specific hotel to make sure it measures up, since quality can vary. Focus on what features you need, then select the hotel brand that best matches your travel priorities. Both chains aim to make your stay pleasant – simply in different ways.