Originally Posted by
RichardInSF
Most Holiday Inn Express hotels are fine for the first year or two after they open. Then they fade fast and seem to be rarely renovated. Ditto for most of the other mid-range chains such as Hilton Garden Inn or Courtyard by Marriott.
This is contrary to my experience. I stay at a fair number of different Holiday Inn Expresses and Hampton Inns (these two chains are very comparable to each other), as well as Hilton Garden Inns, etc. IME, they all seem to be kept up and refreshed appropriately over the years. So it probably depends on the particular location(s).
As for the OP's statement about the hotel costing "about $175/night," surely this varies depending on season, holidays/events, day of week, etc.? As well as the particular discount or promo rate one might be able to use (AAA, Senior/AARP, government, etc.)?