Holiday Inn Resort Pensacola Beach (Master Thread)
Jul 17, 2011, 6:25 am
#1
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Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: McKinney, TX, USA
Programs: United Silver; AA Plat/2MM; Marriott LT Titanium; Hilton Gold
Posts: 11,727
Holiday Inn Resort Pensacola Beach (Master Thread)
This is a new hotel, it opened earlier this year. So everything still looks pretty new.
Check-in: Not too bad. My Plat status was recognized. I stayed using points and was upgraded to oceanfront with balcony rooms (reserved 2 rooms.) I was also given 2 bags (one per room) with a couple of bottles of water, a bag of potato chips and a cookie. No other elite recognition.
Room: Was told all the rooms are pretty much the same except some view the ocean and the others view the parking lot/road/bay. I think the oceanview rooms run about $30-40/night more, so the upgrade was appreciated. The room did have nice new widescreen TVs with DVDs connected to them. They also had a microwave and small refrig. The hotel has complementary wireless internet access throughout the hotel.
Property: The hotel is on the beach and larger than the HIX down the street. I think I was told at checkin that they have over 200 rooms. The hotel has a restaurant. Unfortunately, there is no free breakfast here. The buffet cost $12.95/person (with the normal kids eat free with paying adults.) I didn't eat lunch or dinner here so can't really comment on those meals. But the breakfast wasn't too bad. It had most of the normal buffet options, except they don't offer omlets with the buffet. The pool looks nice with a lazy river layout and some waterfalls. It has a zero entry and some small waterspouts at the entry point. The pool has no deep end though. I think it gets around 5 ft. deep at its deepest. There are two jacuzzis and one kiddie pool. There is also a small indoor rectangular pool as well.
Parking: No charge for parking and at least for my stay, there seemed to be ample parking for everyone.
MISC: When I made the points reservations, the hotel was only 15K points/night. It is now 25K/night. And I noticed the HIX just down the street is also 25K/night now as well. Basically, if you want free breakfast, the HIX down the street (which is also on the beach) will give you that. The pool here is a bit nicer and this hotel does have a restaurant and the indoor pool. They do have activities and evening movies for the kids.
Check-in: Not too bad. My Plat status was recognized. I stayed using points and was upgraded to oceanfront with balcony rooms (reserved 2 rooms.) I was also given 2 bags (one per room) with a couple of bottles of water, a bag of potato chips and a cookie. No other elite recognition.
Room: Was told all the rooms are pretty much the same except some view the ocean and the others view the parking lot/road/bay. I think the oceanview rooms run about $30-40/night more, so the upgrade was appreciated. The room did have nice new widescreen TVs with DVDs connected to them. They also had a microwave and small refrig. The hotel has complementary wireless internet access throughout the hotel.
Property: The hotel is on the beach and larger than the HIX down the street. I think I was told at checkin that they have over 200 rooms. The hotel has a restaurant. Unfortunately, there is no free breakfast here. The buffet cost $12.95/person (with the normal kids eat free with paying adults.) I didn't eat lunch or dinner here so can't really comment on those meals. But the breakfast wasn't too bad. It had most of the normal buffet options, except they don't offer omlets with the buffet. The pool looks nice with a lazy river layout and some waterfalls. It has a zero entry and some small waterspouts at the entry point. The pool has no deep end though. I think it gets around 5 ft. deep at its deepest. There are two jacuzzis and one kiddie pool. There is also a small indoor rectangular pool as well.
Parking: No charge for parking and at least for my stay, there seemed to be ample parking for everyone.
MISC: When I made the points reservations, the hotel was only 15K points/night. It is now 25K/night. And I noticed the HIX just down the street is also 25K/night now as well. Basically, if you want free breakfast, the HIX down the street (which is also on the beach) will give you that. The pool here is a bit nicer and this hotel does have a restaurant and the indoor pool. They do have activities and evening movies for the kids.
