Holiday Inn Express Orange Beach
The cost for the Holiday Inn Orange Beach was 140,000 IHG points for 2 nights (Cash price was $380/night!!)
This is how we earned the points: In February 2020, we decided to get an IHG credit card with a large points sign-up bonus we could use for a free stay for an upcoming trip. That trip was lost to Covid that year, but that meant we still had 150,000 points available when we were looking at hotels for this trip.
Hooray for Pool and Beaches!
The main reason we chose this hotel was because it was right on the beach. Having this access for beach trips makes a huge difference because you get to worry less about how you transport things, dealing with car sand, etc. That’s also why the hotel cost so much.
Room Review
It’s listed as a 2-star on google, and that felt about right. Basic small 2-queen room with concrete walls, plain décor. Simple breakfast. There was no house cleaning during covid. We don’t have a lot of status with IHG, but a basic status comes with the credit card. We were upgraded to a pool facing patio room which turned out to be pretty amazing for the logistics of potty breaks and going back and forth for items.
Other Amenities
The pool was large and not overly crowded based on it being sold out. The pool had a zero entry, which is key for little kids, although both our kids can swim. There was a splash fountain and a small hot tub. I used the fitness facility which had four treadmills, one bike and some free weights. There was a pool-side bar and some outdoor games. I also saw that they were bringing in a bounce house for memorial day (which I don’t think was necessarily needed but would have been awesome!)
Restaurants and Activities
Read more about favorite places to eat and our favorite things to do in Orange Beach here.
