Holiday Inn Express Review – Houghton, Michigan

So here we have your standard-issue Holiday Inn Express hotel. There is nothing bad about this hotel, but nothing that makes it stand out, either. Let’s get into the review of the Houghton, Michigan Holiday Inn Express, where I stayed for 2 nights in the UP of Michigan for prime fall color viewing.

How much does it cost to stay at the Holiday Inn Express in Houghton, Michigan

This hotel is not cheap. I booked my nights with reward points and a free night certificate, both of which I felt was a good value, being that this hotel was over $350/night! Rates always seem high – I remember looking at this hotel for a possible summer visit to the UP (which never happened) and rates were still over $300 a night. Houghton, Michigan is a small town at the ‘end of the road’ in Michigan but it’s also a college town, so they likely book up with people on college campus visits, games, etc. And the tourism in the area too, of course.

What’s the location like?

I used the Holiday Inn Express in Houghton, Michigan as a base for visiting the Keweenaw Peninsula area of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and for that reason, I thought it was a good location. This hotel isn’t downtown – it’s about a mile drive to the historic downtown, but because of the busy highway, it’s not within walking distance.

It’s in the “strip mall” area of the town, so you’ll have your choice of fast food and chain restaurants at your fingertips. There’s a decent grocery store and gas station across the street – you could walk there if you wanted. Wal-Mart is across the highway, along with more stores and food choices. The hotel does have a whiteboard near the elevator that gives you ideas for the best local restaurants in the area.

What amenities are available at the Holiday Inn Express in Houghton, MI?

The Holiday Inn Express in Houghton, Michigan has a pool, hot tub, and fitness center. I didn’t have a chance to use the hot tub (it looked nice) but I did use the fitness center each morning and I will say, it’s a decent gym. It’s large for a hotel gym and has treadmills, ellipticals, bikes and weights. The cardio equipment was all new (they use Life Fitness machines) and all in working order.

Daily housekeeping is offered but you’ll need to request it upon check in. I didn’t know this, as it wasn’t offered to me when I checked in.

Rooms at the Holiday Inn Express in Houghton, Michigan

During my stay, I had a two queen bed room. It was spacious and included a desk, small fridge and microwave. Everything was clean, the WiFi was fast (but could disconnect if you lock your phone), and the bathroom was fine – I especially love the JR Watkins shampoo and conditioner products that Holiday Inn Express hotels typically stocks! (Just wish I could buy this particular scent myself – haven’t been able to find it).

Breakfast at the Holiday Inn Express – Houghton, Michigan

A full free hot breakfast buffet is offered here – weekdays 6:30-9:30 and weekends 7-10am. I found the breakfast to be just ok – for a hotel breakfast. The protein is changed up each day. When I was here, one morning, they offered biscuits and gravy, which I don’t eat, and the next morning was the nasty-ass Holiday Inn turkey sausage. If you’ve ever stayed at a Holiday Inn Express and had the pleasure of trying to gnaw on one of these for breakfast, you know what I mean.

The turkey sausage at the Holiday Inn Express hotels is terrible – and I love turkey sausage. It’s completely inedible – it’s basically cardboard. You can’t eat it. I don’t know what it is that they do to these when they cook them (well, microwave them, of course), but the turkey sausages have the same texture as the treats I feed my dog. This isn’t a Houghton Michigan location issue; it’s chain-wide.

On both mornings, I didn’t get down to the breakfast area until a few minutes after 9 – I workout in the morning, and then want to shower before breakfast. Despite it being 9:10am (with breakfast lasting until 9:30), most of the food was wiped out, and the breakfast attendant was not replacing it. Pretty disappointing, especially since the hotel was busy and plenty of people were coming into the breakfast area looking for food along with me.

Final thoughts

Would I stay at the Holiday Inn Express again? Yes, with a few caveats – if the rate was reasonable (it usually isn’t) or I had a free night. Otherwise, I do not think this is a hotel worth over $300/night. There are other comparable hotels in the area that are cheaper.

Pros:
Clean rooms
Great fitness center
Good location for exploring the Keweenaw Peninsula of Michigan

Cons:
Room rates are consistently very expensive
Breakfast attendant decides that breakfast is over 30 minutes before it officially ends, and doesn’t refill food.

Have you stayed at the Holiday Inn Express in Houghton, Michigan? Leave a note below!