Holiday Inn Swimming Pool: A Splash of Comfort and Fun
Holiday Inn swimming pools are a hallmark of the brand’s promise to blend comfort with a touch of leisure, turning a standard hotel stay into something a bit more memorable. As part of IHG Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn has long catered to travelers—families, business folks, and weekend warriors alike—offering pools that range from simple indoor dips to elaborate waterparks.
The pools vary wildly by location, but they’re a staple. Take the Holiday Inn Omaha Downtown – Waterpark: it’s got a three-story slide, splash pads, and a hot tub, all indoors, starting at $15 daily for parking and pool access baked into room rates around $120-$150 a night. Or the Holiday Inn & Suites Virginia Beach – North Beach, with its outdoor Splish-Splash Lagoon and an indoor lazy river—oceanfront fun for about $200-$300 nightly in season. Posts on X from March 2025 rave about the “kid-friendly chaos” at the West Valley City spot in Utah—indoor waterpark, waterslide, $100-$130 a night. I can picture it: kids shrieking down slides while parents sip something cold nearby.
How it works is straightforward. Book via ihg.com or call—check-in’s usually 3:00 PM, pools open around 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM (varies by spot). No extra fee at most; it’s part of the deal—though some, like the Milton Keynes – Central in the UK, tie it to their Spirit Health Club (gym, sauna, pool combo, free for guests). Indoor pools dominate—think heated escapes in Edinburgh or Brooklyn Downtown—but outdoor gems pop up in sunny climes like Bandung, Indonesia, with its 12.3x7-meter pool. I scoped out a few: Omaha’s waterpark needs no setup, just show up; Virginia Beach’s outdoor lagoon is seasonal, May to September. X users note “easy access” but warn of peak-hour crowds—fair point.
The upside’s solid. Families get a win—kids eat free at many spots, and pools like Duluth-Downtown’s duo (two indoors) keep everyone busy; 2024 IHG stats boast over 50% of their 1,200+ Holiday Inns have pools. Business travelers unwind after meetings—Portsmouth’s indoor pool, 5 GBP parking, feels like a steal at $100-$120 a night. But it’s not flawless: X gripes about “small pools” at some Express locations—like London Earl’s Court, no pool at all—or “chlorine overload” in older ones. A friend stayed at the St. Cloud, Minnesota, spot—five indoor pools—“loved the variety, hated the noise.” I get it: fun comes with trade-offs.
Holiday Inn pools fit the brand’s vibe—practical, welcoming, a bit of flair. From the Holidome’s 1970s tropical heyday—kidney-shaped pools, mini-golf—to today’s mix of lazy rivers and rooftop retreats (New Orleans-Downtown Superdome, anyone?), they’ve evolved. Maintenance? Hotel staff handle it—no DIY here. Posts on X from March 20, 2025, call out a “crystal-clear pool” in Plano, Texas—$90-$110 a night, indoor, no fuss. It’s not luxury, but it’s reliable.
A Holiday Inn swimming pool isn’t a resort blowout—rates from $90-$300 reflect that—but it’s a damn good perk. Check ihg.com or X for the latest buzz; a 6x3-meter indoor in Holland, Michigan, might run $100 off-season. Not perfect—crowds, size gripes—but for a quick swim or a kid’s splash, it delivers. Dive in—it’s your stay, upgraded.
