Hotel Review: Holiday Inn Express & Suites Sterling Heights-Detroit Area

Check-In

I arrived late afternoon and check-in was, as usual, no problem. Front desk staff was super friendly checking me in and gave me all the details about the hotel. Already when I walked in I saw that the hotel was brand new. I got my wireless room keys and headed for the elevator.

Grand Opening

A couple of days later the hotel had its official grand opening ceremony for this hotel. I found a note in my room that they even will be on the same day in the afternoon. I got lucky that I came back throughout the day to actually find this note. Otherwise, I would have missed this event. This was my first hotel grand opening event I ever attended.

The mayor of Sterling Heights, Chamber of Commerce, IHG representatives and the hotel owner were only a few of the important guests attending this event. There was plenty of food and drinks for everyone. The food was amazing and they had everything from small finger food to desserts like cookies in Holiday Inn style. Just awesome.

After the speeches from some of the VIP’s, all guests headed outside for the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

They also had three open rooms for the guest to look at it and a raffle to win prizes. As usually, I didn’t have any luck.

Rooms

My room had a perfect size. It was spacious enough to not feel like everything got cramped inside just to have it in there. The wall mounted TV gives you extra storage space right below it and the desk and closets on either side of the TV fill one side of the room. My king-sized bed was located adjacent to the TV and offered a wall-mounted nightstand on either side.

The suites are just a bit bigger than the regular rooms. I would recommend going for a regular King or Queen room or go for the Featured King room with the Whirlpool Tub.

The entrance area of the room had a tiled floor. I love this setup, which helps to keep the carpets clean when you come in on a rainy or snowy day. The fridge, microwave and coffee maker are located there as well and the bathroom is entered from there as well. There is also a small corner table ideal for car keys and wallet.

I had a little welcome present on my desk when I arrived in my room. That was a nice move of the hotel.

Below pictures of the King Suite, Queen Suite, and King Feature Room

Public Areas

The lobby offers a small marketplace next to the front desk and a lot of seating area to hang out and linger. There are TV’s in the lobby and breakfast area and one is available for your use. The remote is right on the table. This TV is located adjacent from the front desk. There are two PC’s located in the lobby where you can browse the web and be able to print if you have to.

There is an outdoor patio out to the back with heating posts for colder days.

The pool is located indoors and open year-round. This is great, especially in the wintertime.

The fitness center offers everything you need for a workout of your choice.

A big advantage of the hotel is the location. There is a movie theater right out the back of the hotel in walking distance. It’s probably a five-minute walk to get to it. A little further away, maybe 15 minutes walking, is a Target store.

Dining

The hotel offers a complimentary continental breakfast like in all Holiday Inn Express hotels. Kids will love the pancake maker. Some days they ran out of food items like milk or toast but give them some time. The hotel is just over two months old. The staff is keeping tables clean and items stocked. The actual breakfast food area is separated in a room with hinged doors. Throughout the day the room is closed but the tables are still available for your convenience to sit down and relax.