I like a modern look in hotels and fortunately, they are becoming more common these days. InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) is rolling out a new H4 design for their Holiday Inn brand, with a freshened up decor, new features like a welcome nook and trundle beds and – yay – better coffee makers!

IHG announced the new H4 design with the opening of the Holiday Inn & Suites Bellingham, Washington – the first to carry the new design. All newly built and renovated Holiday Inn hotels in North America will use this design concept going forward. 
A few of the new features are 

• Welcome Nook – to drop your shoes and bags, hang your jacket and plug in your devices, to give you a feeling of coming home.
• Rooms with trundle beds – for families, with a sofa that converts to two single beds
• Moveable desk – for a more flexible room design, allowing you to work where you want
• Keurig Coffee Maker – a pod coffee maker, something I, as a coffee lover, welcome

You also get more modern materials, with hardwood-floors, a wood & fabric headboard and a splash of color. The bathrooms stay with shower-over-tub and curtain, something I consider fairly budget these days, but typical for the US.

While I wouldn’t call these design changes revolutionary, they are a nice refresh of the conservative design Holiday Inn has used so far and a welcome change. Don’t get too excited though – as with all hotel chains, it will take a while for this design to arrive at all Holiday Inn hotels, as franchise owners will do it on their own renovation schedule. I will look for a newly built or renovated Holiday Inn soon and will let you know how it looks in person!

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