Holiday Inn Express Adelaide City Centre
by the TopOfHotel team
A no-fuss 4-star IHG base in the CBD where the free daily Express Start breakfast and pillow-top beds do the heavy lifting — guest score 8.8 from 341 reviews.
A no-fuss 4-star IHG base in the CBD where the free daily Express Start breakfast and pillow-top beds do the heavy lifting — guest score 8.8 from 341 reviews.
In-Depth Review
Rooms and decor
The 245 rooms at Holiday Inn Express Adelaide City Centre are clean, modern, and built around a good night's sleep rather than show-off design. Every room gets a fridge, an LCD TV, air-con, and an en-suite with a rain shower. The thing guests keep mentioning is the pillow-top bed dressed in premium linens — it sleeps better than the room rate would suggest. The fit-out is plain and functional, so don't expect plush touches, but for a clean modern base in the CBD it does the job well.
Food and amenities
The headline perk here is the free continental breakfast every morning, the brand's Express Start spread, which means you head out fed without opening your wallet. Downstairs there's The Great Room restaurant plus a cafe-bar lounge for a coffee or a drink, a gym for anyone keeping a routine, free Wi-Fi, and a 24-hour front desk that makes late check-ins painless. There's no pool, which is the main amenity gap versus the pricier hotels above it on this list.
Location and getting there
The hotel sits on Blyth Street in the CBD core, and almost everything worth seeing is on foot. It's about a 4-minute walk to the museums and galleries of North Terrace, 6 to 7 minutes to both the Adelaide train station and the Rundle Mall shopping strip, and roughly 15 minutes across to Adelaide Oval for cricket or a concert. Adelaide Airport is about 7 km west, a 15-minute drive. You can run your whole trip here without renting a car.
Things to know before booking
Three honest catches. First, there's no swimming pool — fine for couples, less ideal for families who want a post-sightseeing dip. Second, the rooms are function over flair: spotless and modern, but the plain fit-out won't impress anyone coming off a luxury stay. Third, check-out is at 10am, on the early side, so plan your last morning accordingly. With 341 reviews driving demand, it also books out fast around festival dates — reserve early.
Our take
This is the value play of the Adelaide list, and it earns the spot. For around $100 AUD a night you get a CBD address, a pillow-top bed, free breakfast daily, and a walk-everywhere location — backed by an 8.8/10 score from 341 reviews. If you'd rather spend your money on Adelaide than on the room, and you can live without a pool, Holiday Inn Express Adelaide City Centre is a smart, low-stress base for couples and families.
Score Breakdown
Assessed by our editorial team from data and real guest reviews
The Honest Verdict — pros & what to know
- A 4-star Holiday Inn Express (IHG) sitting right in the Adelaide CBD core on Blyth Street, so most of the city is within a 15-minute walk.
- Free continental breakfast (the brand's Express Start) is included every morning for guests, which quietly shaves a meal off your daily spend.
- All 245 rooms come with pillow-top beds and premium linens, plus a fridge, LCD TV, air-con, and a rain-shower en-suite — comfort that beats the room rate.
- On-site you get The Great Room restaurant, a cafe-bar lounge, a gym, free Wi-Fi, and a 24-hour front desk, so late arrivals are no problem.
- Guests score it 8.8/10 across 341 reviews on Trip.com, and starting rates around $100 AUD make it the strongest value on this list.
- There's no swimming pool, so families wanting a splash after sightseeing will need to look at the 5-star options higher up the list.
- Rooms are built for function over flair — clean and modern, but the plain fit-out won't wow anyone after a luxury stay.
- Check-out is at 10am, which is earlier than most and a tight squeeze if you like a slow morning before heading out.
Who It’s For
Match Score by travel style
Amenities
Location & Nearby Spots
Things to do near Adelaide
Day tours, attraction tickets and experiences around Adelaide — book ahead on Klook with mobile e-tickets.
See activities in AdelaideAffiliate link — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Insider Tips
- Get to The Great Room early and make the free Express Start breakfast count before you head out for the day.
- Book ahead — with 341 reviews and value pricing, this one fills up fast, especially around Adelaide festival dates.
- Skip the taxi for sightseeing: Rundle Mall and North Terrace are both a few minutes on foot, and Adelaide Oval is about 15 minutes away.