Holiday Inn Express Philadelphia-Midtown by IHG

Rooms and decor

Picture a hotel sitting right in the Midtown part of Center City, Philadelphia — open the door and you're already in walking range of the history district, the restaurants, and the subway. That's the main appeal of Holiday Inn Express Philadelphia-Midtown by IHG. The rooms here run in the Holiday Inn Express style: clean, simple, and genuinely functional, in bright easy-on-the-eyes tones, with comfy beds and a choice of soft or firm pillows. You get a desk, a mini-fridge, a microwave, and a coffee maker in the room. For families there's a two-queen option that lets parents and kids sleep comfortably in one room without crowding, and a lot of rooms sit high enough to look out over the city and the Center City towers. The decor isn't flashy or plush — it's clean and complete enough to unpack and stay several nights without feeling cramped. It suits families who use the hotel as a base for getting out rather than lounging in the room all day.

Food and amenities

What makes this budget hotel more interesting than its same-price rivals is the rooftop pool, open seasonally in summer — head up and you get to cool off with the city as a backdrop. The kids love it after a full day of walking, and it's a rare thing for a hotel at this price in the middle of the city. The other star is the free hot Express Start breakfast served every morning in the Holiday Inn Express style, with hot savory items, eggs, pastries, waffles, fruit, cereal, coffee, and the warm signature cinnamon rolls. Go down and eat your fill before taking the kids out, with no time wasted hunting for a spot and nothing extra to pay — it saves on breakfast across the whole trip. The in-room microwave and fridge help with warming milk, heating kids' food, and stashing snacks. There's also a fitness room for anyone who wants to work out, a business center in case you need to print, and free Wi-Fi throughout the building — enough for a family's multi-night stay on a budget that doesn't spiral.

Location and getting there

The location is the real trump card here. The hotel sits in the heart of Center City in the Midtown area, which means Philadelphia's major sights are nearly all within walking distance. A walk of about 10-15 minutes gets you to Independence Hall, the historic building where the Declaration of Independence was signed, and the Liberty Bell, the national symbol. A little further on is the Independence Visitor Center, the place to start planning a tour of the history district, and beyond that, along the Delaware River, is Penn's Landing, a waterfront with event plazas, gardens, and bridge views where the kids can run around. You can teach the kids American history with the real thing in a single day, almost without getting in a car. Going further afield is easy too, because the 8th St subway station — both the Market-Frankford Line and the PATCO line that crosses to the New Jersey side — is right nearby, a few stops from the university district, the shopping district, or a transfer elsewhere. If you like family trips where you ditch the car and explore the city on foot mixed with public transit, this location is a perfect ten.

Things to know before booking

Straight talk to help you decide. First, the age of the building — this hotel has been open a good while, and some reviews feel the rooms and common areas look older than newer hotels, with things like furniture or bathrooms wanting more care and updating. If you expect a brand-new, plush room, this may not land; if you want clean and functional at an affordable rate, it's fine. Second, the rooftop pool only opens seasonally, in summer. If your family plans to make the pool a main activity but comes in cooler weather, you won't get to use it — check the opening dates with the hotel before booking, and note the pool deck is fairly small for the rooftop size. Third, parking is a paid service charged separately per night and fairly high by downtown standards, so budget for it if you drive, or consider leaving the car and using the nearby subway instead. The Midtown spot on a busy street can also carry some traffic noise in certain rooms; if you sleep lightly, ask for a higher floor or a room that doesn't face the main road. And during big city events, rates climb and rooms fill fast, so book ahead.

Our take

After sitting down and reading through plenty of real reviews, Holiday Inn Express Philadelphia-Midtown by IHG is a hotel that sells "a budget Center City rate plus a seasonal rooftop pool for the kids plus free hot breakfast plus a location you can walk from to both Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell" — and sells it at good value. If the trip in your head is taking the kids to see the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall in the morning, strolling the waterfront at Penn's Landing in the afternoon, then bringing them back for a swim in the rooftop pool before a free breakfast the next day, all at a price that's easy on the wallet, this is a very well-rounded pick for budget families. But if you expect a new, plush room, a pool open all year, and full top-tier hotel service, the plain, value-first approach here may not be your answer. Overall we give it 7.8/10 — best for families doing history on a budget who value location and value over how new or plush the rooms feel.