Unlike elsewhere in the world, the Holiday Inn Express brand was originally established in China as a semi-upscale entry into the business market, but as local competitions grew, IHG promptly changed their strategy and put the brand back to the midscale bracket with their new developments in recent years. Opened in 2015, the Shenyang North Station location caught the tail end of the “upscale” era, and I’m very thankful for this.
Location was the biggest thing that attracted me – bang in the middle of Shenyang’s CBD, the hotel was walkable to most amenities (including the Shenyang north railway station, duh), and public transit options were plentiful nearby. Rooms, albeit smaller, were above standard, however the “inner circle” rooms can feel claustrophobic as the windows faced the atrium. Thankfully you can now book the exterior rooms directly from the get go – no more “room roulettes”. That being said, I found the rooms quite inconsistent even within the same category, so I tend to request for specific rooms prior to my stay and they normally have no problems accommodating me.
Service was mostly prompt and personalized, although depending on who is on shift you may not get the best English. There were complimentary laundry facilities on site which was a big plus as my stays here were quite long.
Breakfast was consistently above average even by Chinese HIX standards, and a third-party restaurant takes over in the atrium during lunch and dinner hours, though the food and service quality both left a lot to be desired. However, in close proximity there are many good food options, so I ventured out a lot during my stay.
The only thing I could pick on especially after my most recent stays is the slack enforcement of the no smoking rule. The hotel is supposed to be “smoke-free”, but according to the duty manager they had no repercussions against those who do smoke – apparently they were not allowed to charge a smoking fee like most other hotels do. As a result, the guest floors can sometimes be very stinky. Thankfully the exterior rooms had windows that opened, so ventilation wasn’t that big of a deal once inside – yet another reason to avoid the atrium rooms.
The Holiday Inn Express brand has been rapidly expanding to compete with the Chinese brands, and as a result, sometimes you could find some insane value at some locations. This hotel is no exception – even during busier season I rarely saw the rate above CNY300. At that level, realistically, any issues would become non-issues, and that’s precisely why I stay here when I’m in the city for long stretches.
RealScore
Service: 8.5
Design and Room Size: 7.5
In-room Amenities: 7
Bathroom Size and Layout: 7
View from (my) Room: 9
Hotel Location: 8
Available Guest Facilities: 7
Food Quality: 8
Food and Beverage Service: N/A
Executive Lounge Quality: N/A
Final RealScore: 7.78
Final RealRating: A
Hotel is built/opened: 2015
Total number of rooms: 170
Length of stay: 29 nights
Membership level at check-in: Diamond
Room types experienced: Premium Room (better view) / Studio Suite / Premium Studio Suite
Hotel4Real! 
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