Holiday Inn Express Downtown to become Hotel Indigo

**Atticus** · April-22-18, 02:51 PM

Crain’s is reporting that the Holiday Inn Express at the corner of Michigan and Washington will become a Hotel Indigo.

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article...ess-experience

Another boutique hotel, though still part of the IHG [[Holiday Inn Parent Company) chain.

**313WX** · April-22-18, 02:54 PM

I guess Detroit is going to be known as the city of boutique hotels...

**douglasm** · April-22-18, 05:34 PM

I'm showing my age here, but is that the old Howard Johnson Motor Lodge?

**Atticus** · April-22-18, 05:57 PM

Originally Posted by douglasm

I'm showing my age here, but is that the old Howard Johnson Motor Lodge?

Yes, that is the one. Complete with the rooftop indoor pool.

**southen** · April-22-18, 06:04 PM

I hope part of the renovation is the exterior of the building.

**douglasm** · April-23-18, 02:35 PM

Thank you, Atticus.....

That was my lunch stop when I worked Downtown in the late 60's.

**Hypestyles** · April-23-18, 04:40 PM

any new jobs with the brand switch?

**Bigb23** · April-23-18, 04:56 PM

Originally Posted by douglasm

I'm showing my age here, but is that the old Howard Johnson Motor Lodge?

That was my low point of my return from LA/Chicago. 1980. Detroit had their sidewalks rolled up at 5:30 PM.
And the HO-JO was nothing but filth.

**Gistok** · April-23-18, 09:25 PM

Usually articles or threads come with an image of the building in question....

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.3318...7i13312!8i6656

Right next door to the Lafayette cabbage patch, formerly stately Lafayette Building.

**EastsideAl** · April-24-18, 08:46 PM

A postcard image of the place during its HoJo heyday:

**douglasm** · April-25-18, 06:48 PM

Thank you, Al. That was a l o n g time ago......

**Dexlin** · April-25-18, 06:53 PM

I'm kind of curious about the lower floors. It's clear there is parking on part of the first floor, and then the third and forth floors, but is there any on the second floor? I imagine that's where most of the hotel amenities are, but I can't tell if the ramp access this floor or passes it. I see on their site they don't allow you to self-park, rather they force you to valet. lol

**Atticus** · April-25-18, 08:25 PM

Originally Posted by Dexlin

I'm kind of curious about the lower floors. It's clear there is parking on part of the first floor, and then the third and forth floors, but is there any on the second floor? I imagine that's where most of the hotel amenities are, but I can't tell if the ramp access this floor or passes it. I see on their site they don't allow you to self-park, rather they force you to valet. lol

On the second floor, there is parking on the east half of that floor. On the west half of the second floor [[facing Washington Ave), the second floor is for hotel uses [[business center, fitness room, etc.).

The entirity of the third and fourth floors are dedicated to parking.

**K-slice** · April-26-18, 06:29 PM

Wonder what their plans are for the restaurant space. Can't imagine BIG CITY Bar and Grill is up to the Hotel Indigo standards.

**Atticus** · November-01-19, 12:20 PM

I see the hotel is getting a new paint job from the outside. I wasn’t able to go in, so can’t tell if the changes are purely cosmetic.

A while back it was reported that this hotel may change flags from a Holiday Inn Express to a Hotel Indigo. Anyone know if that is still in the works? In some ways, I find it nice that a bland [[and clean) low-to-middle of the road Holiday Inn Express chain hotel exists downtown, as I think it provides some much needed market diversity from all the botique hotels that are opening up.