Time to rack up those IHG points! If your family is enjoying the multitude of things to do in Omaha, consider hanging your hat at the Holiday Inn-Downtown Omaha. This hotel, a few blocks away from the concentration of downtown attractions, has just the right balance of quality and family-friendly touches to make it a home away from home.
Holiday Inn Downtown Omaha review:
This Holiday Inn has gone out of its way to make itself family-friendly. They offer free lodging to children 19 and under as long as they’re staying in their parents’ room. Up to four children age 12 and under can eat for free at the restaurant in the hotel restaurant, Burger Theory, which offers standard pub fair and a wide selection of beers.
Then, of course, there’s the pool area, featuring an indoor waterpark with a splash pad, buckets that dump over a play structure, and a 3-story water slide that goes outside the building and comes back in. This slide does not dump into a pool, but has a long flat area at the end for slowing, although you’ll stop moving just about as soon as you reach the flat. Be aware there is no lifeguard; however, there were quite a few people there when we visited, and safety wasn’t an issue. The area also offers a leisure pool ranging from 3-4 feet deep–most of it in the 3 to 3’ 6” range—with a whirlpool (3′ 6″ deep) and a hot tub. Every room gets five wrist bands per day for the pool area; extras cost $10 apiece.
Rooms & other amenities:
We were given a room with a king-sized bed, TV, and writing table, separated by a partial wall from a living/office area which included a second television and another desk. The room also had a microwave and refrigerator. The table lamps all included electric plugs, which is a nice feature for a family traveling with multiple electronic devices. The decor was streamlined and understated, and it was generally a restful room to return to after a long day. Our one issue was getting the room to a comfortable temperature, as we had the wall thermostat set at 80 and we were still cold at night.
The hotel also offers an open wireless network, a business center, a coffee shop in the lobby, and a fitness center. Parking is free in the lot behind the hotel—a nice perk for a downtown hotel–and a free shuttle leaves the premises every half hour during business hours. It runs to any location within a 3-mile radius, which includes a whole lot of attractions. It also goes to the airport 24/7.
Rates/location:
Room rates start as low as $127 in the off season. The Holiday Inn-Downtown Omaha is located at 1420 Cuming St., Omaha, Nebraska.
Our family was given a room for our stay at the Holiday Inn Downtown Omaha in exchange for an honest review.
