I was booked at the Red Roof, but due to my own error, and them being sold out, I had to find a new pet-friendly hotel at the last minute. I saw the IHG and immediately booked it on Hotels.com.
I checked in with Harrison, who was an absolute delight. He was patient with me while I had issues with making the pet fee even though I was stressed out beyond all belief and obviously upset with the issues I was having.
The hotel itself was splendid, clean, and well lit. The room was spacious, clean, and new. There were loads of outlets all over the room, the bathroom had nice soaps and shampoos/conditioners, and a hairdryer, and the water pressure was amazing. The bed was comfy, with loads of pillows. Lots of lighting and electric outlets. The room also had a fridge, coffee maker, and microwave, with a nicely sized closet and drawers, a couch and a coffee table.
The breakfast was probably the best breakfast I've had at a hotel in a very, very, long time. The eggs, sausage and bacon were perfect. They had cereals, oatmeals, bread, fruits, eggs, bacon and sausage, with milk and juices available.
The hotel is very secure, with access at night only allowed if you had a key, or by ringing the front door bell. I felt very safe walking my dogs in the field beside the hotel, as it was well lit and VERY clean. The whole parking lot was just insanely clean. I didn't see a single cigarette butt anywhere.
The area is very close to dining, shopping and the highway. Everything I did was about 20 minutes away.
I absolutely plan to stay here when I come back, as I travel to Durham a few times a year.
The only thing I really disliked, was that the pet fee is $75.00 no matter if you stay a day or 5 days, and if you have one dog, or two. I had two dogs and only stayed the one day, so $75.00 is a pretty steep fee. Most hotels I stay at have a pet fee of $15-$25 per pet, per day, some even allowing one pet for free, and the other pet costs. But I travel with my dogs everywhere, so I often am looking for a hotel that is safe and accepts my dogs and me.
Brian Bowers
Dec 4, 2025
5
I had a great experience at the Holiday Inn Express Durham. The hotel was clean, modern, and comfortable from the moment I walked in. The staff was friendly, welcoming, and quick to help with anything I needed, which really made the stay feel easy.
My room was spotless, well-maintained, and surprisingly spacious. The bed was comfortable, the pillows were perfect, and the shower had great water pressure. I also appreciated the small touches—strong Wi-Fi, plenty of outlets, and a quiet atmosphere even though the hotel was busy.
Breakfast was another highlight. The selection was fresh, well-stocked, and better than most “express” hotels—hot items, pastries, fruit, and of course, the signature cinnamon rolls. A great way to start the day.
Location is a big plus too. The hotel is close to Duke, downtown Durham, great food spots, and the highways. Super convenient whether you’re visiting for business, school, or a quick weekend trip.
Overall, the Holiday Inn Express Durham delivers everything you want in a dependable, comfortable hotel. Clean rooms, excellent staff, good breakfast, and a great location. I’d definitely stay here again.
Joseph Chandler
Nov 17, 2025
5
We travel the country doing Walmart remodels, I enjoy staying at IHG Hotels everywhere we go. The rooms are always enjoyable and clean, the beds are more comfortable than most Hotels I've stayed at. There's also the convenience of the refrigerator and microwave and digital device charging stations. The Tv's are appropriately sized with updated flat screens, and the A/C units and thermostat are newer models and work efficiently. This particular stay was 19 hours from home in east Texas, I was able to book my rooms easily with the app. I was also able to use the app to notify the front desk that we would be arriving late. The hotel staff had our room keys ready when we arrived and we had a quick check in. We received Waters and snacks for being rewards members as well. I can't see anything here that needs improvement, great place to relax from the road!
Dave Felix
Sep 30, 2025
3
My stay was somewhat okay. When I arrived my room had a very pungent musty smell. Also, there were times during the after hours of the main door being locked , I had difficulty getting into the building and less observant overnight woman seem not to care.
Candace Keyser
Jul 28, 2025
3
Worst breakfast I've ever experienced; coffee was thick? Room was clean; my room door did not shut completely unless forced to do so. Staff was unfriendly and begrudgingly helpful.
James Sullivan
Jul 24, 2025
5
Durrel was Great. Pool was clean, rooms are comfortable. I really recommend staying here if you have Loved Ones at the Duke Medical Center.
diana canty
Jun 11, 2025
4
The staff was amazing considering the card imprinter was broken. There was always a staff member available to escort us to our room. The room was clean and comfortable.
My 4 rating is because the breakfast was so disappointing that we will not stay at this location again. The coffee was allowed to run out. There was no gravy for the biscuits. The first morning, we had to ask for jelly because it was in a drawer not visible to us. The bacon appeared undercooked, thus making it inedible for us.
Sydney R. Farrin
Jun 2, 2025
5
This is the cleanest and nicest experience I've had at a hotel in a long time. Whereas normal hotels don't upkeep the little things, this hotel definitely has. Super soft, clean beds and a shower that I've been dreaming about since. All of the staff were absolutely wonderful and the breakfast was delicious! The best hotel to stay at if you're seeing a show at Motorco Music Hall as it's a short drive/uber/Lyft ride down the road. I'd give more stars if I could!
Melissa Freed
Apr 5, 2025
3
Convenient location but very noisy through the night with rowdy traffic. The a/c wasn't cold, it felt more like room/fan air even at 71 degrees. No exhaust fan in the bathroom so when showering it gets very steamy and mirror fogs up. Elevator was broken. I did appreciate the full service set up of Dove products. It was clean.
Patrick Lau
Mar 31, 2025
5
My wife and I stayed in this hotel from March 5 to March 9.
Hotel is located right off the highway. Really convenient. It is very closed to shopping mall. There are restaurants and grocery stores around. There is a Costco 5 mins driving away.
There is a lot food in the hotel breakfast, including 4 hot dishes , fruit, milk, juice and a lot more.
Zach, the assistant manager, was at the front desk that day. He showed us where we should go to visit. Most importantly, he also show us which area we should avoid.
