This Holiday Inn is located in downtown Decatur one block down from the historic square. From the outside, it is a wholly unimpressive structure with little attempt made at following any sort of style; it is a slightly decorated shed. The primary entrance for the hotel is on a major street and features a time limited parking area for check-in, but long term parking is located at the side and rear of the building along a short driveway. The parking lots features its own entrances to the hotel as well as the attached conference center. As the only hotel within short walking distance to downtown Decatur its clientele likely varies. The attendees of the small scale conferences that are held at the Holiday Inn are likely the majority of the guests and those attending weddings downtown often choose this hotel for its proximity to downtown Decatur. The hotel does not require any gimmicks or especially inviting architecture due to its event-centric customer base that relies on its relatively unique location to beat any competition. Overall, it is an unassuming hotel that makes no distinct effort to blend in with the architecture of downtown Decatur and could easily be found out on the strip.
This light filled breezeway connects the hotel and conference center and serves as the entryway for those arriving from the parking lot. The elevator allows guests to go from their cars to rooms without ever entering the lobby, stressing the fact that this hotel is more utilitarian than some upscale hotels. The views from the hotel share a similar disinterest in socialization and the surrounding cities by looking over the parking area and the sides adjacent buildings. Even the pool and exercise areas can be accessed with minimal interaction with other guests thanks to side doors and secluded outdoor walkways. So far, the hotel seems rather unexciting and little better than a motel where the main objective is a place to sleep. The dark doorway at the end of this hallway leads to the rear entrance to the lobby:
The lobby of the Holiday Inn is surprisingly nice for such a bland building, where hotel rooms look out over an "atrium" that houses the lobby, bar, and the "Citrus Grove" restaurant. The expansive space would be inviting were it not for the darkness that envelopes the space in the afternoon when few lights are turned on to compensate. While the ground level is nicely decorated for a cheap hotel, the plain exterior becomes even more plain on the upper floors of the interior that are topped with a metal truss system more often seen in warehouses. Nonetheless, when light is shining through the front windows onto the fake plants and enclosed seating areas dotted with homey lamps, it might just look inviting after all. On this particular weekday afternoon there were no guests in the lobby but plenty of staff members who were eager to greet me and thwart photographing efforts. However, I have observed this hotel on other occasions and seen the restaurant crowded with guests so I believe it must see more business on the weekends. This Holiday Inn is a far cry from the impressive hotels of larger cities but it does provide decent lodgings with a certain level of sociability that are attractive to its middle-income clientele.
This Holiday Inn is located in downtown Decatur one block down from the historic square. From the outside, it is a wholly unimpressive structure with little attempt made at following any sort of style; it is a slightly decorated shed. The primary entrance for the hotel is on a major street and features a time limited parking area for check-in, but long term parking is located at the side and rear of the building along a short driveway. The parking lots features its own entrances to the hotel as well as the attached conference center. As the only hotel within short walking distance to downtown Decatur its clientele likely varies. The attendees of the small scale conferences that are held at the Holiday Inn are likely the majority of the guests and those attending weddings downtown often choose this hotel for its proximity to downtown Decatur. The hotel does not require any gimmicks or especially inviting architecture due to its event-centric customer base that relies on its relatively unique location to beat any competition. Overall, it is an unassuming hotel that makes no distinct effort to blend in with the architecture of downtown Decatur and could easily be found out on the strip.
This light filled breezeway connects the hotel and conference center and serves as the entryway for those arriving from the parking lot. The elevator allows guests to go from their cars to rooms without ever entering the lobby, stressing the fact that this hotel is more utilitarian than some upscale hotels. The views from the hotel share a similar disinterest in socialization and the surrounding cities by looking over the parking area and the sides adjacent buildings. Even the pool and exercise areas can be accessed with minimal interaction with other guests thanks to side doors and secluded outdoor walkways. So far, the hotel seems rather unexciting and little better than a motel where the main objective is a place to sleep. The dark doorway at the end of this hallway leads to the rear entrance to the lobby:
The lobby of the Holiday Inn is surprisingly nice for such a bland building, where hotel rooms look out over an "atrium" that houses the lobby, bar, and the "Citrus Grove" restaurant. The expansive space would be inviting were it not for the darkness that envelopes the space in the afternoon when few lights are turned on to compensate. While the ground level is nicely decorated for a cheap hotel, the plain exterior becomes even more plain on the upper floors of the interior that are topped with a metal truss system more often seen in warehouses. Nonetheless, when light is shining through the front windows onto the fake plants and enclosed seating areas dotted with homey lamps, it might just look inviting after all. On this particular weekday afternoon there were no guests in the lobby but plenty of staff members who were eager to greet me and thwart photographing efforts. However, I have observed this hotel on other occasions and seen the restaurant crowded with guests so I believe it must see more business on the weekends. This Holiday Inn is a far cry from the impressive hotels of larger cities but it does provide decent lodgings with a certain level of sociability that are attractive to its middle-income clientele.
Very good reading of the clientele and of the design.
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