Courtyard by Marriott vs Holiday Inn Express
Averages across 1,408 Courtyard by Marriott and 3,611 Holiday Inn Express hotels, and a head-to-head in the 580 cities where both brands have a hotel.
The short answer
On the numbers: Holiday Inn Express
Holiday Inn Express leads on 5 of 7 measures. The gap in average guest rating is small (0.09), so the hotel you pick matters more than the brand.
Every measured fact
Averages over each brand's hotels. A dot marks the better figure.
| Courtyard by Marriott vs Holiday Inn Express: which hotel brand is better? | Courtyard by Marriott | Holiday Inn Express |
|---|---|---|
| Guest ratings | ||
| Average guest rating | 8.59 | 8.68 +0.09 |
| Rated 8 or more | 85% | 88% +3% |
| Rated below 7 | 2% | 1% |
| Average Google rating | 4.22/5 | 4.24/5 +0.02 |
| Guest reviews behind the average | 96,530 | 354,299 |
| Same city, head to head (cities where both are rated: 285) | ||
| Cities where it is rated higher | 141 | 138 |
| The hotels | ||
| Hotels tracked | 1,408 | 3,611 |
| Countries | 68 | 54 |
| Typical opening year | 2014 | 2019 |
| Built or renovated in the last 10 years | 74% | 87% |
| Usual check-in | 15:00 | 15:00 |
| Usual check-out | 12:00 | 11:00 |
| Hotels that list it | ||
| Free breakfast | 0% | 74% |
| Swimming pool | 46% | 79% |
| Gym | 57% | 73% |
| Free parking | 26% | 90% |
| Pets allowed | 9% | 1% |
| Shuttle | 3% | 17% |
| Laundry | 94% | 93% |
| Hot tub | 6% | 18% |
| Restaurant | 34% | 1% |
| Bar | 94% | 59% |
| Kitchen | 3% | 27% |
Both brands, same city
The best-rated hotel of each brand in cities where both have one. Open a match-up for the full hotel comparison.
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Dallas (TX) United States
Compare these twoCourtyard by Marriott Dallas DFW Airport North/Irving 9.5 Brand average here: 8.3
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Dallas – Plano North by IHG 9.4 Brand average here: 8.7
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Shanghai China
Compare these twoCourtyard by Marriott Shanghai International Tourism and Resorts Zone 9.1 Brand average here: 8.5
Holiday Inn Express Shanghai On The Bund 9.2 Brand average here: 8.5
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Houston (TX) United States
Compare these twoCourtyard by Marriott Houston Westchase 8.8 Brand average here: 8.5
Holiday Inn Express And Suites Stafford Nw - Sugar Land By IHG 8.9 Brand average here: 8.5
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London United Kingdom
Compare these twoCourtyard by Marriott London City Airport 8.7 Brand average here: 8.6
Holiday Inn Express London Heathrow T4 By IHG 8.9 Brand average here: 8.2
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Los Angeles (CA) United States
Compare these twoCourtyard by Marriott Los Angeles Monterey Park 8.6 Brand average here: 8.1
Holiday Inn Express and Suites Glendale Downtown By IHG 8.8 Brand average here: 8.3
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Phoenix (AZ) United States
Compare these twoCourtyard by Marriott Phoenix West/Avondale 9.6 Brand average here: 8.8
Holiday Inn Express and Suites Gilbert Mesa Gateway Airport By IHG 9.8 Brand average here: 8.8
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New York (NY) United States
Compare these twoCourtyard by Marriott New York Manhattan/Times Square West 8.8 Brand average here: 8.2
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Woodside LaGuardia Airport By IHG 8.9 Brand average here: 8.2
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San Antonio (TX) United States
Compare these twoCourtyard by Marriott San Antonio Riverwalk 9.3 Brand average here: 8.1
Holiday Inn Express Hotels San Antonio Airport By IHG 9.3 Brand average here: 8.5
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Chengdu China
Compare these twoCourtyard by Marriott Chengdu South 9.0 Brand average here: 9.0
Holiday Inn Express Chengdu North Railway Station By IHG 9.3 Brand average here: 8.8
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Orlando (FL) United States
Compare these twoCourtyard by Marriott Orlando International Drive/Convention Center 9.6 Brand average here: 8.8
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Orlando At Seaworld By IHG 9.1 Brand average here: 8.8
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Suzhou China
Compare these twoCourtyard by Marriott Suzhou 9.0 Brand average here: 8.6
Holiday Inn Express Suzhou Industrial Park By IHG 8.8 Brand average here: 8.4
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Beijing China
Compare these twoCourtyard by Marriott Beijing Changping 9.4 Brand average here: 9.4
Holiday Inn Express Beijing Downtown By IHG 8.8 Brand average here: 8.5
Courtyard by Marriott or Holiday Inn Express: common questions
Is Courtyard by Marriott or Holiday Inn Express better?
On average, Holiday Inn Express hotels score 8.68/10 from guests and Courtyard by Marriott hotels 8.59/10. Holiday Inn Express leads on 5 of the 7 measures we compare. The gap in average guest rating is small (0.09), so the hotel you pick matters more than the brand.
When both are in the same city, which is rated higher?
In the 285 cities where both have rated hotels, Courtyard by Marriott has the higher average in 141 and Holiday Inn Express in 138.
Which brand has newer hotels?
The typical Holiday Inn Express hotel opened in 2019, the typical Courtyard by Marriott hotel in 2014.
Do Courtyard by Marriott and Holiday Inn Express hotels include free breakfast?
0% of Courtyard by Marriott hotels and 74% of Holiday Inn Express hotels list free breakfast, counting hotels with a complete amenity list. Check the page of the hotel you book.
Which brand has more hotels?
StayVersus tracks 1,408 Courtyard by Marriott hotels in 68 countries and 3,611 Holiday Inn Express hotels in 54 countries.
Do Courtyard by Marriott and Holiday Inn Express belong to the same company?
No. Courtyard by Marriott belongs to Marriott International, Holiday Inn Express to IHG Hotels & Resorts.
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- Hampton Inn vs Holiday Inn Express
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- Fairfield by Marriott vs Holiday Inn Express
Updated 13 Oct 2026. Averages over the hotels StayVersus tracks: guest ratings from Agoda (hotels with 5+ reviews), Google ratings from public Google Maps listings (hotels with 20+ reviews). A hotel counts for a brand only when its name confirms it. How we score