--- title: "Holiday Inn Express vs InterContinental | StayVersus" description: "On the numbers: InterContinental. Holiday Inn Express vs InterContinental, compared across 3,611 and 250 hotels: guest and Google ratings, hotel age…" url: https://stayversus.com/en/brands/holiday-inn-express-vs-intercontinental/ language: en source: StayVersus (https://stayversus.com) retrieved: 2026-10-12 --- # Holiday Inn Express vs InterContinental Averages across 3,611 Holiday Inn Express and 250 InterContinental hotels, and a head-to-head in the 115 cities where both brands have a hotel. IHG Hotels & Resorts ## [Holiday Inn Express](https://stayversus.com/en/brands/holiday-inn-express/) - **Average guest rating:** 8.7 · - **Hotels tracked:** 3,611 IHG Hotels & Resorts ## [InterContinental](https://stayversus.com/en/brands/intercontinental/) - **Average guest rating:** 8.9 · - **Hotels tracked:** 250 The short answer ## On the numbers: InterContinental InterContinental leads on 3 of 6 measures. Average guest rating differs by 0.21 points. ## Every measured fact Averages over each brand's hotels. A dot marks the better figure. | | Holiday Inn Express | InterContinental | | --- | --- | --- | | Guest ratings | | Average guest rating | 8.68 | 8.89 (+0.21) | | Rated 8 or more | 88% | 98% (+10%) | | Rated below 7 | 1% | 0% | | Guest reviews behind the average | 354,299 | 129,975 | | Same city, head to head (cities where both are rated: 105) | | Cities where it is rated higher | 22 | 82 | | The hotels | | Hotels tracked | 3,611 | 250 | | Countries | 54 | 72 | | Typical opening year | 2019 | 2013 | | Built or renovated in the last 10 years | 87% | 67% | | Usual check-in | 15:00 | 15:00 | | Usual check-out | 11:00 | 12:00 | | Hotels that list it | | Free breakfast | 74% | 1% | | Swimming pool | 79% | 79% | | Gym | 73% | 80% | | Free parking | 90% | 55% | | Pets allowed | 1% | 0% | | Shuttle | 17% | 35% | | Laundry | 93% | 98% | | Hot tub | 18% | 24% | | Restaurant | 1% | 0% | | Bar | 59% | 99% | | Kitchen | 27% | 10% | ## 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. - ### [Shanghai](https://stayversus.com/en/china/shanghai/) China [Holiday Inn Express Shanghai On The Bund](https://stayversus.com/en/hotel/holiday-inn-express-shanghai-on-the-bund-shanghai/) 9.2 · Brand average here: 8.5 [InterContinental Shanghai Pudong By IHG](https://stayversus.com/en/hotel/intercontinental-shanghai-pudong-by-ihg-shanghai/) 8.8 · Brand average here: 8.6 [Compare these two](https://stayversus.com/en/compare/holiday-inn-express-shanghai-on-the-bund-shanghai-vs-intercontinental-shanghai-pudong-by-ihg-shanghai/) - ### [London](https://stayversus.com/en/united-kingdom/london/) United Kingdom [Holiday Inn Express London Heathrow T4 By IHG](https://stayversus.com/en/hotel/holiday-inn-express-london-heathrow-t4-by-ihg-london/) 8.9 · Brand average here: 8.2 [Intercontinental London - The O2 By IHG](https://stayversus.com/en/hotel/intercontinental-london-the-o2-by-ihg-london/) 9.0 · Brand average here: 9.0 [Compare these two](https://stayversus.com/en/compare/holiday-inn-express-london-heathrow-t4-by-ihg-london-vs-intercontinental-london-the-o2-by-ihg-london/) - ### [Houston (TX)](https://stayversus.com/en/united-states/houston-tx/) United States [Holiday Inn Express And Suites Stafford Nw - Sugar Land By IHG](https://stayversus.com/en/hotel/holiday-inn-express-and-suites-stafford-nw-sugar-land-by-ihg-houston-tx/) 8.9 · Brand average here: 8.5 [InterContinental Houston By IHG](https://stayversus.com/en/hotel/intercontinental-houston-by-ihg-houston-tx/) 8.8 · Brand average here: 8.8 [Compare these two](https://stayversus.com/en/compare/holiday-inn-express-and-suites-stafford-nw-sugar-land-by-ihg-houston-tx-vs-intercontinental-houston-by-ihg-houston-tx/) - ### [Chengdu](https://stayversus.com/en/china/chengdu/) China [Holiday Inn Express Chengdu North Railway Station By IHG](https://stayversus.com/en/hotel/holiday-inn-express-chengdu-north-railway-station-by-ihg-chengdu/) 9.3 · Brand average here: 8.8 [InterContinental Chengdu Global Center By IHG](https://stayversus.com/en/hotel/intercontinental-chengdu-global-center-by-ihg-chengdu/) 8.9 · Brand average here: 8.8 [Compare these two](https://stayversus.com/en/compare/holiday-inn-express-chengdu-north-railway-station-by-ihg-chengdu-vs-intercontinental-chengdu-global-center-by-ihg-chengdu/) - ### [Beijing](https://stayversus.com/en/china/beijing/) China [Holiday Inn Express Beijing Downtown By IHG](https://stayversus.com/en/hotel/holiday-inn-express-beijing-downtown-by-ihg-beijing/) 8.8 · Brand average here: 8.5 [InterContinental Beijing Sanlitun By IHG](https://stayversus.com/en/hotel/intercontinental-beijing-sanlitun-by-ihg-beijing/) 8.9 · Brand average here: 8.7 [Compare these two](https://stayversus.com/en/compare/holiday-inn-express-beijing-downtown-by-ihg-beijing-vs-intercontinental-beijing-sanlitun-by-ihg-beijing/) - ### [Xian](https://stayversus.com/en/china/xian/) China [Holiday Inn Express Xi'an North](https://stayversus.com/en/hotel/holiday-inn-express-xi-an-north-xian/) 9.2 · Brand average here: 8.7 [InterContinental Xi’an North By IHG](https://stayversus.com/en/hotel/intercontinental-xi-an-north-by-ihg-xian/) 9.5 · Brand average here: 9.6 [Compare these two](https://stayversus.com/en/compare/holiday-inn-express-xi-an-north-xian-vs-intercontinental-xi-an-north-by-ihg-xian/) - ### [Suzhou](https://stayversus.com/en/china/suzhou/) China [Holiday Inn Express Suzhou Industrial Park By IHG](https://stayversus.com/en/hotel/holiday-inn-express-suzhou-industrial-park-by-ihg-suzhou/) 8.8 · Brand average here: 8.4 [InterContinental Suzhou By IHG](https://stayversus.com/en/hotel/intercontinental-suzhou-by-ihg-suzhou/) 9.0 · Brand average here: 9.0 [Compare these two](https://stayversus.com/en/compare/holiday-inn-express-suzhou-industrial-park-by-ihg-suzhou-vs-intercontinental-suzhou-by-ihg-suzhou/) - ### [Chongqing](https://stayversus.com/en/china/chongqing/) China [Holiday Inn Express Chongqing Caiyun Lake By IHG](https://stayversus.com/en/hotel/holiday-inn-express-chongqing-caiyun-lake-by-ihg-chongqing/) 9.7 · Brand average here: 8.9 [InterContinental Chongqing Raffles City By IHG](https://stayversus.com/en/hotel/intercontinental-chongqing-raffles-city-by-ihg-chongqing/) 9.6 · Brand average here: 9.6 [Compare these two](https://stayversus.com/en/compare/holiday-inn-express-chongqing-caiyun-lake-by-ihg-chongqing-vs-intercontinental-chongqing-raffles-city-by-ihg-chongqing/) - ### [Shenzhen](https://stayversus.com/en/china/shenzhen/) China [Holiday Inn Express Shenzhen Futian Center By IHG](https://stayversus.com/en/hotel/holiday-inn-express-shenzhen-futian-center-by-ihg-shenzhen/) 8.6 · Brand average here: 8.4 [InterContinental Shenzhen By IHG](https://stayversus.com/en/hotel/intercontinental-shenzhen-by-ihg-shenzhen/) 9.0 · Brand average here: 8.9 [Compare these two](https://stayversus.com/en/compare/holiday-inn-express-shenzhen-futian-center-by-ihg-shenzhen-vs-intercontinental-shenzhen-by-ihg-shenzhen/) - ### [San Antonio (TX)](https://stayversus.com/en/united-states/san-antonio-tx/) United States [Holiday Inn Express Hotels San Antonio Airport By IHG](https://stayversus.com/en/hotel/holiday-inn-express-hotels-san-antonio-airport-by-ihg-san-antonio-tx/) 9.3 · Brand average here: 8.5 [InterContinental San Antonio Riverwalk By IHG](https://stayversus.com/en/hotel/intercontinental-san-antonio-riverwalk-by-ihg-san-antonio-tx/) 8.8 · Brand average here: 8.8 [Compare these two](https://stayversus.com/en/compare/holiday-inn-express-hotels-san-antonio-airport-by-ihg-san-antonio-tx-vs-intercontinental-san-antonio-riverwalk-by-ihg-san-antonio-tx/) - ### [Hangzhou](https://stayversus.com/en/china/hangzhou/) China [Holiday Inn Express Hangzhou East Station By IHG](https://stayversus.com/en/hotel/holiday-inn-express-hangzhou-east-station-by-ihg-hangzhou/) 9.0 · Brand average here: 8.1 [InterContinental Hangzhou ICC By IHG](https://stayversus.com/en/hotel/intercontinental-hangzhou-icc-by-ihg-hangzhou/) 8.6 · Brand average here: 8.4 [Compare these two](https://stayversus.com/en/compare/holiday-inn-express-hangzhou-east-station-by-ihg-hangzhou-vs-intercontinental-hangzhou-icc-by-ihg-hangzhou/) - ### [New York (NY)](https://stayversus.com/en/united-states/new-york-ny/) United States [Holiday Inn Express & Suites Woodside LaGuardia Airport By IHG](https://stayversus.com/en/hotel/holiday-inn-express-suites-woodside-laguardia-airport-by-ihg-new-york-ny/) 8.9 · Brand average here: 8.2 [InterContinental New York Barclay Hotel By IHG](https://stayversus.com/en/hotel/intercontinental-new-york-barclay-hotel-by-ihg-new-york-ny/) 8.2 · Brand average here: 8.2 [Compare these two](https://stayversus.com/en/compare/holiday-inn-express-suites-woodside-laguardia-airport-by-ihg-new-york-ny-vs-intercontinental-new-york-barclay-hotel-by-ihg-new-york-ny/) ## Holiday Inn Express or InterContinental: common questions ### Is Holiday Inn Express or InterContinental better? On average, InterContinental hotels score 8.89/10 from guests and Holiday Inn Express hotels 8.68/10. InterContinental leads on 3 of the 6 measures we compare. Average guest rating differs by 0.21 points. ### When both are in the same city, which is rated higher? In the 105 cities where both have rated hotels, Holiday Inn Express has the higher average in 22 and InterContinental in 82. ### Which brand has newer hotels? The typical Holiday Inn Express hotel opened in 2019, the typical InterContinental hotel in 2013. ### Do Holiday Inn Express and InterContinental hotels include free breakfast? 74% of Holiday Inn Express hotels and 1% of InterContinental 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 3,611 Holiday Inn Express hotels in 54 countries and 250 InterContinental hotels in 72 countries. ### Do Holiday Inn Express and InterContinental belong to the same company? Yes, both belong to IHG Hotels & Resorts. ## More brand match-ups - [Hampton Inn vs Holiday Inn Express](https://stayversus.com/en/brands/hampton-inn-vs-holiday-inn-express/) - [Holiday Inn Express vs Quality Inn](https://stayversus.com/en/brands/holiday-inn-express-vs-quality-inn/) - [Holiday Inn Express vs Super 8](https://stayversus.com/en/brands/holiday-inn-express-vs-super-8/) - [Fairfield by Marriott vs Holiday Inn Express](https://stayversus.com/en/brands/fairfield-vs-holiday-inn-express/) - [Days Inn vs Holiday Inn Express](https://stayversus.com/en/brands/days-inn-vs-holiday-inn-express/) - [Comfort Inn vs Holiday Inn Express](https://stayversus.com/en/brands/comfort-inn-vs-holiday-inn-express/) - [Holiday Inn Express vs Motel 6](https://stayversus.com/en/brands/holiday-inn-express-vs-motel-6/) - [Holiday Inn vs InterContinental](https://stayversus.com/en/brands/holiday-inn-vs-intercontinental/) - [Hilton Hotels & Resorts vs InterContinental](https://stayversus.com/en/brands/hilton-vs-intercontinental/) - [Crowne Plaza vs InterContinental](https://stayversus.com/en/brands/crowne-plaza-vs-intercontinental/) Updated 12 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](https://stayversus.com/en/about/) --- Source: https://stayversus.com/en/brands/holiday-inn-express-vs-intercontinental/. Facts are compiled by StayVersus from partner data (Agoda), Overture Maps, OpenStreetMap, OurAirports, public Google Maps listings and hotels' own websites. Scores use one formula for every hotel. Methodology: https://stayversus.com/en/about/