This experience makes me want to stay in Holiday Inns more often. I was off of the HI bandwagon for several years after an awful experience at one of the old-school Holiday Inns that was in desperate need of demolition/"nuke and pave". Then I started booking some of the HI Expresses here and there....and they are generally solid.
This HIE is in a historic building downtown; walking in feels like a doorman building in any big city environment and the hallways to the rooms resemble a typical apartment building. There was some construction going on as they are updating things, but the room REALLY surprised me (in a good way).
It was huge - high ceilings, lovely wood floors, a separate mini kitchenette area (small sink, mini fridge and little coffee maker), nice flat screen TV (with pretty good channel selections), a separate lounge chair/ottoman, desk area and even a whirlpool tub (which I didn't book...do all of the rooms have these??). Oh - and this was a room booked on points...sweet!!
I didn't take advantage of the happy hour (arrived too late) nor the complimentary breakfast (left in a hurry), but I did valet park my car. It's about $25 per night (I only stayed one night) - which was totally worth it to not have to drive and walk a few blocks after my extraordinarily long drive (12 hours).
Staff was super friendly and the room was very clean. A few nooks and crannies of the room showed the age of the hotel, but it seems like they have been keeping up on updates pretty well.
The elevators are very tight and oddly shaped....but this is a retro-fitted, renovated historic building. I will totally stay here again if I come back to Cleveland.