Holiday Inn Express Mesa Verde-Cortez

With a Southwestern-style throughout the hotel, Holiday Inn Express Mesa Verde-Cortez follows a slightly different theme to the normal generic decor commonly found in Holiday Inn hotels. The lobby is a large, open area with pattered carpeted flooring, red sofa set, and Southwestern-inspired decor like large bear skin above the entryway, Native American-themed artwork, cowboy-themed lampshades, and traditional painted plates on the walls. There's a second upper-level lobby with cozy red sofas and a central fireplace. The breakfast room is pretty standard, with the same patterned carpeted flooring and lighting as seen in the lobby and hallways and generic wooden tables and chairs. The grounds include a large parking lot in front, and lush green lawns and trees surrounding the hotel with mountain views in the background. Overall, the atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming with a mixture of guests including couples, families, and business travelers.

Located just off Highway 160, Holiday Inn Express Mesa Verde-Cortez has a convenient location in Cortez, Colorado. There are several restaurants, shops, and other conveniences within close walking distance from the hotel and the center of Cortez is three minutes by car. Cortez Conference Center is right next door to the hotel and Denny Lake and Park is 10 minutes on foot. Conquistador Golf Course is a three-minute drive away and it's a 10-minute drive to Mesa Verde National Park. Ute Mountain Casino, Hotel and Resort is a 20-minute drive from the hotel. Attractions slightly further out include Four Corners Monument, Hovenweep National Monument, and Durango Silverton Railroad Museum, which are all within an hour's drive. Cortez Municipal Airport is about 15 minutes by car.

The 100 guest rooms at Holiday Inn Express Mesa Verde-Cortez are spacious. Decor and amenities are mostly standard across all room variations, with matching patterned turquoise carpets, curtains, and bed skirts, plus wooden furniture, lightly-colored walls, brown sofa chairs, and an interesting collection of contemporary artwork. Rooms include sliding doors opening up to lovely views of the mountains in the background, though a railing blocks the door and there are no balconies. All rooms include air-conditioning, flat-screen TVs, mini-fridges, microwaves, tea- and- coffee-making facilities, telephones, desks, irons and ironing boards, and free Wi-Fi. The black-out curtains and free daily newspaper are a nice added bonus. Families enjoy the bigger suites with a fun Fort Holiday area with bunk beds, flat-screen TVs, and games for kids. Bathrooms include large granite vanities, shower/tub combos, hairdryers, and basic toiletries. Some of the suites feature a lipstick red heart-shaped hot tub in the room.

Features here are pretty standard for a Holiday Inn property and are geared towards both family and business travelers. Mornings start with a free buffet breakfast, including a variety of hot options like eggs, bacon, and sausages; plus signature cinnamon buns. Destination Grill is open for Southwestern-style dinners. Free coffee and cookies are available throughout the day in the lobby. The medium-sized heated indoor swimming pool is housed in a lovely sunny room which also has a hot tub and a few surrounding chairs; plus free towels. There's a small 24-hour fitness center with a basic selection of Precor cardio-training equipment as well as yoga mats, free weights, and free towels. Business travelers can make use of the small business center, which has printing and copying facilities, and choose from three meeting rooms. Outdoor parking and Wi-Fi throughout the property are free. Coin-operated laundry facilities are also provided.