Holiday Inn & Suites Daytona Beach on the Ocean

The beachfront setting at the Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites Daytona Beach has amenities and services for business travelers and families, along with a gazebo used for oceanfront wedding ceremonies. Florida palms and red Spanish-style roof tiles spruce up the generic six-story exterior, while interiors, fully renovated in 2017, sport a modern chain look. The lobby now features colorful mid-century modern furniture, gray tile flooring, and a white marble-topped wooden front desk. The renovated Seaside Lounge's veranda faces the ocean, and guests can watch the waves -- and dolphins -- as they eat lunch. Most travelers staying here are families and couples, though some business guests also pass through. 

The hotel’s outdoor pool borders the sandy shores of Daytona Beach, and it's about a five-minute drive to the Daytona Beach Boardwalk as well as entertainment along Main Street. The dining options near the hotel are limited, but pizzerias, bars, and shops are within a few blocks on North Atlantic Avenue. On-site parking is free but limited, so guests often end up parking across the street. For business travelers, it’s about one mile to the Ocean Center, where many conventions take place. The Jackie Robinson Ballpark is a 10-minute drive away. The Daytona International Speedway and Daytona Beach International Airport are 15 minutes from the property by car. 

The 123 rooms at the Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites Daytona Beach are traditionally furnished and pleasant, with chartreuse accent walls, tropical artwork, dark-patterned carpeting, and dark wooden furniture. Some rooms have balconies with ocean or city views, although some ocean views are partially obstructed. King Rooms have blue and green upholstered sitting areas, and One-Bedroom Suites have separate living rooms and wet bars, plus whirlpool tubs in some. Shower/tub combos or roll-in showers -- plus hairdryers and basic toiletries -- are in the well-maintained bathrooms, which have granite-speckled vanities and hairdryers. All rooms include flat-screen TVs, free Wi-Fi, coffeemakers, microwaves, mini-fridges, irons, and safes. Some rooms have sofa beds. Cribs and rollaway beds (for a fee) can be requested. 

Many of the facilities at this hotel are geared toward beach-goers: Guests can rent lounge chairs and umbrellas on Daytona Beach, and the hotel's outdoor pool, which also has lounge chairs on a large deck, overlooks the sand. A game room offers air hockey, video games, and snack vending machines. Kids under 12 eat for free at the casual Seaside Cafe, fully renovated to a modern style after our visit, which has a bar and a terrace facing the ocean. Unlike some other hotels in the area, breakfast is not free at this hotel. A ballroom can accommodate meetings for up to 150 people, and there's another conference room. A computer and printer are available for guests' use in the lobby, and the small fitness center has few cardio machines and a flat-screen TV. There’s also a guest laundry room with coin-operated machines. Nice freebies include newspapers in the lobby, free Wi-Fi throughout, and on-site parking.