Holiday Inn Resort Daytona Beach Oceanfront

Holiday Inn Resort Daytona Beach Oceanfront is a seven-story mid-range hotel directly on the beach. The large blue- and terra cotta-painted building sits on busy Atlantic Avenue. The bright lobby is dimmed down by its dark wood check-in desk, wood paneling on the walls, furniture, and carpeting. The business center in the lobby has two computers and chairs. On the first floor are the kids' activity center, the game room, the lackluster gym, and the hotel’s restaurant. The indoor dining area has blue walls, dark wood tables and chairs, and a mosaic tiled bar with dark wood barstools. The outdoor dining area is on the pool deck with several tables with umbrellas, as well as an outdoor bar. Next to the restaurant on the pool deck, there is a fire pit surrounded by dark wicker chairs. The kiddy pool is a free-form design with two waterfalls, while the oceanfront adult pool has many brown lounge chairs on either side. With all the perks for little ones, it's no surprise that the majority of guests are families with kids. 

The property is located on the beach, about one-and-a-half miles from tourist hotspots including the Daytona Beach Boardwalk and Main Street Pier. Daytona International Speedway is less than five miles away, about a 10-minute drive. The hotel does have an on-site restaurant, but Crickets Restaurant Bar & Grill is an easy five-minute walk. Restaurants like Top of Daytona and Crabby Joe's Deck and Grill are located within a five- to 10-minute drive. Parking at the hotel is free. 

All of the 195 rooms are equipped with balconies, mini-fridges, microwaves, flat-screen TVs, safes, and an iron and ironing board. Suites have (some have kitchenettes) and separate seating areas. The rooms do have free Wi-Fi and room service is available most of the day. The dark furniture combined with the dark carpeting makes for a comfortable feel. However, the pieces in some of the rooms could use replacing from frequent wear and tear, and the rooms are on the darker side. The views from the ocean side of the hotel are stunning, but requests and even reservations for ocean view rooms are not always granted. Bathrooms are modern with beige tile and shower/tub combos. 

The best features of this hotel are the beach and the large pool deck with an adult pool, a hot tub, and a kid’s pool with waterfalls that make for fun splash zones. Freebies include parking and Wi-Fi throughout the hotel and in the rooms, although there is a fee for wired Internet services. The hotel also has a children’s activities center, and coordinated activities are offered seasonally. Kids eat free, and there's a game room with a handful of arcade games and an air hockey table. The restaurant, H20 Daytona Bar and Grill, serves casual American fare for breakfast, lunch, and dinner; daily drink specials are available, and there is live entertainment on weekends.