Pros

  • Located across from Lake Michigan, near downtown and Silver Beach
  • Modern rooms offer mini-fridges and microwaves; some with lake views
  • Suites available with whirlpool tubs, wet bars, and family-friendly perks
  • Indoor pool, hot tub, and a gym
  • Free breakfast served in the breakfast lounge with patio seating
  • Three meeting rooms and a business center
  • Laundry facilities, safety deposit box, and vending machines
  • Pet-friendly rooms
  • Next-door restaurant/bar with room service
  • Free outdoor parking and Wi-Fi throughout
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Cons

  • No direct beach access
  • Basic breakfast spread
  • Room decor is a bit generic
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Bottom Line

The 82-room Holiday Inn Express St. Joseph is a lower-middle-range property across from Lake Michigan -- although a steep drop prevents direct access. The hotel is geared toward business travelers and families, offering three meeting rooms, an indoor pool and hot tub, free breakfast, and KidSuites with PlayStations and bunk-beds. The hotel owns the next-door restaurant/bar, which provides room service, and freshly baked cookies are doled out in the lobby every afternoon. Rooms are contemporary and have flat-screen TVs along with mini-fridges and microwaves; some have whirlpool tubs and lake views from balconies. Travelers who want direct waterfront access may prefer the Inn at Harbor Shores, which can have higher rates, though it also offers a roof deck. 

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Amenities

  • Cribs
  • Fitness Center
  • Internet
  • Jacuzzi
  • Pets Allowed
  • Pool

Oyster Hotel Review

Holiday Inn Express St. Joseph

Scene

Family-friendly value hotel with well-maintained interiors and guest perks 

Situated across the street from Lake Michigan, the Holiday Inn Express St. Joseph is a lower-middle-range property owned for 30 years by the same family who also operates the next-door restaurant, where there’s live music and 24 beers on tap. This three-floor hotel has a family-friendly vibe, serving fresh cookies in the afternoon and broadcasting a live feed of Silver Beach by the front desk. Another flat-screen TV hangs above a fireplace in a contemporary and comfortable lobby lounge with high ceilings, lime-green and blue furnishings, and the Holiday Inn signature scent -- a citrus and woodsy concoction -- in the air. Also in the lobby is quirky artwork -- including a carousel horse and bulldog sculpture -- that are auctioned off, with a portion of the proceeds going to the city. The great room, between the pool and lobby, offers more seating and a TV lounge, and patio furniture is set in the gardens in warmer months. There are also nice perks for guests, like buckets and shovels for kids to play in the sand with. Generally this hotel caters to travelers with kids, but corporate guests also frequently use the hotel’s meeting facilities.

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Location

Set on the southeast side of Lake Michigan in Saint Joseph

This hotel is located on a low-key road that’s across from Lake Michigan, but there’s no direct beach access; it’s a five-minute drive to the closest beach. Next door is the LakeHouse by Cravings, a restaurant and bar under the same ownership as the hotel. Downtown Saint Joseph, with shops and restaurants, is a five-minute car ride. Guests have free access to the South Shore Health and Racket Club, which is also about a five-minute drive away. This is a popular business location, with companies such as Whirlpool and LECO within two to five minutes' drive. Tourists can also easily drive to attractions from this hotel; Silver Beach Carousel, Whirlpool Compass Fountain, Curious Kid’s Museum, and St. Joseph North Pier Lighthouse are within a 10-minute drive. It’s around one hour by car to the Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport. 

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Rooms

Comfy rooms with mini-fridges and microwaves; family-friendly suites, whirlpool tubs, and lake views available

The hotel offers spacious rooms that are tailored for a variety of different travelers, from KidSuites that have bunk-beds and PlayStation consoles in separate kids’ rooms, to suites with lake views, whirlpool tubs, and/or kitchenettes. Decor is a bit generic, but it's contemporary and comfortable, with dark wooden furniture, green drapes, and navy blue carpeting. Some rooms and suites also have sitting areas and/or balconies with garden or lake views. Guests can order room service from the next-door restaurant. All rooms have mini-fridges, microwaves, coffeemakers, flat-screen TVs, hairdryers, and irons/ironing boards; DVD players are available with some rooms. Bathrooms are standard in appearance with basic toiletries and shower/tub combos. Five ADA-accessible rooms are also available. 

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Features

Next-door restaurant, breakfast lounge, indoor pool, gym, meeting facilities, and on-site parking

The hotel itself doesn’t serve lunch or dinner, but there's a restaurant and bar next door that shares ownership with the hotel and also offers room service. On-site, there's a nicely decorated dining lounge with a fireplace, ample seating, and a counter where the free breakfast is laid out. The clean, but basic indoor pool and large hot tub are popular among families with children. Overlooking the pool is a small fitness center that offers modern cardio and weight equipment. The close proximity to corporations makes this hotel convenient for meetings. Three conference spaces, including the great room, fit a total of 135 people, and a business center has a computer and a printer. At the front of the hotel is a large, outdoor parking lot with 92 spaces. 

See More Features

Oyster Hotel Review

Holiday Inn Express St. Joseph

Scene

Family-friendly value hotel with well-maintained interiors and guest perks 

Situated across the street from Lake Michigan, the Holiday Inn Express St. Joseph is a lower-middle-range property owned for 30 years by the same family who also operates the next-door restaurant, where there’s live music and 24 beers on tap. This three-floor hotel has a family-friendly vibe, serving fresh cookies in the afternoon and broadcasting a live feed of Silver Beach by the front desk. Another flat-screen TV hangs above a fireplace in a contemporary and comfortable lobby lounge with high ceilings, lime-green and blue furnishings, and the Holiday Inn signature scent -- a citrus and woodsy concoction -- in the air. Also in the lobby is quirky artwork -- including a carousel horse and bulldog sculpture -- that are auctioned off, with a portion of the proceeds going to the city. The great room, between the pool and lobby, offers more seating and a TV lounge, and patio furniture is set in the gardens in warmer months. There are also nice perks for guests, like buckets and shovels for kids to play in the sand with. Generally this hotel caters to travelers with kids, but corporate guests also frequently use the hotel’s meeting facilities.

See More Scene

Location

Set on the southeast side of Lake Michigan in Saint Joseph

This hotel is located on a low-key road that’s across from Lake Michigan, but there’s no direct beach access; it’s a five-minute drive to the closest beach. Next door is the LakeHouse by Cravings, a restaurant and bar under the same ownership as the hotel. Downtown Saint Joseph, with shops and restaurants, is a five-minute car ride. Guests have free access to the South Shore Health and Racket Club, which is also about a five-minute drive away. This is a popular business location, with companies such as Whirlpool and LECO within two to five minutes' drive. Tourists can also easily drive to attractions from this hotel; Silver Beach Carousel, Whirlpool Compass Fountain, Curious Kid’s Museum, and St. Joseph North Pier Lighthouse are within a 10-minute drive. It’s around one hour by car to the Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport. 

See More Location

Rooms

Comfy rooms with mini-fridges and microwaves; family-friendly suites, whirlpool tubs, and lake views available

The hotel offers spacious rooms that are tailored for a variety of different travelers, from KidSuites that have bunk-beds and PlayStation consoles in separate kids’ rooms, to suites with lake views, whirlpool tubs, and/or kitchenettes. Decor is a bit generic, but it's contemporary and comfortable, with dark wooden furniture, green drapes, and navy blue carpeting. Some rooms and suites also have sitting areas and/or balconies with garden or lake views. Guests can order room service from the next-door restaurant. All rooms have mini-fridges, microwaves, coffeemakers, flat-screen TVs, hairdryers, and irons/ironing boards; DVD players are available with some rooms. Bathrooms are standard in appearance with basic toiletries and shower/tub combos. Five ADA-accessible rooms are also available. 

See More Rooms

Features

Next-door restaurant, breakfast lounge, indoor pool, gym, meeting facilities, and on-site parking

The hotel itself doesn’t serve lunch or dinner, but there's a restaurant and bar next door that shares ownership with the hotel and also offers room service. On-site, there's a nicely decorated dining lounge with a fireplace, ample seating, and a counter where the free breakfast is laid out. The clean, but basic indoor pool and large hot tub are popular among families with children. Overlooking the pool is a small fitness center that offers modern cardio and weight equipment. The close proximity to corporations makes this hotel convenient for meetings. Three conference spaces, including the great room, fit a total of 135 people, and a business center has a computer and a printer. At the front of the hotel is a large, outdoor parking lot with 92 spaces. 

See More Features

Best Rates

Amenities

  • Air Conditioner

  • Balcony / Terrace / Patio

  • Basic Television

  • Beach

  • Business Center

  • Cable

  • Cribs

  • Dry Cleaning

  • Fitness Center

  • Free Breakfast

  • Full Kitchen

  • Internet

  • Jacuzzi

  • Kids Allowed

  • Laundry

  • Meeting / Conference Rooms

  • Pets Allowed

  • Pool

  • Poolside Drink Service

  • Rental Car Service Desk Onsite

  • Room Service

  • Separate Bedroom / Living Room Space

  • Tennis Court

Disclaimer: This content was accurate at the time the hotel was reviewed. Please check our partner sites when booking to verify that details are still correct.