Holiday Inn Express Sacramento Airport Natomas

The outside of the hotel is painted in the familiar Holiday Inn colors of grey and cream, with a partially curved roof at the very top. There are large bulky grey columns holding up the expansive portico over the lobby entrance. The lobby decor is overtaken by the blue-and-pink, Kandinsky-meets-floral carpet that stretches across most of the floor, accented by heavy blue curtains on the windows and olive-painted ceilings. There are two large blue couches and two armchairs clustered around a flat-screen TV on one wall, as well as many blond-wood tables scattered across the lobby that each seat four. The blond-wood theme is also found on the front desk, topped with blue faux-marble and free coffee, tea, and lemon-lime water. It is easy to tell this decor is from the mid-aughts (the hotel was last renovated in 2006), but remarkably, it doesn't show very much wear and tear.

Most of the guests here are travelers who need a place to stay overnight that is close to the airport. There are also some convention- and concert-goers from the nearby Sleep Train Arena (a mile away). The hotel is a cheaper choice than both of its next-door neighbors, Homewood Suites and Hampton Inn & Suites. Homewood Suites has full kitchens, but many guests won't need them when there are so many cheap places to eat within walking distance.

This hotel is located in the community of Natomas, an area northwest from downtown Sacramento. It's located right off of the Del Paso Road exit on I-5. It's a nine-minute drive to the Sacramento airport and is within walking distance to a myriad of chain restaurants, including IHOP, Panda Express, Sizzler, and the iconic California burger stop In 'n' Out. There's also a Starbucks right across the street if the hotel coffee is found wanting. The hotel is a mile-long walk from Sleep Train Arena, an indoor sports and concert venue that holds over 17,000 people, so it's a good option to stay at for those who don't want to deal with the headache of getting out of a concert or game late at night and then trying to find their way home in traffic. It takes 10 minutes or more to drive to downtown Sacramento, so it's not the most convenient choice for those who want to be close to the city center. 

This hotel has 100 rooms that look like they fell out of an IKEA catalogue. Blond wood pervades the decor, with a geometrically patterned blue-and-green carpet, olive-and-beige curtains, and olive armchairs. The beds have Serta Perfect Sleeper mattresses with two soft and two firm pillows, the adjectives conveniently embroidered onto the pillowcases. The rooms have free Wi-Fi and flat-screen TVs with cable access. They also come with a hairdryer, an iron and ironing board, a mini-fridge, a microwave, a Keurig coffeemaker, and a free morning newspaper. Some suites are connecting and cribs are available upon request. 

The bathroom wallpaper is a beige polka-dot pattern that tries to come off as whimsical and really just makes it seem like the room has the chicken pox. There is plenty of space on the faux-granite sink countertops for those with lots of toiletries. 

The elevator to the rooms can be annoyingly slow. Also, the hotel is sometimes invaded by young convention-/concert-goers who can be loud late at night. We encourage guests to try calling the front desk and asking for a room as far away from those rooms as possible if that will be a problem during their stay.

The hotel offers all guests a full hot breakfast bar every morning and free 24-hour shuttle service to the Sacramento airport, though sometimes the pick-up from the airport can be slow. There is a large outdoor heated pool and a smaller, shallower pool for children and those with special accessibility requirements. The Suite Shop next to the front desk, offering toiletries and snacks, is open 24 hours a day for hungry guests arriving after long flights. There are three meeting rooms available for businesses and a 24-hour business center. Guests can take advantage of the 24-hour self-service laundry facilities and a gym that's open late into the night, though it only has cardio machines and no weights. All guests get free parking and free Wi-Fi.