Before you roll your eyes and try to convince me that’s just lame, let me convince you otherwise:

For about $30, you can get dressed up (c’mon, at least one designer’s ware), lounge in the lobby, look hip, and give Steve Carell and Tina Fey a run for their money – sans hoodlums, of course.  

Savor cocktail service, beer, or wines from Next Vintage wine shop. The onsite Sommelier was quietly aloof, but knows the trade. 

Ask the front desk for a tour of the swank-ooh-la-la rooms, including round beds in the Demi Joule, and more. And, if you’re really feeling no holds barred, reserve a table at Charlie Palmer at the Joule Dallas hotel.

Dust off those Jimmy Choos and go!

>>>ALIX  P. ROSE

Rating: √√

So it was a pleasant surprise when I unexpectedly dropped in to a Royse City, Texas HIExpress  (travel 31.68 miles NE of Dallas) on a Saturday night.  (HIExpress is a distinct offshoot of the original Holiday Inn.) Expecting old cigarette smells, burnt coffee, and the dreaded continental breakfast (which usually provides zero nutrition + sugar), I walked into a high-end two story lobby with vibrant colors embedded in hip chairs and a tile floor. Think: edgy and modern. Even better? The price was a stunning $79.00, and if you internet book, it’s even cheaper. And…breakfast is included. They call it continental, but it’s most decidedly not. (Meaning, there’s protein available.)

Click here for more information.

Which brings me to the question: Since I’m so picky, and this hotel was so impressive, am I getting old and cheap or is HIExpress wooing Gen Xers?

Well, there’s no doubt I’m getting “older” and cheap, and the economy’s dwindled my bank account.  But I think larger things are at play here (besides their extensive corporate research):

Fond Childhood Memories

Think about it. As a kid, if you took road trips, which hotel chain was king? Holiday Inn. Saying “let’s go to the Holiday Inn” used to be slang for “let’s stay at a hotel.” As kids, my brother and I fought over “how cool is the pool” (ah, the Holidome) while dad and mom sweated the bill.

Gen Xers Are Dads and Moms Now

Forget the economy, kids are expensive. And they don’t get cheaper and any more well behaved when they get older. They need to be fed, entertained, and you don’t want to worry about grape juice on 500 count linens. Especially on a road trip/vacation. Kids stay and eat free (12 and under stay and eat free, 19 and under stay free if in same room). Save money, less guilt, what’s not to love?

Location, Location, Location

HIExpress is everywhere.  They’re popping up all across the country on every major interstate and highway. Clark Griswold wouldn’t leave the highway on the way to Walley World if it meant losing time. You won’t want to either.

Fido Can Stay, Too

Pets are members of our family. In fact, they can have better manners in many cases. Save the room and board that’s equivalent to your child’s college education and bring him/her along. HIExpress is dog friendly, but ask at the front desk for that particular location’s policy (looking desperate and giving Fido a tranquilizer beforehand may help). Save one for yourself if they say “no.”

So, yes, I think they’re wooing Gen Xers. And everyone else for that matter.  If they can keep the quality high and the price low, maybe they’ll get back their golden days. As for me, I’m at the computer again looking for the best deal…on the closest Holidome!

>>>ALIX P. ROSE

Rating: √ = go