A stay at the Holiday Inn - Life in America

[@danny-li6io]

If this is bringing tears to your eyes (like me) thinking about childhood family vacations and how much our world has changed, my heart goes out to you. I’m not at all embarrassed to be a sentimental fool.

[@timhahn2428]

I feel the same way,

[@bofkaycee1970]

Tore down my hometown holidome about two years ago

[@sprkl5d]

Yes. crying as Im watching. I dont recognize this awful world we live in now and would do anything to go back to these days of simplicity. When people had decency and morals and families put their kids first and spent time together and took fun road trips like these days. Im depressed all the time seeing the evil things going on everywhere. The 60's and 70's were so much better than now.

[@robwinemiller9712]

brings back so many great memories with my grandparents, so can relate for sure

[@justpassinthruonR66]

@@sprkl5d I find our times now are not as bad as the media makes them out to be. The majority of people are just as good as ever. I stopped watching the news which magnifies the bad and diminishes the good of life...all to get viewers. Oh yes, my wife pointed out that I didn't know that Queen Elizabeth has passed for a few days after, but, on the whole, I'm a whole lot happier not being informed.

[@williamfenwick3867]

After being jammed in the back of a hot car for hours on the road, as a kid there was nothing better than cooling off in the Holiday Inn pool. Those were good times.

[@alexlail7481]

@SnoopyDoo No because very few cars had A/C.... Very few houses had A/C And almost no one staying at a Holiday Inn would have had a pool at home. Not to mention that at that point in time as a child you sat quietly in the back and stared out the window if you knew what was good for you....different times

[@Sunshine-cm8eu]

I wish my black family had been granted the same opportunity to stay there and swim in the nice cool pool. We were not allowed to enjoy the same luxuries that so many people take for granted

[@jr499]

@@Sunshine-cm8eu I was thinking the exact same thing... My family was white, but we couldn't afford staying there.

[@genxx2724]

@@alexlail7481 SnoopyDoo was incredibly rude. Our country has produced some horrible young adults.

[@alexlail7481]

@@genxx2724 There are definitely plenty of rude individuals in the two most recent generations. But atleast a few of them seem to be ignorant or oblivious to the past. Specifically the technology and standard of living attainable by the majority of people at any point in time. My parents families lived about 40 miles away from each other in rural NC .... My mother's family received power and indoor plumbing in the early 50s and a (partyline) telephone in the mid to late 60s. Her parents worked in hoisery mills and farmed with horses into the 70's... My father's family received power in the early 50s, running water in the early 60s, indoor bathroom and telephone in the early 70's. His father worked in a furniture factory and farmed with horses and various tractor into the 90's .... Neither of them would have ever dreamed of staying in a Holiday Inn let alone traveling more than a couple hours from home. Once my parents were married they enjoyef traveled when possible but even in the 80's when I was growing up a Holiday Inn was a rare treat.

[@jamesrockford6700]

The worst move Holiday Inn made was getting rid of their giant green and yellow illuminated signs. They really caught your eye.

[@BETTERWORLDSGT]

I remember those, We never could afford to stay there, but it always looked so nice, and the thoughts about how it would be staying there. I stayed one night in a Holiday Inn about 20 years ago travelling, but it was called express or something, wasn't anything really special at that time!

[@ShelleeGraham]

100% Agreed James Rockford. The “Great Sign” of Holiday Inn is a beacon for all travelers. We want the Vintage, Neon Sign back!

[@tjc-oj9cz]

I agree. Whenever I think of Holiday Inn, I always think of that iconic sign. I miss them.

[@paulmezhir8354]

They were called "The great sign" and unfortunately, the cost a fortune to maintain and operate. The were phased out beginning in 1982 during an oil crisis.

[@analogidc1394]

Why they changed their sign I'll never know.

[@johnroberts9560]

My late mother was a housekeeper at our Holiday Inn for about 6 years & a housekeeper for the Best Western Sands Motor Lodge for over 24 years ! R.I.P. Mom I love & miss you everyday !!! 😢🤧❤

[@serenatwilite4005]

Bless your mother and all those hard working folks at hotels and motels, who worked hard so we could rest and just have fun on our vacations.

[@scottschlossberg3137]

It was so nice to see that beautiful sign with the big star as a kid when we traveled. We knew we would get a nice room and they had the best pools. I miss getting an actual key with the diamond shaped chain with the room number on it. Sadly, travel isn't as much fun now.

[@JoeyBagOfBagels99]

Forgot about the key!! Printed on it: If you forget to leave the key, just drop it in any mailbox.

[@LBCORP1960]

I loved seeing that big green and yellow sign after a day of road-tripping in our brand new 1967 Plymouth Fury II station wagon. But I still love road-tripping today and seeing the blue Holiday Inn Express sign from my 2020 Honda Accord and unlocking the door with my iPhone. It's all good. :-)

[@darrylanton9323]

I recently stayed at an RV park in Iowa that also had a motel there as well, they were remodeling the motel and as I was checking in to the RV park I noticed behind the counter was a bucket of brand new diamonded shaped key chains I said to the manager "that sure brings back memories" He said they were part of the remodel as I commended him on his wonderful property and the nice remodeling going on ;)

[@christah4102]

Yeah, hotels have lost their way. $100 a night for an average hotel room. The whole idea of the Holiday Inn was so families could afford to stay in a nice place. Back in those days, everything about society was geared towards families. How times have changed.

[@georgeelmerdenbrough6906]

Hospitality is dead ....

[@evdallas123]

This makes me miss my parents we always stayed at holiday inn my daddy worked for Gulf and they took Gulf credit cards I always got excited when I saw that huge neon sign

[@JoeyBagOfBagels99]

I posted the same about Gulf Credit Cards. Saved our trip. We got stopped in Georgia by a State Trooper, and he demanded payment for a ticket in cash. If it wasn't for the credit card, we would have slept in the car. My Dad told the registration person, in conversation, and she looked up his records on print out (no computers), made a phone call, and we got a cash advance of $50 so we could eat for the next 2 days.

[@dougsilva8603]

I posted the same thing

[@ryankenyon5010]

I loved Holiday Inns. Their restaurants had the best French onion soup and the pools were fun! They had a unique smell. It was a pleasant combination of cleaning supplies, swimming pool and coffee. Good times.

[@stevenlitvintchouk3131]

Yes, the first time my family stayed at a Holiday Inn, onion soup was the appetizer of the very first dinner we had there. Thank you so much for reminding me. I had totally forgotten about our experience there.

[@dougmorris9317]

Being a kid in the 1960s thru mid 70s, our family vacations to Virginia Beach, Florida, etc were always by car and we always stayed at Holiday Inns. Always nice rooms, always a pool. Nice collection of photos here, a nice look back. I enjoy all your videos. 😊

[@wifieforever5251]

And always a Dennys close by

[@howardford6991]

I was born in 1958...........62 yrs old as I type this. Our family also took annual family vacations.........most years we traveled about 1200 miles west to California. We ALWAYS stayed at a Holiday Inn along the way. My father refused to stay anyplace else! Today I see Holiday Inn Express everywhere! Do they even have those full-fledged Holiday Inns.....the regular Holiday Inns..........ANYWHERE? I haven't seen one in a long time.

[@tracyjones4026]

We have a full fledged Holiday Inn in Alexandria , Louisiana.

[@bbz7672]

It's nice to see stories that remind me of the good times growing up.

[@daniellekennedy2338]

Yes it is because times will never be like this again. I am fortunate that I grew up to enjoy most of these nostalgic places and I will treasure these memories forever.

[@jamescombs8316]

@@daniellekennedy2338 Indeed, Danielle, indeed!

[@steveorules3972]

A much better time in life. Went camping with my family always in the early 70's..Some of the best times in my life..No comparison to the world today sadly.

[@JeanmarieRod]

Absolutely. Before a certain tribe successfully dumbed us down, then divided and conquered us.

[@lloydkline1518]

❤️ holiday Inn or holiday Inn expresss today

[@jeffmcmahon1387]

It's an odd thing to put to memory, but I remember the maids would put a paper ring around the toilet seat that said "sanitized for your protection". I was so young I didn't understand anything about what was going on with this situation. Mom told me I had to tear the paper off before using the toilet.

[@prokesuk]

Now you tell me!

[@waderoberts3701]

I stayed at a hotel that did that last year.

[@buoyant69]

Loved the sight of that Holiday Inn sign when I was a kid growing up in the ‘80s. Have many a fond memory of the interior “pool side” rooms of the Holidome style hotels. Staying a night at a Holiday Inn was like getting a vacation in your vacation. My sister and I used to love swimming and putting on the mini golf greens; the visual of the ladies lying on the deck loungers under the big infrareds was memorable as well.

[@frankbrunetti2109]

Holiday Inn was clean and the rooms were a good size compared to other chains. The restaurant's always had good food. They were our go to motel in the 1970's traveling to Florida.

[@digitalporch2062]

I remember Holiday Inn from the 60's and 70s when I was a kid, I loved how the rooms smelled 😊

[@paulwalker1443]

Yep, can't exactly describe the smell, but it was pleasant. Probably some kind of air freshener laced with pot. Seriously, those rooms smelled terrific.

[@paulwalker1443]

@TcZ it was a joke I am not a dope head.

[@bobpike8050]

I believe it was from those little bars of soap in envelopes.

[@Cherrybee61]

We traveled us 3 little ones with our parents across the states. And remember Stuckey's, Travel lodge and enjoyed the pool, and restaurant. Them were good old days.

[@jimcook2715]

Peanut brittle at stuckeys?

[@litespeedga]

Watching this made feel that being a kid in the late 60s early 70 was a good thing. People today are mean, greedy, entitled and spoiled...would go back in a minute.

[@dewmontjerkins9886]

SO true...

[@kurtb3606]

Sad but true.

[@twc3546]

Stayed at so many Holiday Inns (and HoJo) each summer

[@GeoAce777]

​@@twc3546 HoJo was just right

[@sonhuynh8222]

Most people today are greedy POS 💩

[@clintcountryman4849]

This is the best channel I've run across in a VERY long time. Thanks a bunch!!

[@damnoldguy]

One of the best features was the attached restaurant and room service.

[@Dulcimertunes]

And vibrating beds. 25 cents for 5. Minutes

[@packingten]

@@Dulcimertunes I hot wired them= free😊

[@WhitneyAbrina]

@@Dulcimertunes vibrating beds?

[@plawson8577]

That’s why they took out Howard Johnson.

[@gaylewieneke7084]

I don't think I ever had a bad meal in any of their restaurants. Great memories.

[@montestu5502]

We always stayed at Holiday Inn’s when we traveled as a kid. The Holidomes were the best!

[@monkeywkeys3916]

Those Holidoms looked great.

[@bradbain1099]

A Holidome in the early 80s was a kid's dream. Putt-Putt, indoor pool, hot tub, sauna, pool tables, Asteroids and Pac-Man. What more could a kid ask for?

[@fancypants4226]

Marion Illinois had a great Holidome.

[@Podeyn]

I remember the Holidome in Navarre Beach Fl

[@glennmorris4295]

Omg, what great memories as a kid traveling. Always made sure we stayed at one with a holodome!! So many memories.

[@richardgazinia5482]

There was a Holiday Inn at the end of the Skyline Drive that my family would always stay at in the late 70s - early 80s. The restaurant had a bar inside and they had a piano player that would play while you ate and take requests. My older brother and I thought it was "cheesy" back then but I'd kill to be able to put a dollar in the oversized glass and request "Misty" now.

[@paulwalker1443]

Yes, a different era for sure. But a better era imo. Where one could just wander into a space and listen to a performer who wasn't a star, but was still entertaining. He/She was just there to create some minor entertainment for those who gathered. Gawd, I miss those days.

[@ernestinemaloy8680]

@Peter Reilly ikr I actually have a copy of the movie play misty for me.. On VHS...LMMFAO happy 91rst birthday to Mr. Clint Eastwood...CHEERS...

[@martybethterry3605]

"Play Misty For Me" A whole other story and memorable one Actually not for me but for many others more than likely. Good movie!

[@richardgazinia5482]

@@martybethterry3605 I was once friends with the daughter of the man who wrote the melody for "Misty", Erol Garner. He and his brother wrote the music but someone else wrote the words. I have seen the movie and it wasn't really for me either but I love the song. There was an Albert Brooks (maybe?) short film on SNL years ago where they had multiple piano players play their versions of "Misty."

[@getoffmydarnlawn]

Holiday Inn was a big part of my childhood, it was such a big deal to stay in a motel on our annual summer trips. We didn't have much money, but these trips made us kids feel rich.

[@plawson8577]

The Wilsons were actually the FIRST Hotel Chain that Opened a NON Segregated Hotel. Holiday Inn SERVED and hired Coloreds.

[@rubicon-oh9km]

Spent many a night at Holiday Inn's as a kid in the 70's. The iconic green and yellow neon sign will be burned into my memories for the rest of my life.

[@rburly]

In the 60s and 70s, Holiday Inn was the standard for hotels/motels. Our family stayed in them during all of our vacations.

[@Porsche996driver]

The “backhand script” style of the Holiday Inn signs was always alluring and intriguing. Wonder who came up with that?!

[@jacksson9391]

It was the age of the Jetson's

[@billybob2372]

They should bring the sign back, hipsters love retro

[@ShelleeGraham]

Totally agree, about bringing back the Holiday Inn “Great Sign” with real neon tubing and flashing bulbs. Gorgeous! I would go out of my way to stay at that Holiday Inn!

[@brianhill4995]

Bring back the whole retro setup just like it was tv and all. They would make bank.

[@nslouka90]

And so do old people, probably will see one, spark nostalgia of the 60s or 70s when they stayed in one and want to go on a trip and stay in one again!

[@Russ_Hoops]

The signs were expensive which is why they were phased out

[@ThatNiravGuy]

In the 1960s when we stayed at a Holiday Inn as kids, we knew we were going to swim in a pool!! Those days were the best days!

[@plawson8577]

Holiday Inn BROKE New Ground in Racial Barriers. It was the First Hotel chain that allowed Blacks to stay and work for.

[@AltRockLover]

We used to stay in a Holiday Inn just off the highway in or near Allentown Pa in the late 60s. We were there when man first walked on the moon, watching it on the tv until late into the night. To us kids, it was the best thing ever spending a few days, possibly as many as 5 if memory serves me at Holiday Inn. The biggest thrill was seeing that big bright neon star in the distance, knowing that soon we’d be welcomed at the Nation’s Innkeeper. For me, seeing that sign was like seeing our Christmas tree all decorated and twinkling with multicolored lights on Christmas morning. It evoked the same feelings of wonderment to me. I remember there was always that paper strip over the toilet lid assuring us that it was “sanitized for your convenience”. There was even a smell in those rooms that was unique and basically said “it’s clean”. We loved hanging by the pool, eating cold cuts and drinking ice cold soda from our cooler. And maybe once or twice during our stay, my parents would let us have breakfast at the on-site diner, where eggs, pancakes, French toast and bacon always tasted extra good. We felt like kings!

[@rustynailmendlesohn8710]

What nice memories I had as a kid in the 60s travelling with my little brother and parents and staying at a Holiday Inn. TY. Nice nice video

[@DuaneHHLyon]

Me too

[@swimlaps1]

We kids liked to get ice & swim. Exciting times.

[@ScorpioBornIn69]

It's just not the same with out the Great Sign and how they run and do things today with the franchise.

[@timrobinson7373]

Agreed

[@frankrizzo4460]

@@swimlaps1 yes so true I remember as soon as we got into the room my dad would give me the ice bucket and tell me go get some ice for the drinks. It's simple things like that you'll always remember.... miss those days now more than ever 🤔

[@gabrielhalston6726]

I enjoy visiting my childhood days of the 1950's and early 1960's. Holiday Inns of that era were so very Americana and iconic. Places like Holiday Inn, the old Sears stores, Woolworth's, the local malt shops and diners, drive-ins, piston-engined airliners of the sky ....they're all gone with the wind. It was a beautiful time in our history, one that was very family friendly, had very safe neighborhoods, and strong moral values. It is sorely missed.

[@12oclocker12]

My father was so cheep that we could never stay there. He would hunt for hours for the cheapest 1940's era tourist court he could find. I dreamed of staying at a Holiday Inn like normal people

[@Lockbar]

Thats pretty funny and sad at the same time.

[@Cherrybee61]

I know fix# ers

[@5thdimension625]

I bet he left you a little money or will leave you a little best egg

[@jaysantos536]

My Dad was really cheap too just like I am now BUT would pay for a good quaity motel so we stayed at HI. Now I stay always at Marriott proeprties like Towneplace Suites and Fairfiled Inn

[@stevenvictx]

Motel 6 ( motel sex) every time!

[@jennifercarr7351]

My mom was a kitchen manager at The Holiday Inn in Spokane, WA. We traveled to Disneyland and stayed at Holiday Inns all the way and back.

[@stevend3753]

My family would travel from Boston to Orlando a few times a year in the 70s. We would almost always stay in a Days Inn over night on the way down, but if my dad was feeling generous we would stay in a Holiday Inn. I really miss the simpler life of back then.

[@toddmo1]

As a child my parents always liked and trusted Holiday Inn so we would always stay there...especially on our trips down I-95 from Virginia to Florida.

[@Lockbar]

100% Agree. The big lit up neon sign at about 7:00 pm after a long day of driving meant you would have a clean room with air conditioning. When they changed the sign in the early 1980's it was a disaster. Now the "modern" Holiday Inn means nothing to me.

[@davidarmitage289]

And for me when we travelled from Canada to South Carolina.

[@frankbrunetti2109]

Roanoke Rapids N C I 95

[@WhitneyAbrina]

I think people used to be a lot more brand loyal as well as depended on the advice of sales people when making purchases. Now it's like nothing is consistent so it's hard to stay brand loyal bc wherever you go it's never the same. And as far as sales ...ummm no.

[@bcask61]

God I miss that America, Simpler times.

[@amrice62]

That place is dead, and is not a Phoenix- heartbreaking

[@MultiverseAsheville]

Not really. Segregation, McCarthyism, the Cold War- people always view the past through rose-tinted glasses. 🤷‍♂️

[@jrident]

People still had pride.

[@alishagay2482]

Me to those days are gone forever

[@joedimaggio6261]

People seemed happier and more down to earth back in those days

[@moodylicious]

Me and family traveled a lot in the 60's: Holiday Inn, Howard Johnsons and Quality Inns were the places we usually stayed. Great pools, shuffleboard, nice clean decor. Loved every minute of those vacations. Ahh, to the good old days.

[@jwalksforfun]

Growing up we had a Holiday Inn bathmat and a few towels. 😂😂. Yes, we were THAT family.

[@markthrasher6770]

We were too.....😁😁

[@jaysantos536]

@@markthrasher6770 I bet you had 100 room keys too!

[@markthrasher6770]

@@jaysantos536 The guy that my mother dated after she divorced my Dad did......

[@rickposter3534]

We were not, but somehow we ended up with a Holiday Inn towel one year. My mother was mortified.

[@markthrasher6770]

@@rickposter3534 Why was she mortified military troll?? 🙄....

[@jaysantos536]

"fewer than 10 of the original motel locations still in existence" Please provide any known original locations. Thx

[@mrbrent62]

I worked for Kemmons in the 80's. He was really a cool guy. He had a photographic memory and could remember names. There are so many funny Kemmon's stories.

[@plawson8577]

He was a Kind and Gentle man. Interestingly, Wilson opened ALL Holiday Inn chains and immediately implemented a “Zero Tolerance on Segregation” Policy. None of Properties he Owned were allowed to have Whites Only and No Coloreds Allowed signs. Wilson even hired a Black Man as a Relations Manager IN 1968. I’m DEAD serious.

[@paulazemeckis7835]

Well share some stories!

[@mrbrent62]

Kemmons and some men from this company were driving in Arkansas and he looked out the window and saw some property and said when we get back to the office see who owns that property I’d like to buy it. When they got back to the office they researched it and came back to Kemmons and said Mr. Wilson, you own that property.

[@blindlemon9]

As a kid, I loved the Holiday Inns that had the huge enclosed recreation/lounge/pool courtyards. The ones with a mini-golf course were the best.

[@JustFunandGames]

Does anyone remember the free towels, linens, ice buckets, drinking glasses and ashtrays they used to give away?

[@johnbridger8976]

They were not given away. Where did you dream up That one !!!

[@tashalynn29]

Lol

[@packingten]

That stuff wasn't free it was usually heisted😇

[@mikemahoney6351]

@@packingten I remember the clean smell of the towels. Bleach😃

[@JustFunandGames]

@TcZ I know, they should not give away so many gifts, it's expensive and it is just passed on to the consumer.

[@mirage4456]

When Kemmons sold Holiday Inn, he started Wilson World in Memphis. There was a Wilson World on American Way and Mr. Wilson ate at the buffet that was at this location. There was a large round table that seated 12 and he ate here every noon. This buffet served all his favorite foods everyday and was the best value in Memphis. 5 star food for a 2 star price. I Eat there at least once a week until Mr. Wilson passed away.

[@randygreen007]

The very first “legit” job I ever had was working at the local Holiday Inn. My mother had to sign papers for me as I was only 14 and wasn’t allowed to work on a public job at that age. It was walking distance from our house. What a wonderful group of people to work for and fantastic memories from those days!

[@shelzp7272]

They really were considered a little bit upscale when they first opened

[@jaysantos536]

My Dad was cheap but would pay for HI.

[@flyingphobiahelp]

Yes I agree

[@JamesBond-uz2dm]

Indeed, they we a step up from most roadside hotels. Every one had a swimming pool. My Dad showing off his diving skills and my mom lounging at poolside like a movie star.

[@WhitneyAbrina]

It still is depending on who you are.

[@jaysantos536]

@@JamesBond-uz2dm Best chain by FAR. We stayed at a Ramada in Inn once it wasnt even close. The sign alone was just COOL as hell.

[@happyjack880]

Man, did this bring back memories. As a child traveling with my parents in the late 60's and the 1970's always meant staying at a Holiday Inn. Mom insisted on it. They were always clean and she liked the fact that we could have dinner in the restaurant without leaving the property. They enjoyed the cocktail lounges in the evening especially after driving all day. The pools were always my favorite at that age. I still seek out the HI brand today while traveling with my own family. My favorite HI will always be the Holiday Inn (Biltmore) in Asheville, NC. We have stayed there many times and will continue to when we pass through that way. Thank you for sharing this.

[@plawson8577]

Kemmons was a really cool fella!🙂

[@theathjr]

Traveling with my family in the 70's and 80's I can remember staying at Holiday Inn's alot . They always had a pool and catered to the travelling family. Good Times.

[@davidsquires154]

I remember back in 1978, and I stayed at the Holiday Inn of America in Grayling, Michigan. I took 2 Holiday Inn bath towels with the words Holiday Inn on the front of the towels in GREEN. And to this very day, I still have the white towels with the words Holiday Inn in green letters.

[@oh2bme1860]

I’m a bit disappointed that not a moment of dead air was replaced with talk about the famous Holidome !! Without the Holidome, many Holiday Inn’s would have shutdown due to lack of business in the winter months. The “ Dome” is what kept families coming back. They were able to swim, play shuffleboard, table tennis, volleyball and other family fun favorites. The kids could play in the Dome while the parents could look out from their rooms that looked over the Dome. Oh, the memories of a much happier time♥️

[@FurthermoreJack]

That changed in the late 90's the grunge era generation used Holidomes as party spots and crime rose.

[@diannt9583]

I don't remember Holidomes. We did look wistfully at swimming pools, but were usually not allowed to use them - the parents didn't want to deal with travelling with wet swimsuits the next day.

[@amandarose1925]

My grandfather used to work in the kitchens at holiday inn, back in the day. My dad said they would send him to a kitchen that was having problems, he would sort them out, retrain everybody and move on to the next hotel that needed his expertise. He had so many stories!

[@ScorpioBornIn69]

I still remember that glitzy sign, the Great Sign that was seen as far as miles and couple times when I stayed at a Holiday Inn back in the '70s when I was a young boy.

[@rif167]

Super little video of Holiday Inns brings back so many memories of family travel and vacations on the road and all over the country in the late 60's and through the 70's. The smell of a Holiday Inn was so unique and clean.

[@hobertlee7598]

Them were Good Day’s Growing Up

[@chrisgill1302]

I remember during the late 70's and 80's, back when my family was still young, we would travel all over the country in the old station wagon or our newer E150 Van. Along the way we would always stop at Holiday Inns or Howard Johnson's to spend the night. The Holiday Inns were our favorite. I still remember running down those hotel hallways and making the way to the pool where we almost assured of finding another family, with kids, that we could play with. It seems like a million miles away now. Thanks for the stroll!

[@aprilcunningham7246]

I loved Holiday Inn growing up! I always begged my parents to stay there on trips. Loved that iconic sign!

[@Kate-yv2or]

What was the Holiday Inn in my town was just recently torn down. There was quite a bit of online mourning, as people posted memories of events held there. My senior class had a banquet there in 1975. The restaurant there was a great one, with a Sunday buffet that was well-remembered. Many memories!

[@robertwilson9999]

Back in the day all the rooms came with fly swatters .

[@timhahn2428]

I forgot about that.😂😂

[@ge2623]

This is all we stayed in when I was a kid. I loved that sign, especially at night. And the real treat was getting a room that faced the inside, looking at the pool and the game room. Travelling all day in a car without AC and stepping into that room all nice and cold...Good times.

[@samanthab1923]

There is an old one up the street that has been changed to a different name. Rt 202 New Hope PA. As a kid growing up in NJ there was one in Hazlet on Rt 35

[@clintcountryman4849]

They shouldn't have changed the sign

[@56BIGM]

i mess hojo

[@franknew9001]

@ John t--- I especially miss the Howard Johnson's restaurants with the Orange roof.

[@monkeywkeys3916]

I could see it updating today with a similar Structure & Colors.

[@WysteriaGuitar]

Stayed at many a Holiday inn growing up when traveling. It was always fun, safe, and clean. I used to love the pool!

[@lisanidog8178]

I love the Holiday Inn sign. It feels like an old childhood friend.

[@ge2623]

Like the Stuckeys blue roofs.

[@lisanidog8178]

@@ge2623 We never had that place.

[@howitzer8946]

Always a great place to stay. Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, MI has a mock-up of an original Holiday Inn Room. Pretty cool! Thanks Recollection Road.

[@earllutz2663]

Thank you for your foray into Holiday Inn, and other topics American. I greatly enjoy your channel.

[@goredongoredon]

My family also had a favorite Holiday Inn when on summer vacation. It was in Toledo Ohio and on the way to Cedar Point - both of these places were our go to vacation spots in the 70s. Sometimes we would stay for two nights at the Toledo Holiday Inn because we enjoyed it so much and it became a destination for us by itself, There were lots of things for kids to do: indoor and outdoor pools, mini-golf, etc - in my (young) eyes it was the best hotel ever.

[@robertholmes8835]

Great memories of my childhood, every year my scout troop would bring 5 of us on a trip to various destinations across this great country. We’d bring our camping gear intending to camp the whole time. If we went by a Holiday Inn with a pool, we always talked our scout leader into staying the night their instead of camping. (He probably wanted to stay their instead of camping anyway) those were great times!

[@daviddigital6887]

Man that brings back memories. Possible the best sign design of all time !

[@mikeflair6800]

Classic America. Many of us miss those good American Years, when people where friendly and accepted one another political views. That green and yellow sign is as familiar as McDonalds. My first job was a busboy cleaning tables at the Restaurant at Holiday Inn Franklin Park Illinois in the year 1969.

[@howellwong11]

I was going to add my two cents in, being that I was in my Twenties when Holiday Inn got started, but the article took all the wind out of my sail. That said, it was $7 a night when I first stayed at Holiday Inn.

[@franknew9001]

If the Holiday Inn that you stayed at was in California, the rate was probably $4, and the state tax was $3, for a total of $7. LOL

[@sweetassugar2076]

@@franknew9001 holy sheep shit it cost like 300$ now

[@franknew9001]

@ Sweetassugar-- It is sad how inflation has ruined the dollar. I remember as a kid a full size candy bar was a nickel. When I got my driver's license in 1970, gas was 29 cents a gallon.

[@howellwong11]

@@franknew9001 I remember buying candy for one cent. A lollipop could be bought for two cents or one cent, I forgot, but it wasn't for a nickel. A nickel was for a Hershey bar. A bottle of Coke or other soft drinks was also a nickel. An ice cream sandwich was a dime. A gallon of gas was nine cents a gallon, but to be fair, it was at a Naval Exchange gas station in Japan.

[@chaosdemonwolf1]

@@franknew9001 And we all screamed when it jumped from 29 to 32 cents.

[@mariaellis2882]

Thank you for the history of the Holiday Inn. Awesome pictures of the past. You always play the most beautiful music in your videos.

[@jimjohns9595]

My stepmother was the first female innkeeper at a franchise location, in Speedway, Indiana!

[@EchoSigma6]

As an immigrant family, we started off with little means but as a kid I didn't know better until one time we took a road trip and spent a night at a mid rise Holiday Inn. In my eye it was the most amazing experience and luxurious stay even though it was probably a 2-3 star property by today's standards.

[@jpolar394]

The Beverly Garlin Holiday inn in Anaheim, Calif on Harbor Blvd across from Disney land, I remember my parents paying 30 dollars a night for the 4 of us and we got a free breakfast in the morning. But the best part was that the room had a color television in it.

[@pedegars]

The Beverly Garland Holiday Inn was in North Hollywood, not Anaheim. It still exists today as The Garland.

[@jpolar394]

@@pedegars ......I sorry, I may be wrong. My memory isn't what it used to be. Then what was the name of the Holiday Inn on Harbor Blvd across from Disney land. I was just a kid and the reason I called it the Beverly Garlin was bacause they had pictures of her hanging in the lobby and I remember telling my parents " look mom, it's Ernie and Chips mom on the wall ". and my mom said that she owns it.

[@WendyWilliamsLiving]

A lovely and soothing trip down Memory Lane... thank you!

[@GarretGrayCamera]

It's amazing how their iconic look has turned into the bland, generic and forgettable facade of Holiday Inn Express that pretty much says, "you're going to stay in a bed in a room down a hallway in a boring soulless building."

[@michaelwascom62]

Amen Garret Gray! I miss the the iconic look and design Holiday Inn maintained from 1952 through the 1970's. Also miss the dazzling sign out front. I've heard that the "Great Sign" was abandoned because it was too costly to maintain. H.I. is now owned by a foreign corporation; and Kemmons Wilson is probably rolling over in his grave at all the changes which have been made to the company he founde.

[@model-man7802]

We had to stay where they had a pool.Loved the big green signs.We stopped at Stuckys and Hojos.....

[@TheOwl]

Used to love staying at the open court Holiday Inns, especially with the pool and restaurant that had live bands and a small dance floor.

[@franknew9001]

At 6:45 in this video, there was a sign and a sign on the building that had Holiday Inn Jr. From the looks of that picture based on the years of the cars, it looks like it is from the 1960's. I don't ever remember Holiday Inn called Holiday Inn Jr.

[@mikentx57]

I have to say I always been a huge fan of Holliday Inn. We stayed in them when I was a kid in the 60's and 70s and even into adulthood I still stay in them. They did have the perfect business model at the right time. And unlike so many other American companies Holiday Inn seems to be doing just as well now as they ever have. You can say they been in a 70 year long heyday. The last time we stayed in a hotel was a new Holiday Inn in Amarillo, TX. The staff was the most helpful and friendly that I have ever seen. Ok a question for others. In the 60's we stayed at a few Holiday Inns that has small amusement rides the center courtyard area. These were the small kiddie rides like you would see at an amusement park. A small 5 bucket Ferris wheel and a small merry go-round with cars or horses. All could be operated by the parents. My brother and sister and I always begged our parents to stay at Holiday Inns with the rides. Does anyone else remember these? I have been looking and I cannot even find pictures of these.

[@plawson8577]

Holiday Inn broke down Racial Barriers. Wilson ABSOLUTELY did Not Tolerate Discrimination and Segregation. None of the Chains were allowed to have Whites Only signs. In fact when the Civil Rights act got signed, he Immediately started enforcing it and actually fired 200 employees in SC chains for Discrimination. Fun Fact, MLK and his family stayed at a Holiday Inn in Atlanta in 1961 on their way to the Freedom Riders March, it was the ONLY Hotel chain that offered them a Room as all the other Motels refused to serve them. Mr Wilson himself even met and accommodated Dr King when he and the SCLCC were staying in a Montgomery,AL Holiday Inn in ‘65. This is why Holiday Inn survived and Howard Johnson didn’t. They Broke Racial Barriers. HoJo did the opposite.

[@fredashay]

When I was a kid, we often took road trips during the summer. Holiday Inn and Howard Johnson's were my parent's preferred motels. For me, when I saw us heading toward one of those stylish and modern (for the 70s) Holiday Inn buildings on a hot day, I knew we were about to step into ice cold antarctic air conditioning. I loved it! We once stayed at the Hershey Motel -- for us, that was super fancy! Back then, the motel grounds were pristine and beautiful, but now they're all built up with restaurants, parking, and roads all around the motel.

[@danityvanityinsanity]

I love the Holiday Inn! My favorite one is the one on Vanness St. in San Francisco. If you get a room on the 14th floor up you get an incredible view of the city. The rooms are so clean and comfortable. The customer service is top notch!😃👍✨

[@korenng5553]

My best girlfriend was Front Desk till retirement there on Van Ness SF! She loved it...

[@oldthudman]

Prior to Holiday Inn's (1952) and Best Western (1946) most motel's (motor-hotels) were mainly mom & pop inns.....with usually so-so accommodations.........I stayed in mostly Best Western's traveling to and from Nellis to Houston...IIRC they gave Military discounts....Good places..

[@annetheurich507]

When I was a little girl, we always stayed at Holiday Inn. My fathers heaven on earth was Estes Park CO. We always stayed in the holiday inn there. They had a huge freezing indoor pool and a lovely hot tub you could use to take the pool chill off. We had nit been in years and my sister & her husband were in Estes Park on vacation & she sent me a picture of a late model Ford pickup in front of a section of hotel & asked if I knew what it was. I said no so she sent me a picture of the entrance to their hotel. It was “our” Holiday Inn - newly renovated but still recognizable. My dad was smiling in Heaven. 😍

[@Tfontaine209]

I couldn't wait on road trips to get to HI so I could go swimming 😌 I can still smell the hotel room smell. Fresh, clean linens and soap!

[@briankey2645]

Love your series all of them are reflections of a nation that I once knew as a boy. A nation and its icons that are slowly dying, All these in this series are testimonies to capitalism. Men from Americas greatest generation that not only cared about profit but also cared about their fellow Americans and had a nationalist pride that is now fading away. Now it is all about greed and selling out the American dream as we shift from capitalism to socialism. However enjoy your series as it is a reflection down memory lane when our nation was great and the envy of the world. I do also indeed miss the Holiday Inn sign that was such a welcome sight when the journeys were long and we were tired from travel, and yes I do remember the vibrating beds that you put a coin in and it worked.

[@scottburns2600]

I remember being enamored with those signs as a young kid in the 70s. Loved seeing them at night on a nice summer evening

[@candysmith8724]

The cost for a room was $4.00 - $6.00??😮 My parents could have a cheap vacation trip...Wow! Just like the narrator said, today they shifted for a higher-end experience, hence Holiday Inn is like all the others now. All about profits. They lost their vision of helping families with keeping costs down to be able to travel with their kids.

[@searchforthestrangler5034]

Good point.

[@porcelainthunder2213]

$6 is about $54 in todays money. When you consider wages, property taxes, franchise fees, and the cost of just about everything else has gone up exponentially, the current room rates arent that bad in the scheme of things. Keep in mind, a great deal of the modern room rates are taxes and local fees.

[@tomweyrauch3960]

@@porcelainthunder2213 8

[@WhitneyAbrina]

@@porcelainthunder2213 Thats super cheap still though. Where can you get a hotel for 54$ can u even get a room under 140$? As a GOOD DEAL?

[@porcelainthunder2213]

@@WhitneyAbrina you can still find cheaper rooms outside of cities under $100, but that was the point. The cost of everything has gone up comparatively, so even at $100, its not all that bad considering how much of that fee is actually the room rate. The original post talked about profits, its more the governments endless greed driving up the costs of everything. But you don't see it because its hidden in the price.

[@JoeyBagOfBagels99]

Traveling each summer, from Michigan to Florida, 6 or 7 years in a row. I was 7, my sisters were 4 and 3, with Mom and Dad. Interstate 75 was not fully open the first few years. Got the "Trip Tik" from AAA. We would wake up 5am, stop a few times for food and bathroom, then about 3pm look for the Holiday Inn sign. If they were booked, they would make a reservation at the next available Holiday Inn. Swim in the pool, play shuffle board, have dinner (usually KFC in the room) and then repeat. 2 or 3 nights on the road both ways. (We also visited every road side attraction over the years.) Also associated with Gulf Gas Station credit cards. My Dad taught me that credit cards were a convenience, and he would pay the entire balance when we returned home. Great Memories!!

[@johnallen1901]

As a child of the 70s and 80s this brought back a lot of memories. The Holiday Inn restaurants always served real American food: Pancakes and sausage for breakfast, soup and sandwich for lunch, and a plate of fried chicken for dinner with mashed potatoes, green beans, and a spiced apple ring. There was a Holiday Inn in my hometown in northern Florida that had a Sunday buffet with roast turkey, cornbread dressing with giblet gravy, and a big tray of banana pudding. Today if you happen to stay in a hotel with an attached restaurant, it's typically some fly-by-night Mexican joint that's one inspection away from being shut down by the department of health.

[@madonnahagedorn5649]

I have wonderful memories from the Holiday Inn. My sister worked there for years. She arranged for my mom and dad's 25th wedding anniversary to be held there. There was a room you could rent out for special parties and she planned it all and had it catered. When we would have relatives visit from out of town, they stayed at the Holiday Inn.

[@haroldburch541]

First off this is by far favorite channel on You Tube, you always bring back the great memories of being a kid in the early sixties. When the world was friendly, caring and fun. The Holiday Inn has a very special memory for me . We had one in my hometown back in Iowa, in 1966, a very strong tornado did a lot of serious damage to our home. The construction crew were quick to get on repairing our house but we needed a place to stay until it was finished. Dad went to find us a place, while us kids and mom tried to gather what we could find of our belongings. Dad came back and said I have a surprise for you all, we were going to stay at the Holiday inn. We were all so happy, I remember mom was happy she didn't have to cook for a few weeks. That was the best month and a half ever, but I was super happy to get back to our home. Thank you Mom and Dad for a great life growing up, I miss you both everyday.

[@ljhendrickson2960]

@Harold Burch, I had a similar experience. Where I lived, a gas explosion rocked an entire block, resulting in major damage, including a few casualties. Our Holiday Inn volunteered to take in the survivors plus the people who sustainable damage to their homes. For that kindness extended, they will always be my favorite! Staff saw to our every need. Awesome company in my eyes.

[@TheDexterFishbourne]

Parents always looked for the Holiday Inn w/Holidomes when we traveled. Many many memories.

[@bumsharvest5493]

50 years ago our house caught fire and while the repairs were being done, we stayed at the Holiday Inn. I was 9 years old ordering room service of cheeseburgers and fries, swimming in the pool, having a real good time ! I recall being very depressed about having to go back home when the house was finished.

[@robt5818]

It was always a treat when we stayed there!

[@christianroth812]

These Holiday Inns were so special with the Lit up sign and Star. Many of them in the 80’s had a indoor pool,a place to play miniature Golf,Ping Pong Tables and a pretty decent Arcade in them for a Hotel.I think these Hotels had a charm and now being mostly Holiday Inn Express are similar to most competitors.❤️ The Video!

[@Robsay01]

Motels by me have turned into state provided relocation and temporary housing for nearby residents. No longer are they for typical passers through and travelers. Late night noise, drunkenness, crime, and police.

[@michaelwascom62]

A sad reality ... but very true. The older motels in motels in my city have turned into holding bins for riff-raff. I would tell travelers to avoid them like the plague!

[@RichardinNC1]

My father traveled a lot for work and the company used Holiday Inns. We therefore used them anywhere we traveled along the mid Atlantic area from PA to DC to NC. I collected the books that had good city maps of the whole US. I still use Holiday Inn Express a lot.

[@heidifedor]

I remember when Holiday Inns were the ‘cheap” motels, and Ramada Inns were the upscale ones. Now it’s the other way around. I miss the Holidomes, they were like the first franchised resort hotels.

[@michaelwascom62]

And speaking of Ramada Inn, does that hotel chain still exist? I have not seen one in years.

[@comedywriter8408]

In 1975 I started my working career at a Holiday Inn, when we still had that most beautiful iconic roadside signage, and when Memphis was still the worldwide corporate headquarters. I loved my time there, I started as a Front Desk Clerk, after which I became the night auditor, followed by becoming the assistant Front Desk Manager and finally the Front Desk Manager at the age of 20. It was a wonderful experience, and I was fortunate to be given such a big responsibility at such a young age. I still believe that these years held me in good stead for the business career that lay ahead. Wonderful memories of a time that I wish I could revisit.

[@aml0073]

When you saw that kool sign with all them lights!! It felt like a great adventure..for us small kids(at the time) felt like going to Disneyland

[@tomj528]

As a young kid in the 70's my family took several 2 week long trip, traveling the country for my Dad's work and we stayed at many Holiday Inns, enjoying the pools and game areas. It seems like there was always a small restaurant/coffee shop across the parking lot where we'd have breakfast the next morning on the cheap before getting back on the road. I really miss those times before fast food took over and ran all of those small cafes out of business. These days it seems like everywhere you go America all looks the same.

[@stephenusery652]

In the mid 90s, I was walking across a parking lot of a business building in east Memphis, when an older man in a car asked me for directions. I told him how to navigate the confusing Ridgeway Loop. He thanked me and handed me some money in appreciation. Except that it wasn't money, it was Kemmons Wilson's business card which looked like paper money, but said 1 Sextillion Dollars on it with his picture. I had just met him without knowing it and was simultaneously bummed that it wasn't real money.

[@Dweller415]

This was awesome. I still will often choose Holiday inn for lodging, but it’s not the same as the Holiday Inn from my youth. I remember the old Holiday Inns and the signs with the neon green light and star. It was a treat as a kid.